You still smoke

A recent Northwestern University study found that smokers are three times more likely than nonsmokers to develop chronic back pain. “[Smoking] affects the way the brain responds to back pain and seems to make individuals less resilient to an episode of pain,” the researchers said in a news release. Smokers who quit their nicotine habit during the study period experienced a decrease in chronic pain. Previous studies found that smoking may damage tissue in the lower back by slowing down circulation, which reduces the flow of nutrients to back muscles.