Axial Back Pain: The Most Common Low Back Pain

Back pain is the worst, and it’s something that all of us deal with. Axial back pain is the most common type of back pain, and there’s not usually a specific reason as to why you get it. At some point or another, it seems like all of us deal with axial back pain. It’s because we all have intervertebral discs in our backs. To be more specific, intervertebral discs are discs that are in between each vertebra surrounding our spinal cords.

Those discs begin to wear over time due to age. As the structure of the discs begin to breakdown, it leaves you with bad back pain! Since the spinal cord and vertebrae keep everything in the proper alignment, any imbalance can cause pain or discomfort. The pain appears because of the spinal nerves in the vertebrae. When any of those spinal nerves are tapped the wrong way, or pinched, twisted or torn, it causes pain.

How Painful is Axial Back Pain?

A good way to determine how painful your back pain is by using a scale of one to ten. Then, ask yourself some questions. Is it dull or is it sharp? Is it a constant pain or does it move around and come and go?

The thing about axial back pain is that those very factors can vary. That’s why it’s hard to pinpoint what the cause is, but with professional help, that lack of knowledge can change. There are a few causes of axial back pain.

4 Causes of Axial Back Pain

1. Our Aging Bodies

If you’ve been dealing with low back pain, it doesn’t mean there’s something terribly wrong. Axial back pain is often caused by aging or simple things, like how you sleep or what your posture is like.

When it comes to aging, that’s something we can’t help, but when you want to get rid of back pain, we can always help that. Many aches and pains one experiences in life are due to our clocks ticking, and bones doing what they naturally do.

Our bodies grow tired while our bones weaken over time. But just because you’re dealing with back pain doesn’t mean you have to live with it forever.

2. Obesity

When one is obese you tend to sit a lot and aren’t very active. One of the leading factors behind axial back pain is sitting too long or even lying down for ample amounts of time. Plus, the extra weight can cause strain on your back.

3. Improper Exercise Form

On the other hand, if you’re exercising too much and not having the correct form, that can also cause a lot of damage. You don’t want to put more strain on your back, and improperly exercising is one of the most common reasons for back pain.

What kind of exercise are you engaging in? When lifting weights, it’s very important that you understand the proper forms of lifting and placing weights down on the ground. Improper lifting techniques a sure way of hurting your back. You should be active but work at your own pace so that you don’t strain those back muscles in any way.

Some sports are better for those with back pain while other sports are harmful. Sports are amazing when played safely and when they aren’t excessively straining the muscles and the backs. But as we age, sports get harder, so keep that in mind!

4. Improper Sleep Positions

How can one place strain on the back when lying down? Well, sometimes we don’t relax or sleep in appropriate positions/postures. Maybe it’s your mattress or simply the way you’re lying. Many people sleep on their stomachs, which is not good for the back. On top of that, people sleeping on their side can also experience problems if they don’t have a proper support pillow.

6 Ways To Keep Your Discs Healthy

· No prolonged sitting or lying down

· Proper exercise

· Move around at work every hour, especially with seated office positions

· Be sure to take rest breaks so you don’t overwork the back muscles

· Sleep on your back or your side with a support pillow

· Be sure your shoes are fitting properly and have the proper support

Due to decreased nutrition, metabolic stress and other factors, we are more prone to back pain. Believe it or not, there are things that we can control when it comes to the health of our backs! Follow the tips above to keep your back in tip-top shape.

Chiropractors and Axial Back Pain

When it comes to Axial back pain, chiropractic work can really help. This is one of the most common reasons we see people, so many chiropractors are experienced in it. The experts at Chiropractic Anchorage AK are very familiar with axial back pain, and so are the local chiropractors near you. With a few lifestyle changes, you’ll be back to better in no time!