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Common Causes Of Back Pain

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What is Back Pain?

Back pain tends to be very common, and most people experience it at least once in their lifetime. Your back is a very complex structure which is composed of bones, muscles, nerves and joints. Back pain is caused by a problem of one of these elements.

Although back pain can be felt anywhere along your spine, from your neck all the way down to your hips; back pain is most common in the lower back (lumbar) region. Some back pain symptoms include…

  • Muscle ache
  • Muscle spasms
  • Tension, soreness and stiffness
  • Pain that runs down your legs
  • Limited flexibility or range of motion of your back
 
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Causes Of Back Pain

Soft Tissue Injuries

Sprained ligaments and muscles are one of the most common types of lower back pain and it can happen to anyone, at any age! However those with weaker muscles are more high risk, yet even professional athletes can suffer from low back injuries and spasms. Should your job or daily life require you lifting heavy objects or lifting anything heavy incorrectly can put great strain on your spine and cause damage to your muscles and tendons.

Disc Problems

Did you know that your spine is made up of 33 bony vertebrae? These are protected by cushioned discs in between your vertebrae and surrounded by nerves and blood vessels. If your discs become damaged due to illness or injury it can cause acute pain. Below we’ve listed just some of the ways discs can contribute to lower back pain; Degeneration as you age Damage due to injury Herniated: when a disc bulges or slips from its normal position

Osteoarthritis

Your lower back accommodates five facet joints, each of which is susceptible to deterioration and damage. When this occurs inflammation is the body’s natural response – inflammation in the joints is arthritis. When this joint inflammation occurs it causes pressure on the surrounding tissues and nerves, which can cause a lot of pain. Osteoarthritis works in a wicked cycle where your back muscles spasm in response to the pain, in turn causing more pain.

Spinal Stenosis

Although osteoarthritis is painful, it can lead to another condition called spinal stenosis. This can happen when your spinal column narrows and creates pressure on the spinal nerves. However osteoarthritis isn’t the only thing that can contribute to spinal stenosis, the thickening of ligaments or bone spurs on your vertebrae can narrow the space inside your spinal column. Along with pain spinal stenosis can cause weakness and numbness in your back.

Sciatica

Your sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body and it begins in your lower back with a branch of nerves travelling down each leg. When something pinches your sciatic nerve, you can feel the symptoms at any point along the nerve, and you have what’s called sciatica. Sciatica can stem from a few different causes: - Herniated discs - Spinal stenosis - Spondylolisthesis, when one vertebra slips forward over another and pinches your sciatic nerve - Piriformis syndrome, when a muscle in your buttock spasms and compress your sciatic nerve