Why are back injuries often chronic?

It seems once you injure your back, it makes it easier to do it in the future. In some cases, one injury seems to lead to pain that keeps coming back even without a new injury. You may wonder why back pain becomes a chronic condition so often. According to the Mayo Clinic, the reason is usually an underlying issue that leads to back pain. If you deal with a back injury that happens at work in North Carolina, it may help to understand these underlying causes as your injury may not be what it seems, which is essential to know when it comes to workers’ compensation. 

Often, reoccurring back pain is the result of injuring a disk. The disks in your back may move due to a rupture or injury to the soft tissue. This can cause pressure on the nerves, which then leads to pain. This condition may require further medical care to fix. 

You may do certain things at work that cause a strain on your back muscles. Repetitive stress injuries to the back can and do happen. The problem is that you may not realize your work activities cause the pain because it does not hurt when you work. The pain comes after. 

Your pain may not be an injury at all. It could be the result of a curve in your spine or arthritis. These conditions occur on their own within your body and often do result in pain. 

You might be able to reduce your pain or prevent reoccurring issues by exercising more often and strengthening your back muscles. Practicing proper lifting procedures may also help. If your doctor suggests that you do something to help with the pain, you should follow his or her advice because it could stop your back pain from becoming a chronic issue. This information is for education and is not legal advice.