Did you know that the most common causes of back pain include structural problems, inflammatory conditions, and chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia?
There are some types of back pain that are complex and difficult to treat and diagnose. This is why many people don’t know what to do when their backs are hurting them.
Once you know about the different types of back pain, it will become easier for you to make a plan for treating it. To help you out, we have created a guide. Keep reading to find out more.
The Main Types of Back Problems
It is not usually helpful to tell your healthcare provider that something in your back “area” is bothering you. This will not help to isolate the cause. It important to know what is causing your pain.
You will also need to know what part of your back is bothering you. Here are the main areas of the back where people most often feel pain.
The Lower Back
Your lower back includes the lumbar and the pelvis. Many lower back issues develop when the vertebrae and disks are stressed. This can happen if you have poor form when you are lifting large amounts of weight.
This is one of the reasons why people who have sports injuries related to lifting weights often have lower back pain. Thankfully, it is often possible to dampen lower back pain by doing the right kinds of back pain exercises.
People who suffer from pain in their lower back often create further injuries. This is because people tend to change the motion of their bodies in order to avoid feeling pain in their lower back.
The Middle Back
It is the job of the middle back to support the rib cage’s weight. It also connected the lower sections of the back to the shoulder blades.
Most people experience lower back pain as axial pain. They might feel a dull ache and intense twinges.
This pain is often a result of microtears in the muscle. These muscles can tear when people do harm to the joints that connect the upper and lower back.
Those often have middle back pain because of torsion and direct damage.
The Upper Back
The upper back connects the next, the shoulders, and the thoracic spine.
Upper back pain is often a result of other injuries or issues in the body. For example, it is common for people who have headaches to feel the tension in their neck and shoulders.
Your upper back pain might feel more intense if you don’t get enough sleep and if you have poor posture.
Various Structures in Your Back Can Create Back Pain
Most people subject their backs to lots of strong forces every day. This includes twisting, sudden jolts, and poor posture.
There are many structures in the spine that can become injured or start to hurt.
The most frequent anatomical causes of back pain include large muscles, spinal nerves that exit the spine canal, facet joints, and intervertebral disks.
It can be difficult to distinguish between injuries in one structure of the spine versus another nearby structure.
For example, people who have torn herniated discs often mistakingly think that their pain is a result of arthritic facet joints because these two structures are located next to one another.
It is also possible for the same nerve root to be agitated by different structures, such as a bone spur or a disk.
This is why it is important to visit a chronic back pain specialist whenever you experience pain in your back that does not go away after several days.
Your healthcare provider will review your medical history, find out about your symptoms, and perform a physical examination. This will help them to give you an accurate diagnosis of your back pain.
It is also possible that you will need to do some diagnostic tests such as MRI scans, injections, and X-rays.
Back Injuries: Know How to Describe Your Pain
There are three main types of back pain that you should know about: axial pain, referred pain, and radicular pain.
Axial pain is often referred to as mechanical pain. This is a type of pain that is usually confined to one region or area of the back. It is possible to describe axial pain as sharp, dull, constant, aching, and throbbing.
Several of the most common causes of axial pain are muscle strains and annular tears in disks.
Referred pain tends to be dull and achy. It might move from one place to another and vary in intensity. Degenerative disk disease often causes referred pain in the hips or posterior thighs.
People often describe radicular pain as searing. It might feel like an electric shock. Radicular pain will often follow the path of the spinal nerve.
People who have radicular pain in their lower back often notice that the pain travels into their legs.
Several of the most common causes of radicular pain are spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and a herniated disk.
Understand the Different Types of Back Pain
If you have pain in your back that you are trying to treat, it is important to understand the different types of back pain.
You should also know how to describe your back pain. The most common types of back pain are axial pain, referred pain, and radicular pain.
If you are looking for a solution to your back pain, we are here to help you. Don’t hesitate to our patient services page to find out more.