How Problematic is Back Pain?

According to the World Health Organization, low back pain “ is the leading cause of activity limitation and work absence throughout much of the world, imposing a high economic burden on individuals, families, communities, industry, and governments.”

What Treatments are Usually Prescribed?

The most common treatments include pain relievers, physical therapy and other spinal manipulation techniques, and disc surgery. Unfortunately, these therapies are not guaranteed to cure back pain.

In 2015, the Journal of Medical Principles and Practice published a study of over 39,000 patients who received surgery on their lumbar discs. After a mean follow-up of 6.1 years post-op, 78.9% of the respondents reported that they have good or excellent results.

This is good news for those nearly 80% of people who had successful surgery. But, it does not account for the other 20% that did not feel that their surgeries had good or excellent results after six years. These are important numbers to consider before you choose to have back surgery.

What can you learn from this study? A 79% success rate is nothing to laugh at, but neither is a 21% failure rate. This means that one out of five people who have this surgery continue to have back pain. If you have chronic back pain and your physician is recommending surgery, then it is in your best interest to ask why. You also might want to get a second or third opinion.

Back Pain is Big Business

Much back pain is actually caused by things that are easy for patients to remedy on their own. Because back pain is big business, physicians and chiropractors might not tell you the simple solutions.

Of course, serious back pain that comes from problems like cancer, arthritis, aortic aneurysms, pancreatitis, kidney stores, or vertebral fractures is another story. But for simple stiffness and soreness that comes and goes, there are things that you can do to help yourself.

Could a New Mattress Fix Your Back Pain?

Non-specific back pain tends to happen when people have poor posture, weak abdominal muscles, or old mattresses. If this is the case, the solutions are not medical and can be changed with some lifestyle changes.

This is something that no one tells you: non-specific back pain can often be treated with no treatment at all. Remember, this advice is not for patients who have been diagnosed with chronic back pain.

For those who are healthy, but have back pain, some mindfulness about daily activities and a few lifestyle changes can take care of the problem. If you go to bed without back pain, but wake up with aches, then your current mattress should be evaluated and new one (or possibly a mattress topper) considered.

A study published in Journal of Chiropractic Medicine in 2009 on back pain and new mattresses found getting a new mattress decreased back pain and improved sleep. An old mattress was one that had been used for over five years. The new mattresses were medium-firm.

What can you learn from this study? Relieving your back pain could be doing something as simple as buying a new mattress. Take a look at how old your mattress is and ask your health-care provider if a new mattress could help you.

Is it Better to Be Active or to Get Bed Rest?

Another potentially easy way to take care of back pain is to stay active. All too often, people with back pain are told to rest, which can increase back pain. In a study published in the Cochrane database of systematic reviews, patients with low back pain and/or sciatica were given one of two single treatments. Some were told to remain active, while others were told to take bed rest.

The results were varied, but those who had acute simple low-back pain actually saw a reduction in their back pain if they exercised rather that took to bed rest.

What can you learn from this study? If your back pain isn’t debilitating, you should ask your health-care professional if you should exercise instead of rest. If your health-care provider says yes, then you should ask for recommendations of activities and exercises that would help.

Is Smoking Connected to Back Pain?

The short answer is yes. People who smoke are more likely to have back pain.

In a study conducted in 2012 and published in Cureus, people who smoked were more likely to have back pain than people who no longer smoked or who never smoked. Consider the study about exercising as a treatment for simple low-back pain. And, consider that people who smoke tend to not have healthy, active lifestyles.

There are several studies that have found this to be true, including one published in Preventative Medicine in 1992. Researchers found that “smoking was associated with lower exercise levels and lower physical endurance…”

What can you learn from these two studies? If smoking keeps you from being physically active and you have back pain, it is time to stop smoking. The Surgeon General’s warning about smoking has been on cigarette packages for decades, so health-care providers have been warning their patients about the dangers of smoking.

You may not have known that back pain and smoking were connected, but when you consider the connection between physical activity as a positive treatment for back pain, it should be easy to see how smoking and back pain are related. If you do smoke and you need help quitting, then you should ask your health-care provider for assistance.

The post Here’s What No One Tells You About Back Pain appeared first on BackPained.com.

Where does this neck pain come from? Well, it usually comes about from the tendons, muscles, and ligaments (also known as the soft tissues) take are in and around the neck region.

Should you be experiencing some troubles with neck pain, you can take note of these tips below to reduce and prevent it in future.

#1 – Keep a Supportive Posture

By having a low-quality posture, it can result in neck pain through the straining of the muscles and ligaments that help to support the neck. This can lead to an injury, sooner or later.

The posture known to be the leading example that brings about neck pain is the ‘head-and-shoulders-forward’ one. This happens when your neck adopts a slant forwards and places the head in front of your shoulders.

Something that may come as a shock to you is that for each inch your head shifts forwards, an additional 10lbs (4.5kg) is applied to your muscles in the upper back and neck areas. So, just by moving your head four inches and you suddenly create an extra 40lbs (18kg) of force!

By having this posture, it causes a knock-on effect causing the upper back to slump forward, therefore introducing a strain on your entire spine.

If you realise this is something that you do, an easy way to prevent this from happening is to have your chin remained tucked inward.

#2 – Use the Right Pillows

You can find lots of information on this subject on TheSleepAdvisor website. They regularly discuss the benefits of adding comfort and support for your neck during sleep.

When it comes to choosing new pillows, it’s a case of trial and error to find what’s best for you. You typically want to opt for a pillow that allows your cervical spine to stay in neutral alignment; by doing this your neck’s natural curve remains and is supported.

You have an assortment of options in the pillow stakes, and the chances are that the pillow to come out on top for you will typically be determined based on the cause of your neck issues as teamed with your sleep preferences.

Most of the time, people change their sleep position throughout the night, so with this in mind, it’s worth considering that your pillows cover off each of your sleep positions to avoid further problems.

#3 – Don’t Let Smartphone Use Give you Neck Strain

When you look down at your smartphone or tablet for periods of time any length of time puts excessive strain on your neck.

Studies show that we check our phones over 10,000 times a year, so consider the previous point about the strain on the neck from having the head leaning in front of the shoulders, and you’ve all of a sudden put some serious strain on your neck and spine all year long!

The effects of this, over time, with the additional stress applied to the neck’s discs, the joints and the ligaments can lead to early deteriorating changes in your neck.

If you want to avoid this happening then you should consider raising your device up to eye level when you look at it, or, more ideally, reduce the amount of time that you spend staring at your screens.

#4 – Keep Your Computer Screen at Eye Level

Test out your setup by sitting comfortably in front of your computer and then closing your eyes. Open them again and look right at the middle of the monitor/screen; if you’re not looking right at the center of the screen, then you should make adjustments so that you are doing so in future.

Many people use laptop stands these days to bring the screen’s height up to a safe level to prevent the onset of injury and strains because as you will probably be aware, laptops normally need you to tilt downward to see the screen, which isn’t good for injury prevention.

The post 4 Tips to Help Reduce and Prevent Neck Pain appeared first on BackPained.com.

It’s also possible to simply feel nausea as a side effect of medications you might be taking when you already have chronic back pain. However, these two symptoms may be a sign of several medical conditions, some of which can prove dangerous.

Lower-Risk Causes

Due to the way your nervous system is designed, pain may sometimes be felt in places beyond the point of origin. This is especially true of your lower torso, which is tightly packed with important organs.

Kidney stones are a common example of an ailment which may create pressure to nearby organs from inflammation while also creating back pain and even nausea in more extreme cases. Gall bladder issues such as stones or infections may also cause these symptoms.

Women have two additional possible sources. Ovarian cysts, while usually benign and painless, can sometimes cause a number of symptoms if they rupture or swell beyond normal levels. Pregnancy is the ultimate example of a normal bodily function causing both nausea and back pain.

Even in cases where a woman is not aware of her pregnancy and doesn’t show, the growing uterus will begin to shove organs aside to make room. Morning sickness is the most common side effect, but lower back pain and more urgent bathroom trips may also occur before that telltale “bump” appears.

Higher-Risk Causes

Not all of the conditions which cause a combination of back pain and nausea are minor. In fact, several life-threatening conditions may also lead to this symptom combo. Appendicitis is best known as the condition which killed magician Harry Houdini, and still causes deaths today if left untreated.

While the pain often localizes on the right side, it may manifest in other places as well. If caught early, the appendix can simply be removed to prevent further risk.

Perhaps the most dangerous source of back pain and nausea is cancer. Many forms of this disease may be found in the torso, and they all become terminal if left untreated. Cancer cells multiply, forming tumors which have similar symptoms to other problems, such as ulcers or burst ovarian cysts.

Over time, the tumors grow, increasing pressure on nearby organs. Depending upon the type and location of cancer, back or abdominal pain and nausea often goes hand-in-hand.

The Bottom Line

There are numerous possible reasons you may feel nausea in combination with back pain. Some of these potential causes are very minor and will often go away on their own. Using an infrared heating pad or good acupressure mat for a few minutes are both good ways to help you relax and feel better.

However, some potential causes of nausea can be very serious and potentially life-threatening. Under no circumstances should you attempt to self-diagnose if you’re having a combination of these two symptoms.

Always consult a physician immediately to rule out the worst possible causes. They may also provide you with techniques to help reduce any chronic pain and lessen the chance of these symptoms coinciding in future.

The post Nausea and Lower Back Pain – Should I Be Concerned? appeared first on BackPained.com.

It’s no wonder that your shoulders feel tense, your neck aches, and your lower back always seems to be sore. Stress has a way of manifesting itself most literally as back and neck pain, which in an unfortunate cycle, can lead to more stress, and so on and so forth.

Understanding how stress leads to back pain plays a crucial role in overcoming it. Stress and anxiety have a knack for leading to bad behaviors which can cause and exacerbate back pain. These may include eating junk food, not exercising, and slouching and slumping on the couch.

Take a look at four ways stress leads to back pain, and exactly what it is you can do about it:

Unhealthy Eating

Indulging cravings for processed foods, sugary drinks, alcohol, and fried food may seem like a quick fix to your emotionally stressful day. Oftentimes, these foods trigger pleasure centers in the brain and you end up eating much more than you planned on.

Not only does an unhealthy eating habit which stems from chronic stress lead to weight gain, but it can also affect mental clarity and overall mood. Weight gain, especially in the mid-section, can alter your center of gravity, causing you to even imperceptibly alter your gait and the way you sit.

As you lean forward with your stride instead of straight up and aligned, your spine and adjacent muscles and tendons have to work harder to stabilize your back. The pulling and tugging of these important connective tissues overtime leads to inflammation, strain, and pain.

What to do: Avoid unhealthy eating by stocking up on sweet and savory healthy snacks at work and at home – nuts, dried fruit, whole grain chips, guacamole, hummus, dark chocolate, and fresh fruits and veggies are a good place to start. Plan a menu out for lunches and dinners for the week and stick to it; avoid eating out when possible.

And be mindful of your stress triggers and what some of the junk foods are which you tend to go for – get them out of the house and keep them out of the house.

Bad Posture

In addition to unhealthy body positions which accompany weight gain, a rounding of the shoulders, a hunching of the spine, and a craning of the neck can also come from simply practicing bad posture throughout the day.

While a figurative concept, stress can literally feel like a weight sitting on your shoulders. Combine that with a day spent working on a computer, watching TV, and staring down at your phone, and you have a recipe for Forward Head Syndrome.

When your neck and head inch forward past your shoulders, the force with which gravity is pulling you down towards the earth is amplified, applying up to 30 additional pounds of pressure on your neck and connected back muscles – youch!

What to do: Practice sitting up straight as much as possible and never sit with your legs crossed as this can lead to pelvic imbalance and extra strain on the spine.

Never sit for more than 30 minutes at a time without getting up to stretch and walk around, and practice deep breathing which naturally encourages you to lengthen and extend the spine and open the chest.

Not Exercising

One of the best things you can do to naturally remedy back pain is to exercise and get muscles moving, blood flow circulating, and bone density building.

Stress often fosters feelings of fatigue, lacklusterness, and general depressive moods. What does that mean? It’s harder and harder to pull yourself out of bed and out of the house to exercise. The less you move, stretch, and flex your back muscles the tighter and stiffer they become, resulting in aches, inflammation, soreness, and pain.

Lack of exercise and anxiety associated with stress can also cause an increase in blood pressure. A chart with blood pressure range for men by age (and women) reveals that as people age, if they exercise less, their blood pressure tends to rise – this can lead to health problems like heart disease and stroke down the line.

What to do: Think about embracing activities and exercises which prioritize stress-relief at their very foundation. Mindfulness-cultivating practices like yoga and tai chi help you exercise and stretch muscles as well as de-stress with deep breathing and meditative components.

Getting outdoors has been shown to boost mood and alleviate stress as well, so incorporate more hiking, outdoor walks, even golfing into your exercise routine.

Bad Night’s Sleep

Emotional stress can loom like a dark stormcloud in your brain, making it hard to go about day to day activities as well as to get a good night’s sleep. The biggest problem here is that it is during sleep at night precisely in which the body goes about tackling stress and lowering cortisol levels.

Lack of sleep in addition to tossing and turning, sleeping in odd positions, and not getting the proper spine support you need during times of rest can result in mild to severe back pain in the morning.

What to do: Give yourself the best chance of falling asleep at night by avoiding blue light (like from electronic devices) up to two hours before bedtime. Make sure you are sleeping on a mattress that supports the natural curve of your spine, and use sleep apps which are engineered to gently wake you in the morning at the best time based on your own circadian sleep cycle.

Stress is almost inevitable, but your response to it doesn’t have to be. Before heading to the bakery and giving up a trip to the gym to stay in bed on Facebook all day, think about what your body and mind really need to wash themselves of stress. Exercise, healthy food, good sleep . . . all of these seemingly simple things can add up to a powerful and positive difference when it comes to back pain.

The post How Stress Can Lead to Back Pain (And What to Do About It!) appeared first on BackPained.com.

When you cough, sneeze, or even laugh, pressure builds up in your system which then radiates outwards. Muscles clench in response and may activate the nerves around an injury or create enough strain to trigger your body’s pain receptors.

The causes of back pain from coughing can range from general health problems to serious medical conditions.When in doubt, it’s always best to see a doctor, as you may be experiencing the warning signs of a major problem. What follows are the most common reasons you may be experiencing back pain while coughing or sneezing.

Disc Issues

One of the more serious causes of lower back pain when coughing is a herniated, bulging, or ruptured disc. Coughing jars the inflamed tissues around the disc and may force the back muscles to contract, resulting in spasms or other sharp pains. Severe pain when sneezing may also be a sign of disc injury.

Normally, disc problems are accompanied by intense pain or spasms, but this is not always the case. Herniated or otherwise damaged discs sometimes go unnoticed until exposed in an x-ray or MRI.

If you also experience other symptoms, such as pain radiating down the leg or arm or numbness below the waist, they may be indications of a serious disc issue and you should consult with your physician immediately.

Illness

During cases of severe colds or pneumonia, you may experience frequent coughing fits. Coughing too much may result in a pulled muscle. This is less likely with milder symptoms, and is best treated with a good cough suppressant or expectorant.

Unlike a common cold, the Mayo Clinic lists back pain as a common symptom of the flu, and sneezing or coughing fits from this illness may create sharp, sudden pains throughout your recovery. When we’re sick, pain seems to get amplified no matter where.

That’s why it sometimes even feels like our hair hurts when we’re really under the weather. Almost unnoticeable back pain seems to suddenly turn into severe pain when we have a cold.

Smoker’s Cough

One of the many side effects of smoking is known as “smoker’s cough”. This harsh, repetitive coughing strains the back and can lead to pain.

Another side effect of smoking is a decrease in several nutrients needed by the muscles in the back for proper metabolism. Such malnourishment increases the chances of muscle spasms which are easily triggered by coughing too hard or too often.

If you are not a smoker and experiencing coughing fits similar to smoker’s cough, it may be an indication of a lung problem and you should schedule an appointment asap. The Cleveland Clinic provides an article describing the many ways smoking can lead to or worsen back pain

Strained Back Muscles

If you have recently performed a lot of heavy lifting or some other physically intense activity, you may have strained a muscle. The chances of strained muscles increase if you did not stretch properly before or after the activity. In many cases, you won’t notice the strain until the next day. However, excessive coughing, sneezing, or even laughing may alert you to a strained muscle.

The post Why Does My Back Hurt When I Cough or Sneeze? appeared first on BackPained.com.

Arthritis

One common source of buttock pain is osteoarthritis. Caused by simple wear and tear, arthritis affects the ligaments and can easily lead to a dull ache in the vicinity of the damage. Oddly enough, arthritis isn’t always the direct cause of pain, as the damaged ligaments can also lead to inflammation of the joint or muscle pain.

Coccydynia

The tailbone (coccyx) is another common source of pain. Located just above the anus, strain to the covering ligaments can create pain that varies from mild discomfort to excruciating. Coccygeal pain may also be caused from sitting on a hard surface, causing pressure against the tailbone and tissues covering it.

High Hamstring Tendonopathy

Also known as hamstring tendonitis, this pain is caused by an inflammation at the origin point of the hamstrings. It creates a tightness in the hamstrings and pain when sitting. The pain has often been describes as a sharp pain similar to a toothache.

Ischial Bursitis

Bursitis is caused when inflammation affects the fluid-filled sacs (bursae) that cushioning your joints. Ischial bursitis affects the bursae between the gluteus maximus and the edge of the bones on which you sit. The condition is most often caused by prolonged sitting on a hard surface that applies pressure to the lower or mid buttock area.

Putting more weight upon one side may lead to pain in the let buttock or right. It is sometimes also referred to as weaver’s bottom.

Piriformis Syndrome

This condition is caused by compression or contraction of the piriformis muscle against the sciatic nerve, Caused most often by muscle trauma or over-exertion, piriformis syndrome can cause tingling, numbness, or pain that radiates as far down as the foot. The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) offers an in-depth look at this problem and some of its treatments.

Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

The sacroiliac joint is located between the base of the spine and the pelvic bone. Pain in this joint may be caused by a variety of reasons, such as too little or too much movement, changes in weight, or even as a side effect of pregnancy.

Sciatica

The sciatic nerve connects the lower spine to the nerves in the legs, and is the largest nerve in your body.When this nerve becomes pinched, it can lead to numbness or pain in the right buttock, left buttock, lower back, and even below the knees.

Sciatica is also often caused by a herniated disk creating pressure on the nerve. While the pain can be intense, this condition can often be treated by medications such as muscle relaxants, depending upon the cause.

Shingles

While best known for the rash that forms on your abdomen, shingles are caused by a virus which lies dormant in your nervous system after a case of chicken pox. When the viral cells become active, they affect the nerve tissue surrounding them. This can lead to sharp pain in the back, head, or buttocks.

Trigger Points

Commonly referred to as “knots”, these tiny, sensitive nodules form within muscle tissue. when pressed or irritated, they can cause referred pain far from the trigger point’s location. Nodules in the back or calves are often the cause of buttock pain.

There are also 13 common trigger points found between the three major muscles of the buttocks. See our Trigger Point Therapy Self Massage series for more info.

The post Why Do I Get Pain in My Buttocks When Sitting? appeared first on BackPained.com.

What Does My Back Hurt When I Breathe?

The most common cause is simple muscle strain. However, the muscles in the back work with specific parts of the abdomen, so the location of the pain gives a good indicator of what your physician might rule out in the event the pain isn’t simple strain.

Lower Back Pain

The lower back muscles work along with the diaphragm and lower chest muscles when breathing. These muscles are more susceptible to strain than those in the upper back, and movement of a strained muscle can lead to pain when inhaling or even muscle spasms.

Upper Back Pain

The muscles in the upper back work with other muscles that are used when breathing, and expand when you inhale. Any strain or injury to these muscles will result in pain as they move. Strained back muscles are commonly caused by over-exertion or heavy exercise without properly stretching before and after. Strains are one of the most common causes of back pain between the shoulder blades.

Another source of upper back pain is a sprained rib muscle. A sprained muscle between ribs can make taking a deep breathe really painful. This sharp pain would usually be located in your mid to upper back and you may possibly experience chest pain.

Other Causes of Back Pain when Breathing

Injury to the back or ribs may not be the source of your back pain. There are numerous problems which may cause back pain when breathing, some of which are very serious.

Cancer

Cancer is known to cause a wide variety of symptoms, and back pain while breathing may be one of those symptoms. Typically, cancer must be ruled out by your physician.

Cardio and Lung Issues

The heart and lungs are connected by a layer of tissue known as the pericardium. If this tissue becomes inflamed, it can cause pain with each breath. Back pain along with tightness in the chest may also be a sign of heart attack.

A third potential culprit is pleurisy, which causes chest and back pain, especially when taking a deep breath.

Gall Bladder Infection

An infected gall bladder causes abdominal pain, usually on the right side, The pain can also affect the middle back and is becomes worse with deep breaths.

Kidney Pain

The kidneys are located in the lower back to either side of the spine. A a result, kidney pain often translates to the lower back. Kidney stones, for example, may cause a sharp pain in the lower back when breathing.

Kidney infections are another problem which can result in pain that radiates to the lower back, sides, groin, or elsewhere in your abdomen. Finally, renal failure is an extreme form of kidney problem that can cause back pain. Bloody or foul-smelling urine, more frequent bathroom trips, fever, and an upset stomach are also common symptoms of kidney problems.

Obesity

An excess amount of stored fat causes strain on almost every part of the body. It can weigh down on the lungs and strains the back muscles. As a result, shortness of breath or back pain that flares when inhaling are both known side effects.

The post Why Do I Have Back Pain When Breathing? appeared first on BackPained.com.

What Does the Gas Have to do With the Back?

Think for a moment about what happens when you experience gas, bloating, or any other type of stomach issue. Along with the discomfort, the cause of the problem is triggering contractions and expanding certain parts of the gastrointestinal system. As those parts expand, they place additional stress on the surrounding organs.

When the gas is severe enough, the pressure exerted on the stomach and other internal organs leads to more tension on the back. Your back serves as one of the stabilizing features of your body. When there’s additional internal pressure on the discs, the nerves, and the muscles in the back area, you can expect to experience some type of pain.

Why is the Pain in Different Areas?

You’ve noticed that sometimes the gas seems to cause pain in your upper back. At other times, the problem is lower back pain from gas that is on one side or runs all the way across that area. It really depends on what sort of issue your system is experiencing.

When the gas and bloating is of the type that makes you feel as if you are about to regurgitate, the contractions are likely placing more stress on the upper portion of your system. That would mean the impact on your back would be higher rather than lower. If the gas is accompanied with the sensation of having a brick stuck in your stomach, the odds of some type of lower back pain occurring are higher.

Keep in mind that pain from gas and bloating will be different than constipation or back pain you may experience when eating or drinking.

What Can Be Done?

With this type of gas pain in the back, you’re won’t experience much relief from applying a heating pad or using a topical cream. The best bet is to tackle the underlying cause for the gas.

If you are lucky, taking an over the counter medication which includes Simethicone (such as Gas-X) or a digestive aid (such as Beano) will settle your stomach and reduce the pressure on the muscles and nerves running along your spine.

What if Over the Counter Products Don’t Work?

It’s possible that you have developed some type of health issue that is exacerbated by your diet and not know it. With some health conditions, you won’t get any real relief from taking something you pick up at the pharmacy. The only real option is to see a doctor and find out if there is some problem that was not detected previously.

For example, you may be developing gall bladder problems. Foods that you used to eat freely, especially fatty or fried foods, now cause you to experience gas and the accompanying back pain.

If your doctor determines that you do have gall bladder issues, it may be possible to control the condition for a time by making changes to your diet. By reducing the odds of having gas, you in turn decrease the chances of having an aching back.

What if Diet Changes Aren’t Enough?

Depending on the reason why you are experiencing the gas, something more intense than changing the way you eat may be necessary. Your doctor can provide prescription medication that will work well with some conditions. You may find that undergoing a surgical procedure is necessary to eliminate the gas, bloating, and the accompanying pain in your back. Typically, invasive procedures are considered the last resort, and your doctor will want to try other means before taking this serious step.

The thing you need to remember is that the underlying cause for your condition is likely to be treatable. That means you don’t have to put up with the pain forever. Start with simple remedies, but don’t hesitate to move on to a solution that is more involved if that is what it takes. In the long run, you’ll feel better, reduce the strain on your internal organs, and eliminate one more possible reason for having back pain.

The post Gas and Bloating: Do They Have Anything to do With Your Back Pain? appeared first on BackPained.com.

Here are some possible reasons why you have back pain after drinking or eating.

Bad Posture

Those of us who have experienced frequent or chronic back pain know that the way we sit (while working, driving, eating, etc.) can make the difference between the not-so-bad pain and the “I can’t get up” pain. Poor posture while eating and drinking is often the cause of upper or lower back pain.

In today’s on-the-go lifestyles, it’s not unusual to be gulping down a meal on the couch in front of the TV, at your work desk, or even in the car. All of these situations make it really easy to have your body in an awkward position which puts your spine out of line and causes back pain.

Optimally, you want to be eating at a dinner table without slouching or crossing your legs. Being mindful of your posture while eating or drinking is the first and most important step.

Eating and Drinking Too Quickly

Even if you’re pressed for time, choosing to eat or drink too quickly is not in your best interests. Along with eating more than you need and feeling bloated later, there’s a good chance of developing heartburn or indigestion.

One thing you may not know about indigestion is that it doesn’t always manifest as a burning sensation in the chest. It can also trigger what is known as referral pain in your lower back. Try taking more time with your meals and see if it makes a difference.

Allergic Reactions

If you find yourself asking the question “why does my back hurt after eating?” the answer may have to do with the food and drink you consume. Something in your diet is triggering an allergic reaction.

Reactions don’t have to manifest as trouble breathing or splotchy skin. They can also make themselves known as shoulder pain or pain anywhere along the spinal column. A doctor can run some allergy tests and find out of the culprit is the glass of tea you have for lunch, or if it’s time to stop adding those peanuts to your salad.

Stomach Ulcer

You may be developing an ulcer somewhere along the stomach lining. Some of what you eat and drink does not trigger any pain, but those spicy tacos you had for dinner did the trick. Like heartburn and indigestion, the ulcer may not lead to pain in your chest. It could travel around and feel a lot like a strained muscle in your lower back.

Gallbladder Issues

The gallbladder is a small organ found under the right lobe of the liver. When it’s functioning properly, it releases bile into the intestines while you eat. If the gallbladder does not release the bile, you could have pains that seem to be emanating from the stomach or the lower back.

Depending on the severity, you may be able to manage the issue by avoiding certain foods and beverages. When dietary changes don’t help, you may need surgery.

Appendicitis

The fact that you’ve not had problems in the past could mean that your appendix is inflamed. Anything you eat or drink seems to trigger pain in an hour or less. Your best bet is to have a checkup and ask the doctor to see if the organ is enlarged and inflamed. If so, you need to have it removed before it bursts.

The last thing you want to do is ignore the pain and hope it goes away. Whether you notice that the back pain only happens when you eat too quickly or consume certain foods, mention the issue to your family doctor.

The pain may be nothing more than a sign you need to change some habits. It can also mean a major health issue is developing. Find the answer, do what is necessary to correct the problem, and mealtime will not be followed by a lot of discomfort.

The post Why Do I Have Back Pain After Eating or Drinking? appeared first on BackPained.com.

This time around, there’s something a little different. You notice that your lower back is hurting… a lot. Could it have anything to do with the flu? In fact, there’s a good chance that’s exactly what’s causing the discomfort.

How is the Flu and Lower Back Pain Related?

Considering how many symptoms the flu shares with the common cold, all the other things you’re experiencing makes sense. What gets you is how the flu could have an impact on your back. When you think about it, the real wonder is that you didn’t have back pain the last time the flu struck.

Remember that the flu is a virus. As it moves through your body, it causes inflammation in the muscles and other tissues. That’s why your joints all over your body ache a little and you feel so tired.

As the virus settles in the back for a short stay, the muscles stiffen and place more tension on the discs. The nerve endings will also react to the stress, causing anything from dull ache to a constant throbbing. As the virus continues to move through your body, the back pain will eventually subside.

Your next question may be how the flu virus has the ability to create the muscle stiffness and cause the pain. That has to do with the way the virus causes the number of chemokines and cytokines in your body to increase. Chemokines are actually smaller cytokines. Both are proteins that encourage cell movement in the body.

These proteins do increase the potential for inflammation. Under normal circumstances, this isn’t a bad thing. It’s only when the flu virus causes your body to produce more of these proteins that the problems start. In this case, the inflammation settles in different parts of your body, including the lower back.

So What Can You Do About the Flu?

The flu virus will run its course over time. Unfortunately, there is no medication that will stop the flu in its tracks. The best you can hope for is obtaining some type of medicine that will help weaken the virus. Coughing or sneezing only makes the back pain worse so the less time you have to deal with that, the better.

While that’s hardly a solution, it could mean your symptoms will improve sooner rather than later. Specifically, many of the anti-viral medicines available by prescription will help stabilize that queasy stomach and may have some small impact on the fever.

The best way to wage war on the flu is just what your grandmother told you. There’s the need for plenty of bed rest, and drink fluids until you think that there’s no way you can hold one more sip. It’s a matter of waiting out the virus as it flares, weakens, and finally gets squashed by your immune system.

And the Lower Back Pain?

While it may not seem like it, using different methods to weaken the flu virus is indirectly helping with your back. As the flu weakens, you should notice that your back is not quite as painful. Even so, that doesn’t mean you have to lay in bed and put up with the discomfort.

Your first thought may be to take some kind of anti-inflammatory medicine, maybe even an over the counter product. Before you do that, check with your doctor. The goal is to make sure there’s nothing in that product that will adversely interact with any anti-virus medication you may already be taking.

Your doctor is likely to recommend the use of some kind of topical agent. Apply it liberally to your lower back and allow the heat generated to loosen some of the tightness in your muscles. There’s also the possibility of using a heating pad to get some relief. Remember that one thing you want to avoid is applying the cream and then adding the heating pad to the mix. In this instance, more is not better.

A large heating pad is another great option as long as you don’t have a fever. It will help your muscles relax and reduce other symptoms of the flu or cold to make it more tolerable.

If the back pain persists after the other symptoms subside, talk with your doctor. There may be something else going on that needs attention.

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