It seems like everybody has experienced some form of back pain over the course of their lives. Most of the time back pain can be attributed to poor posture, lifting heavy objects with improper form or, if you’re older, the normal wear and tear on the spine. But what about that back pain that just seems to come out of nowhere? The truth is there are a lot of things that affect your back that you may not realize are even related.
Smoking: By now we all know smoking is bad for your overall health. However, it’s not just your heart and lungs that are damaged. Smoking causes decreased blood supply throughout the body, including the discs in your back. With less blood coming to them, the discs are susceptible to premature aging, causing them to degenerate faster and cause pain.
Sitting: Similar to the effects of smoking, sitting causes decreased blood supply to the discs in the spine due to the pressure put on them. A simple fix is getting up and walking around every 30 minutes.
Stress: Causing a host of physical and emotional problems that often go unattended is stress. One such ailment is back pain. When our bodies get stressed they tighten and become rigid. When the muscles around the spine (especially in the lower back) contract, they can squeeze the discs, causing them to bulge and create pain. To make matters worse, stress can also lower one’s pain tolerance, making back pain all the more excruciating.
Travelling: The cramped space and upright seats of a car, plane or train may make this seem like an obvious cause of back pain, but it’s not just the limited quarters. The pressurized air in the cabin of a plane can irritate a disc, making it more likely to bulge. Lifting heavy luggage onto the roof of a car or into an overhead bin can expose your back to greater risk of strain. Try putting heavy luggage in the trunk or checking it with the airline to limit the possibility of hurting yourself.
Diet: The most important aspect to so much of your body is also vital to keeping your back pain free. If you are overweight it can place added strain on your spine to keep your body upright. While a Stanford University study found that 20 minutes of exercise a day can reduce the risk of back pain by 32%, it is also important to note that ingesting processed sugars can spike inflammation and cause back pain.
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