Back Pain in Women: Most Common Causes

There are all kinds of issues that can cause a woman to feel back pain, but the good news is that most of these issues can be managed fairly easily. Of course, for situations where you feel severe back pain to the point where it’s interfering with your daily life, that’s something different and it should be handled immediately. Severe pain could be an indicator of a major problem, and should not be ignored for that reason. Back pains which are relatively minor could be due to any of the reasons listed below, and they mostly fall into the category of acute back pain that can be managed with painkillers, stretching exercises, and various home remedies.

Pregnancy

If you’re experiencing lower back pain and there’s a possibility that you could be pregnant, it will be worth your while to take a pregnancy test. Back pain happens to be very common during pregnancy, although it generally doesn’t surface until the later stages. This is because by that time, a woman is carrying a heavier load and there’s much more strain on the back muscles. When pregnancy is the cause of your back pain, it generally appears between the fifth and seventh month, when you’re gaining weight and your body is preparing for birth.

Endometriosis

This is a condition where tissue which normally lines the uterus begins growing outside the uterus. In these scenarios, the tissue will grow on the fallopian tubes, the ovaries, and other tissue which is situated around the pelvis. When this happens, many women will feel pelvic pain and lower back pain as primary symptoms. Any woman who suspects she’s suffering from endometriosis should make an appointment with her general practitioner, so the situation can be further investigated.

Premenstrual pain

If you begin to feel lower back pain at some point during the month, it might very well be the onset of your monthly period just beginning. Generally a few days before your actual period, you’ll experience premenstrual syndrome that will continue for several days until the cycle actually begins. Many women experience lower back pain during premenstrual syndrome, in addition to such symptoms as bloating and cramping.

Muscle strain

If you experience a flare up lower back pain after a strenuous workout, or if you suddenly notice back pain after some kind of injury, it’s entirely possible that you have strained a muscle. Muscle strains are one of the most common causes of lower back pain, and some good examples are heavy lifting, a sudden awkward movement, twisting awkwardly, or over-stretching a given set of muscles. Many of these muscle strains will subside and heal on their own, but if your case seems to be different, you should contact your general practitioner. If your doctor is unable to provide you with relief for the muscle strain, he/she will be able to refer you to a physiotherapist who can recommend a program of treatment.

Ovarian cysts

Cysts are sacs filled with fluid which sometimes develop on the ovaries, and for the most part these are benign in nature. In most cases, cysts only cause pain if they happen to rupture, or when they get so large that they inhibit blood supply to the ovaries. When this happens, lower back pain is a very common result, and you might also feel pelvic pain at the same time. Other common symptoms of ovarian cysts include constipation as well as more frequent urination. If you suspect you may have an ovarian cyst, you should check with your family doctor to seek medical advice on how to proceed.

Issues with bones

There are a number of different issues with bones that can trigger lower back pain. Some of those include slipped discs, and spondylolisthesis, which is a condition where spinal bones slip out of position. Another possibility would be ankylosing spondylitis, which is a long-term condition characterized by severe inflammation of the spine and other bodily areas. If you have any of these bone issues, your family doctor will be able to advise you on steps to be taken.

Kidney infections

One of the most common symptoms associated with a kidney infection is lower back pain. When you have this kind of back pain, it will generally make you feel slightly feverish, chilly, or outright sick. When you experience symptoms like this, it’s best to contact your family physician right away, so tests can be run to diagnose whether or not you have a kidney infection. If so, some further steps will be necessary to manage it, and relieve your lower back pain.