Back Pain and Their Causes

This Back Pain affects the lumbosacral part of the spine. If you are suffering from low Back Pain, you may well be wondering why. Unfortunately, there could be loads of reasons for the Back Pain, but the good news is that it's probably not an emergency. In fact, out of every ten people you see on the street, in the gym, at work... anywhere, really... around eight of those ten will get low Back Pain at some point in their lives. Of course, you should always see your doctor for diagnosis, as there are conditions which need medical attention, like arthritis and bone disorders. But the most common type of lower Back Pain has been unimaginatively named 'non-specific low Back Pain'. If this is your problem, remember, most of us sympathise! It's unpleasant and debilitating, but on the plus side, your doctor will probably say that you'll be ok as long as you look after yourself.

So what are the causes? Well, the lower back's flexibility creates leverage when you bend down or reach. It is also the spinal area which takes the greatest load when you are carrying. When you consider the fact that the lower back plays a part in almost every movement you make, you realize why so many of us suffer Back Pain there.

If your doctor has diagnosed you with the most common non-specific Back Pain, they probably won't be able to tell you exactly what bit of your back is causing it. It could be down to a sprained ligament, sprained muscle, or a problem with a disc or joint between vertebrae. Other minor problems related to tissue structure could also be making it happen. You will probably have to do some simple exercises to help with the problem - and for more pain alleviation methods, see below.

Above the lumbar spinal section, you have the middle and upper back - also known as the thoracic area. This bit of your spine is connected to your ribcage, so it's better supported than the lumbar or upper regions, whilst being less flexible.

Despite this greater support, thoracic back pain is a problem for some people. It can be caused, for example, by poor posture and strain over extended time periods (like when using a computer or carrying a backpack), traumas such as in car accidents, or low levels of physical strength. Internal causes such as infections and degenerative conditions can also be responsible.

This type of Back Pain is more likely to be caused by a serious spinal problem than neck or low back pain, so seeing your doctor quickly is the best idea. Various interventions are possible and pain management may be appropriate, as outlined below.

Back Pain

Like the lower back, the neck is flexible and supports some weight, in the form of your head. How you position and turn your head and shoulders affects the strains taken by the neck and upper back muscles.

Like lower Back Pain, many instances of neck pain are non-specific. If your doctor has diagnosed you with this, it could have been caused one or many of several factors. Bad posture can factor here, as well as work and sport, stress, anxiety and depression.

There are, of course, many specific causes of neck pain, involving things like spinal compression and injury. So things like car accidents and sports injuries can be linked to this kind of Back Pain. Other factors which increase the chance of this problem are work-related postures which place strain on the neck, and using too many pillows in bed.