… Continued …
Smoking
Although the exact cause of emphysema is not fully known, but again smoking is often to blame. In fact, cigarette smoking is the leading risk factor of this chronic lung disease.
There is also a link between smoking and back pain. In general, smoking is bad for the health of your spine. It may affect the ability of your body to get enough nutrients to the disks of the spine, increasing the risk of back pain. Smoker’s cough may worsen the symptom. Furthermore, back pain in smokers is likely to last longer (more difficult to relive).
Lack of physical activity
Getting adequate physical activity is essential to help nourish and repair the joints, muscles, discs, or ligaments of the spine. Therefore people with low physical fitness are more susceptible to have problems affecting the spine, such as back pain.
Staying active through exercise is also important for people with emphysema. Regular exercise will carry numerous different health benefits, including good for the overall health of the lungs.
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to keep active if you have emphysema. The symptoms of the disease may drive you to become a sedentary individual. Even shortness of breath (the main symptom of the disease) can get worse on exertion.
Furthermore comorbid conditions of the disease, particularly such as osteoporosis, may also limit your ability to exercise.
Osteoporosis
It is a condition in which the bones are easily to break and fracture because the mineral density of the bones is lower than normal (even if compared to what’s expected as a consequence of the normal aging process). Older age is the main risk factor, but it may also be linked to particular health condition.
Osteoporosis in COPD (including emphysema) is quite common – it affects about 20 percent of people with COPD. A number of reasons may link the two conditions, the main ones include:
- Both COPD and osteoporosis share some same risk factors such as advanced age, smoking, and lack of physical activity (sedentary lifestyle).
- The long-term use of steroid. The use of corticosteroids medicines may be prescribed frequently for some people with COPD, but this medicine may contribute to increase the risk of osteoporosis.
- Inflammation of COPD may also have an effect. Chemical mediators of inflammation and similar inflammatory cells associated with the disease may also cause destruction to the bones, not only the lungs. But this issue is not fully known – more researches are required to find a definitive conclusion.
Osteoporosis can affect all bones in the body, including spine and ribcage. In people with emphysema, it may also raise the risk of back pain from the enlargement of the lungs.
- “Correlates of osteoporsis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease”, Incalzi RA et al. Respir Med 2000;94:1079-1084.
- http://blog.copdfoundation.org/copd-comorbidities-series-dealing-with-osteoporosis/
I have Stage 3 emphysema and have back pain throughout the days, I am 52 yrs of age, shortness of breath is moderate, I am able to function , bathe and get out of house everyday, I am currently dealing with many lung infections lately, but our community is farming, planting season, this disease will not beat me, I am finally at the point, I don’t wanna smoke anymore. I pray god hears my prayers, I wanna live longer.
Bozarth, that’s great decision for quitting. This can help a lot to deal with your emphysema. Hopefully, all the best!
I’m new to the site I use advair daily and i have 75 lung func my lower back has severe pain alot i had mri done and have bulging discs in cervical and lumbar area maybe 2 yrs ago was first time out of breath when vacuuming I thought this would take longer to happen, my rationalization, I’m 57 and my legs weigh a ton I clean house 1 pr w/o and 1day work w people in wheelchairs and sleep alot mild bulge in s1 area get out of breath going up steps and depressed