Over 26% of men in the US struggle with back pain. If you’re one of them, you probably know how frustrating it can be. Fortunately, back pain is treatable, and many causes of back pain can be avoided. Here are five causes of back pain and how you can find relief.
1. Sciatica
Sciatica causes symptoms that can seem bewildering at first. While it does cause pain, it also causes strange sensations that shoot down the leg. People often describe it as feeling like electricity. It can also cause numbness and shooting or sharp pain. Sciatica typically causes pain and numbness on just one side, and these sensations can be felt in the buttocks, thigh, and sometimes down into the lower leg. You may also feel pain in your lower back or hip area. The sciatic nerve runs down through your leg from your spine’s root (base). Sciatica pain happens when this nerve is compressed or irritated by a problem in the spine like a bulging or herniated disc, bone spurs, or a compressed disc.
To fix sciatica, you have to treat the underlying cause. Your chiropractor can take x-rays and other imaging to see what is going on in your spine. After a cause has been identified, you can begin a treatment regimen. Bone spurs may require surgery, but other causes are treatable with non-invasive methods. Adjustments, exercises, and spinal decompression therapy will help correct spinal problems and reduce inflammation.
Having a strong core, lifting correctly, and taking precautions that protect against back strain can help you avoid sciatica. It’s also essential to keep a healthy weight and not sit around too much. For some, sciatica is an unavoidable part of normal degeneration that happens with aging, but being kind to your spine may help you avoid experiencing it at a younger age.
2. Tight Hips
Your hips and lower back are part of a system. If your hips flexors get tight, your lower back will hurt. Tight hip flexors are common in people with office jobs who sit for long hours. Hip flexors are muscles that attach the thigh to the lower back and pelvis. They can pull your pelvis out of alignment when they get tight, causing an anterior pelvic tilt. This deepens the curve of your lower back and strains muscles and your spine.
Your chiropractor can show you targeted stretches and exercises that will loosen hip flexors and strengthen the muscles that hold your pelvis in place. This type of back pain is easy to resolve, and many patients feel better after one round of stretches. But it can become chronic if you don’t recognize what’s causing the pain. That’s why it’s important to talk to your chiropractor right away when you notice back pain. Early treatment can save you months of discomfort.
3. Sleeping Position
We spend one-third of our lives sleeping, so the position we sleep in significantly impacts our back health. Sleeping on your belly can relieve snoring, but it also strains your lower back, especially if you don’t have the right pillow. If you must sleep on your stomach, use a thin pillow for your head and put another under your pelvis to support your lower back. Back sleepers need a slightly thicker pillow, but not too thick. The goal is to keep your head and neck positioned neutrally between your shoulders. Back sleepers who struggle with lower back pain will benefit from putting a pillow under their knees. Side sleeping might be the best position for lower back pain, especially if you put a pillow between your knees. Make sure the pillow for your head is thick enough to fill the gap between your head and shoulder, so your neck doesn’t hurt.
4. Stress
That’s right; stress can be responsible for your back pain. Stress contributes in a few ways; it tenses your muscles, encourages bad habits, and makes you feel more sensitive to pain. Studies show that men are more likely than women to shut down emotionally when under stress. This makes guys isolate themselves, eat poorly and not get enough sleep. All of these things are bad for your physical and emotional health. If you notice more aches and pains when you are under stress, stress management techniques can help.
The first thing to do when you notice you are stressed is to take a deep breath and step back from the situation. This allows you to reevaluate and decide if the thing you are stressed about is as bad as it first seemed. Talking to a supportive friend or partner can also help you put stressful events into perspective. Sometimes stressful stuff happens that we can’t fix right away. In these cases, it’s essential to focus on self-care. Spending time with friends and loved ones, exercising, and taking time to do things you enjoy will help you cope with stress and prevent stress from turning into depression. Practices like yoga and tai chi are relaxing and good for tight, sore muscles.
5. Wear and Tear
We all put miles on our joints as we go through life, but if you have a physically demanding job or hobby, you might put on more miles per year. Physical work and exercise are healthy, but if you don’t lift properly or focus on your posture, you injure your spine. Follow these rules for safe lifting, pushing, and pulling:
- Use the toe test: if you can push an item with your big toe, then it’s safe to lift alone. If you can’t, team lift.
- Don’t lift heavy objects above your chest.
- When picking up a heavy object, stand close to it with your legs shoulder width apart and squat down, bending your knees, keeping your back straight.
- Lift by straightening your knees, not by bending at the waist.
- Always push rather than pull if you can.
- When pushing or pulling, keep your back straight and bend your knees. Squat down if necessary, don’t bend at the waist.
- Always face the object you are pushing or pulling, and don’t twist your hips.
Following these rules can help you avoid injuries on the job or around the yard. It’s also a good idea to warm up and stretch out before doing strenuous work, just like at the gym. Speaking of the gym, don’t be that guy who lifts too much weight. It’s better to add reps or sets and focus on proper form.
Chiropractic Care for Men in Tennessee
At Stanlick Chiropractic, we help people from all walks of life relieve pain and meet their wellness goals. We are celebrating Men’s Health Month by offering chiropractic care for only $39 during June. Schedule a consultation today to find out how we can help you feel your best.