Back pain is one of the leading causes of impaired movement and chronic pain in the world, and if you’re suffering from it, it’s integral that you don’t ignore it and take steps to fix it since it can cause a lot more problems. Another potential issue that it can cause is general joint pain, which is even worse in old age, leading to impaired movement and range of motion. Keep reading to find out how your back pain may be related to your joint pain and what you can do to fix it.
Muscle Imbalance and Pain
The way you walk and move around plays a strong role in the health of both your back and muscles, and both are interconnected in terms of cause and symptoms. If you’re having back pain, your back muscles may be strained, especially if you’re prioritizing one kind of posture over another, which will cause some of your back muscles to be stronger than others. This imbalance will naturally cause your body posture to shift, and this shift will result in both back pain and, eventually, joint pain. Unfortunately, this problem is hard to correct, and the only thing you can do is to change your habits until you see a difference in the long term. This shows how important it is to move in ways that keep your whole body feeling good.
Compensation
Your back is the part of your body and skeleton that’s built to handle most of the stress of your upper body and control and regulate movement. However, if you’re experiencing back pain, you may be changing your posture and movement unconsciously to put more stress on joints that aren’t sore, so that movement is easier, and this is called compensation. Through compensation, joints like your elbows, knees, and hips may be dealing with more weight and physical stress than they’re supposed to, and, over time, they’ll start hurting and get sore, too. You may consider seeking professional back pain treatment in Chicago or a location convenient to your residence to help you find ways to feel better and stop the pain in both your back and other joints.
Nerve Irritation
Nerve irritation is a cause of many problems in the human body since the nerves form the appendages of the nervous system, which control every impulse, conscious or not, throughout the body, many of these nerves are present in the spinal cord, which the back houses. These nerves travel to nearby joints, too, allowing you to move the nearby muscles and coordinate muscle contraction throughout the body, and back pain can cause these nerves to get compressed or irritated. Nerve compression, like in the case of sciatica, can cause back pain that travels down the leg and affects the hip and knee joints. Managing and addressing nerve compression through appropriate care and lifestyle adjustments becomes crucial in breaking this cycle of discomfort.
Posture Issues
When your back hurts due to conditions like arthritis or spinal stenosis, it triggers inflammatory responses, a process where the body tries to protect itself but can lead to more pain. This inflammation doesn’t stay confined to the back—it can spread to nearby joints, making the pain worse. It’s like a domino effect, where discomfort in one area sets off a chain reaction throughout your muscles and joints. This inflammatory response is a significant factor in the interconnectedness of back pain and joint pain. Understanding this process helps in tackling both types of pain effectively, often requiring strategies that target inflammation to break the cycle and alleviate the overall musculoskeletal discomfort.
Conclusion
The human body is more interconnected than many people realize. An issue in one spot can cause a myriad of problems everywhere else, and the back is a perfect example. One of the most common complaints out there is that back pain causes joint pain, an issue that is difficult to fix and one that requires care and attention. Luckily, if you use the information in this article, you’ll be able to understand the cause of the pain in your body and take steps to improve it.
