Low back
pain is one of the most frequent medical
complaints reported to doctors each year. Yet
getting an accurate diagnosis of the source of
persistent backpain can be a difficult and trying
experience for patient and doctor
alike.
Successful
treatment of chronic lower back pain requires an
understanding of the cause. The root cause will
usually fall in one of these categories: muscle
strain, pinched nerve, bone fractures, arthritis,
infection, or disease.
Pulled
muscle
Muscle
strains, or “pulled muscles” in the lower back
are the most frequent cause of lower back pain.
They are also the most easily
prevented.
A muscle
strain occurs when the muscle is overstretched or
torn. Overloading back muscles by improperly
lifting heavy objects, falling down, or
unexpectedly twisting the back can pull back
muscles.
Muscle
strains also result from repetitive movements or
maintaining a position too long without moving.
Muscles become fatigued and more prone to injury
when the same muscle repeatedly takes the brunt
of an activity.
Poor
posture, standing for long periods, or sitting
without proper care for ergonomic positioning can
also lead to back muscle
strains.
Once
strained, inflammation from the healing process
causes pain and may trigger painful muscle
spasms. Fortunately most cases of lower back pain
caused by mild to moderate back muscle strains
heal on their own in a matter of
weeks.
Pinched
nerve
Pinched
nerves in the lumbar area of the spine cause most
cases of non-muscle strain related low back pain.
Of these, herniated
discs are the most frequent
source of complaint.
Composed
of a soft jelly-like interior ringed by a tougher
fibrous outer casing, spinal discs act as shock
absorbers between the vertebrae. Excess pressure
or movements such as improper lifting may cause
the interior to bulge or rupture completely
through the exterior wall (disc herniation). When
this occurs the inner core may press against and
irritate spinal nerves causing pain in the lower
back and even down the legs
(sciatica).
A
narrowing of the spinal canal which pressures the
spinal cord or nerve roots can also cause lower back
pain. Known as spinal
stenosis, this condition is caused by
normal tissue degeneration during the age
process, typically affecting individuals over 50
years old. Excessive bone growth or herniated
discs can also lead to spinal
stenosis.
Arthritis
The
leading cause of disability in people over 55
years old, arthritis damages the joints in the
body. Arthritis results from joint trauma,
infection, inflammation or aging. The
degenerative joint disease osteoarthritis
is the most
common form.
Back pain
can result directly from osteoarthritis when it
impacts the facet joints along the spine. Back
pain can also be caused indirectly by
osteoarthritis when it affects other joints such
as the hips. When your body overcompensates to
avoid pain in the affected joints, muscle
imbalances can form leading to lower back
pain.
Ankylosing
spondylitis, or spondyloarthritis
, is a form of
inflammatory arthritis which attacks spine and
sacroiliac joints in the lower back. Typically
affecting people in their late teens to early
30s, ankylosing spondylitis causes chronic lower
back pain and often causes fusion of the
spine.
Bone
fractures
Lower back
pain from compression
fractures are more commonly found
in older individuals suffering from osteoporosis,
a disease that causes bones to become thin and
brittle. Even a strong sneeze can cause a
compression fracture in some
cases.
A
condition known as spondylolysis
, caused by
developmental defects in the vertebrae, can lead
to spondylolisthesis
, a condition where
one vertebra slides across another during certain
activities instead of maintaining its proper
position. Spondylolisthesis can irritate or place
painful pressure on nerve
roots.
Blunt
force trauma, such as from an auto accident, or
compression of the spine caused by falling on the
buttocks or head can also cause fractures of the
vertabrae.
Infection, disease, and other
causes of low back pain
Bacterial
infections carried to the spine from
elsewhere in the body, or directly introduced
during surgery, spinal injections or through
injury can cause lower back pain. The infection
may lodge in a bone (osteomyelitis), spinal disc,
or the spinal cord itself.
Spinal
deformities such as scoliosis
and
kyphosis can cause lower back pain
in adults, especially if the condition is left
untreated.
Paget’s
disease,
which causes abnormal bone growth, and
spinal
tumors can also cause lower back
pain by pressuring the spinal cord or nerve
roots.
Lower
back pain can mean double
trouble
When lower
back pain persists over time, muscle strains
either from the cause of pain or how muscles are
used to avoid pain can lead to muscle imbalances
and even permanent changes in the spinal
structure if left unchecked.
Fortunately most cases of lower
back pain are easily treatable without surgery
when properly diagnosed at an early stage. Here
are some of the most common low back pain
treatments