Back to Back : Various Back Pain Types Explained

Ouch! Back pain can be so painful and it is estimated that nearly 80% of Americans suffer from some form of back pain of another.

Do you? If so, how do you handle it?

Here are the most common types of back pain

• Neck pain
• Upper back pain
• Lower back pain
• Tailbone pain

________________________

Neck Pain
Neck pain is commonly associated with dull aching. Sometimes pain in the neck is worsened with movement of the neck. Other symptoms associated with some forms of neck pain include numbness, tingling, tenderness, sharp shooting pain, fullness, difficulty swallowing, pulsations, swishing sounds in the head, dizziness or lightheadedness, and gland swelling.

The most common and least intense neck pain causes include:

• Stress – physical and emotional stresses
• Prolonged postures – many people fall asleep on sofas and chairs and wake with sore necks
• Minor injuries and falls – car accidents, sporting events and day to day minor injuries
• Referred pain – mostly from upper back problems
• Over-use – muscular strain is one of the most common causes
• Whiplash

Major and severe causes of neck pain include:

• Carotid artery dissection
• Referred pain from acute coronary syndrome
• Infections: retropharyngeal abscess, epiglottitis, etc.
• Spondylosis - degenerative arthritis and osteophytes
• Spinal stenosis – a narrowing of the spinal canal
• Spinal disc herniation – protruding or bulging discs, or if severe prolapse

________________________

Upper Back Pain
Upper back pain, also called middle back pain or thoracic pain, is pain that is felt between the bottom of the neck and top of the lumbar spine. Although upper back pain is not a very common spinal disorder, it can cause significant discomfort and pain when it does occur. The most common causes of upper back pain are muscular irritation and joint dysfunction.

________________________

Lower Back Pain
Most low back pain is triggered by some combination of overuse, muscle strain, and injury to the muscles, ligaments, and discs that support the spine. Many experts believe that over time muscle strain can lead to an overall imbalance in the spinal structure. This leads to a constant tension on the muscles, ligaments, bones, and discs, making the back more prone to injury or reinjury.

There are also many medical causes for lower back pain:
Mechanical• Apophyseal osteoarthritis
• Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis
• Degenerative discs
• Scheuermann's kyphosis
• Spinal disc herniation (slipped disc)
• Spinal stenosis
• Spondylolisthesis and other congenital abnormalities
• Fractures
• Leg length difference
• Restricted hip motion
• Misaligned pelvis - pelvic obliquity, anteversion or retroversion
• Abnormal Foot Pronation
Inflammatory• Seronegative spondylarthritides (e.g. ankylosing spondylitis)
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Infection - epidural abscess or osteomyelitis
Neoplastic• Bone tumors (primary or metastatic)
• Intradural spinal tumors
Metabolic• Osteoporotic fractures
• Osteomalacia
• Ochronosis
• Chondrocalcinosis
Psychosomatic:
• Tension myositis syndrome
Paget's disease
Referred pain:
• Pelvic/abdominal disease
• Prostate Cancer
• Posture
Depression
Oxygen deprivation

________________________

Tailbone Pain
Coccydynia is a medical term meaning pain in the coccyx or tailbone area, usually brought on by sitting. Coccydynia is often caused by an injury, but it may occur seemingly spontaneously. There are many causes of tailbone pain which can mimic coccydynia, including sciatica, infection, pilonidal cysts, and fractured bone.

________________________

Whew. That was painful.


photo by Martin Kingsley