Back aches are some of the most common pain episodes that any individual could face in their lifetime. This stems from our heavy dependence on our back to do everyday tasks. Since it supports most of our limbs and joints, with its main functions as our body's centre of equilibrium, our back will always experience a high degree of stress.



The largest pain target for back aches is the spine or the backbone. As a collection of flexible bones that hold our nerve centres and ribs, this area absorbs the shocks that our bodies experience. The collective accumulation of stress results to back pain. If the stress goes overboard, acute back ache episodes can become more severe and result to chronic back pain, a condition that should be attended to by your doctor. A back ache can subside without any treatment from the patient but if frequent episodes occur, you should consider various treatment options and therapies to relieve yourself off the pain.

Causes of Back Aches

A major cause of chronic back aches is structural mechanical problems in your bones. This is related to how your spine moves or reacts when the rest of your body moves a certain way. One of the conditions that exemplify back aches is intervertebral disc degeneration. This condition means that your disc found in your lower back has shown effects of wear and tear due to activity over time. Other structural problems related to back pain include muscle tensions, spasms and herniated disc.

Another reason of severe back pain is a result from back injuries. Back injuries may be in the form of spine injuries, sprain, and fractures. These back injuries produce short term chronic back aches that will subside once the injury is addressed. Tears and breakage in the muscles and ligaments can also contribute to back pains. If you have experienced a fall or slip, you will probably have chronic back aches as an after effect.

On a more serious note, back ache can also become part of a symptom of an underlying condition. Some medical conditions related to back aches are scoliosis, or the curvature of the spine, various form of arthritis like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and spinal stenosis. Other conditions related to back pain can include pregnancy, manifestation of kidney stones, dysmenorrhoea, endometriosis, and changes in the women's reproductive muscles.

General back aches are caused by stress, both physical stress and emotional stress. Assuming the wrong posture during bed rest or sitting down can contribute to back aches. If you are engaged in a highly physical activity such as sports, consult your doctor on the effects of your activities as a contributing factor to back aches.

Understanding Back Ache Sensations

There are many ways to describe back aches since there are various kinds of pain that we can feel. By understanding the different pain sensations, we can better describe our condition and apply the proper back pain treatment promptly. At the same time, understanding the pain will help us determine the cause of our aches.

One of the symptoms of back pain includes stiffness or persistent aching starting from the base of your hips up to your neck. This stiffness could mean that your muscles and bones have tightened up due to heavy weights and other factors. You can also feel a sharp, stinging pain that can be localized in any of the part of your back.

The timeliness of the pain should also be observed when you have back ache episodes. Take note what you are doing before you experience the back ache. Do you have back pains when you sit down? Or as you stand up? Perhaps you have a back ache right after you wake up. By knowing when the episode hits, you can react the right way.

Back aches can also be accompanied by fever. In this case, you might have a bacterial infection. Seek medical assistance immediately for the right treatment.

Treating Back Aches

Usually, common back ache episodes disappear without the patient doing anything. However, if the problem persists there are some home methods that you can do to alleviate the pain. When you lie down, place a pillow between your knees and lie sideways. This position supports your back as it transfers the weight of your body from the back to your knees. Sometimes, back aches happen because the bed cushion does not fit your body type. Your chiropractor can recommend the right lying position and mattress material so that you won't experience discomfort when you wake up.

You should also explore other therapies like heat therapy and acupuncture therapy to de-stress your back. These anti-stress therapies alleviate pain by loosening your back. The key to a good back is flexibility, so these therapies make sure that your back is always loose and flexible so that your back ache episodes won't return.