Oh, this adult life! Do you have a desk job that you sit on all the time? Now you have back pain. Do you have to move a lot and lift weights? Now you have back pain. Are you over 20 and still alive? Congratulations, you now have back pain!
Musculoskeletal pain is one of the most common syndromes with which patients seek medical attention. In 2020, 619 million people – 10% of the world’s population – suffered from back pain, and by 2050, according to experts, 843 million people will suffer for the same reason. Why does this happen? Here’s what doctors say about the most common causes of back pain.
Reason #1: Sedentary Lifestyle
Many of us spend most of the day in the same position in front of the computer. According to Stacey Popko, MD, internist and pediatrician, such a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of chronic low back pain. Some physiologists believe this is because when we sit, the muscles that support the lower back and unload the spine are “turned off.”
Reason #2: Bad posture
Do you slouch while sitting at the table? Do you only support yourself on one leg when standing? Do you walk with your neck forward or your stomach? These postural problems put more strain on the muscles and ligaments of the spine, which can lead to back pain.
Reason #3: muscle or ligament strain
Every independent adult woman should have a story of how she strained her back trying to move the couch! People very often strain their muscles and ligaments when lifting or moving weights incorrectly. Such sudden physical exertion is especially dangerous for those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Reason #4: Overtraining
As Dr. Popko explains, sometimes the back hurts not because we don’t move much, but because we overdo it with sports or physical activity. If you constantly lift weights without giving your muscles a rest, it can lead to injury. Wondering what does this have to do with women who rarely work as loaders? Remember that we have been dragging children for years (sometimes with strollers and bags), and not eight hours a day, but much longer and without a day off!
ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUED BELOW
How to avoid back pain?
Here are five rules to follow.
- Get up more often. Exercising three times a week is undoubtedly very beneficial, but it is much more important to get up from your chair during the day to warm up a bit. Experts recommend doing this every hour – go to the cooler for water, talk on the phone while standing, or do a few bends.
- Do some physical activity. Find the type of fitness you like. It doesn’t matter what it will be – dance, Nordic walking, water aerobics, yoga or cycling. The main thing is that the activity gives you pleasure – so you will definitely not leave it in a couple of weeks.
- Do exercises randomly – they can easily replace regular workouts without taking much time.
- Sleep eight hours a day. This is very important – it is a good sleep that gives us energy for walks or workouts. Plus, it affects the balance of hormones responsible for hunger, fat burning, and muscle growth.
- Drink water. It helps eliminate toxins, reduces hunger, stimulates intestinal motility, provides minerals to organs and tissues and, in general, is involved in almost all chemical reactions in the body.
When should you see a doctor?
If your back pain does not go away within six weeks, you should see a specialist. This should also be done if the pain is accompanied by other red flags:
- You have suffered a serious physical injury, such as a car accident.
- You have had cancer or have a family history of cancer.
- You have trouble going to the toilet or, on the contrary, you have trouble holding yourself back.
- Weakness or numbness in the legs, loss of feeling in the groin area.
How is back pain usually treated?
For musculoskeletal pain, the combination of centrally acting muscle relaxants and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is most often used.
Never prescribe them to yourself – it must be done by a doctor! You can’t just buy a drug from a pharmacy and start drinking – for example, many NSAIDs can cause exacerbation of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and heart. Only a specialist can choose a drug in which the risks of such a side effect are minimal or absent.
The doctor will help not only to avoid possible problems, but also to achieve the maximum result. For example, there are long-acting muscle relaxants that need to be taken once a day. It’s not just convenient – these drugs provide a more even concentration of the active substance in the body during the day.
Do not think that you can understand all these nuances yourself with the help of advice on the web – if you want to get rid of back pain, take the time to go to the clinic.
Yes
