Key facts
Back pain is a commonly reported type of pain.
For most people, neck and back pain arises from the straining of muscles, ligaments and joints-- rather than a particular condition.
Back pain signs might include discomfort, convulsions, stiffness, tingling and/or feeling numb.
Back pain can be avoided by working out regularly, maintaining a healthy weight and excellent posture, lifting products securely and minimizing stress and muscle stress.
On this page
What is pain in the back?
What triggers back pain?
When should I see my medical professional?
How is back pain identified?
How is back pain dealt with?
How can pain in the back be prevented?
Can pain in the back lead to problems?
Resources and assistance
Related details on Australian sites
What is back pain?
Back pain describes discomfort that you might feel in your back or spine. It is an extremely typical problem: 1 in 6 Australians report having back issues, and 4 out of 5 experience it sometime in their life. While both men and women report that they experience back problems, it is more frequently reported by people 25 years and older.
Neck and back pain can be organized into various categories. Lower back pain refers to pain felt in the lower part of the spine (the lumbar spinal column). Back problems can also affect the upper back (the thoracic spine), the neck (cervical spine) along with the tailbone (coccyx).
Individuals experience back discomfort in various ways. Some individuals state it feels like a sharp discomfort; other people report aches or spasms.
Neck and back pain can affect you physically and psychologically. Individuals experiencing neck and back pain might feel irritable or short-tempered. They might worry about whether the discomfort will control their life and might experience feelings of helplessness.
What triggers pain in the back?
These joints allow you to move and flex your back. A mesh of ligaments and muscles hold the spine together and supply structural assistance, which allows you to move.
Pain in the back can stem from any of these structures, however most of the times, this pain doesn't arise from any considerable damage to your spinal column. This pain typically stems from surrounding muscles, ligaments or joints and occasionally spinal disc issues.
For at least 9 in 10 people, pain in the back is not brought on by any particular condition and is referred to as non-specific pain in the back.
This type of pain in the back arises from a range of different elements such as:
poor posture
weakness in back and abdominal muscles
muscle stress or convulsion
extra pressure on the spinal column from sitting too long-- for example, sitting in a workplace environment
too little exercise
an unhealthy weight
Less than 1 in 100 people have pain in the back that belongs to a major medical issue such as cancer, infection, a spine fracture or specific conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis. Research has likewise revealed that you actually do not require to know the reason for back pain to treat it effectively.