Back pain is in general unpleasant. But it may sometimes become unbearable and excruciating. It generally occurs as a symptom of certain illnesses which cause damage to back bones, muscles, discs and tendons. However, excruciating pain may also affect pregnant women particularly in later stages of pregnancy. It is estimated that excruciating back pain affects four out of five adults at least once in their lifetime. Because it is a frequent complaint people should be familiar with possible causes of this rather unpleasant sensation.
Excruciating Back Pain and Different Medical Conditions
A variety of medical conditions of the spine is responsible for the onset of excruciating back pain. Apart from illnesses the pain may be also associated with different injuries.
Lumbar muscle strain is one of the leading causes of excruciating back pain. The pain in this case starts suddenly and is in most cases triggered by lifting heavy objects, wrong posture and lack of conditioning of the back muscles. Lumbar muscle strain is more common in people suffering from nutrient deficiencies and may be also a side effect of certain medications. The pain in this case occurs due to spasm of the affected muscles. Fortunately, the condition is not serious and the pain subsides either spontaneously or with the assistance of certain medications.
Another cause of excruciating back pain is osteoarthritis of the spine joints. The condition affects normal structure of the joints, leads to their degeneration and may affect joints of different parts of the spine. Osteoarthritis predominantly affects older adults although it may also occur in younger people.
In spinal stenosis the narrowing of the space surrounding the spinal cord leads to compression of spinal nerves and subsequent back pain. Similarly, any damage, degeneration or wearing out of the spinal discs may be related to compression of the nearby spinal nerves and lead to excruciating back pain. And finally, compression or irritation of the spinal nerves can be related to herniation or rupture of the spinal discs.
Apart from the previously mentioned excruciating back pain is also a characteristic of osteoporosis of the vertebrae, scoliosis and it may be associated with fibromyalgia.
Excruciating Back Pain and Pregnancy
Pregnant women commonly complain about back pain. If it occurs the pain predominantly affects lower portions of the spine and it usually becomes more intensive during the second and especially the third trimester. Almost 80% of all pregnant women actually suffer from back pain. There are several factors that contribute to the onset of back pain during pregnancy. The pain may be connected to hormonal changes, increased weight, prolonged sitting, previous spine deformities etc. The pain may subside with rest and if it continues or become more intensive a woman is due to report it to her health care provider.
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