People that suffer from back pain often do so for many different reasons. What causes back pain for one person, might not bother the next in the least. The back is an intricate part of our bodies with many, many parts; because of this, it is often a body part that is subject to pain and irritation.
Strain is a very common cause of back pain. Heavy lifting, lifting using improper techniques, twisting, all are causes of back strain. The resulting inflammation of the discs causes back pain. It is easy enough to avoid this type of back pain. Always be sure to stretch before any activity that involves a lot of twisting. When lifting something heavy, remember to bend at the knees and to enlist the help of another person if the object is too heavy to be lifted alone.
Arthritis and osteoporosis are also very common reasons for back pain issues. These generally occur as we age, when the bones and joints become weakened and inflamed. The bones of the spine also tend to become brittle as we age, causing pain.
Unfortunately, if either arthritis or osteoporosis is the cause of back pain, preventative medicine is no longer available. However, it is important to be sure that the back is not put through more stress and strain than necessary.
Spinal deformities can also be a precursor to back pain. Spine misalignments, bulging or ruptured discs, or herniated discs can be caused by standing for long periods of time, over long periods of time on hard floors. This causes back pain in many cases. The best prevention for this type of back pain is to, if at all possible, have a mat available to stand on. Also helpful is to walk around intermittently to avoid standing for too long in one spot.
Less common, but more problematic and harder to prevent are cases involving cancer or infection of the spine. These ailments can only be diagnosed and treated by a physician. If either of these causes is suspected, visit your doctor for an action plan.
There are some universal risk factors that are known to be associated with back pain. Avoiding these behaviors, or at the very least, being aware of them, may be enough to head off some back pain before it is suffered. Smoking, obesity, stress, anxiety, these are among the most controlled risk factors that can cause back pain. Avoiding these behaviors greatly reduces your risk for back pain.
Other, less easily controlled risk factors are age - as we age, our bones become more easily damaged, gender - women tend to have more back pain issues than do men, physical or inactive work - sometimes this just isn't within our control to change.
While we can't change every risk factor that we posses, there are definitely some life changes that can be made (although not always easily) to help prevent or more quickly recover from back pain.
As always, if back pain persists, see you doctor immediately.
