Experiencing back pain is a common occurrence among human beings and will tend to affect all of us at some points in our lives, regardless of whether it is chronic or a result of an unexpected abrupt movement that we’ve taken.
Back pains can range from ‘specific’ ones, where the cause of the pain can be clearly identified such as; a strain or a sprain of the back muscles, ‘mechanical’ ones where the underlying reason for the pain cannot be predicted, or which can occur as a result of the weakening of the bones, joints and tissues around the spine.
Mechanical back pain is stubborn and will possibly come back once you have experienced it once. Depending on the specific area it stems from, you may feel relief when lying down or standing up. However, it will probably be the most painful when walking, and you may feel the tendency to sit down. This is a major mistake, as this will weaken your back even more. This type of back pain may be the result of poor posture, unsafe lifting and strains or sprains of the back muscles. It will also make itself evident particularly when you are stressed, due to the uncontrollable tensing of the body during emotionally difficult times.
A good posture is key to prevent chronic back pain in later life. Bad posture can increase the wear in the spine and place unnecessary strain on the tissues. This will ruin the spines stability, which will make itself visible in the form of worn ligaments, especially after the age of 30.
Back pain is particularly common in the elderly (due to excessive wear in the spine), the overweight and pregnant women. Also, it is often identified in people who have jobs that are overly physical such as shelf stockers or delivery men.
At times, a back pain can be caused by a more serious condition such as a herniated disc, where a disc in the spine is putting pressure on a nerve, or a sciatica, where the nerve in the spine experiences some sort of disturbance that can affect the individual from the back all the way down to the pelvis and feet, that will usually feel tingly or numb. Although, these types of back pains may require immediate surgery, they are nonetheless preventable.
During a severe or light bout of back pain we tend to immediately search for a packet of painkillers among the clutter in our medicine box, however medicine may not always be the answer, as they only give us short-term relief. There are so many other methods that can be used and performed as part of our daily lives that will leave us with long term relief and a stronger back.
