Smokers at higher risk for low back pain

According to recent findings unveiled by Finnish researchers in the American Journal of Medicine, “there is new data suggesting a modest association between smoking and risk of low back pain, with the strongest association for chronic or disabling low back pain”.

Though not proof nor a direct cause and effect relationship, one of the factors that scientists believe could explain this correlation includes reduced blood supply to the spine. This could certainly have merit – one of the reasons we actually feel back pain when we strain or stress our backs in the first place is due to restricted blood circulation to the spine; consequently, one of the most effective ways to ease back pain has become heat therapy which helps increase blood flow to the spine. The other cited explanations for the correlation include “increased risk of osteoporosis and the increased circulation of pain conducting chemicals in the blood from smoking”. On a positive note, the research does suggest the effects of smoking could be at least partially reversible for former smokers.

via Reuters