Neck pain and back pain are extremely common these days, but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored or that they don’t need to be treated properly. These types of pain can even lead to other pains, such as headaches, or indicate health problems.
Continue reading to learn what are the most common sources of neck pain and back pain and what are the best treatments for you.
Main causes of back pain
To find out exactly the reason for your back pain, it’s important to analyze what you’ve been doing and what positions you’ve been in for at least the last few hours or in a couple days. The muscles in the area where you are experiencing pain (whether in the lower back, mid-back or cervical region) may be tight or sensitive from some quick activity you did that day, because of the position you spent a few hours in or even the position you slept in last night.
Sedentary lifestyle
Staying in the same position for a long time can atrophy the muscles responsible for supporting the spine. This makes this region less resistant to supporting the weight of the head and chest.
The practice of regular physical exercises, especially strengthening exercises for the lower back, is the most recommended solution. A few minutes a day is enough to adjust the body weight and strengthen the spinal muscles.
Bad posture
Improper posture when performing everyday activities is the biggest cause of back muscle pain. Constantly looking down when using your cell phone or computer forces your neck muscles down and puts a strain on your spine.
In addition, side bags or very heavy bags and high heels contribute to poor positioning of the spine, and can lead to kyphosis, lordosis and scoliosis.
We cannot forget that it can also cause acute pain in the sciatic nerve and in more severe cases, a crisis of low back pain or even a herniated disc can arise.
Overexertion
In the same way that the lack of physical activity is harmful to health, too much exercise can be too. Performing many hours of exercise a day, particularly impact activity, can cause fractures and injuries that are responsible for back pain. In these cases, the pain can be aggravated if the repetition needed by the exercise is done incorrectly, which can generate chronic and irreversible diseases.
Types of back pain
Low back pain – muscle pain in the lumbar spine (the lower part of the spine) is the most frequent, caused basically by poor posture when sitting or sleeping.
Dorsalgia (pain in the middle of the back) – in addition to poor posture, what causes this pain is excessive or incorrect use of heavy bags and backpacks.
Cervical pain – pain in the neck.
Main causes of neck pain
Such as understanding where the back pain came from, with the neck pain you need to try to understand what you have done in the last few days or hours that may have caused this discomfort you are feeling.
Bad posture
Using the computer or your phone in bad positions may lead to neck pain. If you have to use these devices on a daily basis, pay attention to how your body is positioned during the day and take small breaks. Sleeping in a bad position can also be a problem.
Stress
It’s no surprise to anyone that stress can cause physical pain. In the headaches tab, we already talked about how headaches can be caused by feeling overly stressed. This happens because of the release of natural hormones in the body. It’s important to take care of your emotional health, too. Massages are great allies for that!
Twisting or turning the neck abruptly or exaggeratedly
If you move your neck too fast, you could end up with a stiff neck, also called Torticollis. Always try to know your body’s limits and respect them.
How to relieve and prevent back and neck pain
To prevent these pains from even starting, pay attention to the way you look during the day at home, at work, in the car and even during leisure time.
Having a comfortable mattress is important to sleep comfortably and with good support in the spine and neck. When you lie down to sleep, or even on your couch, to watch TV, try not to bend your neck or your back so much.
Massages relax the muscles and allow the body to have a feeling of total relaxation, which can be a good treatment option.
Two other great treatments for neck and back pain are acupuncture and chiropractic care. These two go straight to the point of discomfort and, in short sessions, manage to make you feel refreshed, ready for a new day.
Take the opportunity to take care of your health. Schedule an appointment and take your ideal treatment with BCW. Click here and learn about our services and who we are!
