Back pain, also known as spinal pain, is a common problem these days. Back pain is not only faced by old age groups, but it is becoming more common in youths. Newport Beach spine surgeon states that there are different reasons possible for the spinal injury. Due to degenerative disk diseases, lower back pain increases as people get older. 

Many other factors are also linked with lower back pain, such as ligaments around the discs and the spine, pelvic and abdominal internal organs lower back muscle, spinal cord, discs between the vertebrae, and the skin around the lumbar area and bony lumbar spine.

The factors responsible for upper back pain are tumors in the chest, the aorta or spine inflammation disorders. These are some of the factors that can cause severe pain in the upper back of the person.

Factors responsible for back pain

The leading cause of back pain is the problem of osteoporosis.

The back of the human body consists of the complex structure of tendons, muscles, bones, and ligaments. These all work together and help the person to move and also support the body of a person.

Many causes of back pain can cause severe damage if not treated on time. These causes are as follows:

Posture and movement

Today, almost everyone is doing some sort of job to earn their living. Spending long working hours in front of computers or laptops is the main reason for your bad posture and severe back pain. Some people work overtime and don’t give proper rest to their bodies; this further leads to spinal pain and shoulder problems. 

Poor posture and some routine activities are two main causes of spinal pain. The examples of routine activities are as follows:

• Muscle tension
• Bending for a long time
• Sitting or standing for long hours
• Twisting
• Keeping the neck forward, such as while using a computer or driving a car
• Sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress that doesn’t provide proper support to your body
• Pulling, carrying something heavy, pushing and liftin
• Overstretching
• Long driving without taking any break

Structural problems

Instead of bad posture, structural problems can also be the reason for spinal pain. The structural problems involve the following:

• Arthritis

The main cause of pain in the lower back, hips and other parts of the body is osteoarthritis. In some cases, the space becomes narrow around the spinal cord. This narrow down of space is called spinal stenosis.

• Bulging disks

The spine of the human body is made up of vertebrae that are cushioned with disks. The disk can be herniated, swell, or injured with an accident. It can put all the pressure on nerves and cause lower back pain.

• Sciatica

The pressure on nerves causes sciatica due to the bulging disk. It causes huge back pain that travels down to the leg and causes difficulty to move forward.

• Abnormal curvature of the spine

An unusual curve in the spine can be the reason for spinal pain. For example: when the spine curves to the side, it can cause scoliosis.

• Kidney problem

Kidney infection or kidney stones can also the reason for spinal pain

Strain

When you lift any heavy load without taking the required precautions, it can lead to strain at any component or on your back. The problem of strain can be due to several reasons, which are mentioned below:

• Damaged disks
• Fractures, injuries, fall
• A muscle spasm
• Strained ligaments or muscles
• Muscle tension

What is the treatment of spinal pain?

Generally, the spinal pain can be cured with home remedies or rest, but in case of severe pain in the back, medical treatment is essential.

Home treatments

Many home remedies can easily reduce your back pain; these are as follows:

• Apply an ice pack, or hot compress can provide instant relief to your back pain.
• Eating roasted chana and raisins every day in the morning can reduce spinal pain.
• Taking rest can prevent your muscles from weakening and provide relief to the pain.

Medical treatment

If you don’t get relief from the home remedies, it is advisable to consult your doctor. The Newport Beach spine surgeon suggests the following treatment:

Physical therapy

Applying ice, heat, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and other muscle release techniques to soft tissues. It will help in alleviating back pain. 

When your pain starts improving, the physical therapist will suggest certain strength exercises for abdominal muscles and back. Apart from this, he will also recommend various techniques for proper posture that will also help in reducing the pain.

Yoga

Yoga is an effective way to reduce spinal pain. It involves various poses, breathing exercises, and movements for upper and lower back pain. These poses help in improving posture and in strengthening the back muscles. Before doing yoga, consult the poses from your instructor so that it doesn’t make your pain worse.

Medication

At first, the doctors recommend OTC painkillers. If it does not provide relief to your pain, then NSAID is prescribed. In some cases, hydrocodone or codeine are also recommended by the doctors for a short duration. As these are narcotics, therefore, it requires a doctor’s prescription and monitoring. Sometimes muscle relaxants can also be used.

Cortisone injections

If the person doesn’t get relief from any other option, then in such cases, cortisone injections are given to the patients. These are injected around the spinal cord into epidural space. Cortisone injections are anti-inflammatory drugs that can prevent inflammation around nerve roots.

As we know, prevention is better than cure, so it is advisable by Newport Beach spine surgeon to eat healthy and improve your posture to get rid of spinal pain.