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THE CAUSES OF BACK PAIN

You Can Find Out What Is Causing Your Pain


Understanding the possible causes of back pain is important, because there are so many possibilities, and knowing what to do can be confusing and complicated.

Spinal stenosis can often be conservatively treated with spinal decompression therapy, but other cases may require spinal stenosis surgery.

Back pain surgery for a herniated disc is different than chronic back pain treatment. In all cases the correct treatment for your back pain will depend on the cause of your back pain.


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The Key is Recognizing Serious Symptoms

You can have chronic back pain. You can have mechanical back pain. There are intra-abdominal, cancer, and traumatic causes of back pain. The list goes on and on, some are trivial and some will require emergency back surgery to prevent serious injury.

Knowing when you must see a back pain specialist can help prevent permanent impairment and even death.

"some are trivial and some will require emergency care"

Your spine is a very complicated piece of equipment. There are 24 mobile vertebrae between your skull and your sacrum. These are

connected with ligaments and tendons to each other, and to other bones and to the muscles.

"it can cause radiating pain, or sciatica"

Seven cervical vertebrae form the cervical spine or neck. 12 thoracic vertebrae compose the upper back. Each vertebra in the upper back is attached to two ribs. The ribs reach around the front meeting in the middle and form the chest. There are five lumbar vertebrae that form the lower back.

"it can cause nerve pain"

Between the vertebrae there are nerves that exit at each level, through small openings called foramen. When these nerves are squeezed it can cause nerve pain, or sciatica.

The many different structures that compose the spine are all covered with nerve endings, and whenever they get stretched, pulled, torn, fractured or inflamed they become painful.

Some of the more common causes of back pain include muscle strain, trauma, arthritis with spinal stenosis, and herniated disc. Some of these may require spine surgery and some may be treated more conservatively.



Learn More:
When Pain Does Not Improve With A Few Days Of Rest

Consider These Possible Causes of Back Pain:

Upper Back Causes of Pain

Upper Back Muscle Pain is common but it need not ruin the recreational activities that you enjoy. Click here to learn how to manage and avoid this miserable problem.
    Ch 1 Understand Your Upper Back Muscle Pain
    Ch 2 Most Common Causes of Upper Back Muscle Pain
    Ch 3 Myofascial Pain

Burning Upper Back Pain can often be relieved with easy exercises and simple ergonomic changes.

Upper Back Pain From Your Lungs may or may not be serious. Discover some of the most common possibilities here.

Your Lungs and Back Pain - Back pain that occurs with breathing may not be from your lungs. Find out why.
    Ch 1 Are Your Lungs and Back Pain Related?
    Ch 2 Determining A Diagnosis

Lung Cancer And Back Pain may indicate a more serious problem. Understand your symptoms by learning more.

What Is A Winged Scapula? Get the details here and learn how to treat this annoying problem.
   Ch 1 What Causes A Winged Scapula?
   Ch 2 You Can Correct Your Winged Scapula

Fix Your Scapula Pain by learning the correct exercises to balance certain muscle groups and improve scapular motion.

Trapezius Strain Relief comes easy when you know how to make the correct ergonomic changes in your environment.
   Ch 1 The Anatomy and Trapezius Strain Relief
   Ch 2 Exercises for Trapezius Strain Relief

Trapezius Muscle Pain in Women can occur when repetitive motions strain weak muscle groups. Find out how to fix it.
   Ch 1 Why Trapezius Muscle Pain is more Common in Women
   Ch 2 Treating Trapezius Muscle Pain in Women

Lower Back Pain Causes - an Overview

Find a treatment that will work for you.

The Back Pain Treatments Index

What Are Causes Of Lower Back Pain? Learn how to recognize some of the more serious possibilities.

Understanding the Lumbar Spine Anatomy is the key to understanding the causes of back pain.

Low Back Pain Causes:
The Most Serious And The Most Common
Discover how you can decide when you need to see a doctor, and when it is safe to "give it a few days".

Back Pain on your Lower Right Side may have serious complications. Find out what you need to know and what you need to do.
   Ch 1 Causes Related To Your Back
   Ch 2 Causes Unrelated To Your Back

Lower Back Hip Pain may not be related to your hip at all. You can tell the difference with these simple maneuvers.

Lower Back Pain and Fever must not be ignored. Find out why, and what you must do.

Burning Back Pain may be associated with an injury or other problems irritating the nerves. You can find more details here.

Mechanical Back Pain is the easiest "back pain" to manage, but it will require discipline. Learn how to control your pain.
   Ch 1 What is Mechanical Back Pain?
   Ch 2 Common Causes of Mechanical Back Pain

Abdominal Causes of Pain

Constipation and Back Pain can each make the other worse, leading to a vicious cycle. Prepare to manage these conditions simultaneously.

Back and Abdominal Pain can be related. Learn more about the most sinister possibilities.
   Ch 1 Vertebral Compression Fractures
   Ch 2 Herpes Zoster

Colon Cancer Back Pain cannot be ignored. Find out how to get the help you need to have the best possible outcome.

Other Causes of Back Pain

Tension Myositis Syndrome may cause back pain when stress and negative emotions are not well managed.

Sacroiliitis is an often misdiagnosed cause of back pain. Make sure your doctor checks for this common problem.
   Ch 1 What is Sacroiliitis?
   Ch 2 Causes and Treatments for Sacroiliitis

Spinal Infection is a serious cause of back pain that requires serious treatment. Knowing the symptoms will help you know when to seek treatment.
   Ch 1 Recognizing a Spinal Infection
   Ch 2 Evaluation and Treatment of a Spinal Infection

Cauda Equina Syndrome is a serious complication that can occur anytime you have back pain and sciatica.

Causes of Back Pain after Surgery can be complicated, overlapping, and difficult to understand. But, understanding is not impossible, let me explain.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis can be treated, but you should always start with the most conservative and least invasive therapies.

More Information About Back Pain

Treatments for Back Pain.

Sciatica Symptoms And Treatments

Return from Causes of Back Pain to Living with Back Pain.