Skip to main content

Causes of back pain

Often it's not possible to identify the cause of back pain. Doctors call this "non-specific" back pain. Sometimes the pain may be a result of an injury such as a sprain or strain, but often it occurs for no apparent reason. It's very rarely caused by anything serious. Occasionally back pain can be due to a medical condition such as: a slipped (prolapsed) disc – where a disc of cartilage in the spine presses on a nearby nerve sciatica – irritation of the nerve that runs from the pelvis to the feet These conditions tend to cause additional symptoms – such as numbness, weakness or a tingling sensation – and they're treated differently to non-specific back pain.

Popular posts from this blog

What is dementia?

Dementia is a syndrome (a group of related symptoms) associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning. This may include problems with: memory loss thinking speed mental sharpness and quickness language understanding judgement mood movement difficulties carrying out daily activities There are many different causes of dementia. People often get confused about the difference between Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia and, together with vascular dementia, makes up the vast majority of cases. People with dementia can become apathetic or uninterested in their usual activities, or may have problems controlling their emotions. They may also find social situations challenging and lose interest in socialising. Aspects of their personality may change. A person with dementia may lose empathy (understanding and compassion), they may see or hear things that other people do not (hallucinations). Because people with dementia may lose t...
Read more

Stress at work

People with high-stress jobs have twice the risk of developing serious depression or anxiety compared with others in less stressful occupations, The Independent reported. The link between rising rates of depression and rates of work stress means that “one in 20 cases of depression or anxiety annually is attributable to high stress at work”, it stated on August 2 2007. Highly stressed jobs include head chefs and construction workers, the paper reports, and least stressful jobs include looking after children at home, “where there are no deadlines to meet, greater flexibility and no fear of public failure”. The researchers explain that “time pressure is the single most important cause of stress and of the illness to which it leads,” the newspaper said. The research supports the intuitive link between stress at work and the mental health of young working adults. Where did the story come from? The research was carried out by Maria Melchior and colleagues at the Institute of Psychiatry, K...
Read more

About dementia

If you're becoming increasingly forgetful, particularly if you're over the age of 65, it may be a good idea to talk to your GP about the early signs of dementia. As you get older, you may find that memory loss becomes a problem. It's normal for your memory to be affected by stress, tiredness, or certain illnesses and medications. This can be annoying if it happens occasionally, but if it's affecting your daily life or is worrying you or someone you know, you should seek help from your GP. But dementia isn't just about memory loss. It can also affect the way you speak, think, feel and behave. It's also important to remember that dementia is not a natural part of ageing.
Read more