It’s Not Just Your Back: What Your Back Pain Is Really Telling You

Will this ever end? Another sleepless night, another outing canceled, this is what a life with pain looks like. Pain is a ruthless adversary that tears individuals down and breaks families apart.

Sleep, energy, and joy are the first three things chronic pain will steal from you. Are you one of the 50 million people suffering from it? Every day, Americans force themselves to “get through” yet another long and strenuous day.

Yes, pain is horrible, but it also serves a purpose. Your body only has so many ways to communicate with you, and sending pain signals is one of them. In addition, back muscle pain could be a symptom of other underlying health hazards. Have you recently started having back problems? Or maybe you’ve had them all your life? Read on to find out what you’re body is trying to tell you.

Back Muscle Pain and Lung Cancer

Back pain is a symptom of some cancer in some instances. For example, did you know one of the first symptoms of lung cancer is back muscle pain? Almost 25% of people with lung cancer say back pain was their first noticeable symptom.

Here are some symptoms that could point toward lung cancer.

  • Pain present while staying still
  • Pain worsens the longer you lie still
  • It gets worse with deep breaths
  • Physical therapy doesn’t relieve discomfort
  • Pain becomes worse without any activity

Having any of the above symptoms doesn’t mean you have lung cancer. If you’re dealing with back problems, there are several nonsurgical treatments, like spinal decompression, which you can read more about.

How Cancer Causes Spinal Pain

How does lung cancer cause you back or muscle pain? When there’s a tumor in the lungs, it puts pressure on the spine. When pressures are put on your spine, the surrounding nerves react negatively. So nerves around your chest wall and spine can become pinched or irritated by the presence of the tumor. Another way lung cancer affects your back is through malignant tumors that aren’t adding pressure.

The presence of malignant tumors can irritate the nerves on the linings of your lungs and chest wall. The irritated nerves can send a sharp and frequent pain signal to your brain.

Another way lung cancer relates to back dolor is when it spreads to your spine. About 30% of lung cancer patients experience malignancy spread. When a malignancy spreads, it can move from the lungs to the spine and bones. Finally, lung cancer can also apply to the adrenal glands. When this happens, individuals experience localized pain since its location is right above the kidney.

Spinal Infection

A spinal infection can occur from bacteria or fungus. When one part of the body fights off disease, it can spread to other areas. Sometimes bacterial or fungal infections travel through the bloodstream and the spine.

One of the most common spinal infections is Staphylococcus aureus. The second most infamous spinal infection is Escherichia coli. Several risk factors increase your chances of developing a spinal infection. Here are a few risk factors that can compromise your immune system.

  • Poor nutrition
  • Organ transplants
  • Long-term steroid use
  • Being a senior citizen
  • Diabetes
  • HIV

Any above conditions can put your body at a greater risk of infection. Once the infection’s present, your spine is at risk as well.

Spinal Infection Symptoms

If you think you might have a spinal infection, here are some symptoms you could experience.

  • High temperature
  • Difficulty urinating
  • Weight loss
  • Muscle spasms
  • Neurological impairment
  • Extreme back pain

You might only have a few symptoms at first and, over time, find you have more. For example, severe pain isn’t usually the first symptom, yet it’s the most common. You’ll need to maintain a proper diet to prevent a spinal infection. Eating healthy foods and drinking plenty of water helps your body’s immune system function efficiently.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

An abdominal aortic aneurysm or triple-A can directly impact your spinal health. Unfortunately, there aren’t always symptoms, which is why triple A’s can be fatal.

When symptoms are present, they are:

  • Pain near naval
  • Sharp Pains
  • Pulsing sensation
  • Lower back pain
  • Groin pain
  • Chest pain

Several factors put you at a higher risk of getting a triple-A. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking are 3 of them.

Relieve and Eliminate Stress

Stress and anxiety can also cause your body to experience back muscle pain. A part of your body’s way of responding to stress is to tighten its muscles. If you’re constantly experiencing stress, your muscles never get a chance to relax.

Low-impact activities, like yoga, can effectively eliminate stress and reduce pain levels. But, of course, you’ll want to check with your doctor before beginning a new exercise plan. If you’re not ready to try a recent activity, maybe you need to pamper yourself.

Take time out of your week to plan a special spa day. Draw up a nice bath, listen to relaxing music, and let yourself unwind. Let the stress melt off of you, and feel the pain lighten up as you relax more and more.

Good Sites Like wants our readers to have the best online choices. It’s our goal to make your life easier with our quality information and valuable resources. Are you still looking for answers to your medical questions? Check out our latest article, all about six medical websites like WebMD.


Diana Muniz
Diana Muniz

With over 20+ years of experience in a variety of corporate and entrepreneurial environments, Diana has developed a great understanding of Marketing Strategy, Brand Development, Customer Success, Public Relations and Management. Her internal drive for developing others and external brands, has allowed her to work in some of the largest cities in the world including Milan, Paris, NY, Mexico, and the Middle East. This experience has been fundamental to Diana’s success and ability to communicate cross-culturally.

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