Why Does My Back Hurt So Much? 6 Common Causes of Back Problems
At some point in a lifetime, 80% of people will experience problems with their back.
Back pain can be either a distracting annoyance or a debilitating pain.
If you're asking "Why does my back hurt so much?" there may be more to the answer than you might think. Learn more about what could be causing your back problems.
1. Structural Issues
The cause of your back pain could be coming from structural issues in your body. This can include a number of different things.
Discs
You could have a ruptured or bulging disc. A disc is found in your spine and cushions each vertebra. When that cushioning ruptures or pushes on a nerve, this can result in some unexplained back pain.
If you notice sharp, shooting pain from your buttock down the backs of your legs, you may have a problem with one of your discs which could be causing the pain.
Arthritis
Speaking of problems with your spine, you could also have a problem with arthritis. Your arthritis doesn't have to be in an area like your leg or your arm, but it can also happen in your lower back and your hips which may explain some of your back pain.
Spinal Stenosis
You could even have spinal stenosis, which is where the space around your spinal cord narrows and puts more pressure on it. This results in back pain.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis could also be the culprit. When this happens, your bones, including your spine, could become brittle and start to break. If one of your bones is broken, your back will be more at risk to pain.
2. Strains or Sprains
If you were working out in the gym lately or lifting something heavy and you suddenly feel back pain, you may have strained or sprained those muscles.
These strains or sprains may end up causing painful spasms that occur in your back.
Having a muscle sprain or strain can even occur after being in a car accident.
3. Infections or Other Illnesses
Shingles is one common illness that can start to attack nerves in your back. When these nerves are triggered, you could start to experience this type of pain.
If your spinal cord is infected, then you may also have a fever, and your back especially may feel warm to touch.
If you have pelvic inflammatory disease, which affects the reproductive system in women, you may experience back pain in addition to abdominal pain.
4. Inflammation
Inflammation in the area where your spine meets your pelvis could cause pain in this area.
This area normally doesn't move a whole lot, but it is important. You could have swelling or inflammation occur in this area.
If the cartilage that connects the spine and the pelvis starts to deteriorate, you may start to experience pain in your back.
5. Accidents or Injuries
If you have recently been in a car accident, this could be the answer to your question. Depending on how bad the accident was, it could have changed the position of your spinal cord and moved it a bit.
6. Your Lifestyle
If you are asking "Why does my back hurt so much" you may find the answer in your lifestyle.
Poor Posture
If you are sitting with poor posture or doing something else that puts strain on your back, you may experience pain.
If you sit at a desk all day using a computer, you are probably sitting hunched over even if you don't realize it. This puts strain your spinal cord which will affect your back eventually.
If you notice that you are straining your neck by pushing it forward, you may also experience problems. You could be doing this without realizing it as well, like when you are using the computer or driving.
If you are taking a long road trip, you may want to schedule in periodic breaks. Even if you are not sitting hunched over while driving, it can be really taxing on your back and make any back problems worse.
Lifting Heavy Things
You could also be doing other things that are bad for your back.
When you lift heavy things, you should make sure that you are lifting it with your knees, and not bending over so that you use your back muscles to help you lift it.
Movers normally have a lot of back problems because of this, but you should always try and lift heavy things with the proper posture.
A Bad Mattress
If you don't have the best mattress and notice that your back is hurting every time you wake up, it may be time to start looking for a new mattress.
When you go shopping for one, let the sales associate know that your current mattress is causing you back pains and ask them which ones would be better to help remedy that issue.
Exercise
Other lifestyle choices may impact your back pain as well. For example, if you are not regularly exercising or you're overweight, this could cause a strain on your back.
Shoes
Your shoe choice may also be a factor. For example, if you have the wrong support in your tennis shoes or you are wearing high heels all the time, it's not uncommon to start experiencing pain in your lower back.
Stop Asking "Why Does My Back Hurt So Much?" and Get Treatment
Now that you have answers to the question of "why does my back hurt so much," you can start to find treatment.
Seeing a chiropractor can actually be an effective solution.
If you are ready to end the pain in your back, request an appointment here.
