Why Weight Gain Can Increase Back Pain
If you’ve noticed a correlation between weight gain and increased development of back pain, you’re not alone in your discovery. As a patient gains weight, they tend to develop more aches and pains in various parts of their bodies, especially their lower backs. I’ve always wondered why this is the case, and what exactly the correlation is between the two. Now that I’ve read a great post by Chiro Nexus that examines the association between weight and back pain, I’d like to share what I learned with you, so our understanding of this issue becomes a little clearer.
As it turns out, the main factor behind the back pain and aches that obese and overweight patients tend to experience lies in the height of a patient’s spinal discs.
In patients who are clinically obese, there is an actual loss of height in the spinal discs that occurs in certain areas of thelumbar spine, also known as the lower back, area of the body. When a disc’s height has been reduced, you can be sure that this means that there has actually been deterioration within the cushion of the spinal column. This can allow a disc to bulge or protrude in a manner that creates stiffness, pain, and immobility in the area. There is often a correlation between obesity and reduced spinal disc height, which more than explains the issues faced by many overweight patients today.
Since extra fat on the body is not merely sitting there, but actually works to produce harmful hormones that can increase stress and inflammation in the body, there are a multitude of reasons why it is a good idea to make weight loss a number one priority when it comes to your health. At the very least, you should be able to notice a tremendous difference in the amount of pain and stiffness and soreness you feel in your back, and possibly your neck and shoulders as well.
When you begin to get regular weekly or bi weekly treatments from your doctor of chiropractic, be sure to ask him or her about other natural treatment methods you can try at home to both relieve your pain and discomfort, as well as promote weight loss. Sticking to a regular chiropractic treatment plan, in addition to eating a healthier diet and exercising more frequently, can work to improve you symptoms once and for all.