Have you suddenly started experiencing back pain? If so, you should know that there are a great many possible causes of your pain and that, more often than not, figuring out the cause is the key to getting the relief you need. While you can try and figure out the cause yourself, keep in mind that it's always best to get an official diagnosis from a medical professional, such as a chiropractor, who cannot only properly diagnose you but who can also offer you treatment options. Of course, having a good idea of what is causing your pain can definitely help to speed up the whole process, which is why it's not a bad idea to be aware of some of the more common causes of back pain to determine if one of them is to blame.

Strenuous Activity

One of the most common ways in which people injure their backs, often without realizing it, is through engaging in some kind of strenuous activity, especially one they are not used to. So, if you recently played a game of basketball or had a tennis match, that could be the cause of your newfound back pain. Or maybe you moved or lifted something heavy or started a new exercise.

Whatever the case may be, these types of injuries are often due to things like pinched nerves or muscle strain, which can grow serious (and even more painful!) if left untreated, making it important to get to a chiropractor right away.

Poor Posture

Another common reason that your back may be aching — particularly your lower back — is if you are the kind of person who has poor posture. Slouching and slumping can easily cause back pain, and poor posture needs to be corrected quickly to keep this pain from becoming a lifelong problem.

Chiropractors are, fortunately, very good at detecting poor posture and providing simple options for sitting up and standing up straighter, thereby alleviating back pain and preventing it in the future.

Long Periods of Standing or Sitting

Finally, if you are on your feet a lot or, contrarily, sitting down a lot, this could easily put strain on the back. The back and its delicate muscles and parts weren't meant to stay in one position for too long, so remaining in a given position is an easy way to end up suffering from bad back pain.

As you can see, there are all kinds of potential causes of back pain, and while determining the cause is important, figuring out the cure is even more important. Thus, no matter what you suspect is to blame for your back pain, get yourself to a chiropractor pronto! Contact a clinic like University Physical Medicine to learn more.