When does back pain occur? Back pain can occur at any age. Although back pain is more common in women, it also affects a significant number of men. Given that back pain can lead to reduced mobility and impaired quality of life, seeking medical attention is necessary. In men, back pain can be triggered by a wide range of factors, ranging from a severe infection to a minor injury. Understanding the different causes of back pain in men can help identify the warning signs of a serious illness. What are the causes of back pain in men? There are several different causes of back pain in men. The most common of these conditions include: Spinal disorders Disorders of the spine can lead to inflammation and ultimately back pain. Some of the most common spinal disorders that affect men include: Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal; Disc herniation (discopathy), the compression of a spinal nerve by the matter contained within the intervertebral discs; Spondylolisthesis, displacement of one vertebra relative to the adjacent one and is most often the result of degenerative changes; Spinal injuries, which are usually the result of a sudden impact, such as a car accident; Scoliosis, which refers to an atypical spinal curvature; Degenerative intervertebral disc disease, a condition involving back pain caused by age-related wear and tear of the intervertebral discs; A spinal cord tumor that can press on nerves in the spine and cause back pain; In addition, spinal injuries that occurred in childhood can manifest in later years, leading to a painful reminder of a long-ago trauma. Spinal strain, sprain, or sprain Back strains and sprains are extremely common causes of lower back pain (the lumbosacral region of the spine) in all demographics. A back strain occurs when some of the muscles and/or tendons in the spine become damaged. The tissue can be pulled, torn, or twisted, usually due to overextension of the spine. Although commonly confused with a sprain, a back sprain affects the connections (ligaments) of the spine, not the muscles or tendons. In this injury, the ligaments are stretched or torn due to excessive strain on the back. 1. Underlying Conditions A wide range of underlying conditions can cause back pain in men. The most common of these conditions are arthritis, sleep disorders, herpes zoster, kidney stones and kidney infections. Arthritis refers to inflammation of the joints. Many different types of arthritis can affect the facet joints of the spine, such as osteoarthritis.Spinal arthritis usually causes chronic back pain; Sleep disorders can contribute to back pain by compromising the body’s natural repair processes. During sleep, the body releases growth hormone that heals damaged tissue and prevents pain. Men with disturbed sleep do not get enough growth hormone, which can make pain worse; Herpes zoster is a viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It causes a painful blistering rash. In some patients, shingles also causes burning, pain, and/or stabbing pain in the back; Kidney problems, including kidney stones and kidney infections, can cause severe back pain. 2. Bad Posture Over a long period of time, bad posture can lead to back pain in men. This is because poor posture forces the spine out of its proper position. This puts additional stress on the structures of the spine and accelerates the wear and tear process of the spine. 3. Obesity Being overweight or obese is a key risk factor for back pain in men. Excess weight has an additional impact on the structures of the spine. Over time, this added stress with everyday movements can lead to back pain. 4. Physical activity and lifestyle habits Men are particularly prone to traumatic back pain due to their participation in strenuous physical activities and other lifestyle habits. These activities and habits include heavy lifting, prolonged sitting, and inconsistent exercise. These activities carry a significant risk of injury to the structures of the spine as well as the ligaments, muscles and tendons that support the spine. Accidents and sports injuries can cause sudden back injuries. But even simple everyday actions, such as improperly lifting a heavy object or awkwardly arching your back when reaching for an object, can cause traumatic back injuries. Physical stress on the spine in men can also accelerate and aggravate the onset of spinal diseases, such as degenerative disc disease (thinning of the spinal discs). References: 1. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Increased low back pain prevalence in females than in males after menopause age: evidence based on synthetic literature review 2. Manek NJ, MacGregor AJ. Epidemiology of back disorders: prevalence, risk factors, and prognosis 3. Nagi SZ, Riley LE, Newby LG. A social epidemiology of back pain in a general populationMen with disturbed sleep do not get enough growth hormone, which can make pain worse; Herpes zoster is a viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It causes a painful blistering rash. In some patients, shingles also causes burning, pain, and/or stabbing pain in the back; Kidney problems, including kidney stones and kidney infections, can cause severe back pain. 2. Bad Posture Over a long period of time, bad posture can lead to back pain in men. This is because poor posture forces the spine out of its proper position. This puts additional stress on the structures of the spine and accelerates the wear and tear process of the spine. 3. Obesity Being overweight or obese is a key risk factor for back pain in men. Excess weight has an additional impact on the structures of the spine. Over time, this added stress with everyday movements can lead to back pain. 4. Physical activity and lifestyle habits Men are particularly prone to traumatic back pain due to their participation in strenuous physical activities and other lifestyle habits. These activities and habits include heavy lifting, prolonged sitting, and inconsistent exercise. These activities carry a significant risk of injury to the structures of the spine as well as the ligaments, muscles and tendons that support the spine. Accidents and sports injuries can cause sudden back injuries. But even simple everyday actions, such as improperly lifting a heavy object or awkwardly arching your back when reaching for an object, can cause traumatic back injuries. Physical stress on the spine in men can also accelerate and aggravate the onset of spinal diseases, such as degenerative disc disease (thinning of the spinal discs). References: 1. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Increased low back pain prevalence in females than in males after menopause age: evidence based on synthetic literature review 2. Manek NJ, MacGregor AJ. Epidemiology of back disorders: prevalence, risk factors, and prognosis 3. Nagi SZ, Riley LE, Newby LG. A social epidemiology of back pain in a general populationMen with disturbed sleep do not get enough growth hormone, which can make pain worse; Herpes zoster is a viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It causes a painful blistering rash. In some patients, herpes zoster also causes burning, pain, and/or stabbing pain in the back; Kidney problems, including kidney stones and kidney infections, can cause severe back pain. 2. Bad Posture Over a long period of time, bad posture can lead to back pain in men. This is because poor posture forces the spine out of its proper position. This puts additional stress on the structures of the spine and accelerates the wear and tear process of the spine. 3. Obesity Being overweight or obese is a key risk factor for back pain in men. Excess weight has an additional impact on the structures of the spine. Over time, this added stress with everyday movements can lead to back pain. 4. Physical activity and lifestyle habits Men are particularly prone to traumatic back pain due to their participation in strenuous physical activities and other lifestyle habits. These activities and habits include heavy lifting, prolonged sitting, and inconsistent exercise. These activities carry a significant risk of injury to the structures of the spine as well as the ligaments, muscles and tendons that support the spine. Accidents and sports injuries can cause sudden back injuries. But even simple everyday actions, such as improperly lifting a heavy object or awkwardly arching your back when reaching for an object, can cause traumatic back injuries. Physical stress on the spine in men can also accelerate and aggravate the onset of spinal diseases, such as degenerative disc disease (thinning of the spinal discs). References: 1. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Increased low back pain prevalence in females than in males after menopause age: evidence based on synthetic literature review 2. Manek NJ, MacGregor AJ. Epidemiology of back disorders: prevalence, risk factors, and prognosis 3. Nagi SZ, Riley LE, Newby LG. A social epidemiology of back pain in a general populationThis puts additional stress on the structures of the spine and accelerates the wear and tear process of the spine. 3. Obesity Being overweight or obese is a key risk factor for back pain in men. Excess weight has an additional impact on the structures of the spine. Over time, this added stress with everyday movements can lead to back pain. 4. Physical activity and lifestyle habits Men are particularly prone to traumatic back pain due to their participation in strenuous physical activities and other lifestyle habits. These activities and habits include heavy lifting, prolonged sitting, and inconsistent exercise. These activities carry a significant risk of injury to the structures of the spine as well as the ligaments, muscles and tendons that support the spine. Accidents and sports injuries can cause sudden back injuries. But even simple everyday actions, such as improperly lifting a heavy object or awkwardly arching your back when reaching for an object, can cause traumatic back injuries. Physical stress on the spine in men can also accelerate and aggravate the onset of spinal diseases, such as degenerative disc disease (thinning of the spinal discs). References: 1. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Increased low back pain prevalence in females than in males after menopause age: evidence based on synthetic literature review 2. Manek NJ, MacGregor AJ. Epidemiology of back disorders: prevalence, risk factors, and prognosis 3. Nagi SZ, Riley LE, Newby LG. A social epidemiology of back pain in a general populationThis puts additional stress on the structures of the spine and accelerates the wear and tear process of the spine. 3. Obesity Being overweight or obese is a key risk factor for back pain in men. Excess weight has an additional impact on the structures of the spine. Over time, this added stress with everyday movements can lead to back pain. 4. Physical activity and lifestyle habits Men are particularly prone to traumatic back pain due to their participation in strenuous physical activities and other lifestyle habits. These activities and habits include heavy lifting, prolonged sitting, and inconsistent exercise. These activities carry a significant risk of injury to the structures of the spine as well as the ligaments, muscles and tendons that support the spine. Accidents and sports injuries can cause sudden back injuries. But even simple everyday actions, such as improperly lifting a heavy object or awkwardly arching your back when reaching for an object, can cause traumatic back injuries. Physical stress on the spine in men can also accelerate and aggravate the onset of spinal diseases, such as degenerative disc disease (thinning of the spinal discs). References: 1. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Increased low back pain prevalence in females than in males after menopause age: evidence based on synthetic literature review 2. Manek NJ, MacGregor AJ. Epidemiology of back disorders: prevalence, risk factors, and prognosis 3. Nagi SZ, Riley LE, Newby LG. A social epidemiology of back pain in a general populationcan also accelerate and worsen the onset of spinal diseases, such as degenerative disc disease (thinning of the spinal discs). References: 1. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Increased low back pain prevalence in females than in males after menopause age: evidence based on synthetic literature review 2. Manek NJ, MacGregor AJ. Epidemiology of back disorders: prevalence, risk factors, and prognosis 3. Nagi SZ, Riley LE, Newby LG. A social epidemiology of back pain in a general populationcan also accelerate and worsen the onset of spinal diseases, such as degenerative disc disease (thinning of the spinal discs). References: 1. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Increased low back pain prevalence in females than in males after menopause age: evidence based on synthetic literature review 2. Manek NJ, MacGregor AJ. Epidemiology of back disorders: prevalence, risk factors, and prognosis 3. Nagi SZ, Riley LE, Newby LG. A social epidemiology of back pain in a general population