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What does it mean when your back hurts- What does it mean when your back hurts
Lower back pain, sometimes called lumbago, is not a specific disease diagnosis. It can also be due to a problem with nearby organs, such as the kidneys. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 75 to 85 percent of Americans will experience back pain in their lifetime.
Of those, 50 percent will have more than one episode within a year. In 90 percent of all cases, the pain gets better without surgery. Many people will not need extensive treatment for back pain. Over-the-counter pain medications are often sufficient. The majority of back pain episodes are relieved by treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs , such as:. Analgesics, such as acetaminophen Tylenol , are another category of pain relievers. Be careful with medications like ibuprofen if you have kidney problems or stomach ulcers.
Other medication options include :. Topical products may be highly effective at reducing back pain. Many of these contain ingredients like ibuprofen and lidocaine and come in the form of:. Muscle relaxants can also be used for lower back pain, especially if muscle spasms occur alongside pain. These medications act on the central nervous system to reduce pain. Antidepressants and other medications can sometimes be used off-label for the treatment of back pain.
If your back pain is severe, your doctor may prescribe amitriptyline , a tricyclic antidepressant, because it focuses on different parts of the pain response.
This antidepressant may also work better for nerve-related pain. Your doctor might also recommend cortisone steroid injections for certain causes of back pain. For example, a person with back pain that involves a nerve may get a cortisone steroid injection. Opioids are stronger pain medications that can be prescribed for more severe pain.
These medications, such as oxycodone OxyContin and a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone Vicodin , act on the brain cells and body to reduce pain.
Opioids should be used with caution, however, due to a risk of addiction. Alternative therapies that may help relieve back pain include:. Be sure to talk with your doctor before undergoing any alternative or complementary treatment. Many home remedies can be used with traditional back pain treatments. If you have questions about these, talk with your doctor. Ice packs may relieve discomfort and help lessen inflammation in short-term phases of back pain. Wrap it in a thin towel or gauze to prevent damage to your skin.
Warm compresses may also relieve pain when inflammation has gone down. Consider switching between heat and cold. Exercises to improve posture and strengthen the back and abdominal muscles — called the core muscles — are a treatment option that should be strongly considered. A physical therapist can teach you how to perform these types of exercises at home.
Research suggests that essential oil or ointments made with capsaicin may help decrease pain. Capsaicin is the ingredient in peppers that makes them hot. These ingredients may desensitize the nerves in the affected area and decrease the pain you feel. Home remedies may be highly effective at reducing back pain. Learn more about how to use them and how they work.
The most common causes of lower back pain are strain and problems with back structures. Strained muscles often cause back pain. Strain commonly occurs with incorrect lifting of heavy objects and sudden awkward movements. Strain can also result from overactivity. An example is the sore feeling and stiffness that occurs after a few hours of yard work or playing a sport.
Vertebrae are the interlocking bones stacked on top of one another that make up the spine. Discs are areas of tissue that cushion the spaces between each vertebra.
Disc injuries are a fairly common cause of back pain. Sometimes these discs can bulge, herniate, or rupture. Nerves can get compressed when this happens. Herniated discs can be very painful.
A bulging disc pressing on the nerve that travels from your back and down your leg can cause sciatica or irritation of the sciatic nerve.
Sciatica can be experienced in your leg as:. Spinal osteoarthritis is also a potential cause of back pain. Over time, this condition can lead to narrowing of the spinal column, or spinal stenosis. Loss of bone density and thinning of the bone, called osteoporosis , can lead to small fractures in your vertebrae. These fractures can cause serious pain and are referred to as compression fractures.
There are many other potential causes of back pain, but most are rare. Be sure to see a doctor if you experience regular back pain that does not go away.
After ruling out the more common causes of back pain, your doctor will perform tests to determine if you have a rarer cause. These can include :. The symptoms of back pain, if due to strain or misuse, are usually short lived but can last for days or weeks. Back pain is chronic when symptoms have been present for longer than 3 months. There are times when back pain can be a symptom of a serious medical problem.
During the physical exam, your doctor may test your:. If a serious condition is suspected, your doctor might order other tests, including :. These tips can help ease back pain when it happens. They can also help you prevent back pain in the first place.
Heavy briefcases, laptop bags, suitcases, and purses can add unnecessary stress and strain to your neck and spine. Try to reduce what you need to carry, and use bags that distribute the weight more evenly, such as a backpack.
If you can, use a bag with wheels to keep weight off your back entirely. The muscles in and around your abdomen and back help keep you upright and carry you through your physical activities.
Strengthening them can also reduce the chances of pain, strain, or damage to your back. Plug strength training workouts with a core focus into your regular fitness routine a few times a week. Poor posture can put unnecessary pressure and strain on your spine. Over time, this can lead to pain and damage. High-heeled shoes are likely to cause damage to your back if you wear them frequently.
Pick comfortable, supportive, and minimally elevated heeled shoes when you can. Doing the same thing every day can leave your muscles fatigued and more likely to strain. Stretch regularly to help improve circulation in those muscles and lower the risk of back pain and damage.
If you think these five tips are helpful for preventing back pain, read five more ways to help reduce your chances of hurting your back. You may have an increased risk for back pain if you :.
Your mental health also has an effect on your risk of back pain. You may be at a higher risk of back pain if you have a stressful job or have depression and anxiety. Back pain during each trimester of your pregnancy can be common, and several causes are to blame. Here are a few reasons why you may be experiencing back pain during pregnancy:.
Your spine and back arch to make up for the change in balance. This put extra stress on the lower lumbar spine. As your body prepares to deliver the baby, it releases hormones that loosen the ligaments that stabilize your pelvis and lumbar spine. These same hormones can cause the bones in your spine to shift, which may lead to discomfort and pain.
Here are two exercises you can try. These moves require no special equipment and can be performed anywhere you can access an area of open floor. A yoga mat is recommended but not necessary. If you have back pain and want relief, try these exercises plus five more to help reduce back pain. Yoga may be thought of as a way to reduce stress, but it can also be a great way to ease muscle pain. Certain yoga poses can help stretch and strengthen the muscles in your core and back, too.
That can ease pain and prevent future back problems. Practice these yoga poses for a few minutes every day. You can add new ones later for more strenuous stretching. A urinary tract infection UTI is an infection in the parts of your body that are responsible for carrying urine.
This could be the:.
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Common causes of dull pain in the lower back include trauma from an injury, muscle strains, or poor posture. A herniated disk, or arthritis in the lower back can also cause aching pains. Read below for more information on causes and relief options.
Take dull lower back pain quiz. Dull, nagging pain in the lower back that never really goes away is one of the most common health problems. Any sort of low back pain is a symptom, not a condition in itself. Therefore, you will need a definitive diagnosis to put you on the right path to treatment. Even if the underlying cause cannot be entirely cured, there's a good chance it can be managed.
Dull lower back pain may commonly be called lumbago, backache, a bad back, or back trouble. Most cases of dull lower back pain begin gradually and are chronic in nature, meaning the pain lasts longer than three months and may worsen. Many conditions can cause the symptom of dull lower back pain. The following details may help you better understand your symptoms. If your pain worsens or persists, however, you should see a physician. The back muscles and tendons will not have the strength and flexibility to support the back and its structures if you are overweight, are not physically active, or you sit for long periods of time.
A bacterial infection may infiltrate the structures in and near the lower back, such as vertebrae, discs, reproductive organs, or the kidneys, causing pain.
Inflammation may be present in various structures of the back, leading to dull lower back pain. The individual vertebrae or discs, the cushions between the vertebrae, can become inflamed. Emotional and physical issues that are not well understood can sometimes manifest as physical pain in the lower back, including the following.
The spine, or backbone, protects the spinal cord and allows people to stand and bend. Spinal stenosis causes narrowing in the spine. The narrowing puts pressure on nerves and the spinal cord and can cause pain. Next steps including visiting a primary care physician. For this condition, a physician might suggest further investigation including imaging of the spine. Treatments may include medications, physical therapy, or braces.
For severe cases, surgery is sometimes recommended. Top Symptoms: lower back pain, back pain that shoots down the leg, back pain that shoots to the butt, difficulty walking, thigh pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects the lining of the joints, causing them to become thickened and painful. It can also affect other parts of the body such as the heart, lungs, eyes, and circulatory system. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, which means the body's immune system turns against itself for unknown reasons.
Most at risk are women from ages Other risk factors are family history, smoking, and obesity. Early symptom include warm, swollen, stiff, painful joints, especially the fingers and toes; fatigue; and fever. Usually, the same joints on both sides of the body are affected. If untreated, irreversible joint damage and deformity can occur, with other complications. Early diagnosis can allow preventive treatment to begin as soon as possible. There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but the disease can be managed to improve quality of life.
Treatment includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; steroids; anti-rheumatic drugs; physical therapy; and sometimes surgery to repair the joints. Pelvic inflammatory disease , or PID, is the general term for a bacterial infection of a woman's reproductive organs. PID is most often a complication of a sexually transmitted disease STD such as gonorrhea or chlamydia. However, it is possible to get PID from other causes.
Any woman can be affected. Untreated PID can cause infertility due to damaged tissue in the reproductive tract, as well as chronic pelvic and abdominal pain. Unprotected sex partners will be infected as well.
Diagnosis is made through symptoms, pelvic examination, vaginal and cervical swabs, and urine tests. Treatment is with a course of antibiotics. Be sure to finish all of the medication as directed, even when you begin feeling better. To prevent PID, have all partners male or female tested for STDs and avoid unprotected sexual contact. Top Symptoms: fever, abdominal pain or unusual vaginal discharge, vaginal discharge, nausea or vomiting, vaginal bleeding, pelvis pain.
Symptoms that always occur with pelvic inflammatory disease: fever, abdominal pain or unusual vaginal discharge. About 80 percent of people will experience mechanical back pain. Mechanical means that the pain comes from the spine or its supporting structures.
Sometimes, people experience sciatica with their low back pain. Sciatica is a general term to describe pain that travels from the back into the leg. Most of the time, it is unclear to doctors what exactly causes the episode of low back pain. However, it is most often due to a muscle strain, or an injured tendon or ligament. A slipped or herniated disc is also a possible cause. Fortunately, in any of these cases, initial treatment is the same.
Pain usually goes away within weeks, often sooner. Osteoarthritis, most often simply called arthritis, is a disease of cartilage. In joints, where bones touch and move against one another, cartilage helps provide lubrication for smooth movement, and acts as a shock absorber.
Cartilage is also present in between vertebrae, which are the bones comprising the spine. Osteoarthritis of the spine, also known as degenerative joint disease, happens when the cartilage between vertebrae dries out and shrinks. The vertebrae are thus not as able to move smoothly against one another. The ability to walk and perform normal daily activities can be impaired due to inflammation and pain in the lower back. Top Symptoms: lower back pain, spontaneous back pain, back pain that gets worse when straightening it, back pain from overuse.
A strain is defined as a twisting, pulling, or tearing injury to a muscle, or to the tendon that connects the muscle to the bone. A sprain is an injury to a ligament, which connects two bones together. Strains may be acute happen suddenly or chronic show up gradually. They are usually caused by overuse, improper lifting of heavy objects, or sports. Being overweight or having weak back muscles are both risk factors for back injury.
Symptoms may include a pop or tear at the time of injury; pain that is worse when moving; and sudden muscle cramping or spasm at the site of the injury. Treatment involves rest; ice packs; and over-the-counter pain relievers, followed by a gradual return to normal activities within two weeks. Prolonged immobility actually weakens the back and causes loss of bone density. Proper lifting techniques, strengthening exercises, and good nutrition can be very helpful in preventing further injury. Top Symptoms: lower back pain, back pain that gets worse when sitting, back pain that gets worse when straightening it, lower left back pain, lower right back pain.
Symptoms that never occur with low back strain: involuntary defecation, first time leaking urine, back numbness, toe numbness, foot numbness. A herniated, ruptured, or "slipped" disc means that a vertebral disc — one of the soft pads of tissue that sit between each of the vertebral bones — has becomes squeezed out of shape. Its cushioning material has been forced against, and possibly through, the ring of fibrous tissue that normally contains it.
This causes pain, numbness, and weakness in the legs. The normal aging process causes the discs lose moisture and become thinner, making them more vulnerable to "slipping. Most susceptible are men from ages 30 to Smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, and improper lifting are also risk factors.
Treatment begins with rest, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, and sometimes epidural steroid injections into the back to ease pain and inflammation. Surgery to remove the herniated part of the disc — the part that was squeezed out of place — can also be helpful.
Top Symptoms: lower back pain, moderate back pain, back pain that shoots down the leg, back pain that gets worse when sitting, leg weakness. Fibromyalgia is a set of chronic symptoms that include ongoing fatigue, diffuse tenderness to touch, musculoskeletal pain, and usually some degree of depression. The cause is not known. When fibromyalgia appears, it is usually after a stressful physical or emotional event such as an automobile accident or a divorce.
It may include a genetic component where the person experiences normal sensation as pain. Anyone with rheumatic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, may be more prone to fibromyalgia. Poor sleep is often a symptom, along with foggy thinking, headaches, painful menstrual periods, and increased sensitivity to heat, cold, bright lights, and loud noises.
There is no standard test for fibromyalgia. The diagnosis is usually made when the above symptoms go on for three months or more with no apparent cause. Treatment involves easing symptoms and improving the patient's quality of life through pain medications, exercise, improved diet, and help with managing stressful situations. Top Symptoms: fatigue, arthralgias or myalgias, anxiety, depressed mood, headache.
Chronic low back pain is a common condition. It is defined by low back pain lasting more than six weeks. Unfortunately, a clear cause can only be found in twenty percent of cases. The rest of the time, it is believed to be due to strain on the bones and muscles of the back from heavy lifting, prolonged sitting, or bad posture.
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