Back pain is a very common problem among a lot of people. It’s not just old citizens who have to deal with back problems. It’s due to computers and other electronics that make us sit at one spot for hours and hours. But that’s not always the case, there are other causes of back pain too.
Oftentimes, back pain doesn’t have just one cause but maybe a mixture of reasons. Usually, it’s due to poor posture and a lack of exercise that causes the spine to stiffen up. It could also be some sort of muscle strain or sprains. It’s important to remember that severe pain doesn’t always mean that there’s a serious problem. Sometimes it’s just a lack of movement.
With age, our bones, discs and ligaments in the spine weaken. This happens to everyone as it’s part of the ageing process. It doesn’t always have to hurt. In fact, a lot of people don’t have any pain because of this. But when these discs become thinner and the spaces between vertebrae become narrow, little pieces of bone form at the edge of the vertebrae. This medical condition is called spondylosis and it can be very painful. To avoid this, keep the spine tender and the surrounding muscles by exercising from an early age!
Consider watching this video to know more about the causes of back pain…
If you have back pain AND a pain in the legs with a number or a tingling feeling, then it might be sciatica. This happens when a nerve in the spine gets pressed on or squeezed. Most people who have sciatica don’t always have back pain, the worst part is the leg pain. Usually, this is caused by a bulging disc pressing on the nerve. Don’t worry, discs are designed to bulge so we can move around. But sometimes it can actually catch a nerve in between, Most people recover in a few months. Gentle exercise and some physiotherapy will help with sciatica greatly.
Another cause of back pain can be Spinal stenosis. This condition occurs when your back pain, often linked with leg pain, starts after a few minutes of walking. And when you sit down, it goes away very quickly. This can happen from birth or can develop over time as you get older. This becomes an issue when something presses on the small space in the spine here the nerves are. It’s different from sciatica as the space being squeezed here is the spinal canal or the nerve root canal. Usually it affects both legs but one can also be worse than the other.
There are also other much rare causes such as a fracture which occur due to the thinning of bones. It could also be because of an infection. Other than that, it could also be a tumor or just inflammation.
Mostly, it’s just bad posture and the mixture of reasons we mentioned earlier. These conditions have a simple cure, an active and healthy lifestyle. The other reasons require some care but other than that they shouldn’t be too bothersome. If they are, consult a doctor ASAP!
Until Next Time,
Team Doctor ASKY!