It is more likely for smokers to develop chronic back pain compared to non-smokers. This can be attributed to certain lifestyle issues. In general, smokers are less healthy compared to non-smokers. Smoking lowers the ability of the immune system to defend the body against various diseases. Compared to non-smokers, smokers also have more respiratory issues and get more colds.
In addition to this, there are scientifically proven reasons that are now available that show why chronic back pain is caused by smoking:
– Smoking affects parts of the brain that are involved in addiction and forming habits. Smoking stimulates brain activity that is associated with chronic pain resistance. It is more likely for smokers to develop chronic pain due to the fact that their bran pathways are better connected to chronic pain.
– Smokers cough a lot, and that may cause back pain.
– Smoking restricts blood flow to the spine’s disc. Those discs are intended to cushion the vertebrae. In smokers, they degenerate faster.
– Calcium absorption by the body is blocked by smoking, which slows bone repair and growth. Smokers have a higher risk of small fractures in their spines and for osteoporosis.
– It has been shown by studies that the above health risks are reduced when people stop smoking. Over time, calcium absorption will resume, and blood flowing into the spinal discs as well. If you smoke and are experiencing chronic back pain, stopping smoking might help to relieve your pain.
Causes of Back Pain
Back pain has a number of different causes. However, most of them involve structure issues with the spine. Whenever vertebra has even tiny fractures, that can cause pain. It can cause an adjacent disc to be injured, rest on a nerve, or shift out of place. If vertebra becomes unbalanced, that can place more pressure on one of the sides of the disc. When pressure on the disc is lopsided, it can result in the disc sliding out of position.
Nerves run not only through the center of the spinal column but also from the spinal cord and out from in between the vertebrae to other parts of the body. Whenever discs or vertebrae move, it can cause a pinched nerve. Even when the movement isn’t permanent, inflammation can be caused by the pain, which increases pain and places additional pressure on the nerves.
Since the spine as many small structures, there can be several causes of spine pain. Knowing what the cause of this pain is can help to determine what needs to be done to solve the problem.
Assessment of Spine Pan
Assessing what has caused spine pain starts with basic information. When you understand where the pain is in your back and the kind of pain it is, we can start to determine what is causing the pain. We will also need to know how long you have been in pain, when your pain first began, and if you have related symptoms or you were injured.