The Spine Is Complex – Your spine is home to vertebrae, nerves, tendons, ligaments and other soft tissues, and all of these parts are susceptible to injury or degeneration. It can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what is wrong because there are so many different structures in a given location.
Common Causes of Chronic Back Pain
Arthritis of the spine —the gradual thinning of the cartilage inside the spine. Spinal stenosis —narrowing of the spinal canal that may lead to nerve pain. Disc problems, such as a herniated or bulging disc. Myofascial pain syndrome—unexplained muscle pain and tenderness.
Most back pain gets better within a month of home treatment, especially for people younger than age 60. However, for many, the pain lasts several months. Pain relievers and the use of heat might be all that's needed.
In most cases, pain gets better with self-care that includes over-the-counter pain medicine, ice, heat, and exercises. Unless you have symptoms of a severe injury or heart attack, you may be able to give yourself a few days before you call a doctor.
Acute (short-term) back pain lasts a few days to a few weeks. It usually resolves on its own within a few days with self-care and there is no long-term loss of function. Chronic back pain is pain that continues for 12 weeks or longer, even after an initial injury or underlying cause of back pain has been treated.
In general, osteoarthritis (the most common type of arthritis) and degenerative disk disease (the natural wear and tear of spinal disks) are the underlying cause of many types of chronic lower back pain. However, lower back pain can also be caused by accident-related trauma and acute stress.
If you're experiencing back pain when sitting, your impulse may be to lie down and then try to slowly progress back to sitting, says Dr. Atlas. But this is the wrong approach. You should lie down to relieve the pain, but the goal should be not to return to sitting, but rather to regain your ability to stand and move.
If the pain lasts four weeks or longer. If the pain keeps getting worse as time goes by. If you are experiencing other symptoms, such as fever, major weight loss or weight gain, loss of function or weakness in extremities, bladder problems, etc.
Contact your health care provider for back pain that: Lasts longer than a few weeks. Is severe and doesn't improve with rest. Spreads down one or both legs, especially if the pain goes below the knee.
Going on walks: Initial research suggests that going on a walk or brisk walking (Nordic walking) can help relieve back pain if done regularly – for instance, every two days for 30 to 60 minutes.
“Red flag” and “yellow flag” signs
Red flags are possible indicators of serious spinal pathology: Thoracic pain. Fever and unexplained weight loss. Bladder or bowel dysfunction.
Muscle deconditioning
Muscle deconditioning – also called muscle atrophy – is one of the most common causes of chronic back pain. Muscle deconditioning happens when your back muscles lack the strength and stability to support you properly, leading to wear and tear over time.
Radiating pain
Strained muscles cause localized pain (at the site of the injury), but the pain can sometimes radiate to your buttocks. However, if you find that your pain runs from your buttocks and down through your leg, you might be dealing with sciatica or even a herniated disc in your lumbar spine. Dr.
Pain that originates in the lower back and travels down the legs – also known as sciatica – may signal a serious problem. Culprits may include a herniated disc or spinal stenosis. Both conditions cause the space around the spinal nerves to narrow, which may result in nerve pain and irritation.
Laying on your back creates the least amount of pressure. Just by standing straight you put 4 times the amount of pressure on your lower back as compared to laying on your back. And bending forward while standing will increase the pressure on your lower back by another 50% as compared to standing straight.
If you have back pain, bed rest can be useful, especially if you are in severe pain while sitting and standing. But it's best to limit bed rest during the day to a few hours at a time, for no more than a couple of days. That's because too much time in bed can do more harm than good.
Poor posture, like slouching or pushing the head forward while sitting or standing, causing misalignment of the spine. Muscle overuse or strain, usually due to repetitive motions or lifting items or children incorrectly. Injury to discs, muscles and/or ligaments. Myofascial pain.
The bottom line is that not all pain is able to be detected on an x-ray or MRI. That does not mean that there is nothing there that needs to be treated or diagnosed. In fact, it means that it is possibly a precursor to something going really wrong and then eventually needing surgery because it eventually winds up torn.
Pinched nerve signs and symptoms include: Numbness or decreased sensation in the area supplied by the nerve. Sharp, aching or burning pain, which may radiate outward. Tingling, pins and needles sensations (paresthesia)
The bulging or herniated part of the disc presses on nerves as they exit the spine, resulting in pain and other symptoms. Since herniated discs involve nerve compression, the symptoms they cause can feel a lot different from the symptoms associated with muscle strain.
Back muscle strains typically heal with time, many within a few days, and most within 3 to 4 weeks. Most patients with mild or moderate lumbar strains make a full recovery and are free of symptoms within days, weeks, or possibly months.
A common cause of back pain is injury to a muscle or ligament. These strains and sprains can occur for many reasons, including improper lifting, poor posture and lack of regular exercise. Being overweight may increase the risk of back strains and sprains.
According to Dr. Tingan, most people start noticing back pain between the ages of 40 and 60. People that are obese and over 30 are at increased risk of suffering from back pain in the lower extremities.