What is back pain is one of the most common questions that are frequently enquired. Back pain has a high incidence rate globally affecting a lot of people. Whether male or female, people of all age group suffer from this common problem. About 60-80% of world’s population suffer from this back pain at least once in their life. Although the incidence of back pain has not increased so much but disabilities resulting from the back pain has rose tremendously over the last 30 years. Out of so many cases only few have a clear diagnosis. The reason for this is back pain may occur from various factors. Till now the specific mechanism of back pain is not known but the specific causes for these pains have been identified.
There is a huge explanation to the question “what is back pain?” or what causes it. The important ones are talked about here. Back pain may be mechanical or non-mechanical. Almost 90% of the total cases of back pain are mechanical. The people between the age group of 20-55 years are the main victim of mechanical back pain. The onset is generally abrupt or acute. It is aggravated by lifting heavy object or by bending. However, the pain is generally relieved on resting. This type of pain generally remains localized to the lumbosacral region, the gluteal region and the thighs. Rarely the pain may radiate to the knees. It indicates nerve root irritation. The mechanical type of back pain is mainly common in heavy manual labourers, especially works that involve lifting of heavier objects. About the non-mechanical back pain, it generally remains constant but readily progresses. The variation of intensity of the pain with work is also low as it is a constant one. It may occur due to certain malignancies which are indicated by appetite loss, problematic bowel, digestion problems and disorderly bleedings.
Apart from these back pain has also several other factors. There is also the inflammatory pain. Spondylitis is the main reason for the inflammatory type of back pain. It has a gradual onset and generally common in people below 30 years of age. The pain is generally axial and is symmetrical unlike the mechanical or non-mechanical ones which are basically asymmetrical. There is a high chance of radiation of this type of pain to the thoracic region also. This pain features morning stiffness and worsens by involving into certain activities. Also narrowing of the vertebral column may cause spinal stenosis which is also a predisposing factor of backache. It may also occur due to enlargement of the vertebra that causes narrowing of the canal and thus results in back pain, commonly encountered in Paget’s disease. Other factors that contribute to back pain include Prolapsed intervertebral disc, radicular pain and Arachnoiditis.
Back pain is one the most common pain but still has got a high rate for complicacies if left untreated. Most of the back pain subsides by itself but if not medical help should be taken. Only with a good knowledge of what is back pain, it could be diagnosed and treated properly for a quick relief.