Back pain is a common problem in America as well as a major money maker for the medical profession.
According to back.
com website, low back pain is a popular ailment for people aged under 45 and annually, about $16 billion is spent on its management.
Likewise, the treatment of chronic pain costs an annual rate of $100 billion.
Back pain is an ailment that is capable of drawing sympathy from the hardest of hearts.
It is estimated that everybody in the world will grapple with back pain at some point in their lifetime.
The pain could be mild, serious, chronic or temporary.
Pain is normally traceable to areas along the spine, especially the lower back area which takes on the weight and stress of the body.
There are many causes of back pain.
These include strain or bruising of muscles, sprain or injury to ligaments and spasms.
Other causes include osteoporosis, arthritis, slipped disc, excessive gas.
Besides these, there are more serious causes such as tumors, diabetes or kidney malfunction.
One of the several factors that should be considered in treating back pain is lifestyle.
For example, improper postures while sitting and sleeping, carelessness during walking, stretching or playing are some issues that can cause back pain.
Lifting of heavy objects or lifting them improperly can also lead to pain in the back.
One of the biggest causes of back pain is bad posture.
For example, sitting before a computer for a long time can make one to unconsciously form a bad position.
Another example is twisting the backs frequently while trying to reach for something behind or beside us.
In addition, odd postures are normally formed when reading or watching TV lying on the bed or sofa.
You have to avoid chairs with gaps at the lower back level if you want to keep back pain at bay.
And if you think your chair is ergonomically perfect, you need to have a rethink.
This is because most people tend to lean forward unconsciously in a way that their lower back moves away from the chair base which does not provide enough support for their back.
Sitting anywhere anyhow for a long time is dangerous to your back.
The load on your back is highest when you sit, becomes lower when you stand and further declines when you sleep.
You gain more benefit by getting up and walking around after sitting for a long time.
The risk of having back pain is drastically reduced.
It is ideal to do this every 15-20 minutes.
When you are driving for a long period, it is essential to stop, get out of the car, walk around and stretch your limbs after every two hours.
Make sure that while driving the back of the seat is not reclined more than 30 degrees and the bottom should be tilted up slightly in front.