Back pain, particularly in the lower back, is quite a common ailment in America. To resolve this unnecessary pain, there are some subtle causes of back pain that you must address in order to get lasting relief. Here are some of those common causes that often go undetected and the best method to get low back pain relief in Pleasant Hill.

Sleep disorder

Are you having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? You could be suffering from a sleep disorder that's causing pain in your lower back, neck, and shoulders. If you have chronic pain, getting enough sleep is very important because it does not only help your body recover from the day's stressors but also helps to keep inflammation levels down in your body so that pain can be managed more effectively. Your doctor may recommend taking a prescription medication if you're having trouble sleeping because of your chronic pain.

Stress

Stress is another common cause of low back pain, and it can also exacerbate other causes. While stress isn't always the direct cause of your issue, it can worsen existing problems. Here are some ways stress affects your body:

Muscle tension

When you're stressed, your muscles tighten up and become tense—and that tension may become chronic if the source of your stress isn't addressed. This could lead to chronic muscle soreness and pain in general, including in your back.

Headaches and migraines

The ADAA a.k.a. Anxiety And Depression Association Of America estimates that millions of Americans deal with headaches each year due to anxiety and depression; many others experience other types of pain while stressed out as well (such as stomachache).

Emotional trauma

To avoid the ups and downs that come with emotional trauma, you must address it head-on. Start by identifying the exact source of your back pain and how it relates to your emotions. Is it related to a recent family crisis? Are you experiencing feelings of stress or depression?

The answers may vary from person to person, but they all point toward one conclusion: that there's an underlying reason for your current level of physical discomfort. If left untreated, this could lead down an even darker path than just having some sore muscles in your back.

Bad posture

Stress might make you slump forward more than usual at work or at home: slumping tends to put more pressure on the lower back than sitting upright does, which can exacerbate existing conditions like arthritis (or even cause them).

Sustained poor posture is definitely a common cause of back pain, but it doesn't stop there. Poor posture can also lead to headaches, digestive problems, and circulation issues. Great news is that you can correct your poor posture with just a few simple lifestyle changes.

Arthritis

This inflammation of the joints is a well-known cause of low back pain. It can affect any joint in your body, including your hips, knees, and ankles. The exact causes of arthritis are unclear, but factors such as age, genetics, and weight are known to play a part.

Arthritis can be treated with medications that reduce inflammation or relieve pain. You don't have to suffer all your life because there are things you can do to ease your pain symptoms until they go away completely.

Lack of exercise

Exercise is truly important when it comes to reducing low back pain because it helps strengthen your muscles, increase flexibility and balance, improve circulation and lung capacity, help you sleep better at night, and reduce stress. There's no specific amount of exercise that works best for everyone.

You can start with a small goal, such as walking 30 minutes daily, and gradually increase from there. If you're not sure how intense the activity should be or if you should be doing different kinds of exercises, talk with a doctor or physical therapist about what would work best for your condition, and perhaps squeeze in an effective method that you can try alongside your new-found active lifestyle for low back pain relief in Pleasant Hill.

Unhealthy diet

A poor diet is one of the most common back pain triggers. Eating food high in saturated fat and trans fat, like french fries and ice cream, makes your body less efficient at metabolizing glucose. This can cause spikes in blood sugar, leading to insulin production—a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels by moving glucose molecules into cells. Insulin also helps store excess energy as fat.

When this process goes awry and too much glucose builds up in the bloodstream (hyperglycemia), it can be toxic for nerve cells and may even lead to neuropathy or nerve damage, which then leads to numerous chronic pains, including that in your lower back.

Time to Experience Lasting Back Pain Relief in Pleasant Hill

There's no such thing as an "easy fix" when it comes to low back pain. If you're suffering from chronic or recurring pain, you need to address the issues that are causing it in the first place. There's no one right way to do this—but there are some wrong ways that can lead back down the same path of discomfort. Luckily there is a method that, with consistency and intent, has proven to yield lasting results for low back pain relief in Pleasant Hill. This is called Upper Cervical Chiropractic!

Whether you're in search for chronic pain relief or just want to prevent future issues before they begin, an Upper Cervical Chiropractor can offer you a solution that works best for your unique situation. Dr. Woolf of Woolf Spinal Care is a trusted Doctor of Chiropractic that you can visit in Pleasant Hill. You can visit his practice in Pleasant Hill, CA, where he has helped thousands of people address their low back pain. Please schedule your appointment with him via email, phone, or the clinic’s online consultation form.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Woolf, call our Pleasant Hill office at 925-798-1770. You can also click the button below.

If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.