Can Lower Back Pain Be A Sign Of Something Serious Like Cancer
Lower back pain can be related to cancer. In fact, it is one of the first symptoms of prostate cancer when it metastasizes and creates lesions. Almost any cancer can spread to the back and some, like sarcoma, can originate in the back. Be cautious, especially if you are experiencing other symptoms besides lower back pain. Talk to your doctor if you have additional symptoms or concerns.
Belly Fat Interferes With Ankylosing Spondylitis Treatment
If you have ankylosing spondylitis , youre no stranger to chronic back pain. The inflammatory disease can cause vertebrae to fuse over time. Your back might be super stiff, or you might have a permanently hunched posture.
Disease-modifying medications can improve symptoms and slow the disease process. However, being overweight can reduce the drugs effectiveness. Belly fat in particular has been singled out as a problem for drug absorption.
For a study in Clinical and Investigative Medicine, scientists set out to discover if visceral fat not BMI independently predicted diminished response to the disease-modifying drug infliximab. They found that it did. In fact, they found a significant correlation between visceral fat tissue and disease activity in people with AS who received this treatment.
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Does Being Overweight Cause Back Pain
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Ever since my dad added weight, hes been complaining of back pain. Suddenly he cannot stand or sit for too long without feeling the pressure. So it got me thinking, does being overweight cause back pain?
According to research by NCBI, there is a direct correlation between obesity and diseases of the spine. Being overweight or obese puts you at a greater risk of developing chronic back pain, joint pain and muscle problems as excess weight exerts additional strain on the spine.
Lets look at how weight leads to back pain and how you can remedy the situation.
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Weight Loss And Back Pain Are Interwoven In A Number Of Complex Ways While Weight Loss Is Not A Foolproof Cure For Back Pain Achieving And Maintaining A Healthy Body Weight Can Help Relieve Symptoms In Some People With Sciatica Lower Back Pain
Weight loss and back pain are interwoven in a number of complex ways. While weight loss is not a foolproof cure for back pain, achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight can help relieve symptoms in some people with sciatica, lower back pain, and even neck pain.
Adopting an intense exercise regimen designed for weight loss may, however, trigger or exacerbate back pain. Conversely, being sedentary is also a contributing factor for worsening back pain.
Whats the answer? As in many cases, moderation is key, meaning that engaging in regular physical activity that supports a healthy body weight is best.
Before we take a look at how best to manage weight when suffering with back pain, lets quickly examine how it is that being overweight or obese might be contributing to your back pain.
Physics and physiology
It is a simple matter of basic physics that carrying a lot of body weight puts extra pressure on the joints. This is especially true if there are existing joint problems affecting normal alignment and joint function.
In addition, a large amount of adipose tissue typically means an increase in the production of pro-inflammatory substances that can contribute to tissue damage underlying back pain.
Sciatica risk and back pain increased by obesity
Weight loss for sciatica relief
How to lose weight when you have back pain
A healthy diet is one that includes plenty of:
Exercising with back pain
- Swimming
Arthritis Of The Spine
Arthritis of the spine the slow degeneration of the spinal joints is the most frequent cause of lower back pain. All of us experience wear and tear as we age, and it is normal for your lower back to start acting up as you get older. As the cartilage breaks down between the spinal joints, surrounding tissues may become inflamed. The inflammation and the thinning of cartilage increase friction in the joints, which may cause pain in the lower back.
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Manage Obesity And Back Pain
The number one priority in dealing with obesity and back pain is losing weight. A healthy BMI, body mass index, will range anywhere from 18.5 to 24.9. A BMI of 30 or over is considered obese. In order to lower your BMI and weight to prevent spinal damage, its essential to exercise regularly. Starting a diet and exercise program can be a daunting task. Speak to your doctor to develop a healthy exercise and weight loss routine that will best suit your needs. Start your new routine by creating a timeline and writing down your goals. Your doctor will be able to set a goal weight based on your age and height. By reaching your target weight, youll be able to reduce your back pain. Furthermore, make sure you receive adequate sleep on a semi-firm mattress.
Reduce Pain And Lose Weightsimultaneously
If you have been overweight for a long time, you may have begun scoffing at advice that tells you to exercise. You may be thinking, Im in so much pain, I can hardly get out of bed. How am I supposed to just hop on the treadmill?
So the vicious cycle continues: the more weight you gain from avoiding the gym, the more your pain increases.
Well its time to break the cycle once and for all. Here are 3 proven methods for losing weight and reducing back pain at the same time:
1. Jump-start your youth hormones to lose weight without exercise.
As children, we all had very high levels of human-growth hormone . But as we age, levels of HGH drop off exponentially leaving us with slow metabolisms, high blood sugar, sluggish energy and ever-thickening waistlines.
But thanks to natural science, you can now jumpstart your metabolism by supplementing with the nutritional precursors that stimulate your body to naturally produce the HGH it needs.
Multiple studies have proven that when you restore your bodys ability to produce more of these youth hormones, they automatically reduce fat throughout your body, increase lean muscle mass and help control those annoying carb cravings.
Learn more about our ThinMist supplement spray here
2. Get rid of muscle imbalances.
When you eliminate muscle imbalance that are pulling your spine and related bones out of whack, you not only get back pain relief you get lasting back pain relief. Thats because youre attacking the root of the problem.
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Will Losing Weight Help Bulging Disc
Bulging discs can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. They are often the result of carrying too much weight, which puts pressure on the spine. If you are overweight, you may be wondering if losing weight will help to improve your condition. The answer is that it depends on the cause of your bulging disc. If your weight is the primary cause of the bulging disc, then losing weight will likely help to reduce the pressure on your spine and improve your symptoms. However, if your bulging disc is the result of an injury or another underlying condition, then losing weight may not provide any relief. In some cases, it may even make your symptoms worse. If you are unsure about the cause of your bulging disc, it is best to consult with a chiropractor or spine specialist before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
Ways To Lose Weight In A Healthy And Not
Weight-loss efforts have the tendency to quickly morph from an initiative designed to help you feel better into one fueled by self-destructive behaviors like skipping meals and obsessively weighing yourself.
Successful ways to lose weight meaning a person drops pounds and keeps them off while staying healthy have one thing in common: theyre undertaken as a lifestyle shift.
Losing weight requires thinking about food differently, fundamentally changing habits and behaviors to support a slimmer body. Restricting calorie intake until you lose five pounds and then returning to your typical eating methods doesnt work.
But here are five weight-loss strategies that do.
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Why Is Weight Loss So Important For Reducing Back Pain
Weight loss and exercise are wonderful ways to prevent back pain, but did you also know that healthy movement could reduce existing back pain? Its true. Researchers at Stanford University found that overweight people who increased the amount of time they spent moving by just 20 minutes daily reduced their risk of back pain by 32%. Weight loss has also been tied to a reduction in back pain. Shedding pounds through diet and exercise supports your back health in numerous ways. Heres why, and later, how to lose weight in a healthy way.
Bad Habits That Cause Back Pain
Back pain is often caused by everyday bad habits that stress and strain your muscles and joints. Here’s how to fend off the aches before they begin.
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Back pain will affect about 80 percent of us at some point in our lives, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke . It often results from repeated behaviors that stress your body.
If you’re battling back pain now or if you want to take steps to prevent an achy back make an effort to avoid these seven bad habits:
When you’re in the throes of back pain or simply want to ward it off, avoiding these habits will help protect and strengthen your back and your entire body.
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Other Potential Causes Of Lower Back Pain When Walking
Lower back pain when walking is not limited to these causes. Here are some other potential causes of lower back pain when walking:
-
Cauda Equina Syndrome
The compression of nerve roots, commonly resulting from a herniated disc in the lumbar area.15
-
Degenerative Disc Disease
Can be caused by the drying out of a disc, daily physical activity and sports, or injury.16
-
Compression Fractures
When part of a bone in the spine, a.k.a. a vertebrae, collapses.17See Your Doctor for Lower Back Pain When Walking
You dont want to gamble with your back health. Call your doctor to advise you on any type of treatment. Heres what your doctor might recommend:
- NSAIDs
- Massage
- Acupuncture
While youll always want to call your doctor for advice, especially if your pain is severe, there are also several things you can do at home that might help you manage lower back pain.
- Change up your exercise routine
- Apply heating pads and ice packs
- Buy a more supportive mattress
- Pay attention to your posture
- Lose weight
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Does Belly Fat Cause Lower Back Pain
There is a long-standing debate about whether or not belly fat is linked to lower back pain. Some experts argue that carrying excess weight around the midsection puts stress on the lower back, which can lead to pain and discomfort. Others claim that there may be other factors at play, such as hunching over for prolonged periods of time due to poor posture. Ultimately, it seems that the jury is still out on this issue and more research is needed to determine an exact link between belly fat and lower back pain. In the meantime, maintaining a healthy weight and practicing good posture may be the best way to protect your back from any potential discomfort associated with belly fat.
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Physical Therapy For Obesity And Lower Back Pain
Being obese is a risk and an exacerbating factor for many medical conditions. Fortunately, a physical therapist can design a physical therapy program that includes exercises to help with the following:
- Build strength and cardiovascular fitness
- Reduce lower back pain
- Improve posture, movement, and flexibility
- Boost metabolism, burn more calories and lose weight
- Increase function, flexibility, and mobility
Besides exercises, physical therapists use various modalities to reduce lower back pain. For example, dry needling, which involves the use of fine needles, helps alleviate pain in the body by increasing blood flow, loosening tight muscles, and accelerating the bodys healing process.
How Will Losing Weight Affect My Back
If you are a man or woman who is overweight or obese you most likely recognize the health benefits you would receive with weight loss. Shedding some pounds could reduce your back problems, lower your risk for certain cancers, and ultimately add years onto your life. However. its important to understand what is really happening to your body as you begin to lose weight, especially if you are suffering from a weight caused back condition. As you begin to trim off the excess fat on your body, your muscles dont have to work as hard. Essentially, day to day tasks become easier for your body to handle, which results in less pain experienced. The less you strain your joints, muscles, and bones, the healthier you become. Although the task of losing weight is difficult, it is possible. Let the numerous health benefits you will begin to receive be your motivation.
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Make An Appointment With A Doctor
Its important for you to see a doctor for a checkup or physical if you think you are overweight, or if you are experiencing back pain. Talk to your doctor about your diet, exercise, and lifestyle patterns. The doctor can then instruct you on how to manage your weight, take care of your body, and help you come up with a strategy to reverse your condition. Hirst says, Understanding your body and how it functions is key to success with weight loss. Sustaining weight loss can also be challenging. Seeing the right health care professional can help give you the tools and knowledge to start the weight loss journey and keep it up.
A Herniated Or Slipped Disc
If you feel severe, sharp pain shooting through your lumbar region when walking, you might be experiencing sciatica from a slipped disc.
The bones that make up your spine are cushioned by small discs. These discs absorb shock and help protect the spinal cord. If a disc slips out of place, it can press on the spinal nerve and cause severe pain.9
What are the Symptoms of a Herniated Disc?
Symptoms may vary depending on the location and size of the injured disc. If the disc is pressing on a nerve, the symptoms may be more severe, as with sciatica.
Sciatica may cause a shooting pain, burning, tingling or numbness that occurs anywhere along the sciatic nerve from the buttocks to the legs.
Other symptoms may include:
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What Is Treatment For Back And Spine Pain Caused By Being Obese Or Overweight
If you suffer from being overweight, obese, or even morbidly obese, your best treatment is weight loss. However, we all know losing weight is an extremely difficult task, especially in the beginning. Weight loss with back pain can become increasingly difficult because it makes exercises painful, in return making the process even more discouraging. So its important you take the necessary precautions and steps to avoid extreme pain from your back and spine issues. Here are a few braces to try in order to curb your pain in order to reach your goal:
How Obesity Leads To Back Pain
According to the American Obesity Association, episodes of musculoskeletal pain, and specifically back pain, are prevalent among the nearly one-third of Americans who are classified as obese.2
The American Obesity Association also reports that more obese persons say they are disabled and less able to complete everyday activities than persons with other chronic conditions.1
Some of the most common obesity-related problems include musculoskeletal and joint related pain.1 For people who are overweight, attention to overall weight loss is important as every pound adds strain to the muscles and ligaments in the back.
In order to compensate for extra weight, the spine can become tilted and stressed unevenly. As a result, over time, the back may lose its proper support and an unnatural curvature of the spine may develop.
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How Does Obesity Affect Your Legs And Feet
Obesity can have a number of negative effects on your legs and feet. For one thing, it increases the risk of a variety of conditions that affect these parts of the body, including arthritis, tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis. Additionally, being overweight puts extra strain on your feet and legs, which can lead to pain, muscle fatigue, and other uncomfortable symptoms. Furthermore, gaining weight often results in added pressure on the ankles, knees, and hips, which can contribute to knee osteoarthritis and other chronic issues over time. Overall, obesity affects your legs and feet in many ways so its important to take steps to improve your overall health and get back to a healthy weight. Whether this means making dietary changes or engaging in more physical activity, adopting healthy habits is essential for maintaining strong legs and feet for years to come.
