Research Paper On Back Pain

A Guide to Understanding Back Pain

Back pain is a common problem, and it has many different causes. It actually affects the majority of people at one point or another, and it can range from mild discomfort to severe pain that requires medical treatment. The following are some important facts about back pain to help you understand it better.

One type of back pain that can be extremely painful is sciatica, which results from an inflammation of the sciatic nerve. What makes this so hard to live with is that it can not only cause pain in the lower back, but it often extends all the way down the legs. That's because the sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in your entire body, and it covers an area from your spinal cord to the back of your legs. This can come about for similar reasons to other types of back pain, such as an injury or a herniated disc in your back. Treatments can vary, depending on how severe the condition is. Exercises and lifestyle changes may help, but in some cases medications may be used to ease the pain and surgery is even recommended if no other treatments are effective. …show more content…
Although we often associate back pain with exercise, heavy lifting or other strenuous activities, in fact a sedentary lifestyle can be at least as damaging. If you sit at a desk all day, or leaning over a laptop computer, your back may be in an uncomfortable position for hours on end. Over time, this contributes to a variety of problems that can lead to back pain. Even frequent driving can be a contributing factor. Simply remaining in any one position too long can put a strain on the back, which is why it's important to move around and take short breaks, whatever you're