Do you wake up in the mornings with pain in the back?
Do you get back pain when you walk or sit?
Can you bend over easily without pain?
Is exercising too painful for your back?
Symptoms of Back Pain
Back pain can affect anyone, regardless of their age or gender. The intensity of back pain varies for each person.
Some of the common symptoms of back pain are:
a dull, constant ache
a sudden, sharp pain with transitional movements such as getting out of bed, standing up from sitting
Worsening pain when resting, sitting, or standing
Increasing pain with bending, twisting or lifting heavy things
Pain in a generalised area over the back
Radiating pain away from the back to other areas of the body, such as the buttocks, pelvis, groin, legs, or abdomen.
You should see a physiotherapist if your pain does not improve after a few weeks or if any of the following symptoms happen with your back pain:
Numbness and tingling
Back pain after a fall or injury
Severe back pain that limits your mobility
Weakness, pain, or numbness in your legs
Causes of Back Pain
Back pain can be caused by many different reasons, including mechanical or structural problems with the spine, inflammatory conditions, and other medical conditions.
Some of the common causes of back pain are:
Muscle or Ligament Strain
Bulging or Ruptured Intervertebral discs. The discs compress and irritate nearby nerves, which often occurs at the lumbar level.
Accidents and Sports Injuries
Poor Posture
Prolonged Sitting or Standing
Incorrect lifting techniques
Degenerative changes in spine
Osteoarthritis
Sciatica. Irritation of sciatic nerve, giving rise to the pain that travels from the lower back through the hips and buttocks and down each leg.
Spondylolisthesis. A vertebra in the spine slips out of place.
Spinal Stenosis. a narrowing of the spinal column that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.
Scoliosis. An abnormal lateral curvature of the spine
