Back Pain: Cause and Effect

Millions of people every day are suffering from different types and degrees of back pain. The cause is not always easy for physicians to diagnose. The spine is the central hub for a person?s movement and nerve activity. A pinched nerve in the middle of your back can adversely and directly affect the entire lower half of your body.

Finding the cause of your back pain is very important. Finding the needle in the haystack, as it were, is key to finding effective treatments for your back pain.

There are a lot of potential reasons for a back ache: a pulled muscle because of pushing yourself too hard, a herniated or otherwise injured disc, arthritis, or perhaps an underlying medical condition. These are often quite easy to handle, but in some situations a surgical procedure and continuing therapy could be called for if the condition is more severe.

Typical Causes

The typical case of back pain is frequently caused by a strain in the lumbar muscle, which can be a result of physical overexertion, such as lifting heavy weights incorrectly or overdoing it on the tennis court. This will more often than not sideline you for a couple of days, however your back will usually heal itself in due course. Just take a painkiller, take a break and apply heat or ice therapy.

A herniated disc is another common source of back pain. The spinal discs act as cushions for your vertebrae. Sitting between each disc, they work to absorb shock. While they are very elastic and soft during your youth, they become less so as you age. While you may be young at heart, your spine knows differently. After the age of forty, your discs are much more prone to injury.

Osteoporosis is a cause of many cases of back pain in older people, especially women, who experience greater calcium loss with age. Bones in people with osteoporosis become brittle and can break easily. This condition is distinct from arthritis, a condition in which the cartilage which cushions your joints becomes worn down. In osteoporosis, it is the bones themselves which lose strength.

A number of physicians equate back pain with an iceberg - you can see the tip, but don't know the extent of what lies underneath. To head off more damage after you feel some back pain, visit your physician to get some x-rays and tests. Once you figure out the source of your back pain, a course of treatment can be started promptly.

By: Kim Archer

Kim Archer knows what it's like to suffer from chronic back pain. She is a regular contributor to Cure Your Back Pain, a great information source on causes and treatments of back pain.

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