There are many different reasons why you might be suffering from lower back pain. For some it is the stress of carrying around excess weight, while for others it is due to excess stress or pressure on the lumbar region of the spine or sciatic nerve. The underlying cause of your back pain will determine how long you are in pain, how easy it is to relieve your pain, and what type of treatments will work best for you.
While the majority of back pain sufferers view lower back pain as an annoyance, for many it can impede their daily lives. With a limited range of motion, inability to perform everyday activities including cooking, cleaning and walking, lower back pain can become a major problem.
Since back muscles play a large role in every aspect of movement, it is important to get a diagnosis and seek pain treatment right away.
Some of the most common causes for lower back pain are herniated discs. A herniated disc occurs when one of the discs between the vertebrae in the spine being to protrude through the sac. This generally occurs as a result of trauma, injury or too much pressure placed on the spine. A disc can become herniated through repetitive motions like playing golf, improper lifting or excess weight.
The pressure of the herniated disc begins to press onto the nerves in the back, which is what causes that awful lower back pain. Sometimes the pressure can rest on the sciatic nerve, which can cause pain in the lower back, buttocks and leg.
Injury or trauma through an accident or fall can also cause lower back pain. Any injury to the back muscles can result in back pain such as a pulled or strained muscle caused by lifting heavy objects incorrectly, bending or twisting or simple bad posture. In fact something as seemingly benign as an old mattress can cause lower back pain, as it disturbs the ‘S’ curve of the spine, instead causing the abnormal ‘C’ curve.
Even those who are physically active and fit are at risk for lower back pain. It is a common misconception that those who are fit and active don’t tend to suffer back pain, but that could not be further from the truth. In fact athletes are even more susceptible to back pain because they perform the same activities over and over during routine practice. This repetition can place great strain on lower back muscles.
If you are overweight or obese and physically active, you are even more at risk for lower back pain due to muscle imbalances. Your body’s attempt to adjust to the excess weight may be exactly what is causing the stress to the lower back.
How Does It Feel?
One of the first steps you need to take in order to find lower back pain relief is a proper diagnosis. Of course your health care professional will diagnose your back pain using a CT scan, MRI or x-ray. But there is something you can to do aid in the diagnostic process.
Identifying the type of pain you are experiencing can help your physician determine if you have acute back pain, chronic back pain or pain due to pressure on the sciatic nerve. Document your pain using words like sharp or dull pain, radiating pain, tingling pain and other words that will help the physician understand the pain you’re experiencing.
Cure Lower Back Pain
The key relieving pain in your lower back starts with identifying the cause of your lower back pain. Treating lower back pain is a long process, and it can be intimidating, but it is not impossible. Your back pain treatment should tackle the pain, the blood circulation and any inflammation that occurs.
Your treatment options are plentiful and include the traditional—physical therapy, pain medication and chiropractor visits—to the non-traditional treatment methods that include massage therapy, muscle balance therapy, inversion therapy and acupressure. These treatments take time, but not all will work if you haven’t been successful in finding the cause of your lower back pain.
Do not ignore lower back pain: it will not go away. Seek treatment immediately so you can begin living again without back pain.
Jesse is the co-founder and visionary CEO of The Healthy Back Institute®, the world-leading source of natural back pain solutions. His mission as a former back pain sufferer is to help others live pain free without surgery and pharmaceuticals.
