Seven Factors that could Trigger Back Pain
Back pain is a very common complaint. According to the research, approximately 80 per cent people will suffer from back pain at least once in their lives. Back pain is a common reason for absence from work, or a visit to a doctor. We list you eight possible reasons that could trigger back pain.
1) You are a couch potato
Leaving your muscles untested and un-strengthened does no favors for your lower back. Plus, if your lower back is already acting up, staying sedentary may prolong or worsen pain. Get up every half hour or so if you’re binge-watching a show on Netflix and incorporate exercises like the plank (hold 30 seconds or more for 2 to 3 sets) to strengthen your back and core.
2) You Smoke
Nicotine cuts down on healthy blood flow all around your body, and that includes to your vertebrae and spinal discs. This can cause them to break down, resulting in inflammation and pain. According to a research published in Human Brain Mapping, it shows that smoking makes one more likely to feel other back pain triggers as well.
3) You are depressed
Do you know there is a link between lower back pain and depression? The odds of having back pain were 1.6 times higher for subjects with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Stress can cause enormous muscle tension in the lower back. A 2009 study shows mindfulness meditation eases muscle-related pain. To try it yourself, simply focus on your breath as you breathe in and out, being in the moment, without allowing outside distractions to enter your mind.
4) You overdo it with exercise
Too many repetitions or using heavy weights can trigger back pain and stiffness. “Knowing if you’re doing too much requires attention to your back, not just during your workouts, but in the hours after them. Normal muscle soreness usually goes away the next day. But lingering pain bending down, twisting, or extending your back that continues in the days after the workout should be evaluated by a medical professional.
5) You have a urinary tract infection or kidney stones.
UTIs can cause bladder inflammation, which can cause abdominal pain that radiates to the back. Kidney stones can also cause back pain when they block drainage of the kidney. See your doctor or a urologist at the first signs of a UTI: pain or burning during urination and a feeling of urgency and need to urinate frequently.
6) You have an undiagnosed health problem.
Back pain can also be a sign of osteoporosis, an abdominal aneurysm, uterine or ovarian cancer in women and even lung cancer. We can’t always identify the specific reason for lower back pain, but advanced techniques to diagnose the cause — such as x-rays, MRI or CAT scans or other tests — give us a leg up toward getting our patients back to pain-free living. The first step should always be to obtain a diagnosis.
7) You carry too-heavy bags.
Over time, a weight imbalance from carrying a heavy shoulder bag could cause lower back discomfort. To prevent it, alternate the shoulder you use to carry the bag, or decrease its weight. Another thing to avoid: constrictive clothing such as Spanx. They can also cause harm in a couple different ways. They restrict the normal range of motion of the spine. This combined with compression may inhibit the normal conditioning of the stabilizing muscles, making the back more susceptible to strain and injury.
