Emotional Theories That Cause Back Pain
The emotional theories abound as to the root cause of back pain. Although this is not proven by scientific studies, there is a close link between emotions that we experience and back pain:
Heartache : many experts cite heartache as a primary factor, as people with broken hearts often tense their shoulders and jaw, which inadvertently leads to strain in the neck and back on the side of the heart .
Professional burnout: Others believe that burnout is to blame, as the constant stress of work politics and unrealistic deadlines can lead to poor posture and muscle strain.
The Depression : Still others believe that depression is a major contributing factor to back pain because people who suffer from it often have trouble sleeping, eat poorly, and lose interest in activities that once brought them joy.
When To Get Medical Advice
See a GP immediately if you’re experiencing severe pain, as this is a warning sign that something is wrong.
If this is not possible, contact NHS 111 for advice.
You should also see a GP as soon as you can if:
- your skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow
- you keep being sick
Jaundice can have a range of causes other than pancreatitis, but it’s usually a sign there’s something wrong with your digestive system.
Symptoms Of Back Pain
Back pain can range from local pain in a specific spot to generalized pain spreading all over the back. Sometimes the pain radiates away from the back to other areas of your body, such as the buttocks, legs, or abdomen. The intensity of back pain varies for each person. Depending on the type, cause, and location of your back pain, you may experience:
- Increasing pain with lifting and bending.
- Worsening pain when resting, sitting, or standing.
- Back pain that comes and goes.
- Stiffness in the morning when awakening and lessened back pain with activity.
- Pain that radiates away from the back into the buttocks, leg, or hip.
You should see a doctor if your pain does not improve after a few weeks or if any of the following symptoms happen with your back pain:
- Numbness and tingling.
- Severe back pain that does not improve with medication .
- Back pain after a fall or injury.
- Back pain along with:
- Weakness, pain, or numbness in your legs.
Don’t Miss: How To Heal My Lower Back Pain
How To Treat Lower Back Pain On The Left Side
If your problem doesnt require hospital treatment, home treatments are usually enough to address the problem. Time, rest, and pain relievers should do the trick. Self-care treatments include ice and hot packs, topical pain-relieving lotion or cream, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and limiting activities that can cause or aggravate your pain.
If your condition requires medical treatment, your potential pain relief solutions include physical therapy, muscle relaxants, nerve blocks, and anticonvulsant medication for certain nerve issues. A lumbar spine steroid injection can provide you temporary relief from bothersome pain. Stronger pain medications include hydrocodone which will certainly come in handy when ibuprofen cant handle your chronic pain. Now do take note that these drugs can be habit-forming, so always stick to your doctors instructions when taking them.
If you have kidney problems, you may need antibiotics or treatment to break up or remove kidney stones. If your condition is that severe, surgery may be the only option for you.
Serious Causes Of Referred Back Pain
Back pain is back pain, right? Not so fast. Sometimes pain in your back can come from an entirely different region of your body, which could be serious.
Referred pain is when you feel pain in one part of your body caused by disease or an injury in another. Itâs often due to problems with chest and belly organs. For example, an infection in your kidneys may cause pain in your back or sides.
Read on to learn about four causes of referred back pain that can signal you have a severe health problem.
Read Also: Is Foam Mattress Good For Back Pain
Read Also: What Can Cause Pain In The Back Of Your Neck
Pain In The Left Side Of The Back Causes And Treatment
There are many potential causes for pain in the left side of your back. It could be a result of muscular or bone pain, for example, or the result of an injury.
Your back is made up of many bones arranged in the spinal column your spine. This provides support for your body and allows you to stand, sit and move around.
Your back also includes muscles, ligaments and nerves. These can sometimes be affected by a strain, injury or inflammation because of the amount of wear and tear you place on your back every day.
It’s also possible to injure your back if you hurt it in a fall or playing sport.
But back pain is very common and pain in the left side of the back is not unusual.
Another potential cause of pain in the left side of your back is inflammation or infection of the internal organs in that area.
For example, kidney stones can cause pain in the lower back. But in these cases, you would often experience other symptoms in addition to back pain.
Here we’ll look at what might be causing back pain in the left side and some of the most common symptoms.
What Are The Symptoms Of Left Lower Back Pain Above The Buttocks
The symptoms of left lower back pain above the buttocks can include:
-
Pain in the left side of the lower back or surrounding areas
-
Radiating pain to the legs
-
Reduced range of motion
The symptoms can be aggravated by an awkward sleeping posture, heavy lifting, or sustained positions, such as sitting for long periods of time.
Also Check: How To Heal Strained Lower Back
When To Go To The Doctor
You cant always assume the discomfort is no big deal. If pain lingers for more than a few days or requires regular pain medications, you should be evaluated by your physician, says Leda Ghannad, MD, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery and physical medicine and rehabilitation at Rush University Medical Center. Another sign: if the pain limits your abilities in your day-to-day life, like you have to call off work to stay in bed. Following are signs you need to get medical help, pronto.
Causes Of Outer Knee Pain
Like the inside of your knee, the outside or lateral portion of the joint is a crossroads of many different anatomical structures. This can make getting to the bottom of pain in this area equally frustrating. If you have soreness near the lateral part of your knee, the most frequently seen causes are listed below.
Don’t Miss: Does A Wedge Pillow Help With Back Pain
Monday August 31 2020
Pain on the outside of your knee can be debilitating and tough to treat. This pain is known as lateral knee pain, or in other words, any pain you might feel outside or around your actual knee joint.
Figuring out the cause of your lateral knee pain is a great place to start toward a treatment plan that works. So, what causes lateral knee pain? Lets dive into it.
Dont Miss: How To Remove Swelling From Knee
Treatment For Upper Left Back Pain
Maintaining a healthy weight, along with a habit of cardio and strength workouts will help to prevent upper left back pain in the first place. Practicing good posture can also decrease the likelihood of this type of aggravating pain.
When upper left back pain persists, however, it may be time to consider a number of different treatment approaches.
5 Types of Treatment for Pain in the Upper Back on the Left Side:
You May Like: How To Relieve Lower Back Pain Immediately
Other Causes Of Pain In The Upper Left Back
Following conditions can cause upper left back pain-
- Respiratory conditions or lung infections can cause pain in chest and upper left back. Commonly associated with cough, difficulty in breathing and sometimes fever.
- Skin conditions affecting skin and subcutaneous tissue like boils, abscesses, stings and insect bites can cause upper left back pain. These conditions are easily noticed and is often accompanied with itching and burning sensation.
- Certain gastrointestinal conditions like indigestion and bloating, pancreatitis and perforation of peptic ulcers causes pain in middle and upper left back. In such cases gastric complaints like nausea, vomiting, changes in bowel habits and burning stomach pain may be present.
- Conditions related to urinary system like kidney stones or infection can cause pain in the upper and middle back or flank region, which may radiate to the groin.
- Women may occasionally experience referred menstrual pain or pain from uterine related conditions in the region under lower left ribs.
- Cardiac conditions, particularly chest pain from a heart attack can extend to left upper back, neck and jaw. This needs immediate medical care.
- Rarely certain infections, tumors or cancers in the area and spread of certain types of cancers can be the cause of upper left back pain.
In most cases, people with mild to moderate back pain can manage their symptoms with:
Diagnosing Lower Back Pain
To diagnose lower back pain, a doctor will first do a physical exam. Theyll look at how well you move and if your back has any visible issues.
Then theyll take a medical history. This will cover your symptoms, any recent injuries, previous back issues, and the severity of your pain.
A physical exam and medical history are often enough for a doctor to determine the cause of your pain. However, they may also need to do an imaging test. Potential tests include:
- X-ray, which can find broken or misaligned bones.
- CT scan, which shows soft tissues such as the discs between vertebrae and potential tumors
- myelogram, which uses dye to enhance the contrast in a CT scan or X-ray to help a doctor identify nerve or spinal cord compression
Read Also: Could Lower Back Pain Be A Sign Of Early Pregnancy
What Types Of Back Surgery Might You Need
Needing upper back surgery is rare, but if you do need it, you have options. These are some of the most common procedures for thoracic spine injury.
- Kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty: To repair compression fractures due to osteoporosis, your doctor will inject a glue-like bone cement.
- Spinal laminectomy/spinal decompression. If you have spinal stenosis , your surgeon may remove bony walls of the vertebrae to ease pressure on the nerves.
- Microdiscectomy. When a disc bulges and presses on a nerve, microdiscectomy minimally invasive removal of a disc is the gold standard procedure.
The success of your treatment, at least in terms of pain relief, may depend on whats causing your upper and mid back pain.
The not-so-good news: Some people will never be pain free.
If you have a condition that leads to chronic pain for instance, fibromyalgia or spinal stenosis its important to manage expectations for relief, says University of Washington pain control expert David R. Patterson, PhD.
The truth is that most chronic pain does not have a cure. You can only manage it, says Dr. Patterson That could mean a combination approach to therapy: body as well as mind .
Perhaps the best news of all is that most back pain gets better on its own, even if you do nothing but exercise patience.
Anatomy: Merck Manual. Injuries of the Spinal Cord and Vetrebrae.
Also Check: Can Dehydration Cause Lower Back Pain
Sharp Lower Left Back Pain From Spinal Stenosis
Spinal Stenosis occurs when the sensitive spinal nerve roots become compressed. While the majority of affected patients are over the age of 50, degenerative changes can cause younger patients to develop this painful condition. These changes may include trauma, a congenital spinal deformity like scoliosis, or even a genetic disease affecting bone and muscle development. Spinal Stenosis symptoms tend to fluctuate between patients, ranging from mild and manageable pain, numbness or tingling in the extremities from pinched nerves, sharp lower left back pain, and a limited range of mobility. Since symptoms of spinal stenosis are so similar to symptoms of other spinal conditions, it can be difficult to properly diagnose this painful condition. But the NJSS team can deploy advanced imaging tests like an MRI, CT, and X-rays to identify the location of the narrowing spine. Spinal Stenosis can manifest as the result of other conditions such as wear and tear damage from osteoarthritis, complications from spinal injuries, and abnormal growths on the spinal cord and within vertebrae.
Also Check: How To Aleve Lower Back Pain
Why Am I Getting Pain At The Back Of My Knee
Published on: 4th February 2020
When it comes to knee pain, we often tend to think first of the front and sides. But pain that comes from the back of the knee is probably every bit as common.
It would be helpful if there was a single likely reason for this! But in fact the causes of back-of-knee pain can be very diverse. You could experience it as a sudden pain or a gradual ache. There may be swelling and inflammation or none at all. You might find it difficult to fully extend your leg.
In other words we need to do some narrowing down to find out whats going on. One useful starting point is to think in terms of problems inside or outside the knee joint: in medical-speak, intra- or extra-articular causes. Lets have a look at the most common ones.
Pain Moves From Your Chest To Your Back
One potential cause of back pain is a condition called costochondritis, an inflammation of the cartilage connecting your ribs to your breastbone. While lifting heavy items, respiratory infections, and chest injuries can cause it, often the source of the pain is unclear. You may feel pain that travels from your chest to your back. Definitely get checked out by your doctor, it often goes away without any treatment.
Read Also: How To Fix Lower Back Pain From Running
What Organs Can Cause Lower Back Pain
What Organs Can Cause Lower Back Pain? Kidneys. Kidneys help remove liquid waste from the body. Pancreas. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, which is an organ that plays an important role in digestion and blood sugar regulation. Appendix. Large Intestine. Physical Therapy for Treating Lower Back Pain.
What Are Some Of The Causes Of Pain In The Left Side Of My Body
There are a few causes of pain in the left side of your body, the most common of which are arthritis, lumbago, tumors or abscesses. You may try heat packs and ice packs for relief self-massage with oil or warm cloths take over the counter medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen use an electric massage tool for targeted pressure points.
Also Check: Can Fibromyalgia Cause Lower Back Pain
Youve Been In Pain For Over A Week
Most back pain will subside after a few days, but if youve been experiencing pain for over a week, then its time to call a doctor. Your doctor will perform any examinations or tests required to help get to the bottom of your pain before it could become a bigger problem. As is the case with many health conditions, prevention and addressing problems early is key.
Learn More:How Injections for back pain work
Lung Pain In Back Left Side
Its hard to describe the pain that is caused by a lung infection. You might think of the pain as like having a toothache or a headache, but its not the same.
When you have lung pain, it feels like a sharp pain that shoots down into your chest and back. The pain can sometimes feel like its coming from your spine, and it can also feel like its coming from the bones near your lungs.
Chest x-rays are often performed to rule out other causes of back pain, including cancer. But it is unlikely that a single test can accurately determine whether the pain is caused by lung cancer, which is the most common type of cancer among both men and women.
It can also be very difficult to distinguish between benign and malignant lung tumors.
A number of factors can contribute to back pain. Lung infection, kidney stones, or other conditions can cause back pain. Lung disease, like emphysema, can cause a person to have difficulty breathing and this can lead to back pain.
Common symptoms of lung disease include shortness of breath, coughing, fatigue, and chest tightness.
Back pain can also result from other medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and hernias.
Don’t Miss: How Long Does A Lower Back Strain Last
Preventing Left Back Pain
Maintaining a healthy weight
Carrying excess weight puts undue stress on the back muscles and can lead to pain. Talk to your doctor about a weight loss plan if you are overweight.
Good posture
Posture refers to how you position your body. Poor posture can cause stress on the back muscles, leading to pain. Try keeping your shoulders down and relaxed and pulling your stomach in, as this will help support your back. Also, keep your knees slightly bent as you stand and keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
Yoga
Performing different yoga poses such as a downward dog or locust pose will stretch your lower back muscles and increase flexibility. This can help to strengthen your back and improve your range of motion.
Sleeping in an ergonomically designed bed
An ergonomically designed bed will help maintain the natural curve of your spine while you sleep. This can help reduce the number of times you wake up with pain in the morning.
Using back support
Back support is beneficial in keeping your back in a neutral position when sitting or standing. This can help to reduce stress on the muscles and prevent pain.
Avoiding bending and heavy lifting
This will prevent a strain on your lower back muscles, which could lead to back pain. Use a buddy system when performing heavy tasks, including moving furniture or carrying bags, as this can reduce the risk of strain or injury.
