Around 80% of adults complain of at least one episode of back pain in their lifetime.  This prevalence increases with age due to increase wear and tear on our spine.

Causes of Back Pain

A. Muscle or Ligament Strain.  Repetitive use or sudden use of back muscles without warming up can cause muscle spasms.  Awkward twist or sudden movements can also cause ligament strain.  Most common causes include lifting heavy loads such as luggage bags, furniture, over exertion during sports, poor posture while standing or sitting for long time.

B. Ruptured or slipped disc.  The disc gets worn out with age or by injury can rupture or bulge outwards and press on the spinal cord or spinal nerves

C. Spina Stenosis.  In this case, there is narrowing of the space around the spinal cord resulting in compression of the cord causing pain.

D. Arthritis. Inflammation of the joints can cause back stiffness and dull pain

E. Osteoporosis can results in vertebrae collapse due to loss of calcium as you get older

What are the Risk Factors

• Being overweight
• Work which involves lifting heavy weights
• Poor standing or sitting posture

Click to view SpineHeath video on Different Types of Back Pain

Symptoms

The symptoms can range from mild to excruciating pain depending on the severity of the condition.  Pain that lasts more than 3 months is considered chronic.

• Dull or sharp back pain
• Pain running down the back of your leg (sciatica)
• Pin and Needles
• Numbness down your leg

Symptoms which require URGENT treatment

• Weakness of the lower leg muscles
• Loss of bladder control resulting in incontinence
• Unsteady or loss of balance
• Numbness in the groin area

See a chiropractor, physiotherapist or orthopaedic doctor

to assess your back pain and get the correct treatment

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Disclaimer. TELEME blog posts contains general information about health conditions and treatments. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information is not advice and should not be treated as such. 

If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition, you should seek immediate medical attention from your doctor or other professional healthcare providers. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website.