Back Pain In Women, And How To Handle It

Back pain is a terrible thing to live with, there is no doubt about that. As women, having to endure all the strains of everyday life with your back on fire is next to hellish. Lower back pains and aches could be really debilitating, especially if you have to deal with chores and kids.

There are myriad of causes for back aches, and also a good number of quick fixes for them. Some backaches are really temporary and go away in a short while. But how many of the common remedies provide a lasting solution to the back pain?

Lower back pain or LUMBAGO is a troublesome and the most common type of back pain. This pain is not a disease in itself but a symptom of other medical disorders.

Backaches or pains could stem from issues involving the spine, vertebrae, (ligaments, tendons, and joints) or even other organs like the kidney.

The lower back is made up of the following parts:

• Bones of the lower spine, including the lumbar and sacral vertebrae
• Disks of cushioning tissue between the vertebrae
• Nerves and your spinal cord
• Muscles and ligaments

Some of the most common causes of backaches are

Strains:

Strained muscles and ligaments can sometimes occur due to heavy or improper lifting. Over-activity could also cause strains.

Structural injuries:

Injuries between vertebral disks could also result in back pain. Disks are tissue materials acting as cushions between vertebrae. If there is a bulge in a disk, it can press on nerves traveling down the back to the legs. This compression can result in irritated sciatic nerves and cause pain, numbness or irritation in the leg. Herniated and ruptured disks are also some very painful possibilities.

Skeletal Deformation: from Scoliosis or narrowed spinal cord due to arthritis would easily result in back pains.

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Some Common Causes of Back Pain Peculiar to Women

Pregnancy:

Pregnancy sometimes results in overuse of joints, muscles, and ligaments that result in the middle to lower backache. Sprains, strains, from heavy lifting can also occur. But a lot of times, strains from carrying extra pounds along the waist pulls the pelvis forward and results in lower-back-strain.

Cancer:

Tumors and various cancers such as ovarian cancers may also cause lower back and stomach pains. Other symptoms of ovarian cancer include Abdominal pressure, bloating, persisting indigestion, loss of appetite, unusual bowel habits.

Excess Weight:

A lot of women carry their excess weight in the mid-section, just like a pregnant woman. Unfortunately, an extremely overweight woman can start feeling the strain of this excess weight around her waist. This might lead to aches and pains from mid-lower back. In such a situation, healthy weight loss is the best remedy.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease:

Causes lower abdominal and lower back pain in women. Painful sex, fever, vaginal discharge or diarrhea. If left untreated, this condition could result in irreversible damage and infertility of the female reproductive organs. Depending on early detection, PID can be treated with antibiotics or when severe, surgery.

Pancreatitis:

This condition also causes upper abdominal and lower back pains in females. Pancreatitis is caused by inflammation of the Pancreas, a key digestive organ. Symptoms include, aside from back and abdominal pains, nausea, indigestion, smelly stool. The pains in women are more after meals and reduce when in the fetal position. Treatment might have to be done in the hospital, undergoing several days of pain meds and IV fluids. In extreme cases, surgery might be necessary

Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction:

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is another source of leg, groin, butt, lower back and hip pain in women. An SI joint that is overly mobile or not mobile enough can cause this discomfort as well as a burning sensation in the pelvis. This is especially common among pregnant women. An SI joint belt can help stabilize the joint to minimize the symptoms.

Kidney Infection (pyelonephritis):

Pyelonephritis results in lower back, abdominal, groin, and flank pain in women. Fever and frequent urination (with a burning sensation, blood nor pus) are other symptoms. Can be treated with antibiotics or hospitalization.

Other common causes include:

• Sedentary lifestyle
• Posture
• Spine infection
• Cancer of the spine
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis and a whole world of other conditions that will be addressed in a future article.

What To Do

1. Exercising more and regularly could help strengthen the core and reduce strain on the spine.
2. Ice packs for momentary pains and aches
3. Strengthen your posture
4. Avoid heavy lifting and make sure all lifting postures are done correctly.
5. Warm compresses relieve pain.
6. Physical therapy
7. Surgery: when the pain is not lessening and other attempts at medication have failed and when there is nerve compression.
8. Alternative medicine such as massages, acupuncture, chiropractic, relaxation techniques.

Before taking any extreme measures, if the back pain comes with any other symptoms or it’s unrelenting after proper rest and a  few days, please consult your physician.