Nearly nine out of 10 of us will suffer back pain at least once in our lives, so the odds are pretty good that your number will come up at some point.
Chronic back pain is one of the most common types of pain and one of the top 10 reasons people consult a doctor.
And it accounts for as many as one out of four Workers' compensation claims!
Here are five surprising causes of back pain that you might not be aware of, as well as several ways you can get relief fast:
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Poor posture
Incorrect posture is a very common cause of back pain, especially in people whose jobs involve lots of sitting (like truck drivers and desk workers).
Good posture is when your shoulders are back, your head is up straight and the lower part of your spine curves out ever so slightly to form a J-shape.
It’s not hard to improve your posture—you just need to be aware of it and correct yourself when you feel your shoulders rolling in or bending forward at your mid back.
If your job requires you to sit for long periods of time, it’s also helpful to get up and move around as much as you can (once an hour is ideal).
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Dehydration
Dehydration doesn’t just cause thirst, dark urine or fatigue during workouts—it can also cause muscle weakness, and when the muscles surrounding your back are involved, you can get back pain.
Be honest here--if Jimmy Carter was president last time you drank anything but coffee, soda or alcohol, chances are excellent you’re dehydrated.
Aim to drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water (not juice, sports drinks or other beverages—just plain WATER) a day.
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Chronic inflammation
This is far and away the most common culprit behind pain of ALL kinds, and that includes back pain.
Ours is a society that is rampant with chronic inflammation, which is mainly the result of our food supply lacking Omega-3 essential fatty acids.
We used to get plenty of these natural anti-inflammatories from the meat, milk, and eggs from grass-fed animals, but most of our animals are grain-fed now, which instead provides inflammation-stirring Omega-6 fatty acids.
And we’re paying the price with our health!
Plus our heavy reliance on processed foods doesn’t help, as they create inflammation too.
So to end chronic inflammation at its very root causes, it’s essential to get the Omega-3 fatty acids your body needs! In addition to eating natural sources of Omega-3s like fatty fish, a top-quality fish oil supplement like VitalMega-3 can be a big help.
In addition, the spice turmeric is also a natural anti-inflammatory. You can use it in cooking or get it in supplement form at most health food stores.
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Vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12 is crucial in supporting your nervous system, and it helps to maintain the myelin sheath which surrounds and protects your nerve cells.
Since back pain is frequently the result of spinal nerve inflammation (especially sciatica), B12 with its "nerve-soothing" properties can actually help reduce pain.
If you've got chronic back pain it may behoove you to see if vitamin B12 deficiency may be a factor! And if you’re looking for supplementation with a quality product, Hydroxaden 2.5 B12 oral spray is your ticket.
A B12 spray like Hydroxaden 2.5 can be more efficient than oral supplements (which can have varying absorbency rates depending on your level of stomach acid) and is a lot less costly and more convenient than B12 shots.
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Lacking sleep
According to recent research from Great Britain, poor or insufficient sleep was a very strong predictor for back pain in adults over 50.
Most people need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. So if you’re getting fewer than that, it’s time to start hitting the hay earlier.
Other ways to get back pain relief
Here are some other back pain remedies that have been shown to be very effective:
- - Chiropractic adjustments
- - Yoga
- - Massage
- - Acupuncture
- - Hot and cold packs
Now you know several ways to get back pain relief without dangerous drug side effects—so get going and get relief now!
You are right about the fact that we need 7 – 9 hrs. of sleep a night. If I don’t get at least 7 hrs. of sleep a night my back is much more likely to give me problems.
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I have chronic hip and buttock pain. I have a long history of back pain which has led to arthritis of the back. An MRI scan showed that there was no arthritis of the hips only the back but I still find it hard to walk more than 100 yards without having to stop due to pain in buttock and hip on the right side. Would you think that this is referred pain from my back and is there anything I can do about it ? Thank you in advance for a reply.
This is good and important information. A high inflammatory status is a critically important factor in so many of the current day afflictions, including the emergence of the array of metabolic diseases under the umbrella of ‘auto-immune disorders’. I have been a practitioner dealing with problem backs for over 40 years and it has struck me more than once that I will be existing the profession (Physiotherapy) at the dawning of a new era when it’s becoming increasing difficult to fix people! Most back problems are mechanical (see www.simplebackpain.com) but with the changing diet of the Western world making the ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 in some instances 1:50 (when they should be in balance at 1:1) it is becoming harder to calm backs by mobilising a stiff spinal link to make it work better (90% of cases of back pain are caused by this simple function fault). Diet is everything in modern spinal therapeutics.
Under “Chronic Inflammation”, you forgot sugar and refined carbs. When I cut them out of my diet, my whole world changed. What my doc told me was osteoarthritis, is GONE and has stayed GONE for a couple of years so far…and all other symptoms of inflammation are gone as well. (I do also take VitalMega-3 a couple of times a week)
LOVE your blog, Sherry!
My chiropractor told me to go to a Pain Center for PRP Therapy (Platelet Rich Plasma) for pain in my back.. Many athletes have used this when they get hurt, but PRP is now using more for anyone in pain. I was wondering if you know anything about PRP.