Causes Of Low Back Pain
Why Am I In Pain?
There are MANY causes of lower back pain, almost too many, but only a few cause the majority of the problems. For the purpose of this article, I will only mention briefly, some of the less common causes since we are focusing more towards the majority of low back pain sufferers.
Have you ever had this happen? You wake up one morning expecting to have a wonderful day. As you got out of bed you feel a tiny twinge of pain. You stop for a second, but the pain goes away, so you pay no attention to it as you head for the bathroom. You disrobe, turn on the water and get into the shower. You think to yourself how great the hot water feels, forgetting the moment of pain you had when you woke up. You turn off the water, get out of the shower and towel off. As you go to brush your teeth you bend over the sink, and WHAM, it hits you like a ton of bricks! A searing pain in the low back that drops you to your knees. At this point you can't even straighten up, and you say to yourself "But I haven't done anything except brush my teeth".
Unfortunately, many times just brushing your teeth is all it takes to cause a problem. It is important to understand that the position you are in is the main factor when causing a low back injury. Now don't misinterpret what I'm saying, you can easily hurt yourself by lifting a heavy object incorrectly but position is still the most important factor.
Here are some of the main causes:
1) Muscle strain/sprain
This is the most prevalent of all the causes, maybe because it is the most easily injured.
2) Ligament/Joint overuse
This can and many times does go along with the muscle strain/sprain
3) Nerve irritation
Nerve irritation can be cause by any of the following:
a) Disc bulge, sometimes called a herniated disc
b) Osteoarthritis, spinal degeneration, disc degeneration(thinning discs), all are within the same category
c) Spodylolisthesis: a shifting of spinal vertebra over other vertebra
d) Fractures: broken vertebra
4) Other less common causes
There are many other less common causes of low back pain such as: Ankylosing Spondylitis, infections, tumors, sciatic. For the purpose of this article I have limited it too the most common causes.
Top 10 Low Back Pain Relief Tips Good Common Sense.
These are not in order of importance.
1) Orthotics/Heel Lifts. Always make sure you have a proper footbed in your shoes and get checked for pelvic imbalances. A pelvic imbalance can cause low back pain.
2) Chiropractic. Get adjusted by a chiropractor, it is one of the most utilized low back pain treatments.
3) Acupuncture. Having acupuncture can restore energy flow to the low back an help with the pain.
4) Massage. Get a massage, since muscle strain/sprain is the primary cause of low back pain.
5) Walking. It has been proven that walking can gently rock the low back muscles into a state of relaxation.
6) Stretching/Yoga. Stretching and yoga can elongate the muscles and promote relaxation.
7) Firm Bed. Having a mattress that is too soft can create a situation where the spine is not being supported and low back pain can be the outcome.
8) Bend your knees and place a pillow under them or place them up on a chair. By doing this you indirectly traction the low back and take pressure off of the affected area.
9) Heat/Cold. In both heat and cold you should use damp applications if possible. Moist heat/cold is always more therapeutic. Heat should only be used for a chronic condition to loosen the area. But be careful, if applied too soon to a recently injured area, heat can make the problem worse. In contrast, ice should be used in acute conditions to reduce swelling, inflammation and to decrease the pain.
10) Vitamin Supplementation. All of the following have been shown to have some positive effects on low back pain. Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, MSM, Chondroitin, Glucosamine. But make sure you buy a high quality supplement. Just because you are getting 120 tablets for the same price as 60 doesn't mean it is good deal. It needs to be broken down quickly (30 minutes or less) and utilized by the body.
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