By Dixie Somers
Back pain is a common ailment for most individuals for an issue that can make it difficult to perform daily tasks. Most injuries or strains subside with time and are usually easy to treat. If the pain persists and is not alleviated with proper care, there may be a different cause. If you have chronic back pain that doesn’t seem to leave you alone, there might be some hidden causes that you’ve never considered—read on to get an idea of what types of sneaky problems can lead to back pain.
Herniated Disk
With scorching back pain that seems to increase in discomfort, herniated disks are often the cause and can occur in the vertebrae of the spine. The pain is often experienced when nerves become irritated, while others may experience a weak or numbing sensation. Over-the-counter medications are often prescribed for mild cases, while therapy or surgery may be needed if the condition has progressed.
Osteoarthritis
When the protective cartilage in bones begins to wear down, it can cause pain in the back and lead to damage in various joints. Without proper treatment, it can increase in severity. After x-rays determine that osteoarthritis has developed, cortisone shots and occupational therapy may be recommended. Osteoarthritis is generally seen in older patients since their cartilage has had a lot of time to break down over the years, but cartilage can break down due to other reasons, so this still be a problem for middle-age or younger patients.
Spinal Compression Fractures
One of the most common culprits of back pain is due to spinal compression fractures that occur due to low amounts of calcium in the bones. This occurs with age, but can be treated with pain medications and reduction in physical activity. Those who suffer from the fractures are also advised to avoid heavy lifting, use a back brace, or take bone-strengthening drugs.
Spinal Stenosis
For those who experience pressure on the spinal cord, the narrowing of the spinal column may be to blame. In some cases, back pain can be attributed to a condition called spinal stenosis when spinal nerves leave the column. There are two types of spinal stenosis, which includes lumbar spinal stenosis and cervical spinal stenosis. The lumbar is where the condition occurs most frequently and is in the lower part of the spine. Cervical spinal stenosis is when the pain is centered in the neck portion of the spine. Although each case of the condition is unique, it can be treated with minimally invasive procedures, a better diet, and improved posture.
Tumors
Tumors are often known to develop after cancer has spread to the back from other areas of the body. Although it’s rare, tumors can also begin to develop and cause pain in specific areas until they are removed. Benign tumors can cause similar pain depending on the area of the back in which they are positioned. Whether the tumor is benign or cancerous, your doctor will be aware of this as a possibility for back pain, but it’s not likely that they’ll jump to a tumor as their first conclusion. For this reason, it could take a while to discover a tumor, since your doctor will want to rule out other problems before taking any drastic measures.
Instead of taking painkillers to mask back pain, it’s important to visit a medical professional for a proper evaluation. A formal consultation can be scheduled to diagnose the problem and to obtain different treatment options that are available. There might be a simple fix, or the problem could be more serious—either way, you want to take care of the issue before it gets out of hand. With the help of your doctor, you can narrow down the source of pain and create a recovery plan to get you back to normal and hopefully out of pain. Information for this article was provided by the professionals of Total eMedical who provide customers with medical supplies including lumbar supports and other braces that can help with back pain.
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