Injuries happen, and one of the most common injuries is back pain. It can range anywhere from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain that makes moving nearly impossible. It may start all of sudden if you have fallen or try to lift something incorrectly. It some cases, it comes on gradually.
Who Is at Risk?
Anyone at any time can develop back pain. However, some things that increase the chances you may get it are:
Being in poor physical shape
Being older – as you age, back pain becomes more common, and you may begin to experience it around age 30 or 40 years
Inheriting the condition – certain types of back pain (ankylosing spondylitis, arthritis) have a genetic component
Smoking – this depletes the nutrients in your body and affects the discs of the back; in addition, smoker’s cough can cause back pain, and smokers take longer to heal than non-smokers
Certain diseases – arthritis, cancer
What you do for work – lifting, pushing, pulling, and twisting the spine all cause back pain; even a desk job that causes you to sit all day or not sit up straight can cause issues
Race – black women are up to 3 times more likely to get back pain than white women
What Brings About Back Pain?
There are a variety of things that can cause or contribute to back pain. Sometimes it is a mechanical issue with the back itself, such as:
Ruptured discs
Spasms
Tense muscles
Disc breakdown
Sometimes injuries from falls, accidents, or fractures can cause back pain. It may also accompany some illnesses and conditions. Here are a few examples:
Fibromyalgia
Infections
Arthritis
Kidney stones
Spondylolisthesis
Scoliosis
Endometriosis
Pregnancy
Spinal stenosis
When a Doctor Should Be Consulted
If you are experiencing any of the following, it is good to check with your local doctor:
Losing weight when not trying to
Weakness
Problems urinating
Numbness in your legs
Fever
How to Keep From Developing Back Pain While at Work
A majority of back pain issues often come from your work environment. Let’s take a look at a few different types of jobs and how you can perform them without putting yourself at risk.
Jobs that require you to sit all day: This can be any type of desk job, such as answering phones, using a computer, receptionists, computer support staff, tech support, and call center jobs. How can you be safe if you have a job of this sort?
Get up and move about every 30 minutes and walk around for at least 1 – 2 minutes.
Adjust your chair height so that your lower back is supported
Make sure your knees are slightly lower than your hips – if need be, use a footrest
Your elbows should rest on the side of your body so that the arm forms an L-shape at the elbow joint
Rest your feet flat on the floor
Keep your legs uncrossed
Put your screen at eye level and about an arm’s length away from you
The keyboard should be directly in front of you while typing with a gap about 4 – 6 inches at the front of the desk to rest your wrists on
Keep your mouse as close as possible to you
Use a headset instead of a handset for phone conversations
Do not cradle the phone between the ear and neck
Jobs that require lifting: These are often jobs where you are moving heavy objects and twisting the body. It may include outdoor or indoor work. Keep the following in mind:
Think about what you are going to lift before you do so
Use handling aids when possible
Move things out of the way so as not to trip
If you must lift something high, reset the load on a table or bench to get a better grip
Keep the load as close to the waist as possible
Keep the heaviest part of the load near the body
Your feet should be placed apart with one leg slightly forward
Be sure to have suitable footwear and clothing that is not too loose
DO NOT BEND YOUR BACK – rather use the knees and hips to do the lifting (from a squatting position)
Avoid twisting the back
Jobs that require driving: Delivery jobs, driving across country, driving a semi-truck, and transporting people to one place to another can all stress the back due to the long amount of time sitting. It is a good idea to always:
Wear your seat belt
Properly adjust your seat
Keep your mirrors properly adjusted and use them instead of twisting your body
Use headphones or Bluetooth when using your cellphone
Use proper back support while driving
Natural Relief for Back Pain
Whether you are experiencing back pain currently or just hoping to avoid it in the near future, a vital step is to visit us here at N8 Upper Cervical Chiropractic in Manila. We focus on making sure the bones of the upper cervical spine – particularly the C1 and C2 – are in proper alignment. If these bones move out of place by just a ¼ of a millimeter, they can cause a variety of problems throughout the body, including back pain. This is due to the fact that when these bones misalign, the head becomes unevenly situated on the neck, and the spine begins to twist and bend in order to compensate for that.
We use a gentle method that does not force the bones back into place by popping or cracking but helps them move naturally back into their original position. By keeping your back free from misalignments and keeping your spine healthy, you can hope to avoid too many complications from back pain.
To schedule a consultation with N8 Upper Cervical Chiropractic clinic, call (02) 8553-6218 or just click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.