Back Pain
Back Pain is pain felt in the back that usually originates from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structure in the spine. Back pain can affect anyone, regardless of age, but it is more common in people who are between 35 and 55 years of age.
Structure of the back
Your back is consisted of -
· 24 small bones (vertebrae), that support the weight of your upper body
· Inter–vertebral discs or shock–absorbing discs that cushion the bones and allow the spine to bend
· Ligaments that hold the vertebrae and discs together
· Tendons to connect muscles to vertebrae
· A spinal cord which carries nerve signals from the brain to the rest of the body
· Nerves
· Muscles
Causes of back pain
· Ligament Sprains
A ligament is a strong elastic tissue in joints that connects one bone to another. Stretching ligaments too far or too quickly makes them tear and bleed into surrounding tissues, causing swelling and pain.
· Poor Posture
Poor posture stresses your spine. Ligaments are over- stretched, muscles tire and joints / muscles are put under pressure.
· Sciatic
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It is responsible for relaying sensations and movement impulses between the foot/leg/hip and the brain. It runs from the lower back, through the buttocks and down the back of your legs. Irritation anywhere along this pathway will cause pain in the back and legs.
· Muscle Strains
Low back sprain/strain occurs with a sudden stressful injury to the low back region, causing stretching or tearing of the muscle/tendons/ligaments of the low back region. The muscles are large in this area and when a strain occurs, it results in a severe low back pain.
· Muscle Weakness
Recent research has shown that weakness of the deep abdominal muscles can contribute to increased strain on the lower back.
Tips to prevent back pain:
· Sleep Right
Sleep on the side with legs bent at knees. It minimizes the spinal stress by straightening the lumber curve. Try placing one or two pillows under your knee, this is known as "lazy S" position, and the pillow under the knee tends to pull your hips upwards, flattening the lumbar curve and reducing the tension in this area.
· Exercise Regularly
To keep your spine and rest of the body health, exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes. The best way to start is with an activity that you enjoy doing and that gets your breathing a little harder than usual like walking, jogging, biking, swimming etc.
· Avoid sitting for a long time
Don't sit tight and avoid sitting in a chair for longer than 30 minutes at a time; get up and move around. Don't sit with a flat wallet in your back pocket. It can exert pressure on the sciatic nerve, which can lead to pain in the back. Take a break and stretch every few hours.
· While lifting objects
When lifting objects, bend your knees and use the muscles of your legs. Do not use the muscles of your back.
· Moving heavy objects
When moving extremely heavy objects, push rather than pull the item.
· Sleep on hard bed
Your mattress should be firm enough to support your natural shape.
See your doctor for back pain treatments if -
· Back pain persists beyond few days
· Pain or numbness travels down one or both legs
· Your backache awakens you at night
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