The main support of your body is the spine. The thirty-three distinct bones piled one on top of the other allow you to stand upright, bend and twist. Hence, it is crucial to keep it in a healthy state.

However, even after taking precautions, most of the world’s population is suffering from spinal pain. This pain is a multifaceted issue. It brings you down terribly.

What causes back pain?

 “Strain” as a result of heavy physical work, stubborn bending or twisting and poor posture contributes to back pain.

When your head is forced to move forward or backward hastily beyond the neck’s normal range of motion, the muscles and ligaments in the neck are affected gravely. It causes muscle fatigue resulting in pain and stiffness.

The degeneration process due to ageing impacts the cervical, thoracic and/or lumbar regions of spine. It affects the disc and spinal joints.

A loss of bone mineral density results in fragile bones. It increases the probability of fracture, arched posture and even a humped back.

Spinal pain can also be caused by disc rupture.

The herniated disc in the lumbar spine is the most common cause of sciatica pain beginning in the buttock, travelling downward into the back of the thigh and leg.

Osteomyelitis, a bone infection caused by bacteria also leads to severe back pain.

The narrowing of ‘Foramen’ (neural passage way) causes spinal stenosis that results in awful pain.

How to prevent back pain?

There is no 100 per cent cure for backache, but preventive measures can be taken.

Get moving. Keep yourself occupied in activities. Limit bed rest. Walking is the best exercise to keep your body in a neutral upright position. It also gives you a break from sitting posture, but move in moderation.

Keep yourself away from strenuous activity like gardening, lifting weights, etc.

Maintain good posture, keeping the right amount of curvature in the back. Your sitting posture should take the pressure off the nerves.

For lower back pain due to minor injury or overstress, ice pack is the best remedy as it reduces inflammation. If the pain persists, consult with the doctor.

Certain sitting postures aggravate back pain. Sustained sitting coupled with whole body vibration like driving a tractor can aggravate back pain.

If you have a job that requires continuous and long sitting hours, get up every 20 minutes and stretch your body. Spending a lot of time bending forward in jobs, compels us to stand straight and stretch backwards. Always work using a desk and chair keeping your feet planted firmly on the floor to support your back.

Avoid wearing high heels. Low heels less than 1 inch or flats will help you to build a more stable posture without stressing the lower spine.

Overweight puts extra stress on the spine. So keep a check on your weight.

Quit smoking. It increases the risk of osteoporosis.

Check with your doctor about any interactions over the counter pain relievers may have with other medicines you are taking.

Back pain is like a monster. Once it hits the body, there is no complete cure for it. The problem can become chronic. It has become a universal epidemic considering no age, sex or geographical region. Its prevention is always better than cure.