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Back Pain: Pain Causes
Josephine Lay
July 22, 2024

Back pain is a symptom of a variety of medical conditions, illnesses and injuries. Men, women and children have acute or chronic back pain, but there are some conditions that women are more prone to experience than men. For example, more women than men deal with chronic lower back pain. Following are some of the common causes of back pain in women.

What Causes Back Pain in Females?

Back pain is due to any of a number of conditions. Sometimes the pain is due to a problem in the spine or supporting muscles, ligaments and tendons. However, back pain can also be due a problem in another part of the body, and people experience what is called referred pain.

Pain can occur in any area of the back too. It may be localized pain, like lower back pain or neck pain, or it may be widespread back pain.

  • Back sprain or strain,
  • Spinal injury to vertebrae or spinal nerves,
  • Diseases like osteoporosis and disc disease,
  • Arthritis,
  • Medical condition like a bladder or kidney infection,
  • Hormone fluctuations.

Girls with lower back problems are usually experiencing pain from a sports injury or an accident. In these cases, lower back pain is due to a pulled muscle or strained ligament. Carrying heavy backpacks is another cause of back pain in young people. Girls reaching puberty and menstruating may also experience back pain due to hormone changes. Being overweight or obese is yet another cause of back pain in children.

What Causes Upper Back Pain?

The upper back or thoracic spine is the area that starts at the base of the neck and extends to the bottom of the ribcage. Upper back pain in women is usually due to:

Poor posture, like slouching or pushing the head forward while sitting or standing, causing misalignment of the spine Muscle overuse or strain, usually due to repetitive motions or lifting items or children incorrectly Injury to discs, muscles and/or ligaments Myofascial pain Arthritis

Many instances of back pain are not serious. Minor strains and sprains will usually heal on their own. In a number of cases, correcting posture or getting more exercise to strengthen back tissues can prevent further instances of back pain.

Risk Factors for Low and Upper Back Pain

  1. Genetics Some people are genetically predisposed to certain spinal conditions, such as degenerative disc disease or spinal stenosis. These conditions may cause lower back pain.
  2. Sedentary Lifestyle A sedentary lifestyle and low levels of physical activity have been associated with a higher risk of developing lower back pain. Lack of exercise weakens the muscles in the back, buttocks, abdomen and thighs that support the spine. Prolonged sitting decreases the spinal disks’ water supply, leading to disk herniations, disk degeneration and reduced muscle strength.
  3. Weight Chronic low back pain has been linked to being overweight or obese. Obesity is associated with cartilage inflammation, disk degeneration and overloading of joints, impacting the lumbar discs and joints.
  4. Poor Posture When standing, sitting and walking, poor posture can cause misalignment of the spine, which leads to low back pain. Pressure on the spine is not evenly distributed across joint surfaces.
  5. Occupational Factors Lifting is a risk factor for low back pain when improper lifting techniques are used. Other movements that may lead to lower back pain include repetitive movements or regularly twisting, pulling or pushing something heavy without adequate breaks.
  6. Degree of stress Studies have found a significant association between a person’s stress level and lower back pain. Psychosocial factors also include anxiety and depression.
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