One of the most frequent pains that we endure throughout our life is back pain . This type of pain can be motivated by different causes ranging from poor posture to muscle spasm or inflammation. The different types of back pain affect all types of people, without making any difference in age or condition. It is estimated that 8 out of 10 people suffer from it throughout their lives.
Types of back pain
We are talking about one of the parts of the human body that resent the most in our daily life. The discomfort affects each person in a different way but we can distinguish some basic types of back pain based on its incidence over time:
- Acute pain: occurs after an injury or blow to the back. It appears unexpectedly and lasts a short period of time.
- Chronic pain: is one that lasts for several weeks continuously.
Keep in mind that if the pain is persistent, you should always see your doctor. In fact, back pain is one of the causes why Spaniards most visit the doctor. Depending on the area of our back where the discomfort occurs, we find these pain variants:
- Cervical pain: this type of pain affects the highest area of the back and neck. It is also known as cervicalgia.
- Dorsal pain: it is the one that is concentrated in the central part of the back. Back pain is usually caused by poor posture.
- Low back pain: is the most common. The lower back area is the one that gives more problems, being lumbago one of the most common diseases.
Symptoms of back pain
Each person is a world and their body acts differently but there are a series of symptoms that we can always associate with back pain. The acute pain that occurs suddenly is the most common symptom. Muscle rigidity is also created in the affected area and tensions that may have different degrees.
In some people, back pain leads to symptoms such as tingling in arms and legs and even the burning sensation. Limb weakness may also occur. In extreme cases, symptoms may be accompanied by fever and incontinence. In these cases it is essential to visit the doctor as quickly as possible.
Always bear in mind that the symptoms of back pain manifest themselves differently in each person . Sometimes, these discomforts are caused by other diseases and therefore must be treated by a medical professional. The first step to follow is to perform a detailed physical examination of the entire back and, especially, of the spine. If necessary, your doctor would request tests such as X-rays or MRI scans.
Causes of back pain
Back pain can be caused by the most varied reasons.
Bad postures
One of the main causes of back pain are the continued bad postures . It is increasingly common to spend many hours sitting at work, so it is vital to take care of our way of sitting so that chronic back pain does not occur.
Excessive weight load
Carrying with a heavy weight is another cause that causes lumbar discomfort . Sometimes, it is not even about being overweight but about a bad way of moving or pushing an object. To move heavy things it is convenient to bend the knees and make the lifting effort progressively. Shocks or falls can also cause back injuries.
Sharp turns
Another common cause of back pain is sudden turns . In the area of the neck are very frequent and derive in cervicalgias. These can also be caused by overexertion that we perform with the muscles of the area. We can not forget about sciatica, one of the most common pains in the lower part and that extends through the gluteus, and that is mostly caused by disc herniations.
Diseases
Sometimes, the causes of back pain are related to more serious diseases. For example, arthritis in its different varieties tends to affect the central area of the spine. Different degenerative diseases, a fracture or scoliosis are also causes of back pain.
