Back pain usually happens because of injuries to the muscles and associated structures of the lower back. It can be very debilitating, making it difficult to move, work, sleep or relax. The causes of back pain for women may vary slightly, but at the end of the day, the root causes of back pain are the same for both men and women.
Women tend to suffer from back pain for specific reasons, such as:
Herniated disc
Strenuous physical activity or heavy lifting can cause one or more spinal discs to herniate, or move out of place. Such a displaced disc 鈥?also known as a slipped disc 鈥?can compress nearby spinal nerves. This is common for women who carry around children with improper technique.
When a herniated disc presses on the sciatic nerve, a typical set of symptoms occur. These include sharp, shooting pains down the back of the leg, numbness and tingling, burning lower back pain, weakness in one or both legs and loss of bladder and/or bowel control.
Women living with back pain from a slipped disc find that usually only one side of their body is affected. Their symptoms often go away or improve a lot over time.
Muscle Imbalances
Women with large breasts are also more likely to experience back pain as the weight of the chest pulls the body forward in an unnatural position. If you feel like your chest is contributing to your back pain, try to make it a point to always pull your shoulders back and correct your posture. It is also wise to wear supportive under garments to make sure the weight is supported properly.
Endometriosis
In this condition, tissue lining the uterus starts to grow outside the uterus 鈥?for example, on or under the ovaries, behind the uterus or on the tissues that hold it in place, or on the bowels or bladder.
This tissue can develop into growths called tumors or implants, but which are usually not cancerous. They can cause mild to severe pain, infertility, and heavy periods.
Women living with back pain because of this condition experience pain in the abdomen, lower back and pelvic areas. The amount of pain is necessarily not linked to the extent of endometriosis.
Vitamin D deficiency
Older women living with back pain in the US and Italy are much more likely to have vitamin D deficiency than those who donhave back pain, according to a recent study.
Vitamin D deficiency results in a condition called osteomalacia or adult rickets, which causes muscular weakness and weak bones. This condition is common in elderly women and can cause mild to moderate back pain.
Women are more prone to this disease because they tend to have smaller body frames and more delicate bones 鈥?and because hormonal changes during menopause can cause a loss of bone density.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy is one of the most common reasons why women are living with back pain.
A woman can gain up to 14 kilos when pregnant, which can place enormous strain on the spine and back muscles. Women living with back pain while they are pregnant need to continue exercising with a few simple adjustments and at a lower intensity. For example, walking is a very good exercise and also the easiest and best way to reduce back pain.
Swimming is an excellent non-impact exercise that is very effective in strengthening back muscles. Gentle, restorative yoga can also be very healing 鈥?with careful practice you can specifically target the tight and painful muscles in your lower back and stretch them to reduce back pain.
Regular massages and a tailored nutrition plan are also very effective in helping women living with back pain.
Are Womens Shoes to Blame for Bad Back Pain?
Although this may seem like a minor issue, the shoes some women wear may be contributing to back pain. High heels force the feet and legs to walk in an unnatural position. You may look cute in those heels but your body is definitely paying the price.
Obviously, both men and women are living with back pain and the treatment options are pretty much universal. (with the exception of the pregnancy related back pain)
If you are experiencing back pain and would like to learn more about how to treat it, get a free copy of our book The 7 Day Back Pain Cure.
