Back Pain - the Basics

Understanding Back Pain - the Basics

What Is Back Pain?

We've all experienced back problems from time to time -- a pain in the lower
back or strain of the neck. In fact, problems from back pain are the most common
physical complaints among American adults and are a leading cause of lost job
time -- to say nothing of the time and money spent in search of relief. Back
pain includes sore muscles and tendons, herniated discs, fractures, and other
problems. Most often, the causes of back pain have developed over a long period
of time.

The spinal column is an extraordinary mechanism. It keeps us stable enough to
stand upright but flexible enough for movement. The backbone, or spine, is
actually a stack of 24 individual bones called vertebrae.

A healthy spine is S-shaped when viewed from the side. It curves back at the
shoulders and inward at the neck and small of the back. It's the body's main
structural support. It also houses and protects the spinal cord, the intricate
network of nerves that runs through the vertebrae to transmit feeling and
control movement throughout the entire body.

What Causes It?

Back pain ranks high on the list of self-inflicted ailments. Most of our back
troubles happen because of bad habits, generally developed over a long period of
time. These include:

• Poor posture
  
• Overexertion in work and play
  
• Sitting incorrectly at the desk or at the steering wheel
  
• Pushing, pulling, and lifting things carelessly

Sometimes, the effects are immediate, but in many cases back problems develop
over time. One of the more common types of back pain comes from straining the
bands of muscles surrounding the spine. Although such strains can occur anywhere
along the spine, they happen most often in the curve of the lower back. The next
most common place is at the base of the neck.

Sometimes backache occurs for no apparent reason. This is called nonspecific
backache. It may develop from weakened muscles that cannot handle everyday
walking, bending, and stretching. In other cases, the discomfort seems to come
from general tension, lack of proper sleep, and/or stress.

A condition called fibrositis causes chronic backache from localized muscle
tension. Sometimes this original muscle tension comes from stress or other
emotional problems.
Whether the muscle strain is from lifting heavy objects
or from something as innocuous as a sneeze makes little difference -- the pain
can be agonizing.

Pregnancy commonly brings on back pain. Hormonal changes and weight gain put
new kinds of stresses on a pregnant woman's spine and legs.

Injuries from contact sports, accidents, and falls can cause problems ranging
from minor muscle strains to severe damage to the spinal column or the spinal
cord itself.