Common Causes of Low Back Pain
If you’ve ever felt low back pain, you know how it can make even the simplest tasks difficult. The pain can be so intense that you might feel nauseated or find yourself unable to move for a while. It’s no surprise, then, that low back pain is one of the most common causes of physical and emotional distress in the United States today.
The exact cause of low back pain isn’t always clear cut – it may be caused by a combination of factors over time. However, most research points to one or more primary causes of low back pain: * Repetitive bending * Lifting heavy objects and/or reducing your centre of gravity too quickly * Excessively tight hamstrings that limit your ability to straighten your legs as they support your body weight * Poor posture as a result of sitting at a desk all day (or lounging on a bed all day!) but also because people with wider hips have a tendency to round their backs Autoimmune Diseases – Food Sensitivities – Stress Levels – Muscle Strain & Spasm – Other Causes
Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune diseases can be a major cause of low back pain. These diseases are in your body and are not caused by any injury or illness. They’re just part of your DNA.
The symptoms of autoimmune disease may include:
* Joint pain
* Muscle pain
* Nerve pain
* Fatigue
* Tingling, numbness, or weakness
Many people with autoimmune diseases have other coexisting conditions such as:
Food Sensitivities
Food sensitivities can cause some of the same symptoms as low back pain. The most common food sensitivities are gluten and dairy, but other foods like soy, corn, citrus fruits, peppers, and onions may also be a problem. Food sensitivities may lead to digestive issues such as bloating, gas or abdominal pain. They may also cause headaches and skin problems such as rashes or acne.
There are many different ways to test for food sensitivities. Your doctor will likely want to do a complete panel of tests in order to pinpoint your specific issue. The best way to find out what you’re sensitive to is by eliminating certain foods from your diet for a period of time, then reintroducing them one at a time and noticing what happens before trying them again in larger quantities.
Stress Levels
One of the most common causes of low back pain is stress. More specifically, stress can lead to poor posture, which often plays a role in causing low back pain.
Stress is typically caused by factors like autoimmune diseases, food sensitivities, muscle strain and spasm, and other causes. In addition, being overweight or underweight can also contribute to increased risk of low back pain.
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Low back pain is one of the most common causes of physical and emotional distress in the United States today. Chronic low back pain can often lead to more serious health problems, such as arthritis, osteoarthritis, or other chronic joint disorders. The cause of low back pain isn’t always clear cut – it may be caused by a combination of factors over time. However, most research points to one or more primary causes of low back pain: * Repetitive bending * Lifting heavy objects and/or reducing your centre of gravity too quickly * Excessively tight hamstrings that limit your ability to straighten your legs as they support your body weight * Poor posture as a result of sitting at a desk all day (or lounging on a bed all day!) but also because people with wider hips have a tendency to round their backs
Other Causes
There are other causes of low back pain that can be treated as well. These causes may not be as common, but they’re still worth discussing.
Autoimmune Diseases: If you’ve been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, your body is attacking itself and attempting to fight against this external threat. One type of autoimmune disease is called ankylosing spondylitis, which is when the joints in your spine become inflamed and painful over time. This can lead to more severe symptoms such as a fusion of the vertebrae (spinal cord compression) or complete spinal instability.
Food Sensitivities: Food sensitivities are just like any other allergies except they’re focused on certain foods. The most notorious food sensitivities are gluten and lactose intolerance, but there are many other food sensitivities that people experience – most often for no known reason!
Stress Levels: People who experience chronic stress have a higher risk of experiencing low back pain over time because their bodies find it difficult to recover from these stresses in their day-to-day lives. Stress hormones can cause muscle tension, which makes it harder to relax during the day. In addition, chronic stress can also cause blood vessels in your back to dilate, which means less oxygen gets to your muscles and tissues – making it harder for them to recover throughout the day.
What to do if you have low back pain?
First, know that there is not one single cause of low back pain. You may have a combination of factors that led to your pain, or it may be the result of one specific cause. But you can also get low back pain from other causes:
Autoimmune Diseases
* Food Sensitivities
* Stress Levels
* Muscle Strain & Spasm
* Other Causes
How to prevent and treat low back pain
There are many ways to prevent and treat low back pain. With the help of physical therapy, you can work on your strength and flexibility and reduce your risk of re-injuring your lower back. Here are a few tips for preventing and treating low back pain: * Perform exercises that stretch out your hamstrings – this will decrease tension on the lower back * Practice good posture by sitting up straight at a desk or positioning yourself in a way so that your belly button is above your knees and you’re not slouching * Invest in an ergonomic chair or furniture – these chairs have been designed to support healthy posture while reducing the stress placed on the spine by repetitive motion * Take breaks from sitting – stand up, walk around, or take regular stretching breaks
Conclusion
Nearly half of U.S. adults have low back pain at some point in their life, according to the National Institute of Health. Low back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical attention.
A variety of factors can lead to the onset of low back pain including:
-Autoimmune diseases
-Food sensitivities
-Stress levels
-Musculoskeletal disorders
-And other causes.