Back pain is a common occurrence that plagues many individuals at some point in their lives. There are numerous causes for back pain that range from minor issues to major medical problems.

Back pain is a relatively generic term that is often used to describe any occurrence of pain within the area of the back. In many cases it is very difficult to determine the exact cause of this pain while in others the cause may be somewhat obvious. When you seek medical attention for general back pain it is very important that you be able to tell them a few things about your particular type of back pain.

One of the first things that a health care provider will most likely ask you is if you have sustained a recent injury that may be responsible for the pain in which you are feeling. Then you will be asked to describe this pain to the best of your ability. For instance, is the pain sharp or dull? A sharp pain often hits suddenly and intensely and lasts for a short period of time whereas a dull pain may manifest as a throbbing or aching that is present for a long period of time. Being able to tell doctors which of these are the case will ultimately help in determining the source or cause of the pain.

If you have not sustained any sort of injury that may have led to the cause of this pain there are other factors that may be considered. One of these factors is a person’s size. If a person is overweight or obese it often causes back pain over a period of time. This is often due to the body being forced to sustain and support excessive amounts of weight over extended periods of time.

If size is not an issue the next step is usually to perform an x-ray or MRI in order to determine if there is any visible damage that may be causing the pain. In a large number of cases this often reveals that a muscle has been damaged causing the person to feel pain in the back when they move in certain ways.

If it has been determined that damage or injury to muscles has occurred your doctor will most likely prescribe muscle relaxers to reduce the inflammation and swelling of the muscle and cause it to relax in order to allow for healing. Your doctor may also prescribe pain killers if the pain has been determined to be severe enough to warrant it. You will most likely also be advised to limit physical strenuous activities to allow the injured area time to heal and prevent making the injury worse and causing even more problems.

When this happens it is very important that you follow your health care provider’s instructions. Not doing so can lead to permanent muscle damage and can lead to severe long-lasting back pain.