We hear the term back pain a lot these days. This back pain is usually caused by lower back muscles, ligaments, spine, vertebrae problems. The most common causes of back pain are strained back muscles and structural problems of the back. Let’s find out what are the causes of back pain.
- Pressure or strain on the back muscles: Excessive pressure on the back muscles, improper lifting of heavy objects and sudden movements of the body in wrong posture often cause back pain. Overworking can also cause muscle strain.
- Structural problems: Vertebrae are the disc-shaped bones that surround the spine. These bones are connected to each other. The spaces between each vertebra contain tissue called discs and surround the vertebrae. Injury to this disc is a common cause of back pain. Sometimes these discs can swell, protrude (herniate), or rupture. In these cases there is pressure on the spinal nerves. The most painful of these is a herniated disc or a disc that protrudes from a vertebra. A herniated disc pressing on a nerve can cause pain from the back or waist down to the legs, dizziness, and mild to severe pain.
- Arthritis: Spinal osteoarthritis is a possible cause of back pain. This disease causes the cartilage in your lower back joints to deteriorate, causing the spine to become compressed or narrow, causing pain.
- Osteoporosis: Loss of bone density and thinning of bones is called osteoporosis. This can cause small cracks in your vertebrae that cause severe pain.
- Other causes of back pain: In addition to the above reasons, you may have back pain or back pain.
– Degenerative spondylolisthesis: one vertebra moving out of place and onto a nearby vertebra.
– Cauda equina syndrome: Loss of nerve function in the lower part of the spine.
– Fungal or bacterial infection of the spine.
– Cancer or tumor in the spine
– Kidney infection or kidney stones
Back pain is painful and reduces work capacity. So be sure to see a doctor if you experience chronic, frequent back pain.
9 Daily Habits to Prevent Back Pain:
The most important thing to prevent back pain is to reduce the stress on your back. So take care of your posture during daily movement and activities. There are some activities that can be done in your daily life to avoid back pain easily. Let’s learn about nine such habits.
- Carry less weight: Heavy briefcases, laptop bags, suitcases, or shopping bags – these can put unnecessary stress on your neck and spine. So carry only the essentials. Use a bag that distributes weight evenly across the back, neck, and shoulders, such as backpacks, which are similar to carrying on both shoulders. If you want to carry something heavy, use wheeled bags if necessary.
- Exercise more: The muscles around your abdomen and back help you stay upright and support the weight of your entire body. So strengthening them can reduce your chances of back pain or injury. Do abdominal and back exercises at least a few times a week.
- Sit straight: Correct posture keeps your spine healthy and helps it function properly. Improper posture puts unnecessary stress on your spine. People who work long hours in the office or in front of the computer are more likely to suffer from back pain than others. It is important to have a straight posture while sitting on the chair. Stand with your back straight when standing. Try to keep your head straight while using the phone. If necessary, the computer monitor should be raised so that the head and spine can be kept straight to work. .
- Do not lean over the table: Do not slouch when sitting or standing in an office chair. It is important to sit properly and keep your back properly supported, especially if you sit for more than a few hours a day or have a ‘desk job’. It is very important to have a good chair. Choose a chair that can properly support your lower back. Make sure that your knees are slightly higher than your hips when you sit
- Move often, sit down, get up: Standing, sitting or lying in one place for long periods of time is not healthy for your back. Get up whenever you can, take a walk, and do some simple light stretching to relieve stress on the muscles and bones and spine. It increases blood circulation in your back and keeps it healthy.
- Change your shoes: High-heeled shoes can cause damage to your back, especially if worn regularly. So use flat shoes or sandals with low height.
- Increase your calcium and vitamin D intake: Keep your bones strong by getting enough calcium and vitamin D. Calcium can help prevent osteoporosis, which is a major cause of back pain, especially in women. You can get calcium in milk, yogurt, greens and vitamin D in fatty fish, egg yolk, beef liver or cheese. There are also different types of calcium pills available that are effective. However, before taking vitamin pills, you must consult your doctor.
- Quit Smoking Cigarettes: Smoking can pose serious health risks and can also aggravate back pain. Nicotine restricts blood flow to the spinal discs, causing them to dry out or rupture. Smoking also reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood and thus less nutrients reach the muscles. These weak, sick backs are more vulnerable to accidental strains and pulls that cause back pain
- Sleep with a pillow under your knees: Sleeping on your back or side puts pressure on your spine. Elevating your legs slightly while sleeping can relieve this back pressure. So with a pillow under your knees you can reduce the pressure on your back by half.
Fact source : https://corona.gov.bd