Back pain can be a scary thing, even for an adult. As a parent, if your child starts to complain that their back is bothering them, your mind instantly starts to think about all the serious issues that could be going on.

Traditionally, when a child or teen complained of issues with their back, it was something serious. That isn’t necessarily the case anymore. There could be a variety of reasons for the pain your child is experiencing that aren’t as severe as what you might think.

Causes of Lower Back Pain in Teenager

Older children or teenagers are going to be subject to different problems than what a younger child is. Before jumping to any conclusions or running off to the doctor for a batch of unnecessary testing, you should take into consideration all the possible causes of lower back pain in teenager.

Possible causes for teenagers and younger children:

• Infection (usually in kids under 10) – could be an infection of a disc, osteomyelitis, pyelonephritis, or retroperitoneal infection. Redness and or swelling is generally visible if an infection is what’s causing the problem. Antibiotics and rest are prescribed after a professional can confirm that there is, in fact, an infection present. That’s frequently done through radiographic testing.
• Fractures of the vertebra can happen when kids are participating in things like skateboarding, biking, or other extreme sports. Chances are they are going to fall at some point. Hitting the ground hard enough can fracture vertebrae resulting in pain.
• A slipped disc is another side effect of participating in extreme sports where injuries and hard falls occur.
• Strained muscles from sports or other repeated movements
• Spondylolysis – a spine that’s worn from sports or other physical activity most often. The more advanced sports participation gets, the more likely this condition will occur. It’s when a hyperextension of the back causes a problem with the joint located between the vertebral bones. In some instances, four to six weeks of rest are required to allow the injury to heal.
• Spondylolisthesis – a complication of spondylolysis when a vertebra slips forward or backward. This is a condition that can get progressively worse throughout the course of adolescence. In some cases, there may be a spinal fusion surgery required later on down the road to repair the problem.
• Ankylosing spondylitis – a chronic form of arthritis that lasts a lifetime
• Congenital disorders – scoliosis or other conditions the child is born with
• Whole body diseases – sickle cell disease for example
• Tumors of the bone or spinal cord – these are extremely rare, but still something that gets explored in children that are complaining of back pain with no other reasonable explanation present. Treatment will be dependent on the final diagnosis, and a plethora of studies, tests, and exams will have to take place for that to happen.

Some of these are a little bit more frightening to think about than others. However, you can’t know for sure what’s going on with your child’s back until you go and see a professional.

Back Pain in Children When to Worry

There are times when a child or teenager will complain of aches and pains that aren’t anything to be concerned about. There are other times though that you should take their cries of back pain upper, middle back pain, or lower back pain seriously and seek help. When your child is under the age of four and complaining that their back hurts is a good example of back pain in children when to worry. That’s a clear sign to get some help. Other situations when an expert should be seen for a complete evaluation include:

• When there is stiffness or problems with movement
• A curvature of the spine is noticeable
• Numbness, weakness, or a pins and needles feeling
• The pain gets progressively worse
• High temperature
• Weight loss
• Feeling ill
• Pain limits normal activity
• The discomfort lasts longer than four weeks

If any of these symptoms sound like your child, it’s time to take a look at what your options are when it comes to treatment.

Lower Back Pain Teenager Treatment

You don’t want to watch your child suffer in pain for any reason…ever. When it comes to back pain, you have a few options lower back pain teenager treatment. First of all, if you are someone that prefers to go the natural route, consider seeing a chiropractor first.

He or she can give your child a full examination without the use of any drugs or surgeries. They have the potential of correcting the problem with just a few visits. Chiropractors are also knowledgeable in giving back pain treatment at home in the form of exercises that can be done at home to strengthen the back and spinal area to prevent future injuries to the same location.

Other choices include treating it with painkillers or over-the-counter medications, but that’s only covering up the problem; not dealing with the underlying condition. A medical doctor can also be visited for a consultation. In severe cases, he or she may refer you to a specialist.

What’s Going to Happen at the Appointment

Regardless who you decide to see for your child’s back pain, there are is a general protocol that’s followed to examine a child for an explanation for their back pain. The medical professional is going to start with a visual check of the area. They will feel around for pain and tenderness and look for curving of the spine. He or she may also want to see the child walk and observe how much bending movement can be done before the pain starts. There could potentially be an examination of the nervous system done as well.

Prevention

Prevention is always the best treatment plan when it comes to any sort of health condition. To do the best you can to keep your child from suffering from back pain several things can be done.

• Keep them from over-doing physical kinds of activities.
• Make sure that they have good posture.
• Do not overload their backpacks and keep the weight distributed evenly by making them wear both straps.
• Try and keep them as stress-free as possible. Mental health issues have been linked to problems with back pain in kids as well.

You don’t have to sit back and watch your precious child suffer in pain and agony from back pain. There are treatment options and ways to prevent future damages. Educate yourself and your child, and with any luck, they will be living pain-free in no time at all.

About Dr. Wells

Dr. Brent Wells is a graduate of the University of Nevada where he earned his bachelor’s of science degree before moving on to complete his doctorate from Western States Chiropractic College. He founded Better Health Chiropractic & Physical Rehab in Alaska in 1998.

He became passionate about being in the Juneau chiropractic field after his own experiences with hurried, unprofessional healthcare providers. The goal for Dr. Wells is to treat his patients with care and compassion while providing them with a better quality of life through his professional treatment.

Dr. Wells is a member of the American Chiropractic Association and the American Academy of Spine Physicians.