You’ve probably been hearing since you were a little child that you should drink 8 glasses of water a day.  How many times were we told to ‘stay hydrated’ on hot days?

Dehydration is a major problem in the US, where we have one of the largest supplies of clean drinking water available.  Take a look at some of these statistics and then read a little bit about dehydration and back pain below, you might find yourself very surprised.

1.    75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population)

2.    In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.

3.    Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as 3%.

4.    One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

5.    Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6.    Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7.    A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

Water is important in nearly all of life’s chemical processes, and the production, growth and life of skin cells depends on it. Water within the cells helps make your skin look smooth, firm and tight. It is important for the functioning of our bodies’ internal organs, as well.

Back Pain and Dehydration

Most people associate back pain with structural and/or muscular dysfunctions or imbalances of the spine and back.  Did you know that back and spine pain can also be caused or made worse by chronic dehydration?

Your spinal column has Intervertebral discs which function as shock absorbers in between the vertebrae.  The inner disc is made of nucleus pulposus, a jelly like substance. It functions to distribute hydraulic pressure in all directions within each disc under compressive loads. The nucleus pulposus consists of chondrocytes, collagen fibrils, and proteoglycan aggrecans that have hyaluronic long chains which attract water.

Gravity takes a toll on our spines all day long and the pressure slowly causes the nucleus pulposus to be squeezed out of the discs.  Our discs will successfully rehydrate themselves during the night, and also during the day when possible, as long as there are adequate water levels within the body.

When there is not enough water available to fully hydrate the nucleus pulposus, the whole disc becomes compromised. When the inner portion of the disc is dehydrated, it cannot support its share of the load, so more and more of your weight is borne by the outer portion of the disc, which simply was not designed for that purpose. This can cause pain, swelling, and even ruptures or herniations of the outer shell.

If you are experiencing chronic back pain, ask yourself; ‘Am I getting enough water on a daily basis?’.  Chronic dehydration over time can lead to severe back pain.  A simple and effective way of reducing back pain is to ensure you stay properly hydrated each and every day by drinking half your body weight in ounces of water!

Learn more about how Spinal Decompression can help reduce back pain without surgery.

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