Lower Back Pain and Your Computer is a Bad Combination

Did you know that spending long hours at your computer can put your health at serious risk? Most people does not even consider that possibility, but it does.

Working at a desk is extremely hard on your body, and I would like to share this with you so maybe you can avoid some of the most common health risks.

One of the most common one is: LOWER BACK-PAIN

WHAT CAUSES LOWER BACK-PAIN?

Age does not really matter. No, reaching old age is not the only culprit why one might just be feeling the excruciating pangs of lower back pain.

Reports have it that 80% of adult women and men suffer from lower back pain; several elements can still cause this condition.

When the muscles that hold the lower back vertebra, the set of bones that constitute the spinal column, get strained lower back pain is the end result. These bones protect, support, and secure these muscles.

This muscle injury is aggravated by stress that a person with lower back pain does not give much attention to. The common symptoms of lower back pain include a discomfort felt on the lower area of the back, a bad posture, swelling and or bruising of the lower back.

A physician discovers this condition through the history of back damage and the location of the discomfort.

Treatment includes providing enough rest for the patient to avoid re-straining of the muscles, medications (analgesics and anti-spasms), massage, and lower back and abdominal muscle reconditioning through special exercises.

Nerve irritation is also one cause of lower back pain. Mechanical damage and diseases may upset the nerves of the lumbar spine.

These conditions include radiculopathy, a disease of the discs of the lower back, bony intrusion, and inflamed nerves caused by a viral infection, e.g., shingles. The pain may only concentrate on one area but may also spread to other spots, commonly on the buttocks or even at the back of the thighs.

When this pain has spread to those mentioned spots, it is referred to as sciatica. Sciatica usually comes from a ruptured disc (what connects the vertebrae) in the lower back.

This damage, aside from distressing injury, is a result of the inevitable wear and tear of a part of the disc called the outer ring.

Treatment of these types of damages may range from patient learning and medications to surgery.

Arthritis diseases that are of inflammatory kinds can also trouble the lumbar part. Reiter's disease, inflammatory bowel arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are some of these types of arthritis.

They can lead to pain and a stiff lower back that is usually aggravated in the morning. Medications that decrease the inflammation are usually administered to patients suffering from lower back pain caused by these arthritis diseases.

Kidney problems may also be attributed to the presence of lower back pain. Urinalysis and x-rays may help diagnose this cause of lower back pain. Lumbar pain could also stem from pregnancy, ovary problems, and tumors.

Aside from those usual sources of lower back pain, doctors pinpoint Paget's disease of the bone to also cause lumbar discomfort. It is a disease of an unknown cause in which bone formation happens abnormally. This results to weakened bone and deformity that eventually cause the pain.

Pelvis bleeding, bulging of the wall of the aorta (a blood vessel), spinal cartilage and or bone infection, are the other unusual reasons for the proliferation of lower back pain.

Treatment of lower back pain often includes physiotherapy and medicines. Physiotherapists are very important in strengthening the muscles around the back after treatment.

They aid sufferers do exercises that will promote the body's healing process. They go hand in hand with the chiropractors that aid in the recuperative process of the patient without medication.

Other than that, acupuncture, massage, aromatherapy, steroid injections, reflexology and surgery are considered viable alternatives in dealing with lower back pain.

There are other risks as you sit in front of that computer but it would be to much to write about in this article, so if you would like to learn more about other risks such as:

Eye strain
RSI (Repetitive Stress Syndrome)
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Constant Head Aches
Dizziness
Breathing Problems
Difficulty Concentrating

You can learn all about this in the book: The Painless PC

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Back Pain Facts?

There are several causes of back pain: mechanical causes, eg lumbar disc disorders; degenerative conditions, eg degenerative disc disease; inflammatory conditions, eg ankylosing spondylitis; infective causes, eg osteomyelitis; neoplastic causes, eg primary benign or malignant tumours; metabolic bone disease, eg osteoporosis; referred pain, eg from duodenal ulcer; psychogenic pain - originating in the mind rather than the body.

Back pain is one of humanity's most frequent complaints and does not usually reflect any underlying disease. However, anyone with back pain that does not improve after a few days should first consult a Physician, as back pain can sometimes indicate significant and serious conditions which might not otherwise be diagnosed. Back pain is very rarely a sign of a serious medical problem. It is however important that the treatable medical causes are identified early on.

Back pain affects 50 to 80 percent of people in the U.S. at some point in their lives. In any given year, 10 percent of adults experience back pain or other symptoms, such as limited mobility or stiffness. Each year, Americans spend an estimated $24 billion on treatments for back pain - not including missed time from work nor the emotional costs of enduring pain and not being able to participate in daily activities. Imagine what it would be like to have problems working, golfing or enjoying playtime with children!

Back pain can be mildly uncomfortable, excruciating or anywhere in between. It can start slowly, sometimes a result of poor posture, or come on suddenly because of injury. If your question is not answered here, please contact one of our information specialists. Back pain can last for a few short days or can linger for weeks, months and even years. Arthritis is a common form of back pain. The earlier arthritis is diagnosed, the more steps can be taken to reduce disability in the future. Other factors that aggravate back pain include suffering from stress, not getting enough sleep, being overweight, having poor posture or not being physically fit.

Back pain should not be considered a normal part of aging; it is a chronic condition that calls for similar lifestyle changes as diseases like arthritis and diabetes do.