Back Pain Triggers and Prevention Tips

Most people will generally experience some form of back pain in their lifetime. It may come on suddenly, result from an injury or recur often, causing a negative impact on your daily routine.

How Your Back Works

Your spinal column is an intricate system of vertebrae, separated by discs, which help cushion and support the spine. Your spinal cord within is protected and connected to other parts of the body through a series of major nerves. The entire spinal column is protected and supported by your ligaments and muscles.

Back Pain Causes

Back pain is often the result of poor habits and posture, perhaps related to your occupation. However, whether you sit or stand all day, your risk of back problems increases with age regardless, as your spine becomes less flexible. Activities like gardening or housework, or even bending or picking something up the wrong way can lead to a painful episode.

There are several forms of back pain, including:

• Postural Stress: bad posture can lead to overstretching of the soft tissue and added pressure on your nerves and joints
• Muscle strains: serious injuries may require specialized care to encourage and stimulate the healing process
• Disc injuries: disc slips, bulging, herniating, or rupturing can occur as result of an injury; discs also wear down with age
• Arthritis: inflammation can affect the vertebral joints causing bone spurs

Pain can either radiate or remain isolated, and may result in other symptoms like numbness or burning sensations, which could indicate a pinched sciatic nerve. If you are experiencing back pain symptoms, don’t leave it untreated—book an appointment with Brian Sutherland today. He has offices in Dartmouth and Halifax for your convenience.