Lower Back Pain in Women: The Risk is Higher than Men

It’s not that women are supposedly self-claiming and complaining. In fact, lower back pain in women is more likely to occur than men.

Modern studies say that lower back pain in women shows a higher occurrence than men. A higher number of back pain causes in women often take place in the lumbar spine and pelvic area.

A gap between both results, mainly due to the physiological differences between women and men.

Moreover, differences in those problems also caused by hormonal activity throughout their life as it was published in the US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

The pain, however, is naturally common to both genders. But in this case, such back pain risk factors are exclusively female-specific.

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What causes a higher occurrence of lower back pain in women?

Firstly, in general case, the variety of possible causes for your lower back pain are muscle tension and ligament strain. This is the result of inappropriate loads of skeletal and musculoskeletal system.

As we know, there are differences between male and female anatomy. In this case, morphological and hormonal system.

Women have more curvy lumbar spine than men

According to Human Kinetics, the lumbar spine in women is more curved than men. Also, the pelvis is tilted anteriorly or slightly to the front.

 

This is resulting in the sway-backed appearance often found in women. And of course, slouched spine position is not so good for the back to maintain body weight.

Additionally, the lower part of the spine must carry the entire weight of the upper body. It will surely aggravate the risk of lower back pain in women.

LBP is commonly caused by poor posture. Though in more wide case, men also have the same tendency but in different number.

Moreover, you can locate the causes of pain in the lower back on different body parts, including the neck, upper back, abdominal, pelvic, and legs.

 

More specific causes of lower back pain in women

1. Menstrual pain

In women, lower back pain during the period caused by menstrual pain occurs most frequently. The repeated cramping contraction of the uterus during menstruation causes drawing pains that radiate from the abdomen down to the lumbar column range.

Moreover, a muscular problem behind the lower back pain during a period is caused by hormonal changes.

Prostaglandin is a hormone released in the menstrual cycle. This hormone is instructing uterine to contract and resulting in tension in the lower back muscle.

2. Pregnancy

When pregnant, it is well known that during an ongoing pregnancy through the higher strain on the spine, could increase the pressure in the lower back.

3. Menopause

Menopause is also a common cause of lower back pain in women.

A research study has published that menopause is linked with the severity of disc degeneration in the lumbar spine.

In China, the research was conducted by a group of researchers and have been published. The article published in the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

According to the NAMS, the current proof strongly supports the part estrogen deficiency shows a strong relation to spinal disc degeneration.

Furthermore, estrogen deficiency leads to the necessity of hormone therapy on the total lumbar disc height in postmenopausal women.

As said above, lower back pain is more frequent in women due to the declining estrogen levels than men.

4. Environmental cause

Additionally, women today face a balancing act between work and family responsibilities. This psychological and physical double taxation often leads to an increased risk of low back pain.

Also, women tend to have a job which requires sitting such as a desk job. And it often makes a slouch posture and position. This leads to more stress on the spine and lower back.

5. Osteoporosis

In simple term, this is a condition that causes your bones to lose its density over aging. Osteoporosis in a later stage can make the bones brittle and easy to break.

More than 10 million people over age 65 have osteoporosis in the US. And yes, the women being four times more likely to be suffering from osteoporosis than men. Due to menopause occurrence.

While the disease occurs most often in people over their sixties, children also have the same risk.

This case is only happening in rare conditions such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and a genetic disorder that could lead to juvenile osteoporosis.

 

What can ladies do to prevent lower back pain?

1. Avoid high heels

First and foremost, a treatment method that specialized for women is to avoid shoes with high heels.

If you have a past medical history having chronic low back pain which mostly still adversely affect the symptoms, high heels are not an option.

2. Correct posture

If you are a career woman and a desk job worker, make sure to maintain proper position while sitting.

3. Exercise

Women tend to love exercising and maintain their weight. Each pound is count. Make sure to do it regularly with proper stretching.

4. Proper lifting

Properly lifting weight such as your kids or groceries with the tension starting from your legs, not with your back.

5. Medication

Medication and pain management proves to be useful. It can be prescribed depending on the diagnosis of the condition. Make sure don’t use it while you are pregnant. Or use with your doctor’s advice.

6. Sleeping position

The correct sleeping position can help to prevent neck and back pain. We know that during pregnancy, a sleeping position to avoid lower back pain in women is necessary.

7. Mattress for pregnancy

This might be a help for a pregnant mom. Do a little search about the bed for pregnancy. It is suitable for your sleep quality and lowering the risk of having back pain.

 

When should you call your healthcare provider?

• Immediately call your doctor when your pain becomes worse or radiating to your hips, thighs, or legs.
• Severe pain that begins to interfere with your daily activities.
• Also, when you cannot walking and stand up straight
• When the pain reliever doesn’t work for you anymore.

 

In summary

Women are curvy. Including their skeletal system, which is why women have more tendency to get lower back pain than men.

Not only that, but hormonal system differences is also playing a role.

The good news is you can actively help to relief from lower back pain. Often, the symptoms disappear by themselves.

Just bring about positive changes in your life and in healthily creating your own body.

A surgical procedure might be required, but it is not an essential option.

Only if there is a shift of the spinal disc and vertebrae that make such enormous pressure on specific nerves, when it already leads to paralysis and intense pain, then surgery is needed.

 

References:

• National Institutes of Health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4858456/
• The North American Menopause Society: https://menopause.org/