Back pain

If you are suffering from pain in your back with no obvious cause, you are suffering from non-specific back pain. The most common causes are strenuous activity or exercise.

The symptoms are very similar to any other types of back discomfort, that can manifest in any region of the back and may extend down to the lower back and buttocks.

This form of back pain is often easily treated using (NSAIDS) - non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. You can buy these over the counter from your local pharmacy or supermarket. You can also use muscle relaxants if you are experiencing spasms.

What are the possible causes?

Non-specific back pain is quite common, with many millions of people world wide having experienced it at some stage. Muscle strain tends to be the most common cause.

Other known causes can include:

Pregnancy infection, inflamed nerve, obesity, herniated disc, overworked muscles.

If you gain weight quite quickly, this extra strain can injure your back without you being aware of it being the cause.

Back pain is a common complaint of pregnant women. The increase in their body weight and a shift in their center of gravity are the main causes of this.

A herniated disc can compress nerve roots causing pain in the lower back that can radiate to the extremities, resulting in numbness and tingling.

You should always seek some form of treatment for back pain, especially where it has remained for over two weeks without any real signs of improvement.

Nonspecific back pain usually is of a short duration that can be alleviated with pain medication and rest.

Stretching exercises are also beneficial in getting rid of back discomfort. It can strengthen weakened muscles and reduce discomfort.

How is it diagnosed?

To diagnose this problem, your health care profession can conduct certain tests, such as physical exam, x-rays, CT, and MRI to determine the cause. These tests can come out normal, however, revealing no specific cause. Nonspecific back discomfort usually goes away in a few days with treatment.