Referred pain is pain that is triggered in a specific part of the body, but you feel pain elsewhere, rather than at the local site of the triggering point.
When it comes to the spine, certain back and neck problems may cause referred pain to other parts of the body.
When a nerve in the neck becomes trapped, it can lead to pain the neck, shoulders, and even headaches, along with muscle tension, stiffness, and potentially other symptoms as well.
Back pain that tends to get worse is usually caused by engaging in activities that put increased strain on the spine, poor posture, ageing, as well as other factors.
Not all forms of back pain, such as generalised back pain, may lead to headaches, but rather only conditions that affect the cervical spine may be to blame.
Some of the most common muscle-related issues that lead to pain in the lower back include muscle overuse, injuries to the lumbar spine, as well as weak muscles. When the muscle imbalances are addressed, the pain in the lower back should then subside.
Some of the most common reasons to experience back pain when breathing include muscle strain, spinal deformities and poor posture.
Facet joints are placed in-between bone structures situated on the outer back side of the vertebrae, called facets.
Because these joints absorb impact from motions of the spine, when they end up degenerating, spinal bones may end up rubbing against one another, and lead to more complications, such as compression of the spinal nerves, or even the spinal cord in extreme cases.
Apart from the pain that may prevent us from doing activities that require movement and physical effort (such as spending time doing the sports we love, or spending time with our families), people with back pain (especially the chronic type) are at risk of developing more serious conditions, if the main issue is left untreated.
This condition can severely impact the quality of life of the sufferer, and if left untreated can worsen and lead to painful complications that are discussed in more detail within this article.
Thoracic kyphosis is a spinal deformity in which the thoracic spine presents an exaggerated outward curvature, leading to an unnatural shape.
A bulging disc refers to the process where the soft inner tissue (nucleus) of one of the spinal discs slips out of its protective shell.
Thoracic pain is back pain that occurs in the middle (or thoracic) region of the spine.
