by Lucinda Davis

Created on: November 29, 2009   Last Updated: November 30, 2009

Many people suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Most of the cases are labeled as nonspecific back pain and never diagnosed because the pain is resolved with over the counter medicine or prescription painkillers. Quite often the problem goes away before an xray is taken or other tests are done. Back pain is one of the largest causes for sick days in the United States.

People who are most likely to suffer from back pain have jobs that involve heavy lifting or sitting in one position for long periods of time. If you are overweight you are likely to suffer from back pain too. People who are obese tend to carry a lot of belly weight and have weaker abdominal muscles. This makes the load for the back much harder to carry.

Most back pain is thought to be due to a muscle tear, ligament strains, or a damaged disk or joint. Quite often the damage is accompanied by a muscle spasm which causes tenderness and pain in a wide area. Damage to a joint or disk can cause back pain that extends down into the buttocks, legs and feet. This is generally the result from pressure on a nerve. If you cough or sneeze then it can increase your pain.

Fibrositis is pain and tenderness that usually affects the back during cold or damp weather. Fibrositis is not caused by an injury or muscle spasm rather it's more like an illness. Anti-inflammatory medicines can help with this problem. Osteoarthritis can also bring on persistent back pain and stiffness. Bladder infections can also cause back pain but are usually accompanied by fever, chills, and difficulty passing urine. In some cases back pain is found to be cancer in the spine.

Xrays, blood and urine tests can help determine the true cause of your back pain. An xray will not show joint or ligament damage. In order to see such damage you'll need an MRI or cat scan. Once a diagnosis is made then you can begin treatment.

If you have nonspecific back pain it's likely pain medication and rest will do the trick. However if you have chronic back pain a doctor will need to investigate further to rule out other possible problems. Usual treatment includes taking anti-inflammatory medicines and muscle relaxors.

If you are prone to back injuries you will want to do exercises to build up your back and abdominal muscles. Use caution when lifting heavy objects and try to push them instead of lifting. Also if you are able to push the object face away from the object so you can put more strain on your legs instead of your back.

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