Is Back Pain Normal As You Age?

Your spine is vitally important on two levels: Along with your brain, it’s part of your body’s command center, or central nervous system (CNS); along with your core, it supports healthy posture and helps facilitate virtually every move you make.  

It’s not surprising that back pain is the second most frequent reason (after the common cold) that people visit health care providers each year — or, that an estimated 80-90% of adults in the United States can expect to experience persistent back pain at some point in their lives. 

As pain management experts who specialize in helping people attain long-lasting relief from back pain, Dr. Stephanie Jones and our skilled team at Consultants in Pain Medicine: Stephanie S. Jones, MD in San Antonio, Texas want you to know that for as common as it is, especially with age, mobility-limiting back pain doesn’t have to be inevitable. 

Back pain affects people of all ages 

Back pain is a common problem that affects adults of all ages and from every walk of life. In fact, young and middle-aged adults (aged 18-44) account for two in five (41%) back pain cases in the United States at any given time. Adults with back pain spend a collective 200 million days in bed each year, and back pain is the nation’s top cause of missed work.

Back pain has a multitude of possible underlying causes, ranging from acute injuries (muscle strain) and short-term conditions (pregnancy) to repetitive overuse injuries (spondylolysis), long-term conditions (being overweight; chronic poor posture) and progressive degenerative changes (spinal stenosis; arthritis). 

Likewise, the nature and severity of back pain can also vary widely. It may be intermittent or ongoing, localized or widespread, radiate into other body areas, occur with activity or worsen after rest, feel mild or intense, or demonstrate an ever-evolving combination of qualities.   

Understanding age-related back pain 

Even though back pain is an equal-opportunity health concern, it’s one that becomes more prevalent with age. Simply put, the older you are, the more likely you are to experience back pain. This is especially true for aging adults who:

• Are overweight or don’t exercise
• Smoke or use tobacco products
• Have stress, depression, or anxiety
• Have a highly physical occupation 
• Don’t use proper lifting techniques
• Have doctor-diagnosed arthritis  

Some say that backaches are simply par for the course in older age, but we like to think that the question isn’t one of inevitability — it’s a question of degree. 

If normal degenerative changes affect virtually every aging spine at some point, it’s important to be able to sort out when back pain is normal, and when you may be experiencing symptoms of a bigger problem that calls for expert care. Top causes of age-related back pain are:

Herniated discs

Often, age-related back pain comes down to a disc problem. Situated between the vertebrae of your spine, these small, gel-filled cushions act as shock absorbers and motion facilitators. 

When normal age-related changes progressively break down your spinal discs — a common condition known as degenerative disc disease — these increasingly dry and rigid cushions are more likely to bulge, herniate (tear), or rupture, causing the misshapen disc or its leaking fluid to compress and irritate nearby nerve roots. 

Osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteoarthritis (OA) — also known as wear-and-tear arthritis or degenerative joint disease — is another leading cause of chronic back pain in older adults. It occurs when the cartilage that lines the facet joints between each vertebra gradually breaks down, leading to bone-on-bone contact and spinal nerve compression that causes inflammation, pain, and stiffness.

OA often occurs alongside other degenerative spinal changes, including degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis.

Spinal stenosis 

Spinal stenosis is a progressive, degenerative narrowing of the spinal canal that gives rise to chronic back pain, numbness, and cramping as it places increasing pressure and strain on the spinal cord and nerves. Aging is a top risk factor for spinal stenosis, but the condition can also emerge because of OA-related changes or degenerative disc disease. 

Keeping your back healthy as you age

As you can see, the conditions that frequently cause back pain in older adults stem from normal, age-related spinal changes — each of which increases the risk of experiencing further degenerative changes and more back pain.  

None of these back pain problems are completely avoidable, but you can promote optimal spine health and reduce your risk of developing severe degenerative issues by:

• Maintaining a healthy body weight
• Prioritizing daily low-impact exercise  
• Strengthening your core muscles 
• Practicing regular stretching exercises
• Establishing healthy posture habits 
• Wearing supportive, low-heeled shoes
• Avoiding smoking and tobacco use

Getting support for chronic stress, depression, and anxiety can also help protect your back, as can taking steps to mitigate job-related risk factors wherever possible. For example, if you have a desk job, finding ways to improve your posture and get out of your chair can help you avoid future back pain problems. 

You don’t have to live with back pain

While a bit of mild back pain may be perfectly normal as you age, you don’t have to live with pain that stops you in your tracks, limits your mobility, or persists for months on end. We can help. To learn more or to schedule a visit at Consultants in Pain Medicine: Stephanie S. Jones, MD in San Antonio, Texas, call (210) 934-7987 or click online today.