Back Pain

Back pain can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain that makes it hard to move. It can start quickly if you fall or lift something too heavy, or it can get worse slowly. Acute back pain comes on suddenly and usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Chronic back pain is pain that lasts for more than 3 months.

Anyone can have back pain, but some things that increase your risk are:

• Older age. Back pain is more common the older you get. You may first experience back pain when you are 30 to 40 years old.
• Poor physical fitness. Back pain is more common in people who are not fit.
• Being overweight. Too much weight can stress the back and cause pain.
• Heredity. Some causes of back pain, such as ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis that affects the spine, can have a genetic component.
• Other diseases. Some types of arthritis and cancer can cause back pain.
• Your job. If you have to lift, push, or pull while twisting your spine, you may get back pain. If you work at a desk all day and do not sit up straight, you may also get back pain.
• Smoking. Your body may not be able to get enough nutrients to the disks in your back if you smoke. Smoker’s cough may also cause back pain. People who smoke also experience slow healing, so back pain may last longer.

Most back pain goes away on its own, though it may take a while. Pain relievers and resting can help.

If your back pain is severe or does not improve after 3 days, you should call your health care provider. You should also get medical attention if you have back pain following an injury.

Treatment for back pain depends on what kind of pain you have and what is causing it. Treatments include hot or cold packs, exercise or stretching, medicines, injections, complementary treatments, and, sometimes, surgery.

There are many causes of back pain, but the majority of back pain is mechanical in nature. Examples of mechanical causes of back pain include:

• Disk breakdown
• Spasms
• Tense muscles
• Ruptured disks

Injuries from sprains, fractures, accidents, and falls can also result in back pain.

Back pain can occur with some conditions and diseases, such as:

• Scoliosis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Arthritis
• Spinal stenosis
• Pregnancy
• Kidney stones
• Infections
• Endometriosis
• Fibromyalgia

Other possible causes of back pain are infections, tumors, or stress.

See your doctor if back pain is severe, lasts more than a few weeks, or follows an injury. Seek emergency care for back pain with leg weakness or numbness, loss of bladder or bowel control, fever, or unexplained weight loss.