Overview
Millions of people around the world suffer from back pain. The causes of this back pain tend to be similar for both men and women. These causes of back pain can range from simple to complex. Today we will take a look at six of the most common causes of back pain. With some of the ways that we can help to prevent this crippling condition. This will include the following:
- Posture
- Muscle strain
- Stress
- Discs
- Bed
- Myofascial trigger points
- Diagnosis, prevention and treatment
So first, let us take a look at how posture can hurt your back.
1. Posture
In the modern 21st century bad posture only continues to rise. Most people sit at a computer in an office cubicle for hours on end, hunched in an uncomfortable position. Over long periods of time – months and even years – this will take its toll. Over time, one might ask “Why does my back hurt so much?” and look for ways to help undo this uncomfortable position.
The back is more likely to stay healthy when you sit up straight and your posture is good. Your head sits upon your neck (not slouched forwards or back). The shoulders too must rest without sloping forwards. If you find yourself losing this posture then you may find yourself with constant back pain. Read on to find ways to correct this.
Causes of back pain can vary, from bad posture to a bad night of sleep. Or more serious medical issues like inflammation or degenerative discs.
2. Muscle Strain
If you are wondering what causes your back to go out, it could be a muscle strain. This is often the most common of back pain causes. What is it? Often it comes about from lifting a heavy load with your back. Instead of with your legs to lessen the strain or when you try to lift something that is too heavy. Many people after performing manual tasks can find themselves asking “Why is my back hurting?” when they have been lifting too much or too heavy. It often happens that a muscle spasm can start for no apparent reason at all.
Simply tying your shoelaces or opening a door can be the start of the problem. If you are in poor physical shape, this heavy lifting can also cause muscle spasms in your back or result in a sore back. Make sure you get adequate rest and recovery for your back muscles and tendons. So that you can resume lifting, and don’t strain yourself too much!
The most common stiff back causes in men? Excess or heavy lifting! Be careful, don’t over-exert yourself, and make sure you lift with your legs, not your back.
3. Stress
Can your back hurt from stress? Yes, stress can cause muscle pain. When you think of conditions that have back pain as a symptom, stress may not come to mind. You may be in pain because your back hurts from stress. When you feel stress, your muscles become tight and you carry that tightness around with you all day. Tight muscles don’t have the opportunity to rest and over time, when they become too tired they will start to hurt. It is important to mitigate stress and do whatever you can to help you relax. Be it putting on a hot bath, reading a book, or any other ways to help you rest. The most important way you can find is in the prevention and cure section below.
Can lower back pain cause stress? Yes, you can get backache from stress. Back pain caused by stress is one of the most common causes and you need to make sure you are relaxing in whatever way you can. Like a nice bath or a good massage. You need a self-massage device like Bapare!
4. Disc
The vertebra of your spine has many individual cushions between them, known as discs. Think of them as shock absorbers every time you move. Over time these discs may become damaged. They may slip out of place, bulge from inflammation, or degenerate over time. If you experience back pain, described as a sharp pain or recurrent pain, then it’s time you seek a medical professional. Since it could be a disc that is causing you some issues.
If you ask “Why does my spine hurt?”. “Why does walking hurt my back?”, or “When I run my back hurts”, you may have disc issues, consult your doctor.
5. Bed
Some people say “My back hurts when I wake up”. They get surprised when they realize that one of the reasons might be from the bed they are sleeping in. You see, the way you sleep contributes to what causes back pain. If a bed is either too soft or too firm you can wake up with a pain in the back or sore and stiff muscles. Old mattresses are a huge problem in this regard, as most mattresses only last about 7 to 10 years. After this, they break down and the support they once offered your back while sleeping is no longer there. If you experience bad back pain when you wake up first thing in the morning, consider the bed you slept on. How long has it been since you changed the mattress?
6. Myofascial trigger points
If you have a point on your back that is painful when pressed, it is likely that this is a myofascial trigger point. It is a painful area within the muscle band that can often be felt as a hard lump. Myofascial trigger points are either “active” or “latent”. Any active trigger point will cause pain all the time. A latent myofascial trigger point will be painful when pressed and possibly develop into an active trigger point at some stage. If you want more information check out our post, called Trigger Point Massage. But fortunately, relief is possible through massage, like our self-massage device Bapare.
Prevention, Treatment & Diagnosis
So how do we ease these symptoms? If we experience back issues what can we do to make the pain go away? Let’s take a look at some of the best measures to get rid of that pain once and for all.
Doctor – When you first experience back pain, you should go to see your doctor and get a professional diagnosis. In some cases, back pain is caused by a very serious medical condition. It is important to rule out anything that can be life-threatening first. Please do not read this and panic, back pain is common, and rarely is it a symptom of something life-threatening. It is important to understand if your back pain is of mechanical nature relating to the skeleton, or if it relates to something else which could be muscular or some other cause.
Medication – Over-the-counter medication is a very common way to deal with back pain. Many people use pain killers to ease the nagging back pain. This can help in the short term but does not treat the route cause. Taking medication daily often leads to other serious problems without fixing the route cause.
Exercise – One of the most beneficial things for your body is exercise. Exercise has many benefits including building muscle mass. Muscles support the spine and skeleton which results in less inflammation and less pain. Exercise is also good for your general health and combined with a healthy diet will lead to weight loss. A healthy person who exercises regularly is far less likely to experience back pain.
Diet – It’s no coincidence that many overweight people wonder “Why does my lower back hurt?” or may experience sudden back pain. Carrying excess weight will put a strain on your joints, and leave you feeling achy in the process. A healthy diet is crucial to feeling good, looking good, and feeling well. In this high-speed world of fast food, it can be difficult to eat the right things at the right times and in the right quantities. We often see food only as a way of satisfying hunger, but we really should be thinking in terms of nutrition.
Massage – Massage is recognized as the most effective way of treating muscle cramps, spasms, and Myo-fascial trigger points. A massage is a therapeutical treatment that can be very enjoyable and very relaxing. It can also be very painful if you have several trigger points and knots in your back, neck, and other areas in the body. A masseuse will search out knots and look for a “jump response” this is when pressure is applied to the area and pain is experienced. You will automatically “jump” when the point is pressed.
The masseuse will know exactly where to apply pressure to bring you relief. They will apply sustained and increasing pressure to the painful area. This will stop the flow of blood to the area. They will apply pressure for 20-30 seconds, and this can be very painful. Then when the pressure is released, there is a fresh flow of nutrient-rich oxygenated blood that flushes the toxins. This brings instant relief. If this action is repeated regularly the trigger point or knot can be broken up completely. This can be expensive if you need to pay for a masseuse every time you feel a knot in your back. A self-use massage device that is convenient, portable, and highly effective is now available for you. Using this device you can massage those painful areas at any time, night or day.
We have developed such a thing here at Bapare. A massage device that helps to reduce back pain and soreness, which you can find on our website right here.
Conclusion
In this article, we covered some of the most common reasons why you may ask “Why does my back hurt?”, and a variety of solutions to those problems.
If you suffer from backache or are looking for some help from muscle soreness to deep pressure points. In need of a massage, look no further than our product Bapare, which stands for BAck PAin RElief. You can find Bapare on our website right here, available for sale worldwide.
If you enjoyed this article make sure you take a look at some of our other posts on many other materials and topics. Including Trigger Point Massage. Or learn about Bapare on What is Bapare or Design of Bapare for more information.