About 8,000,000 people in the UK are said to suffer from some type of arthritic pain At any one time. About 6 million people suffer from back pain in the UK. Each year approximately 2 million people are said to be functionally disabled from back pain.
In the U.K., £5 billion is annually spent on back pain treatment. £18 billion is lost annually in productivity and wages as a result of back pain. These commonly quoted statistics, even if partially accurate, indicate a devastating problem for the United Kingdom. It should be said at this point that statistically, the same ratios of occurrence to gross population may be representative of what goes on in other industrialised nations.
As we all know nutrition is a really important component of our overall health including the health of our back.
Those of us who enjoy too many calories and eat relatively unhealthy foods are more than likely to be a bit heavier than we would like to be!
So common sense should tell us that the more we weigh the more stress is placed on our spine as well as other joints in our bodies which causes extra wear and tear.
So what about the effects of smoking?
If you smoke you probably do not want to hear this, but research shows that there is a direct relationship between smoking cigarettes and having back related problems.
You see smoking slows down your circulation and cuts down the oxygen supply in your bloodstream. A healthy blood and oxygen supply is vital for good health and for proper healing to occur.
*According to a recent study conducted by Georgetown University scientist David Lanier, smoking is a major risk factor in the development of acute lower back pain, an ailment that ranks second only to common colds!
How could smoking cause back pain?
Scientists aren't sure why some smokers are prone to back pain. According to the report in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, nicotine from cigarettes "could affect the manner in which the brain processes sensory stimuli and the central perception of pain"- in other words, cigarettes affect the way the brain sends its pain signals. Smoking may also damage tissue in the lower back and elsewhere in the body by slowing down circulation and reducing the flow of nutrients to joints and muscles, according to the journal.
Should I give up smoking for the sake of my back?
The data may still be a little fuzzy, but the message is clear. As reported in the BMJ, smokers who suffer from back pain have every reason to kick the habit. Giving up cigarettes probably won't immediately banish back pain, but it just might help. Of course, quitting smoking will also dramatically lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, and a host of other diseases.
jenray
Pro 
hmmm...it was the only thing that got me through the 9 or ten months' excruciating pain after my back ops and learning to walk again as it healed...didn't smoke for two years but the pain of the ops and not being able to take painkillers put paid to that...felt much much better once I started again and so did my back...so not always a cause of back pain...
GBHs...XXX