What Causes Back Pain

Two common causes of back pain are disc injury and degenerative disc disease. As discs degenerate, they lose their water content and height, bringing vertebrae closer together. The nerve openings are consequently narrowed and the added pressure from the disk can pinch a nerve causing back or leg pain.

Often confused with each other, a bulging disc is normal, while a ruptured  disc is not. A bulging disc is a normal process which happens as the discs carry body weight throughout the day. The  weight of the body causes the discs to "bulge" out. This "bulge" disappears at night as the weight is removed. 

Problems that can occur.

• The Neck
• The Mid Back
• The Lower Back
• Hips
• Base of the Spine

The Neck

Whiplash Syndrome. If your head is bent backwards or forwards violently your neck ligaments can be strained. (Ligaments are tough, inelastic fibres which hold bones together.) The symptoms are pain and stiffness which usually begin several hours after the occurrence of the injury.

A stiff neck that is accompanied by a severve headache, vomiting, confusion, drowsiness and a hatred of bright lights may mean menigitis (an inflammation of the membrane covering the brain and spinal cord).

A slipped or prolapsed disc in the cervical spine could result in a severe pain in your shoulder, arm or hand. Small movements may make the pain worse.

Back and shoulder pain which is made worse by breathing and accompanied by a cough and high temperature may be caused by a chest infection such as pneumonia or pleurisy.

Pain and stiffness in the back accompanied by numbness or tingling in the fingers may suggest osteoarthritis in the bones of the spine.

The Mid Back

Back pain that becomes worse after sitting in one position for a long time may be caused by poor posture or by a badly-designed chair.

Stress, anxiety and emotional worries can lead to muscle tension which results in aches and pains in the back. This is one of the most common causes of back pain - probably affecting as many as eight out of ten sufferers.

A sharp pain that is worse when you breathe in or move and which follows an injury may be a result of a broken rib - or even a damaged bone in the spine.

If your pain started after a trivial movement - such as tying up your shoe laces or turning over in bed - it may be a result of a slipped disc or a joint problem in your spine.

Severve, constant pain that radiates round into your chest may be a result of a fracture caused by osteoporosis of thin bones.

Pain here that is accompanied by discomfort when passing urine and/or blood in your urine may be a result of a kidney infection.

If you get severe pain here that comes and goes - and radiates down into your groin - you may have a kidney stone.

Pain in the middle of the back that is made worse by eating and accompanied by indigestion may suggest a stomach ulcer.

A pain that follows strenuous exercise may suggest a torn or strained muscle.

General backache that is made worse by movement or cold weather may suggest arthritis in the spine.

The Lower Back

Did your low back pain start fairly quickly after twisting, bending or lifting or did it occur after some apparently trivial movement? If so, then it may be caused by a slipped or prolapsed disc.

If, in addition to back pain, you also have pain going down one or both legs, or numbness or tingling in one or both legs, then you may be suffering from sciatica - in which the sciatic nerve can be damaged by a slipped or prolapsed disc.

If you are under 30 and you find that your pain and stiffness are relieved by exercise you may have a condition known as Ankylosing Spondylitis in which the discs and ligaments of the spine become stiff and bonelike.

Low back pains that are accompanied by gynaecological symptoms (discharge, bleeding etc.) may suggest a gynaecological cause - such as period pain.

Hips

Pain that is mainly in the hip or groin, goes down the front of your leg and gets worse when you walk may be caused by an osteoarthritic hip.

Base of the Spine

Pain in one buttock - possibly accompanied by pain in the back of the thigh - may be caused by a sacroiliac joint strain.

Further information can be found at:

Backache
Lower Back Pain
Slipped or Prolapsed Disc