QI Spine Studies and Research


Back pain among Women: Live life pain-free!

Back pain among Women: Live life pain-free!

Dr. Swetha Wadhwa, 5 years ago

Back pain affects 4 out of 5 individuals all over the world. A clear majority of these numbers are women of all ages. Although many causes of back pain among women differ from men, it is enough to affect one’s quality of life to a large extent. Pain in the back, neck, hip, groin, or flank may be delimiting, lasting from few hours to few months. Forms of back pain and its reasons vary as one age and enter different phases of life. Thus, the treatment of back pain also needs to be as versatile as the disease itself.

How does it happen?

Back pain occurs due to tissue damage in the area around your lumbar spine. The nerve endings detect information around the damaged tissue structures, which is then processed and manifested physically through one or more clinical symptoms like pain, stiffness, weakness, muscle strain, numbness, tingling and loss of sensation. The clinical symptoms vary according to the structures damaged, whether it be muscles, bones, ligaments, intervertebral discs, spinal joints, nerves, or spinal cord. The causes may be mechanical, pathological, degenerative, traumatic, or postural.

Mechanical back pain refers to back pain due to obstruction or malalignment in mechanics of your spinal structures. A prolapsed intervertebral disc would be an example of mechanical back pain.

Pathological back pain is a broad category comprising of infective causes of back pain like osteomyelitis or Pott’s spine, osteoarthritis of the spine, tumors around spinal structures, or congenital deformities.

Degenerative causes of back pain are due to age-related changes that cause the deprivation of integrity of spinal structures.

Traumatic back pain is often the cause of most long-term back pain incidences.

Postural back pain occurs due to lack of posture education, inappropriate ergonomics at workplace, sedentary lifestyle, lack of physical activities, psychosocial factors, etc.

When does it happen?

1. Adolescents and young adults

Back pain among adolescents and young adults are a common phenomenon. The most common occurrences of back pain among adolescent and young women are as follows:

  • Overuse or strain injury
  • Premenstrual syndrome
  • Postural
  • Infective
  • Spinal
  • Pregnancy: Antenatal and postnatal

2. Middle age

Back pain among middle-aged women usually manifests as follows:

  • Coccydynia
  • Sciatica
  • Arthritis
  • Fibromyalgia
  • PID
  • Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
  • Prolapse uterus

3. Old age

Back pain among old aged women usually occurs as followed:

  • Osteoporosis
  • Degenerative spondylolisthesis
  • Spinal Stenosis
  • Compression fractures

How can it be treated?

1. Medicines

Medicines like anti-inflammatory drugs help in reducing pain and inflammation in the initial stages of back pain. Back pain due to arthritic or osteoporotic causes might require an appropriate regimen of treatment. Infections causing back pain are usually treated with relevant antibiotic regimen as prescribed by your physician.

2. Surgery

Surgical interventions are often needed in cases like unstable fractures, cauda equina syndrome, life-threatening tumors, spinal stenosis, and various other conditions that might severely harm the integrity and functioning of spinal structures.

3. Spine rehabilitation

Spine rehabilitation is a comprehensive approach to the treatment of back pain that deals with the treatment of clinical symptoms associated with back pain along with reinstating lost function, a range of motion, alignment, and inviolability of spinal structures.

What should I do when I have back pain?

If you have experienced back pain or have seen your loved ones experience back pain, here are some tips that can help you during back pain:

  • Ensure good posture.
  • Take frequent breaks, avoid extended periods of sitting, standing, slouching.
  • Avoid excessive bending, lifting, twisting, exertion.
  • Avoid bending to lift objects from the floor, squat to lift. Use an appropriate lumbar support that ensures a correct posture of your spine when you sit.
  • Hot or cold compression can be used.
  • Painkillers or muscle relaxants as prescribed by a physician.

Watch for following warning signs which indicate the need for immediate intervention:

  • Sudden loss of bowel/bladder control.
  • Sudden loss of balance, inability to walk.
  • Sudden and progressive weakness, numbness, tingling, loss of sensation in one or both legs.
  • Back pain with fever, chills, etc.
  • Severe pain that limits activities of daily living.
  • Back pain during or following trauma.

How can I prevent back pain?

The following are some tips to help you prevent back pain:

  • Exercise regularly. Engage in an active lifestyle.
  • Strengthen core muscles of your back to increase the stability of the spine.
  • Avoid prolonged postures.
  • Ensure appropriate ergonomics and correct posture.
  • Learn and adopt correct postures during postpartum and child rearing periods.

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