5 Biggest Problems of Lower Back Pain

By Sherwin Nicholson | Updated May 1, 2020

lower back pain and your muscles

It’s not just your spine but your quality of life (and even those around you)

This article is to make you more aware of what you can do to minimize the many effects of lower back pain.  I have listed the 5 biggest ones so that you can know what to do to prevent your condition from causing further harm to you and others.

Whether your lower back pain has developed suddenly or slowly over time, the effects on our bodies, our lives and in the lives of others is dramatic.

Your quality of life usually changes and becomes more challenging as your pain worsens.  More restrictions, adjustments and increased fear and anxiety become a big part of your life.  There is less free time to enjoy as you spend more time managing pain.

Most suffer not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally.  Unfortunately for some, it becomes a chronic condition requiring long-term management of discomfort.

It is important to note that not everyone with lower back pain is at risk for this. Many people are still able to relieve, reverse, and recover and resume their normal lives again.

Sometimes the fear of re-injury (especially while are already sore) or worsening a present injury can intimidate you from getting help.

Here are the 5 biggest problems you can have with back pain:

Physical:

    • Becoming progressively less physically conditioned and fit.
    • Greater muscle weakness, less tone, less responsiveness and risk of injury.
    • Less overall stamina and endurance.

Social and Emotional:

    • A decrease in social activity due to increased need for rest from injury.
    • Having to avoid more enjoyable activities with friends and family.
    • Mental and emotional fatigue from pursuing and failing many avenues of relief from various sources of help.
    • Changes in your mood, emotions and feelings such irritability, fear, worry from the stress that comes from chronic pain.
    • Fear of the unknown: not knowing whether your discomfort is long term or not
    • the emotional toll of not knowing what to do, who to ask, where to go and how to find help.
    • Anxiety and depression that can occur from chronic symptoms and also frustration as the level of discomfort changes throughout the day.
    • The guilt and/or sadness of not being able to contribute well to your own well being, your loved ones and others in your community.
    • The sense of disconnection that results from not being able to show and emphasize the severity of your pain to others.
    • The feeling of loneliness as it can seem that others are living a more comfortable life than yours and are unable to help.
    • More feelings of despair as those around you become less available or supportive as your pain becomes harder to treat.

Progression:

    • Greater risk in areas other than the lower back.
    • Greater injury to the vertebrae, discs, joints, ligaments, etc.
    • Increased lumbar, hip, knee and leg muscle and joint stiffness.

Functional:

    • Progressively more difficulty performing routine tasks.
    • Becoming less able to perform your duties and responsibilities at work or home as well as before.
    • Difficulty sleeping well, sitting for long periods, standing for long periods, basic activities.
    • Less self-sufficiency and more dependency for assistance.
    • Constant fatigue and tiredness.
    • Wasted time, energy and effort in finding the correct medication and their inherent risks and side effects.
    • Adjustments in your career to accommodate for your symptoms.  Time off work.  Job changes.  Working less often.
    • Having to perform specific tasks despite the pain and having to prepare for the discomfort afterwards.

Financial:

    • More financial responsibility for management and treatment.
    • The cost of time and money for finding the correct medication and their inherent risks and side effects.
    • Loss of financial support from loss of time from work.

Most of the problems associated with back pain can be dealt with directly on your own. Even if you are receiving treatment from a health professional, they can also provide you with valuable self help tips to make your transition out of discomfort easier.

Options to Explore

If you are experiencing pain and are familiar with these impacts as mentioned, do not allow yourself to feel alone or give up.  Understand that you are not alone.  There are effective treatment options that you can use to help you with your particular condition.

If you are visiting this site for information for the purpose of helping others, consider yourself blessed.

Use your freedom from this debilitating condition to learn more about prevention and to reduce the risks for yourself.  If you can use this opportunity to help others, we commend you.  Given how isolating this condition can be, your help is valuable. You can begin by sharing the information that is available on this site and the exercises available in the eBook.

Keep going and use these tips to protect you:

When you hurt in the morning

When it hurts for you to stand

When sitting at work all day is harmful for you

References:

References for this page can be found on the sitewide page.