Back pain is one of the most common conditions. Nearly 65 million Americans have experienced a recent episode of back pain, with 8% of all adults reporting chronic back pain. It’s a major cause of disability and discomfort.
If you’re experiencing lower back pain, you clearly aren’t alone. But lower back pain is often treatable. The providers at Beeson Wellness Center explain more about the five most common causes of lower back pain and how it can be treated.
Lack of physical mobility
Our modern lifestyles often make it way too easy to avoid physical mobility. Many of us work in jobs for which we have to sit at a desk all day, then we go home, and it’s too easy to sit on the couch watching TV. You may have to make a concentrated effort to be physically active because your lifestyle makes it too easy not to do so.
Being too sedentary contributes to lower back pain in three significant ways:
Poor posture
Sitting a lot often means that your spine becomes compressed in many unnatural ways. You may have slouched shoulders, a protruding neck, and an arched lower back. These positions can make your lower back hurt.
Weak muscles
When you aren’t active enough, your muscles become weaker. Your core muscles, glutes, back muscles, and hips all become weaker. These muscles support your spine, and back pain is often the result when those muscles are too weak.
Poor mobility
The muscles in your glutes and legs can also become tighter, which makes it harder to move your body. This can create a condition called lordosis, which is an excessive curve of your spine. This can pull all the muscles of your back out of proper alignment.
Sleeping position
Your sleeping position can also play a big role in lower back pain, especially because you spend so many hours asleep. Sometimes, this can be temporary, just because you slept in a weird position. But if you find yourself waking up with back pain — especially if it gets better throughout the day — it might be a sign that you need a new pillow or mattress.
Sciatica
Your sciatic nerve runs from your lower back all the way down through your buttocks and the back of your thighs. Sometimes, your sciatic nerve can become compressed, which sends shooting pains along the nerve. Although sciatica is particularly common during pregnancy, it can happen to anyone at any time.
Spinal disorders
Sometimes, lower back pain is caused by another injury to or disorder of your spine. Some of these conditions include:
- Slipped or herniated disc
- Degenerative disc disease
- Spinal stenosis (a narrowing of your spinal column)
- Spondylitis (inflammation of the joints between your vertebrae)
Treating lower back pain
Most causes of lower back pain are treatable with a combination of chiropractic adjustments and physical therapy. Chiropractic adjustments put your spine back into proper alignment, which often needs to be performed more than once to counteract the stresses of your daily lifestyle.
Physical therapy also aims to strengthen muscles that have become weak, which can alleviate your back pain. We can also help you to find ways to incorporate exercise into your daily life, even if only in several small bursts. The goal is to help you to become more active so that your back pain is less of a problem.
If you’re troubled by lower back pain, it isn’t a condition with which you have to live. The providers at Beeson Wellness Center can help you to live a healthier life with less pain. Contact us today, or request an appointment online.
