Back Pain
A very familiar difficulty that ranges from a constant dull pain to a sharp sudden pain is back pain. Back pain can be from an accident, a fall, or lifting a heavy object or even from old age.
80% to 90% of people experiences back pain and it is one of the most common medical conditions.
Risk Factors of back pain
There are a number of factors that increase the risk for back pain, these include:
Age
Back pain takes place between the ages 30 and 40. Back pain goes with old age.
Fitness level
Weak back and abdominal muscles do not support the spine properly that is why back pain occurs more to people who are not physically fit. People who exercise after being inactive will more likely to have back pain than people who exercise daily. Studies show that low impact aerobic exercise is excellent for the discs that acts as cushion for the vertebrae which are the individual bones that make up the spine.
Diet
A lifestyle without exercise and proper diet that leads to obesity will put a lot of stress on the back which cause back pain.
Heredity
Various back pain, like disc disease, may be inherited.
Race
African American women develop back pain two to three times more likely than white women do. African American women are prone to develop spondylolisthesis, a medical condition where the lumbar spine (the lower spine) slips out of place.
Other diseases:
Arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis and cancer in other parts of the body may spread to the spine and contributes to back pain.
Occupational risk factors
A job that involves heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling and that twists or vibrates the spine can lead to back pain and injury. Also, and inactive desk job may lead to back pain especially with poor posture while sitting all day in an uncomfortable chair.
Cigarette smoking
Smoking blocks your body’s ability to delivery the right nutrients to the discs of the lower back that leads to back pain. Also, repetitive coughing from heavy smoking may lead to back pain. Smokers are also less healthy or physically fit than those who does not smoke, which increases the risk for developing back pain. In addition, people who smoke heals slowly, which prolongs the pain for people who had back injuries, back surgery or broken bones.
The causes of Back pain
Back pain is a symptom of a medical condition and not a disease itself. Medical problems that can cause back pain are of the following:
- Mechanical problems
- Injuries
- Acquired conditions and diseases
- Infections and tumors
The causes of back pain are usually physical but there are psychological or emotional factors as well, including anxiety, depression, and fear that can also cause severe back pain and its duration. This is because stress will make the muscles of the body more tense and painful.
