7 Things that Increase Your Risk for Back Pain

Did you know that almost anyone can have back pain? Even if you are young and relatively healthy, you may still develop back pain for a number of reasons.

Like most physical conditions, back pain has a range of experiences for different patients. It can take the form of a dull, constant ache, or it can hit you with a sudden, sharp pain that makes it difficult to move – or somewhere in between.

Here are 7 things that can increase your risk for developing back pain:

1. Aging: As you get older, back pain becomes more common, although you don’t have to be “old” to experience it. Many people experience an onset of back pain when they are 30 to 40 years old.

2. Job: Of course, lots of jobs can contribute to back pain, and the more obvious ones involve lifting, pushing, pulling, or twisting your spine repeatedly. However, if you work at a desk all day and do not sit up straight, you may also develop back pain.

3. Lack of physical fitness: This one probably doesn’t come as a surprise – back pain is more common among people who are not fit.

4. Being overweight: It’s not just your physical condition that contributes to back pain. Simply carrying the excess weigh can stress your spine and cause pain.

5. Smoking: This risk may come as a surprise to some people, but smoking can cause back pain. Your body may not be able to get enough nutrients to the disks in your back, and people who smoke are slow to heal, making pain last longer.

6. Heredity: Lifestyle issues aren’t the only risks for back pain. Some causes of back pain, such as ankylosing spondylitis (a form of arthritis affecting the spine) are genetic.

7. Other diseases: If you have other diseases, such as arthritis and cancer, you may be at an increased risk of developing back pain.

If you have any of the conditions or lifestyle issues and have developed back pain, take the first step toward relief by contacting Dr. Sharma today.

Image courtesy of Philly.com