Causes Of Back Pains

It is important to know what the various causes of back pains are in order to know how to avoid them. Back pains are common in nearly every person around the world, in fact it is estimated that around 80% of everyone will experience back pains at some point.In a recent article, CNN.com said that, "More than 50 million Americans deal with chronic pain, at a cost of more than $100 billion annually."Add to that the fact that virtually every pregnant woman around the world will experience some degree of back discomfort and you have a huge global problem! It's no wonder that general back pain relief is such a huge topic.Back Pains - Muscle Strains...Strains, sprains and tears are common causes of back injuries, and are caused when:A sudden movement is made that is awkward or doesn't conform to your body's range of motion.Objects are lifted  improperly, or lifting items that are far too heavy.A ligament or muscle in  the back is stretched.You have poor posture for a prolonged period of time, whether sleeping, sitting, or standing. (Like sitting in front of a computer all day!)Taking part in a strenuous physical activity - like sports - without properly stretching and warming up first.A spasm can often accompany back pain that can be caused by strain and inflammation. Though they generally don't last very long, these spasms can be both painful and irritating.Treatment for strains, sprains and tears is to: First, take an anti-inflammatory medication. The best would be a systemic enzyme since they have no side effects. Next, ice the area for the first 48 to 72 hours. 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. Finally, apply moist heat to get the blood flowing to the area and start the healing process.Prevention is to start a daily regimen of back stretching and strengthening exercises. Only a few minutes a day will provide benefits out of all proportion to the expended effort. Be sure to stretch and worm up before any physical activity and lift with your legs, not your back!Back Pains - Compression Problems...Our back is made up of vertebrae - The vertebra is what allows us to twist, turn and bend. However, they ARE bone and to avoid having them grinding together, we have spongy discs between them acting as natural shock absorbers.If we apply too much pressure on the discs - particularly uneven pressure - they can become herniated or actually ruptured. If the disc material then comes into contact with a nerve, it creates intense pain. Finding severe back pain relief will immediately become a priority in your life!Gravity is not our friend. During the course of a day, it is possible to lose as much as 3/4 inch in height - just due to disc compression. Just the weight supported by our back can squeeze the fluids out of the discs making them smaller and less effective as shock absorbers.Treatment as well as prevention is to let your back decompress. This happens naturally at night when we are sleeping, but even better is to use a decompression machine. 5 or 6 minutes a day and you will feel so good, you'll wonder how you ever lived without one!Back Pains - Structural Problems...Occasionally, back pains are the result of a problem with the formation of the spine. For the most part, back pains caused by structural problems will need medical treatment and possibly even surgery. Many people have structural problems with their spine, such as:Sciatica - is caused when herniated or ruptured discs place pressure on the spinal cord nerves, which sends  spikes of pain down through the entire spine and into the legs. The sciatic nerve is the largest one in the body and serves the buttocks, legs and feet.Arthritis - can cause pain  in the back, especially osteoarthritis which tends to affect hips, hands, and lower back joints most severely.Spinal Stenosis - is an alternate form of arthritis, and is caused when the space around the spinal cord is narrowed.Scoliosis - is when the spine is curved to one side, and is another common cause of acute back  pain.Osteoporosis - is when your spine becomes brittle and porous, and can lead to fractures in the vertebra.It is worth the effort to be checked out by your physician to determine the exact cause of your back pains...then you can design an effective cure and prevention strategy.