BACK PAIN SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES

According to Mayoclinic, 80% of the population will have an episode of low back pain in their lifetime. 25% of the population also report back pain in the past three months. In addition, back pain costs $100-200 billion each year to the U.S economy, which includes opportunity income expected to be earned by the workforce and the productivity to generate income. Back pain is also a common reason for most people calling in sick for work to seek additional medical treatment from primary health care practitioners. Having previously experienced back pain, it is both debilitating and uncomfortable. The good news is that you can take health measures to prevent and find back pain relief. There are also home treatments, and having proper body posture can help alleviate and improve back pain. Let's take a look at symptoms that may be experienced when you have back pain.

BACK PAIN IN CALGARY (BACK PAIN SYMPTOMS)

When you visit a primary health care practitioner, such as Calgary Chiropractor, Medical Doctor, and Physical Therapist for an evaluation, they will ask you to describe the characteristics of the back pain you are experiencing. The character of back pain can range from muscle aching, shooting, burning, or sharp stabbing sensation. Also, back pain may radiate down your leg or worsen with bending, twisting, lifting, walking or walking. Knowing characters associated with back pain, when should you seek out a primary healthcare practitioner in Calgary?

WHEN TO SEE A HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER

Keep in mind most back pain can gradually resolve on its own with home treatments with proper self-care, and usually, the pain should subside within a few weeks. However, you should contact a Calgary health care practitioner if:

Back pain persists for more than two weeks
Resting does not help with pain improvement
Feeling numbness and pain travelling down either one or both legs
Leg pain persists and travels past the knee
Experience leg weakness, tingling or numbness in one or both legs.
Unexplained weight loss without known medical conditions
Recent falls or motor vehicle accidents

Back pain can be a serious medical emergency in an extreme or rare situation. Please go to an emergency hospital in Calgary if your back pain:

New Urinary incontinence, sudden inability to fully empty bladder
Abnormal sensation/numbness around the groin region
High Fever
Sudden fall or a traumatic blow to the back or other significant injuries

BACK PAIN CAUSES EXPLAINED BY CALGARY CHIROPRACTOR

Muscle strain or ligament strain. A sudden twist or bending movement can cause strain to back muscles and ligaments. Repeated heavy lifting with improper lifting can also injure spinal ligaments and muscles. Muscle spasms can occur with constant strain in an awkward position.

Slip discs or disc bulges. Spinal disks are important cushioning materials between spinal segments (vertebrae) in your spine. The injured back can weaken the stability around the spinal segments and cause soft material inside a disc to rupture or bulge and lead to back pain. A disc bulge can cause compression in the spinal nerves, leading to pain travelling down the leg, and are referred to as radicular symptoms.

Arthritis. Arthritis can come in a different form, and it can be osteoarthritis or arthritis from systemic causes. Most often, osteoarthritis occurs, and arthritis in the spine can cause extra formation on spines, narrowing the space for the spinal nerves to come out. It is called lateral stenosis. If there is compression to the central cord, it is spinal stenosis.

Osteoporosis. There is a safe number that a family physician uses to ensure your bone mineral density stays within a limit. Still, if your bone mineral density is insufficient, it can become porous and brittle and lead to painful fracture.

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WHAT CAN CAUSE LOWER BACK PAIN IN WOMEN

Pregnancy. Back pain is common during pregnancy. It happens as the center of gravity shifts due to weight gain and hormones to cause relaxation in childbirth preparation. Most women experience back pain between the fifth to seventh months of pregnancy. The most common place to experience back pain is right below the waistline and tail bone pain. Sometimes, pain may travel to the back of the leg along the thigh.

WHAT CAUSES LOWER BACK PAIN IN MEN

Tight hip flexors or hip extensors. Suppose your work requires a long duration of standing or sitting. This can cause muscle tightness due to a lack of stretching and bring blood to the local area. Sitting long periods at work can lead to tight quadriceps and cause anterior pulling to the pelvis, leading to pelvic tilting. Having anterior pelvic tilt can inhibit your glutes from contracting and lead to low back strain.

Stress. Stress can cause muscles to tense up and unwanted strain in the lower back. Stress can sometimes be worst for men because they have been shown to have fewer ways to cope with stress and less likelihood of seeking help compared with women.

Risk Factors for Back Pain

Anyone can develop back pain, even for children and teens. These risk factors might put you at greater risk of developing back pain:

Age. Most back pains start around age 30 or 40, and it’s even more common as you get older.
Lack of exercise. Untrained and unused muscles around your abdomen especially the core muscles can lead to back pain
Excess weight. More weight you have around your abdomen means more stress for the spine to handle.
Systemic Diseases. Different types of arthritis and cancer can contribute to back pain.
Compromised lifting technique. Using your back instead of your legs can lead to back pain. However, if you using your legs without properly engaging the core muscles can also lead to back pain as well.
Underlying psychological conditions. Now the medical field has brought more awareness to depression, anxiety associated with increased pain levels. It is important to note that depression and anxiety can pose a greater risk for back pain.
Smoking. Smokers have increased rates of back pain. This is because smoking has a higher frequency to cause more coughing, which can lead to putting pressure on spinal discs to cause bulge discs. Smoking can also decrease blood flow to the spine and increase the risk of osteoporosis.

LIFESTYLE CHOICES PREVENTION STRATEGIES FOR BACK PAIN

If you currently don’t experience any back pain or you have minor back pain attack. Its good to have strategies to prevent them and ensure you are in top physical condition. Here are ways for you to learn proper body posture and tips to help you maintain top physical condition:

Regular low-level and impact aerobic exercises. In this case, regular walking, brisk walking and swimming are great options as they can help with strength building and prevent muscle tightness.
Healthy weight. This is a bit of general advice as it’s best to check with a family physician for ideal weight. Having excessive weight means more work and effort for your body to handle and leads to more wear and tear on the joints.
Smoking. Smoking is one of the risk factors for back pain, thus quitting smoking can bring the chances of back pain even lower.

SMART ERGONOMICS STRATEGIES TO PREVENT BACK PAIN

Stand in the neutral pelvis. Imagine your pelvis as a tetter totter; more load and stress are placed on the heavier weight side if you have more weight on one end. If you have to stand for long periods, bring your feet up every hour to prevent tightness in the low back
Sitting posture. You can use lumbar support to ensure a neutral lumbar spine. When sitting, try not to sit in a particular position for too long. It's always good to change up the posture to prevent muscle stiffness.
Proper lifting strategies: When lifting, it's more than just avoiding lifting heavy. When you have to lift things off from the ground, ensure you engage your core muscles. Core muscles act as natural back belt support to ensure back stability.