There are many back pain causes - however, identifying causes is vital to the long term resolution of the problem, and your doctor or Chartered Physiotherapist will help you figure that out.
More often than not the underlying problem has been present for some time before the pain evolves, or the problem is aggravated by a stressful movement or situation resulting in pain.
In my experience there are five primary causes of mechanical back pain.
Posture: Each part of the body was designed to be in a specific position.
However, even if we start off with perfect posture, modern day living and the requirements of our work environments often mitigate against us and favour poor posture.
Over time this weakens the mechanical set up of the body which, when tested, may breakdown and the result will be pain.
The problems I see most are a result of poor sitting, standing and working postures.
Often a small change in a person's posture eliminates this type of back and neck pain.
It is important to learn and maintain a good posture.
2.
Injuries and accidents: Overuse of muscles and joints in an inefficient movement pattern can cause back and neck pain.
This is due to excess strain being placed on one muscle group due to an imbalance in the performance between muscle groups and can result in muscle and joint damage.
I see fractures to spinal bones caused by falls and car/bike accidents.
3.
Stress: Just as your personality responds to stress in many ways so does your body.
The initial reaction of your body to stress is to tighten.
When the muscles of your body tighten this has a tightening effect on the nerves and ligaments and the joint to which those muscles attach.
This can in itself cause pain and pressure on the organs that the tight muscle surrounds.
This often results in poor function of the organ.
If this continues for any length of time bodily health can be compromised in many ways.
Despite what we may think, muscles don't forget or let go of stress easily, so often the injury I am dealing with is the result of very old stress.
4.
Aging: The most common cause of back and neck pain I see is aging.
Often people are advised that there is no treatment available to deal with aging associated pain - this is not true.
The relief from pain that treatment can bring often leaves patients astonished and wondering why they have put up with their discomfort for so long.
Certainly ligaments get thicker and joints and discs dry out with age and this process can result in nerves and muscles around the spine being affected.
This may result in pain, numbness, pins and needles and weakness.
The most common age related conditions I treat are degenerative disc disease (spinal stenosis) or trapped nerves.
A trapped nerve can result in pain far away from the spine, commonly referred to as sciatica.
This very painful condition responds excellently to appropriate treatment.
5.
Medical conditions: On a daily basis I treat rheumatoid arthritis and Osteo-arthritis, Spondyolisthesis, Scoliosis, and osteoporosis.
Although these are physiological conditions they too can be helped and managed well with physiotherapy treatment.
If you feel you are suffering from back pain and would like to diagnose the underlying cause, please see your doctor or chartered physiotherapist for help.
More often than not the underlying problem has been present for some time before the pain evolves, or the problem is aggravated by a stressful movement or situation resulting in pain.
In my experience there are five primary causes of mechanical back pain.
- Poor posture
- Injuries and accidents
- Stress
- Ageing.
- Medical conditions
Posture: Each part of the body was designed to be in a specific position.
However, even if we start off with perfect posture, modern day living and the requirements of our work environments often mitigate against us and favour poor posture.
Over time this weakens the mechanical set up of the body which, when tested, may breakdown and the result will be pain.
The problems I see most are a result of poor sitting, standing and working postures.
Often a small change in a person's posture eliminates this type of back and neck pain.
It is important to learn and maintain a good posture.
2.
Injuries and accidents: Overuse of muscles and joints in an inefficient movement pattern can cause back and neck pain.
This is due to excess strain being placed on one muscle group due to an imbalance in the performance between muscle groups and can result in muscle and joint damage.
I see fractures to spinal bones caused by falls and car/bike accidents.
3.
Stress: Just as your personality responds to stress in many ways so does your body.
The initial reaction of your body to stress is to tighten.
When the muscles of your body tighten this has a tightening effect on the nerves and ligaments and the joint to which those muscles attach.
This can in itself cause pain and pressure on the organs that the tight muscle surrounds.
This often results in poor function of the organ.
If this continues for any length of time bodily health can be compromised in many ways.
Despite what we may think, muscles don't forget or let go of stress easily, so often the injury I am dealing with is the result of very old stress.
4.
Aging: The most common cause of back and neck pain I see is aging.
Often people are advised that there is no treatment available to deal with aging associated pain - this is not true.
The relief from pain that treatment can bring often leaves patients astonished and wondering why they have put up with their discomfort for so long.
Certainly ligaments get thicker and joints and discs dry out with age and this process can result in nerves and muscles around the spine being affected.
This may result in pain, numbness, pins and needles and weakness.
The most common age related conditions I treat are degenerative disc disease (spinal stenosis) or trapped nerves.
A trapped nerve can result in pain far away from the spine, commonly referred to as sciatica.
This very painful condition responds excellently to appropriate treatment.
5.
Medical conditions: On a daily basis I treat rheumatoid arthritis and Osteo-arthritis, Spondyolisthesis, Scoliosis, and osteoporosis.
Although these are physiological conditions they too can be helped and managed well with physiotherapy treatment.
If you feel you are suffering from back pain and would like to diagnose the underlying cause, please see your doctor or chartered physiotherapist for help.