Back Pain Questions Answered

Back Pain Questions Answered
Here you can find your answers to back pain questions.There are many reasons for back pain. Some are mechanical issues with the body, some are hereditary and some are from disease. Back pain can vary widely from a dull ache to sharp pains. Don’t ignore your pain thinking it will go away. Visit your doctor to get a diagnoses and treatment.

Why do we get back pain? Here are some basic reasons people get back pain.

•Aging. Unfortunately back pain often increases as we age.

•Lack of exercise. People who exercise regularly are less likely to have chronic back pain.

•Overweight. When we are overweight our bones, joints, and muscles are stressed. Often this stress accumulates in your back.

•Heredity. There are some back diseases that are inherited, such as: spondylitiis, ankylosing, and some forms of arthritis.

•Work. Your job may be the culprit of chronic back pain. Whether your job is physically demanding or you work at a desk you can get back pain from both.

•Spinal mechanics such as: herniated disk, muscle spasms, tension in the muscles, ruptured disks, injuries perhaps from an accident.


Can Back been be avoided? Yes there are many things you can do to help prevent back pain. Here are some great tips.

•Exercise. Keeping your muscles strong will ward off back pain.

•Avoid heavy lifting. Sometimes you can’t help it. You have to lift something heavy, so be sure to keep your legs bent and your back straight. Trying to get someone to help is your best bet.

•Get out of bed. If you have injured your back make sure that your rest is short-term. Three days of bed rest is the maximum recommendation. Afterwards start back slowly but keep moving to reduce back pain.

•Stand up straight. There are many activities we enjoy that we must do in a bent position such as gardening. The key here is to limit the time you are bent over. Get up frequently and stretch. Stretching exercises will help to keep your spine stabile and mobile, improving posture.

•Strong core. The core is made up of both your back and abdominal muscles. Often if you have weak abs you will hurt your back by using your back muscles to over-compensate. Do some abdominal exercises as often as possible. Make them a part of your regular routine. If your abs and back are both strong your risk of back pain decreases.

•Flexibility. Are you tense? Most of us carry a certain amount of tension in our bodies and most often it is in our backs, especially the lower back. Flexibility can help lighten the load on the back. First you will want to do stretching exercises just for the back. But don’t ignore the rest of the body. Everything in the body is connected and if you can stretch from head to toe it will help relieve stiffness and tightness.

•Use heat and ice. On those days when it is just too much heating pads and ice packs are your best friends. Switch regularly back and forth, though ice is best if there is swelling.

•How do you sleep? The way you sleep can cause back pain. Recommendation are: if you sleep on your back place pillows under your knees; if you sleep on your side place the pillows between the knees to elevate pressure; if you’re a stomach sleeper of course your head must turn either left or right. You can wake up with a kink in the neck which can also add pressure to your back.

•Relaxation. There are many ways to promote the relaxation response within the body and mind. Try some things such as yoga to stretch and calm; meditation to release your mind; deep breathing will reduce your heart rate; and tai chi which is a wonderful form of meditative movement.

Any of these tips could be useful to relieve or prevent chronic back pain. This article deals mainly with body movement and common sense. It is not intended to go into the more technical causes of pain such as disease and physical imbalances, if so you will probably need to be under a doctor’s care. Remember always respect your body. If there is a problem you can be sure it will let you know. If your pain persists you should visit a medical professional.

Be healthy, be happy!

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This content was written by Terri Johansen. If you wish to use this content in any manner, you need written permission. Contact Terri Johansen for details.