What could be causing your back pain?

January 19, 2023

Back pain can be debilitating, and can affecting all aspects of your daily life, from your ability to complete everyday tasks and even preventing you from enjoying your favourite hobbies.

There can be a wide range of causes and it could be a combination of factors contributing to your pain and discomfort.

What are the most common reasons for back pain?

Mechanical back pain

This can be caused by stress and pressure on the bones or discs, nerves in your spine, or the surrounding tissue. This may include issues such as herniated discs, bulging discs, osteoarthritis and inflammation of the spine

Strains and sprains

Muscles, ligaments, or tendons strained or sprained from overuse, sudden increased physical activity or injury can cause back pain.

Poor posture

Long periods of sitting in an uncomfortable chair or standing in an incorrect position can put stress on the back and lead to pain.

Obesity

Carrying extra weight can put additional stress on all areas of the body and can lead to pain in your joints and spine.

Inactivity

Reduced or low levels of physical activity can lead to weakened muscles, which can contribute to back pain.

Stress

Stress and tension can cause muscle tightness and pain, particularly in the upper back and neck.

Medical conditions

Some medical conditions, such as fibromyalgia, scoliosis, or ankylosing spondylitis, can cause back pain.

Pregnancy

The physical and hormonal changes during pregnancy can put additional stress on the back and lead to pain.

Psychological factors

Stress, anxiety, and depression can affect the body and contribute to back pain.

Other conditions

Back pain can also be caused by more serious conditions, such as infection, tumours or spinal cord compression.

If the pain is severe or persistent, or accompanied by other symptoms, it’s important to seek medical help.

Finding out the cause of your back pain

To get a diagnosis for your back pain, you will need to seek medical advice from your GP or a healthcare professional, who will typically take these steps:

Conduct a physical examination

Your GP or healthcare professional will examine the affected area of your back and may ask you to complete some physical movement tests to consider your range of motion, strength, reflexes and whether there could be trapped nerves or muscle spasms.

Assess your Medical history

The healthcare professional will ask you questions about your symptoms, including the exact location, duration and severity of the pain, and any other information which may help them understand the potential cause of pain.

Refer you to a Specialist

You may be referred to a specialist, such as an orthopaedic surgeon, neurologist or physical therapist, to further assess your symptoms and offer treatment.

Request Diagnostic Imaging tests

You may be referred for an imaging test to highlight or confirm any causes for concern, such as an X-Ray, MRI scan or CT Scan.

X-Rays are effective at showing broken bones and fractures and arthritis.

MRI and CT scans can provide detailed images of the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and soft tissue surrounding your spine.

Blood Testing

In some cases, blood tests can help determine if there is an infection or a condition that may be causing the pain.

Can I have an MRI scan for back pain?

An MRI scan can provide detailed images of the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other structures in the back, and can help to identify the cause of back pain.

An MRI scan can be useful in the diagnosis of conditions such as:

• Herniated or bulging discs

• Degenerative disc disease

• Spinal stenosis

• Osteoarthritis

• Spondylolisthesis

• Tumours or infections

Having an MRI scan can help highlight the cause of your back pain, and assist your doctor or a specialist healthcare professional in providing a diagnosis and recommending appropriate care and treatment.

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