Can Lower Back Pain Be Related To Weather
If you feel like your lower back pain worsens on days when its cold or the weather is changing, you are not imagining things. Back pain can indeed be related to barometric pressure and outdoor temperature. Changes in pressure can sometimes cause pain in arthritic joints, including the spine. Muscles and joints in general react to the environment, which can make them stiffer and more likely to suffer an injury.
What Are The Symptoms Of Lower Back Pain In Women
Pain in the lower back area can be acute or chronic . Paying attention to all symptoms you experience at the time can make management significantly easier. Symptoms of lower back pain in females depend on the cause.
As shown above, causes of pain in this area are numerous. In most cases, an affected person experiences a combination of the following symptoms:
- Dull or aching pain: refers to the pain that remains in the low back area. Pain can be stinging, burning, or sharp and it is usually accompanied by muscle spasms, pain in pelvis and hips, and decreased range of motion
- Pain feels better when changing positions: patients usually discover that some positions only enhance the pain in lower back while other positions alleviate it
- Pain gets worse after prolonged sitting: this symptom occurs in most cases of low back pain because sitting puts pressure on discs in your spine
- Pain is worse after waking up: a vast majority of patients who experience lower back pain report the discomfort is enhanced the first thing in the morning. However, pain decreases after getting up and moving
- Pain traveling to butt, legs, and feet: in some instances the pain doesnt remain in low back area, but it travels through your buttons down the legs and feet i.e. you experience symptoms of sciatica
If your lower back pain is accompanied by the following symptoms, you should seek immediate care:
- Fever and chills
- Loss of bowel and bladder control
- Severe abdominal pain
- Reproductive organs
When Should I See A Doctor If I Have Lower Back Pain
In many cases lower back pain stops on its own. But if it doesnt, here are some guidelines on when you may want to start seeking professional help:
- If the pain lasts four weeks or longer
- If the pain keeps getting worse as time goes by
- If you are experiencing other symptoms, such as fever, major weight loss or weight gain, loss of function or weakness in extremities, bladder problems, etc.
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Musculoskeletal Conditions That Can Cause Sudden Pain In Lower Back
The commonest cause of sudden lower back pain is injury or damage to the muscles and ligaments supporting the back and other joint related conditions. These include
- Injury to bones, joints, spinal vertebrae, muscles, ligaments, soft tissues and blood vessels in the lower back region. Sport injuries, falls, direct blows, accidents, etc. can cause damage to these structures leading to sudden lower back pain.
- Protrusion or herniation of intervertebral disc, annular tears and bulging of discs. These discs are protective cushions in between the spinal vertebrae, which if protrude from these original position, cause severe and sudden pain in lower back. This commonly occurs when the person is bending or lifting heavy objects or may occur with gradual wear and tear.
- Tensed muscles in the lower back can cause sudden sharp pain with a feeling of weakness in the muscles and inability to move or lift objects.
- Joint conditions and aging related problems like lumbar spondylosis, various types of arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis affecting lower back.
Being overweight and an inactive lifestyle can contribute to lower back pain. Poor posture, sitting for long hours, awkward movements, excessive use of lower back muscles causing overuse injuries or inappropriate ways of lifting weights, etc.
How Is Gas And Bloating Responsible For Lower To Middle Back Pain
Intestinal gas is a regular feature with most of us. The problem with our fast and heavy schedules is that we hardly get a chance to have proper meals. We always seem to be in a hurry, so most of the food we gulp down is partially digested.
Gas is typically caused due to fermentation of this partially or undigested food. Gas is also caused when your alimentary system is unable to break down certain components in your food such as sugar and gluten. This means that the gas bubbles are trapped inside your intestines. This, in turn, can lead to abdominal bloating and cramps.
Some gas is completely normal and most of us pass gas up to 20 times each day. Its only when this gas gets trapped and hence cant move through the digestive system freely that we start to get a problem. In this scenario we start to get a build-up of gas which causes bloating and distension of the stomach and abdomen area which in turn results in cramps and pain.
Such cramps can spread to your intestines and even cause lower back pain. If the cramps are really severe, even your middle back can be affected by intense pains. As a knock on effect bloating can cause the tensing of muscles which again can cause back pain.
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Middle Back Pain From A Herniated Disc
A herniated disc developers when a disc protrusion ruptures or herniates through the delicate wall of the intervertebral disc. As a result, the viscous material from the interior of the disc can spill into the spinal canal, thereby producing intense middle back pain from impinging on sensitive nerves on one side of the body. In most cases, disc herniation originates from gradual, age-related wear and tear referred to as disc degeneration. Signs and symptoms of herniated discs depend on the location in the spine and if the disc is pressing on a nerve. The most common symptoms a patient will experience include pain in the buttocks, thigh, and calf, numbness or tingling from the affected nerves, and muscle weakness affecting stability and the ability to lift or hold items.
Can You Prevent Back Pain In Teenagers
Prevention depends on the reason behind the pain.
- If the back pain is the result of strain, then teach your teens the right way to exercise and lift heavy objects.
- Drinking plenty of water might prevent the formation of kidney stones.
- Making them practice the right posture from an early age may also help prevent back pain.
- Make sure your teenager is sitting in a chair that has good back support.
- Backpacks should not be overloaded and should be worn on both shoulders. Also, the backpack should be made of sturdy material that supports both the shoulders equally.
- Encourage them to use protective gear whenever they are trying a new sport or a new exercise regime.
Back pain in teenagers is common, but it could cause discomfort and limit the movement of the child. Try some home remedies if your teen is suffering from back pain due to exertion or some external reason. But, if the pain is accompanied by an injury or other symptoms, then seek professional medical advice.
Do you have some tips to avoid or treat back pain in teenagers? Let us know in the comments section below.
References:
A Holistic Approach to Diagnosis and Management
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Middle Back Pain: Causes Symptoms And Treatment Options
Written byDevon AndrePublished onJanuary 24, 2017
Pain in the middle of the back can put a damper on your day and affect your ability to complete simple tasks. The middle of the back is made up of 12 thoracic vertebrae and their interlocking facet joints and discs, as well as the different muscles, tendons, and ligaments that allow movement. Because this section of the back is attached to the ribs, it is much more rigid and unable to bend and stretch in the way the upper and lower back can, meaning the discs of the middle back do not experience the same level of degradation as those in other areas. Instead, middle back pain is often a result of strained muscles or stressed joints between the ribs and vertebrae.
Secure Your Back While Training
Raising is a common root cause of reduced back pain. Usual everyday tasks, such as unloading grocery bags from the car or lifting your child, can result in decrease back issues.
Lifting with your back curved, or lifting while turning, may cause an abrupt injury to your lower back or repeated injury over a period of time, bring about persistent tissue damages.
Bend at your knees, not at your reduced back an entirely bent back can be highly at risk to a tendon or disc injury.
Rotate your feet and also hips, as opposed to twisting your reduced back.
Hold the item close to your breast while straightening your spine.
While training belongs of day-to-day tasks, working that includes heavy lifting might boost your danger of creating reduced back troubles.
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What Influencers Middle Back Pain
Middle back pain typically originates from issues found within the thoracic spine. The thoracic spine makes up an enormous part of the spine with many joints and muscles all of which can generate middle back pain.
The most common explanation for middle back pain can be attributed to a pulled muscle or bruised ribs. Other prevalent causes can range from a combination of broken or fractured ribs, swollen rib cartilage injuries to the chest, osteoporosis, muscle spasms, and inflammation surrounding the lining of the lungs. Furthermore, other serious spinal conditions may be the underlying source of middle back pain.
Fix The Root Of The Problem
Muscle imbalances happen when certain muscles work too hard and others dont work hard enough.
Your muscles are designed to complement, not compete with one another. One overly weak or dominant muscle can literally pull everything off track.
I recommend learning more about my targeted Muscle Balance Therapy program.
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When To Contact A Medical Professional
- Back pain after a severe blow or fall
- Burning with urination or blood in your urine
- History of cancer
- Loss of control over urine or stool
- Pain traveling down your legs below the knee
- Pain that is worse when you lie down or pain that wakes you up at night
- Redness or swelling on the back or spine
- Severe pain that does not allow you to get comfortable
- Unexplained fever with back pain
- Weakness or numbness in your buttocks, thigh, leg, or pelvis
Also call if:
- You have been losing weight unintentionally
- You use steroids or intravenous drugs
- You have had back pain before, but this episode is different and feels worse
- This episode of back pain has lasted longer than 4 weeks
Edgar Ramirez Md Dabapm
Dr. Ramirez co-founded B3 Medical with a specific agenda to create a new and innovative approach to treating patients who suffer from intense and chronic pain.
Recognized as a leader in the practice of Interventional Pain Management and frustrated by the current system that relies on opioids and prescription medications to mask a patients pain, Dr. Ramirez decided to create a new regimen of safe and effective minimally invasive, non-surgical procedures that get to the source of the pain.
Dr. Ramirez is Board Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology, with a Pain Medicine sub-certification from the University of Florida. As the Medical Director at B3 Medical, Dr. Ramirez is a leader in all aspects of Interventional Pain Management, including Nerve Blocks, Radiofrequency Ablation , Percutaneous Decompression, and Spinal Cord Stimulation.
A family man, Dr. Ramirez is a Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Gator fan and an avid boater. He was born and raised in Ft. Bragg, NC, and loves living and practicing medicine in Florida.
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Muscle Sprain Or Strain
Sprains are the tearing or stretching of ligaments. Strains are the tearing or stretching of muscles and tendons. Regularly lifting heavy objects, especially without proper form, can easily cause a person to sprain or strain their back. Sprains and strains can also occur after an awkward, sudden movement.
Get Medication For Your Pain
Sometimes, the best treatment for back pain is medication. This is especially true for serious back injuries and many types of chronic back pain.
What kind of medication you need depends on the type of back pain you experience and how frequent and severe it is. Here’s a quick look at which medications work best for different types of back pain.
Drugs for Acute Back Pain
What kind of medication is appropriate for acute back pain depends mostly on how severe it is. Because acute pains tend to get better relatively quickly, you usually only have to take medication for a short time until your discomfort begins to improve.
If the acute back pain is only minor, then simple over-the-counter pain relievers should work well enough that no heavier drugs are needed. Medications like ibuprofen, Advil, Aleve, and topical creams can usually to do the trick.
If your pain is more severe or over-the-counter medications aren’t effective, you should see your doctor to get an evaluation. If the cause is muscular, your doctor might prescribe muscle relaxants, which are very effective at relieving back muscle pain.
If you experience severe back pain, your doctor might prescribe you a heavier painkiller like an opiate. Although they can cause side effects and be highly addictive, they can be very effective for short periods to help you get through the worst of the pain.
Drugs for Chronic Back Pain
Drugs for Inflammation and Arthritis-related Back Pain
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Treatment For Common Back Pain In Teenagers
Your childs doctor would recommend a treatment regimen based on the diagnosis, which involves a physical examination and, if necessary, an X-ray and CT scan.
- In the case of spinal injuries, medical attention is required. Sometimes, surgery may be needed to correct the broken bones.
- According to a study, physical therapy and manual therapy were found to be effective in treating lower back pain in children. However, certain limitations of the study prevented drawing a definitive conclusion .
- Back pain due to sprains and bruises may subside after rest or activity modification.
- Your childs doctor might prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs if there is unbearable pain and swelling.
- Physical therapy programs might help in reducing back pain.
- Hamstring and abdominal strengthening exercises might help in relieving persistent back pain.
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.
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Get Help From A Professional:
Massage – Getting pain treatment through massage is another great way to get rid of pain. While this may be a luxury approach, a monthly massage can be affordable and effective. There are many types of massage options, so be sure to ask about targeting your areas of pain. With the rising accessibility of massage guns, you can also get a frequent and affordable targeted massage. You can get a very high-quality massage gun for a few hundred dollars.
Go to a Chiropractor – Finding a good chiropractor can be the key to relieving your pain. Chiropractors are trained in musculoskeletal manipulation and can identify the cause of your pain and specifically treat areas of pain with specialized procedures. They can also advise you on managing your pain in your day-to-day life and suggest other activities that may help.
Physical Therapy – Often treating patients that have suffered trauma or recovering from surgery, physical therapists and their staff are also more than qualified to help treat back pain. Overlapping with treatment from a chiropractor, seeking help from a physical therapist can be another highly effective option for treating back and neck pain caused by sitting.
Back Pain After A Fall Or Injury: Fractures
Osteoporotic fractures of the vertebral body are the most commonly encountered fractures among primary care doctors. These fractures are not always a result of great trauma and can, in some cases, cause few early symptoms.
Any history of a fall, a lifting injury, a motor vehicle accident or any other trauma, when it is associated with immediate back pain, suggests a muscle or bone injury. If you are osteoporotic, this trauma may be minimal a sneeze, fall from a chair, or slip and fall in the home. Localized pain over the spinal column most commonly the thoracic spine is suggestive enough of compression fracture that x-ray is warranted.
Localized pain over the involved vertebral level is usually present. Even patients with healthy bone can experience a compression fracture if the injury is significant enough. If you fall off of a roof, for instance, and end up with severe back pain in the middle of your lumbar spine, there’s a decent chance you could have a compression fracture, and you should get that x-rayed. Of course, please don’t do that!
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Why Is Lower Back Pain Such A Common Problem
The bottom part of your back typically has just five vertebrae fewer than your neck and mid-back. And these vertebrae do a lot of heavy lifting! Your lower back is where your spine connects to your pelvis, bearing the weight of your upper body. This area experiences a lot of movement and stress, which may lead to wear, tear and injuries.
