About Back Pain & Burning

Back pain is the most common reason for a trip to the doctor's office and the second most popular excuse for missing work, according to the book No More Back Pain. When you have back pain, all you want is relief, especially if you have distinct symptoms like burning.

• Back pain is common

Causes of Back Pain

• No More Back Pain, a book written by two doctors, lists 41 causes of back pain. An injury, a sedentary lifestyle, the wrong type of exercise, spinal issues, sleeping on a bad mattress or lack of vitamins are among possible causes of your back pain.

Burning Pain

• Burning pain might be nerve related.

  If you have burning pain anywhere in the body, it is often nerve related, according to Dr. Rob Gottesman, a Colorado Springs chiropractor. Nerve compression or inflammation can cause burning, heat or severe pain.

Burning Back Pain

• However, burning pain in the back is not common. And this "one symptom alone is not very diagnostic," Dr. Gottesman says. He recommends orthopedic and neurological testing to determine the cause. You also might need an X-ray if a pathology, fracture or dislocation is suspected.

Alleviating Burning

• If you are experiencing burning pain in your back, see your doctor as soon as possible. You can try a warm bath, ice massage, stretching, chiropractic treatment or bed rest to alleviate the pain. In general, ice first and then use heat for more chronic complaints.

Warnings

• Burning back pain could mask a more serious problem, so get it checked out sooner rather than later. Take it easy and avoid exercises like touching your toes, full sit-ups, deep back-bends or lots of jumping, according to the authors of No More Back Pain.