Do you occasionally get a sharp pain in the lower part of your back and feel that your movements are limited due to the pain? Then you will find this an interesting read …
The cause of back pain can be muscle or ligament strain. Repeated heavy lifting or a sudden awkward movement may strain back muscles and spinal ligaments. If you’re in poor physical condition, constant strain on your back may cause painful muscle spasms.
Bulging or ruptured disks. Disks act as cushions between the bones (vertebrae) in your spine. The soft material inside a disk can bulge or rupture and press on a nerve. However, you can have a bulging or ruptured disk without back pain. Disk disease is often found incidentally when you undergo spine X-rays for some other reason.
Arthritis. Osteoarthritis can affect the lower back. In some cases, arthritis in the spine can lead to a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord, a condition called spinal stenosis.
Skeletal irregularities. Back pain can occur if your spine curves abnormally. Scoliosis, a condition in which your spine curves to the side, also may lead to back pain, but generally only if the scoliosis is severe.
Osteoporosis. Your spine’s vertebrae can develop compression fractures if your bones become porous and brittle.
Anyone can develop back pain, even children and teens. Research has yet to prove what contributes to back pain. However, these factors might put you at greater risk of developing back pain:
Age. Back pain is more common as you get older, starting at about the age of 30 or 40.
Lack of exercise. Weak, unused muscles in your back might lead to back pain.
Excess weight. Carrying too much weight puts extra stress on your back.
Diseases. Some types of arthritis and cancer can contribute to back pain.
Improper lifting. Using your back instead of your legs can lead to back pain.
Psychological conditions. People prone to depression and anxiety appear to have a greater risk of back pain.
How to avoid back pain
Use relaxation techniques – Research shows that practices such as meditation, deep breathing, tai chi, and yoga, which help put the mind at rest, can do wonders for the back.
Limit bedrest –Studies show that people with short-term low-back pain who rest feel more pain and have a harder time with daily tasks than those who stay active.
Keep exercising – Activity is often the best medicine for back pain.
Maintain good posture – The pain may have started after a long workout at the gym, but the strain that caused it has probably been building for years.
Apply ice and heat – Heating pads and cold packs can comfort tender trunks.
The amount of rest you get is important, and so is the position in which you get it. Sleeping in a bad position or on a mattress without support can cause back pain.
Some pointers:
Back sleepers should put pillows under their knees. Side sleepers should place pillows between their knees to keep their spines in a neutral position. Stomach sleeping causes the neck and head to twist and can put undue stress on the back.
Sources: https://www.mayoclinic.org, https://medicalnewstoday.com, Medicine Net and https://www.webmd.com.
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