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What Is Back Pain?
Back pain can affect anyone. In fact, Canadians of all ages are likely to suffer from some sort of back pain during their lifetime. It can feel like a dull, constant ache or a sudden, sharp pain that limits flexibility or range of motion, or even prevents you from standing straight.
Back pain is the main reason people younger than 45 will experience limited activity, and it is rated second only to arthritis as the cause of limited activity in people between ages 45 and 65. Dealing with the pain often makes it difficult to concentrate on anything else, and those who are suffering may need to rely on others to help them manage during this time.
Back pain is so common that it is a leading cause of prescription and non-prescription drug use, medical visits and hospitalizations, as well as missed work. When you add it all up, back pain is costing us billions of dollars.
Fortunately, the majority of cases of back pain are short-lived, and most people will feel back to normal within three months. Only about four per cent of back pain is considered chronic disabling pain, which lasts longer than three months.
What Causes Back Pain?
There are many reasons why we experience back pain, though the exact cause isn't always easy to determine. Usually it is mechanical in nature, which means that it starts in the bones, discs or joints of the spine.
Some common mechanical problems with the back are:
- Disc breakdown
- Spasms
- Tense muscles
- Ruptured discs
Disc breakdown (or disc degeneration): This is usually associated with aging because the pain results from wear and tear to the spine's discs. Discs act as cushions between the vertebrae, like shock absorbers. Over time they can wear down, which results in pain. So even though the pain may seem to have come on suddenly, it is likely that it was building up for a while.
Spasms: All it takes is an awkward movement of the back to bring on a severe muscle spasm. Bending over or twisting to look in another direction could bring one on. You'll feel like your back has "locked" and the result is severe pain. Muscle spasms tend to get better over time.
Tense muscles: Tense muscles are muscles that never relax. They appear to be actively in use. The constant active condition leads to muscle spasms, which cause the muscle to knot. Tense muscles can be a side effect of stress and are more susceptible to injury.
Ruptured (or herniated) disc: If the spine becomes overly strained (for example, from lifting something too heavy or overstretching) or compressed from wear and tear, a disc may rupture or bulge out and press on one of the spine's nerves. When nerve roots become compressed or irritated, back pain results. Most ruptured discs occur in the lower, lumbar portion of the spinal column.
These are just a few of the causes of back pain. It can also be the result of sprains, fractures, accidents and falls, or be a symptom of some conditions (e.g., obesity) and diseases (e.g., osteoarthritis).
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