Common causes of back pain

Common causes




Most
cases of back pain are caused by strains and minor injuries, rather
than more serious causes, and are often referred to as 'simple back
pain'.


The symptoms of simple back pain often occur suddenly and can be
triggered by a particular movement, but the causes may have been
building for some time. Some of the most common causes of stress and strain on the spine include:

• Slouching in chairs
  
• Driving in hunched positions
  
• Standing badly
  
• Lifting incorrectly
  
• Sleeping on sagging mattresses
  
• Being unfit
  
• Generally overdoing it
  

Inactivity and the wrong sort of movement are usually at the root of simple back pain. Inactivity
makes the muscles go slack so they are unable to support the back
properly. This leaves the back more vulnerable to damage when certain
movements put too much strain on one area. Often, the problem
is caused by a strain or tear to the muscles, tendons or ligaments
around the lower spine. In turn, this can produce painful muscle
tension and spasm. Even a minor problem can cause a lot of pain
when you stand, bend or move around. Pain sometimes comes on suddenly,
sometimes gradually, but usually it only lasts a few days or up to a
week.Diagnosing the cause

It's
often difficult for doctors to find the exact cause of back pain that's
due to muscle or ligament damage in the lumbar area. That's why it's
often called non-specific low back pain. In many cases, the
pain starts a day or two after an injury occurs, or the cause has been
building up gradually over many years, which makes diagnosis even more
difficult.

Interesting read Dawnie. A few months ago, I walked into the doorjamb with my right arm. I felt this searing pain in my back even though it was my arm that banged into the door jam. I was in pain for weeks. Then it just went away.

awww that sounds painful glad it went away spice my hubby keeps pulling his back and was in loads of pain over xmas the doctor said it was age hes only 32

Sometimes doctors say the stupidest things.