Why Do I Have Back Pain?

It may be hard to answer this question for all people. One general answer won’t cover every individual situation. But there are a few general categories when it comes to causes for back pain. Some doctors focus on the back pain and movement problems that come with age. Quite simply, wear and tear from everyday life can lead to back pain. In some cases this condition can be treated with mild medications, low-level exercise and some changes in lifestyle.

Apart from this “normal” pain that comes from just being alive and moving around, some people experience back pain because of injuries that occurred earlier in life. In some situations, the person may not even realize that an injury occurred. But as they get older the symptoms increase and the pain becomes more noticeable. These are often injuries from athletic competition in youth or injuries caused by outdoor activities during later life.

Back pain is very common. In fact, some studies and surveys show that, in a room of 100 people, 90 or more will have some sort of back problem or occasional pain. Half of all people have back pain at several times during life. The problem in dealing with these high numbers is that the condition is not specific to one injury, one part of the back or one body style/shape.

For instance, thousands of people suffer from pain in the lower back. Yet doctors often find little or no evidence of a mechanical defect or tissue injury. Sometimes people will report recurring pain in the lower back but the only “cause” seems to be stress, tension or muscle tightness. If a person engages in an activity that stresses muscles in the lower back there can be pain without evidence of physical injury. Only rest and time seem to help in some of these cases.

Sometimes the nerves are irritated to the point that there is constant ache or even sharp pain. Again, doctors have a difficult time finding evidence of injury or tissue damage. Rest and a mild pain killer might be the only solution.

In some situations, however, people develop back pain that is constant and lasts for a month or more. This is the point at which doctors begin to look for basic causes, such as real injury to muscles and spine. Internal problems with the stomach, bladder, pelvis or the reproductive system sometimes show up as back pain.

The spine is one of the key areas that medical personnel investigate when a patient reports back pain. If a disc in the spine bulges or moves out of place, the nerves are stimulated and sharp pain is often the result. Sometimes this back pain is accompanied by numbness in the legs and waist area. In addition, a person might be experiencing the degeneration of vertebrae and discs because of age (as mentioned earlier). In some cases this can be corrected with surgery but in recent years doctors and patients have put surgery at the bottom of the priority list. Other methods of relieving pain and making slight corrections to problems often come before major surgery.
Occasional back pain is very common. If pains of this sort last for extended periods and begin to interfere with everyday activity it’s time to consult with a physician.