Is this back pain serious?!
Question:
Is this back pain serious?
I am 18. Never before had UPPER back pain. I only experience it after work. At work I use a 17 pound weed wacker with no harness and am moving constantly for 8 hours. The pain is only very slight and never lasts for more than 2 hours. Its more of a discomfort than a pain feeling. Should I be worried about this?
Answers:
At 18 you should not be experiencing back pain of any form. If your fitness levels are not great then the weight from the weed wacker may have overloaded the muscles and joints in not just your upper back but lower back also.
The low back and upper back work together, so the lower back may also be not working correctly, even if you are not experiencing pain there.
Pain is like a fire alarm - it arrives well after the fire has started. So the pain you have now may have been building for a while and the weed wacker has tripped the fire alarm. Your lower back may be next.
8 hours is a long time to do any type of activity continuously. If you have the weed wacker out from your body then you will put excessive strain on your spine and muscles. You need to use a harness and definitely take breaks every hour or so. Otherwise you need to increase the strength of your spine. This means improving the nerve and blood supply to the area, balancing the spine and also doing exercise to increase strength.
Treatment from a Chiropractor, Physio or even massage may help but you will need ongoing care unless you learn to do a few things yourself to help the area.
But at 18 the strength should be easy to gain, the balance in the spine should be easy as it will be only a minor, problem at your age. You are not doomed to a life of pain... unless you do nothing to help it now. Don't wait until you start getting other aches and pains. Which will be a sign of your spine and muscles detiorating faster.
There is a good free e-course on some stretches and exercises you can do, see it at http://www.back-pain-advisor.com/back-so... or you can contact the Back Pain Advisor for help, advice or to point you in the right direction, contact them at http://www.back-pain-advisor.com/index.h... as tey are very helpful.
But do look after it now, don't wait.