Lower Back Pain is a Pain

Lower Back Pain, affects both those unaccustomed to physical activity and regular exercisers.

The first step to understanding the various causes of low back pain is learning about the normal design anatomy of the tissues of this area. Important structures of the low back that can be related to symptoms there include the bony lumbar spine vertebrae, discs between the vertebrae, ligaments around the spine and discs, spinal cord and nerves, muscles of the low back, internal organs of the pelvis and abdomen, and the skin covering the lumbar area. Many muscle groups that are responsible for flexing, extending, and rotating the waist, as well as moving the lower extremities, attach to the lumbar spine through tendon insertions.

Fortunately, most occurrences of low back pain go away within a few days. Acute or short-term low back pain generally lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Low back pain may reflect nerve or muscle irritation or bone lesions. Most low back pain follows injury or trauma to the back, but pain may also be caused by degenerative conditions such as arthritis or disc disease, osteoporosis or other bone diseases, viral infections, irritation to joints and discs, or congenital abnormalities in the spine. Obesity, smoking, weight gain during pregnancy, stress, poor physical condition, posture inappropriate for the activity being performed, and poor sleeping position also may contribute to low back pain. Occasionally, low back pain may indicate a more serious medical problem.

Nearly everyone has low back pain sometime. The risk of experiencing low back pain from disc disease or spinal degeneration increases with age. Low back pain unrelated to injury or other known cause is unusual in pre-teen children.

A variety of diagnostic methods are available to confirm the cause of low back pain:. Discography involves the injection of a special contrast dye into a spinal disc thought to be causing low back pain. Computerized tomography CT is a quick and painless process used when disc rupture, spinal stenosis, or damage to vertebrae is suspected as a cause of low back pain. Most low back pain can be treated without surgery. Exercise may be the most effective way to speed recovery from low back pain and help strengthen back and abdominal muscles. Medications are often used to treat acute and chronic low back pain. Musculoskeletal pain syndromes that produce low back pain include myofascial pain syndromes and fibromyalgia. Other skeletal causes of low back pain include osteomyelitis orsacroiliitis infections of the bones of the spine.

Most low back pain is triggered by some combination of overuse, muscle strain, and injury to the muscles, ligaments, and discs that support the spine. When low back pain strikes, we become acutely aware of just how much we rely on a flexible, strong back. The causes of low back pain tend to be interrelated. Most people have at least one episode of recurrent low back pain. The term "low back pain" is used to describe a spectrum of symptoms. Depending on the cause, low back pain may be dull, burning, or sharp, covering a broad area or confined to a single point. Leg symptoms can be caused by lower spine problems that place pressure on a nerve to the leg; they can occur on their own or along with low back pain. Your health professional can assess acute low back pain by talking to you about your medical history and your work and physical activities, and doing a simple physical examination. However, some episodes of low back pain are signs of more serious conditions. Low back pain can result from something simple, like cleaning house or lifting a heavy box, or it can be caused by a diagnosable spine condition like a herniated disc or degenerative disc disease.

Effective pain relief may involve a combination of prescription drugs and over-the-counter remedies including BioFreeze. Some type of Lumbar Support is also important for constant support for low back pain. Wonder-Roll which is a self inflating lumbar support pillow is a good solution that you can take anywhere with you.

The vast majority of lower back pain conditions will get better with time and can be addressed with non-surgical treatments, such as osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation, physical therapy, pain medications, etc.. Low back pain responds very well to appropriate conservative treatment such as physical therapy and proper medication which can be prescribed by your physician.

Author: Donna Nocero