Many people suffer from chronic back pain.

Nearly 16 million Americans experience persistent or chronic back pain. And, according to the Georgetown University Center on an Aging Society, back pain is one of the leading reasons that people miss work or experience work limitations.

Low back pain affects different people differently. Some feel a dull throb, some feel burning and others feel a sharp pain. Often the pain covers a wide area of the back and buttocks, but sometimes it’s limited to a single location. You may or may not experience muscle spasms and stiffness, as well as leg tingling, pain or numbness (particularly below the knee) due to pressure on a nerve to your leg.

People who suffer from chronic low back pain have lived with pain and limited activity for at least three months, or else have a continual recurrence of back pain. It’s no wonder they often experience feelings of helplessness and even depression.

Chronic low back pain is often the result of disc herniation (HNP) and degenerative disc disease (DDD). Another common cause is straining or injuring muscles and ligaments that support the spine. Because muscles, discs, nerves and ligaments work together to allow you to function, you tend to use your back differently when one component isn’t working. This makes the other components and perhaps other back structures more susceptible to additional injury.

Risk factors for chronic low back pain include*:

• Being middle-aged
• Having a family history of back pain,
• Having given birth
• Having previous back injuries
• Having compression fractures of the spine
• Jobs or other activities that involve long periods of sitting, lifting of heavy objects, frequent bending and twisting, heavy physical exertion and/or repetitive motions
• Lack of regular exercise
• Being overweight
• Poor posture
• Stress (which can cause tightening of the back muscles)
• Smoking
• Chronic coughing
• Long-term use of medications (such as corticosteroids) that weaken bones

Fortunately, there’s hope: LIFEBACK Spine Programs can help you get your independence back.

Learn more about LIFEBACK programs.

*Source: HealthEast Care System