Hey guys, I hope you are all having a great week thus far and that the rest of the week continues to treat you well. For today’s topic, I want to talk about an issue that plagues many of us – back pain. Those of us that work office jobs will most likely have experienced this at least once before, with the National Health Service stating that it is the largest cause of work absence in the UK. But why does it happen?
Problems in Your Body that May Cause Back Pain
Back pain can be commonly caused by strained muscles or ligaments, which can occur when individuals lift items that are too heavy or improperly, or even a sudden movement which can affect the muscles. Whatever the cause may be, it is important to understand that back pain is actually a symptom of a condition – either physical or medical – and should not be taken lightly.
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| Never take back pain lightly! (pic from advancedhealthcareofthepalmbeaches.com) |
For example, if you have back pain, you may be suffering from a mechanical problem because of the way in which your spine moves, or when you move your spine in a certain manner. Intervertebral disc degeneration is one of the most common causes of this, which basically means that the discs in between your spine’s vertebrae are breaking down as you get older. This results in a loss of cushioning ability, leading to pain when the back is under stress.
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| Disc degeneration is serious and should be treated before it worsens (pic from sandiego-spine.com) |
Other potential causes include structural problems such as ruptured discs or bulging discs, arthritis, spasms, or an abnormally curved spine. These problems can cause pain due to the pressure on the nerves, and it is recommended that you seek a diagnosis from a physiotherapist to determine the exact problem, and whether it is serious or not.
Causes of Back Pain That You Can Control!
Even something as simple as a mattress can contribute to back pain. If your mattress does not offer sufficient support for specific parts of your body, your spine may not be kept straight which will eventually lead to back pain.
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| Be sure to use a mattress that offers sufficient back support (pic from davidsparavec.net.au) |
You could also experience back pain due to poor posture or simply from doing a simple everyday activity. It is not uncommon to hear of people straining their back from bending down, pushing or pulling something, or just carrying something heavy. There’s no real warning of when these could affect your back, so just be sure to do these activities carefully and without any sudden movements.
Believe it or not, something as simple as a sneeze or a cough can even do the trick!
For those working long office hours or driving for extended hours, you may want to stand up or lie back once in a while, as this may cause some form of back pain. This can happen even if you are not hunching and are sitting up straight, so be careful not to strain your back.
Depending on the severity of your condition, you may require some rest, a few sessions of physiotherapy, or even surgery in the worst cases! If you are experiencing back pain which is persistent or just won’t seem to go away, you might want to get it check out as soon as possible to avoid serious complications in the future.
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