Know The Link Between Infections And Back Pain

When back pain strikes, and it can strike very suddenly and unexpected, the pain can be extreme. Backache is one of the most common ailments with people all over the world, and there are hundreds of different reasons why you could suffer from back pain.

Maybe you were playing some sports and overdid it, pulling or stretching a muscle. Maybe you were involved in an accident that caused the problems, or maybe you just slept awkwardly on a lumpy mattress. Whatever the cause, most of the time, the pain is something that will gradually subside by itself with rest and maybe a couple of painkillers.

More Serious Back Conditions

However, there are times when you may have a much more serious issue, and one that isn’t going to be resolved until you seek out medical treatment.

Some common but more serious conditions that can cause backache include slipped, or herniated discs. This can be an extremely painful condition, as the disc in the spine protrudes and presses down on a nerve, which can cause numbness and a tingling sensation in one or both legs.

Other causes of back pain can include bad or incorrect posture, such as the way you sit in front of a computer screen all day, which can over time affect the curvature of your spine and your neck. Other similar causes can be for driving for long periods of time without stopping to have a stretch or a brief walk.

Backache And Infections

Sometimes people suffer from very painful back aches, but the actual problem isn’t exactly to do with the back itself, and more so due to an infection. Many medical professionals, such as back pain specialist, dr. Hosny, can tell you whether you back pain comes from an infection, or if it’s from a more common cause. In this article we will take a look at some of the different types of infection that can cause someone a lot of discomfort and pain in their back.

Infections Of The Spine

Your spine is one of the most important skeletal structures in your body and though uncommon, it can be infected which can lead to a lot of pain.

Many people have suffered from infections that have occurred after they have had surgery. The time frame for this can range from just a few days after surgery through to several months. In most cases, the infection is caused by fungal organisms or bacteria.

There are a number of spine conditions such as intervertebral infections which are when the space between the vertebrae in the back and can cause abscesses. Some of these include spinal epidural abscess which developed in the tissue that wraps around the nerve roots and spinal cord.

Lyme Disease

This is an illness that forms due to the presence of Borrelia bacteria, and can affect more than 300,000 individuals across the U.S. and Europe each year. In most cases, it is transmitted by ixodes ticks, whose bite is usually not even noticed by the individual.

There are various symptoms of Lyme Disease that are felt within the first month of infection and which range from flu like symptoms, headaches, aching muscles and fatigue. Other symptoms can also develop within days or even months that include things such as stiffness of the neck, shooting pains around the body, nerve pains and even the potential to experience memory loss for a short period.

Lower back pain is also a common symptom that many individuals will suffer from as time passes and the disease progresses.

Kidney Or Bladder Infections

Urinary tract infections are not much fun at all, and can cause an extreme level of discomfort for some sufferers. It is usually caused by bacteria in the bladder, which enters through the urethra. If the infection is not properly treated, it can develop into a much more serious problem, such as pyelonephritis, which is a condition where the upper urinary system is affected.

Most of the time this infection can be treated with antibiotics, so it is important that you speak to your doctor if you notice any of the symptoms such as feeling ill and weak, nausea, fever and back pain. You might also notice that the colour of your urine has darkened or may appear a little cloudy.

Some final thoughts

Though most of the time, backaches are generally due to a specific issue with the back itself, such as a muscle strain, or something more serious such a herniated disc, it’s important to remember that there may be other factors at play.

If you are suffering from back pains, but haven’t done anything that could have caused them, such as lifting something heavy, or having a fall or accident, then you might want to check with your local doctor in case you have an infection that could be causing you the pain in the back that you are experiencing.