Many people suffer from back pain. But if you are like me you have no idea what is really causing this pain. Most people with an aching back visit their doctor with the hope he/she will prescribe a pill and make it all go away. However for the majority of us that pill will only mask the symptoms and not cure of of the pain. Some doctors may go a little farther and recommend exercise and or weight lost. But most doctors won't tell you the five major causes of back pain and what to do about it.

Here is a list of the most common causes are and how to address them. I think it's important that you know this. You have to be your own health care advocate. It's highly unlikely you'll ever hear about any of this from your doctor... Ok, here it goes...

Top 5 Causes of Lower Back, Neck and Sciatic Pain

1. Muscle Imbalances Imbalances in our muscles create what we call dysfunctions... basically, the muscles pull your body out of alignment (not just your spine) and your body is forced to function like this and eventually it breaks down.

Muscle imbalances are the biggest "physical" cause of back related conditions and pain (and many other ailments also like foot pain, knee pain, hip pain, etc)

The good news is, identifying and correcting (it's really more about improving) your muscle imbalances is pretty easy... you just have to know which imbalances you have and the right combination of corrective exercises and stretches...

2. Excess Stress / Negative Beliefs

Yes, this is a major cause of pain. While many people doubt or question it, excess stress and negative beliefs are what keep most people in pain.

For example, many people get some relief from physical treatments, but can never seem to get complete or lasting relief... and that's because the the mind is keeping the body from healing completely.

3. Spinal Compression / Torsion

Another major physical cause of back related conditions and pain is, spinal compression and torsion. The muscle imbalances pull your spine out of alignment and create excess curvature and this places increased pressure on the discs...

Then you add to it some torsion (twisting of the spine) and it gets even worse. The combination of the uneven and excessive compression and the torsion wreak havoc on the discs... causing them to bulge or herniate.

Again there is some good news... not only can discs heal, but you can undo or reduce the excessive compression and torsion by addressing your muscle imbalances and by decompressing the spine... This can be done with devices like an inversion table, the Nubax or it can be performed by a physical therapist or chiropractor.

4. Trigger Points

Often responsible for much of the undiagnosed pain people experience, trigger points are a major factor when it comes to back, neck and sciatic pain...

Tigger points are complex and there are many things that contribute to their development... and to make it worse, they often cause pain in other parts of the body. For example, a trigger point in the gluteal can cause pain in the lower leg.

5. Nutritional Imbalances

Yes, what you eat can help you heal or it can keep you in pain. Not only are there specific foods that create inflammation, but imbalances in minerals and nutrients are a major factor...

For example, you can have too much calcium and not enough magnesium and this can create calcification (stenosis, bone spurs, etc)... Keep in mind this is just one example... there are many others.

So here's a quick list of foods to avoid:

- Sugar

- Wheat

- Dairy

- Artificial flavors / colors

And here are some foods/nutrients to eat more of:

- Omega-3 Fatty Acids (fish or supplement)

- Spices (Ginger, Tumeric)

- Antioxidants (vitamin C, selenium, quercetin)

- Vitamin D

Again I believe it's vital that you become an advocate for your own health and wellness. Doctors are wonderful and we certainly need caring skilled physicians. But at the same time by taking a path to your own wellness. By understanding what is going on with your body and by looking at alternatives to traditional treatments you can better understand and discuss your conditions with your doctor. If your doctor isn't interested in having this discussion or is too set in his/her ways I suggest finding another physician.

I hope learning about these 5 major causes will help you on your road to recovering and living pain free.

The Buck Stops Here! You deserve relief from your aching back! You deserve to live pain free. There are alternatives to suffering and the risks of surgery. As someone who has lived with debilitating back pain, I believe you owe it to yourself to know all the facts. For more FREE information, reports and videos take the first step to back pain relief and Click Here