Back pain is incredibly common, but because it’s so common, doctors and spine specialists are getting better at treating a variety of spinal issues that plague everyday Americans. Oftentimes these treatments are effective at reducing or eliminating symptoms, but for some people, their back pain keeps coming back or remains consistent. So what type of condition might you be dealing with if you’d describe your back pain as persistent, and how can you put an end to these symptoms for good? We take a closer look at causes of persistent back pain in today’s blog.
Persistent Back Pain Problems
Here’s a closer look at some of the most common back problems that persist or return later in life:
- Posture-Related Issues – How we sit, walk and move can have a big impact on our spine health. Many of us work desk jobs where we’re hunched over a computer screen for long hours, and then there’s the increase in neck problems caused by prolonged cell phone use. Be mindful of your posture when you’re seated for an extended period and avoid craning your neck forward or down to look at your electronics, otherwise those back problems may persist.
- Muscle Deconditioning – As we get older, it takes a little more work for our spinal muscles to remain healthy and fully support nearby structures. Natural aging can weaken these muscles, and if we’re not exercising as frequently, back problems can persist because we simply can’t support all the stress we put on our spine. Slowly increasing your exercise habits can help combat spine problems caused by muscle deconditioning.
- Old Injuries That Never Fully Healed – Another common reason that patients end up coming into our office is because they are dealing with the fallout of an injury that never totally healed. Oftentimes we try to rush back to activity before we are fully healed or we ignore problems and hope they go away on their own, which oftentimes doesn’t happen. Don’t let a small problem snowball into a major issue. Take care of small injuries and work back to full health with the help of a spine specialist and a physical therapy routine so that these little injuries don’t keep resurfacing later on in life.
- Repetitive Strain – Repetitive strain injuries are one of the most common injuries that persist simply because we keep asking a lot of the muscles and soft tissues that are injured. If you perform the same tasks at a job or during athletic activities, these spinal muscles will always be asked to handle a fair amount of stress. Without enough time between activity, or without strength training exercises to help keep them healthy, eventually all this microtrauma can add up and cause persistent back pain.
So what can we do to help put an end to these persistent causes of back pain once and for all? We alluded to some of the answers above, but the best thing you can do for your spine health now and in the future is to connect with your primary care provider or a spine specialist and really figure out exactly what’s going on in your spine. Once you know what you’re dealing with, you can come up with a targeted treatment plan to help fully resolve the issue.
From there, the key is to follow through on what is being asked of you by your doctor. Make sure you are doing your physical therapy exercises every day, and don’t rush back into normal activities before you’re ready or without a plan in place to alleviate some of this stress. Consider posture correcting equipment or a twice weekly exercise program that targets your core and other structures in your spine that help with stability and support. These changes are easier than many realize, but a lot of people end up dealing with persistent back pain because they don’t take the time to confront the issue head on.
Don’t assume that just because you’re getting older that pain is now a daily part of your life. Persistent back pain can be treated with the help of a professional, and you can get back to doing all the activities you love without discomfort. For help with this process, or to finally figure out what’s going on in your spine and how to best treat it, reach out to a team with experience putting spine pain to an end once and for all. In the greater Twin Cities area, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
