7 Common Causes of Back Pain

There are many common causes of back pain that can leave you feeling tight, in pain, and extremely irritable without relief in sight. Fortunately, knowledge is power. That’s why we often share tips for dealing with back pain on your own.

But knowing the cause of your pain is your starting point. In this article, we’ll discuss the likeliest culprits. Let’s begin!

1. Stress Or Anxiety

Stress and anxiety can take a deceptive toll on the body. What you think is all in your head has a knack for reaching into your bones and muscles.

Before seeking back pain treatment, stop and gauge the stress levels that you’ve been under. At the same time, pay attention to what your body does when you’re under stress.

Do you lean forward more? Slouch? Body language and movements like these are common when experiencing stress.

2. Osteoporosis

Another cause for back pain could be osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition in which the patient loses bone density. This results in brittle bones that can’t hold up to the stressors they once could.

About 10 million people suffer from this condition each year in the US alone. Considering that one of the biggest bones in the body is your backbone, any weakening of bone density will make you more susceptible to back pain.

3. Issues With Discs

It can be especially tough to manage back pain when you’re experiencing issues with your discs, or those pads of cushioning between each of your vertebrae. All it takes is one herniated or slipped disc to send sharp pains through your entire body.

Until you can get the issue corrected, your mobility will suffer. The good news is that herniated discs often correct themselves. The bad news is that it can take some time to do so.

It’s important you follow your treatment plan, or your recuperation time will be delayed. This will only detract from your overall quality of life.

4. Arthritis

Lower back pain happens to many arthritis sufferers as well. When you think about what arthritis is, it makes sense. Arthritis is a condition that seizes on the joints where bones meet.

The backbone is the nucleus of the skeletal system, and it enables movement. When that becomes affected, it can grind mobility to a halt.

The key to managing arthritis (and the back pain associated with it) is to reduce inflammation as much as possible. You can do this through medication, range-of-motion exercises, and eating foods that do not cause inflammation.

5. Body Inflammation

The word “inflammation” has already come up thanks to arthritis, but it can extend beyond your joints to your entire body. Illnesses of any kind that are caused by inflammation can leave you feeling achy, sore, and sluggish.

Each of these issues will make it harder to find the strength or energy to move. Lack of activity and exercise follows, and that only feeds into the pain you’re experiencing. It all works together to create a vicious cycle that’s hard to break.

6. Muscle Or Tendon Pulls

We can not blame all back pain on your bones and joints, as sometimes your muscles are the source.

Athletes who overdo it may experience a pulled muscle or tendon. Considering that your back consists of 40 muscles, it’s easy to see how damage to any of them can leave you down for the count.

7. Obesity

Last but not least, a common cause of lower and upper back pain is simply being overweight. Particularly, individuals who are obese based on the biometric scale are at risk of having back problems.

The World Health Organization estimates that there are approximately 1.6 billion people in the world who are obese. In relation to the 7.9 billion world population, that’s over 20 percent.

Coping Tips

Now that we’ve covered the common causes of back pain, it’s time to look at what we can do about it. What you’ll find is there are multiple solutions, and you may need to mix and match to arrive at a treatment plan that’s right for you.

Speak to your doctor about the specifics. As a general guide, here are some of the most effective coping mechanisms that will improve your mood and health.

Stretching Exercises

Making time to stretch your body throughout the day is of significant benefit, and it’s something many office workers don’t think enough about. It’s easy to get hung up on work and spend 2-4 hours in front of a computer before you even think of getting up.

Make time to do it and your body will be grateful. One-arm pushups and range-of-motion exercises are great starting points.

Standing More

Standing up more throughout the day can go a long way in allowing your muscles and bones to readjust. It can also get you out of bad posture habits that exacerbate back issues. Consider a standing desk or one that’s adjustable.

Strenuous Activity

That word “strenuous” is positive when we’re talking about back pain management. It’s not enough to stretch and stand. You’ll also want to test your body’s limits throughout the day.

Engage in daily moderate exercise (such as a brisk walk) or intense workouts four times per week. The more you get those muscles working, the easier it will be to avoid pulls and strains.

Weight Loss

Exercise is a part of weight loss, but so is eating right. You’ll need to do both in tandem.

Individuals who are overweight are more susceptible to diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. This makes it harder to strengthen your body, so you also become more susceptible to the aches and pains that go along with sedentary lifestyles.

Losing weight takes the strain of extra weight off your body, which allows the skeletal and muscular systems to manage the load much more easily.

These Common Causes of Back Pain Do Not Have to Control Your Life

Knowing the common causes of back pain puts you back in control. You can plan to address these issues with stretches, exercises, diet plans, and other lifestyle changes that put you on a healthier path.

Ready to make a change for the better? The experts at New York City Spine are here to help. Contact one of our offices in NYC or West Orange today to see what your options are.