What Causes Lower Back Pain - And What Can You Do About It?
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By :
Noel Swanson
Submitted
2008-08-25 00:00:00 |
About 80 percent of the population experiences back pain, frequently lower back pain, at some point in time. Since this is a problem which affects nearly everyone, it is important to know what the causes of lower back pain are. You also need to know how to control these factors to keep lower back pain to a minimum.
Causes of Lower Back Pain
As we age, we lose a lot of our body's natural muscle tone and elasticity. We also tend to lose bone strength as we age. Our spinal discs lose flexibility due to the loss of fluid. This means that they do a less effective job of protecting the vertebrae. Simply growing older can be a cause of lower back pain.
A strain, sprain or spasm in your muscles or ligaments can result in the rupture of a spinal disc. This in turn places pressure on the nerves in your spinal cord. Our back lets us know about this with the neural signals we know as pain. What are the causes of these strains, sprains and spasms? Generally these are injuries which are caused by trying to lift heavy weights or overextending muscles.
Lower back pain can also be caused by diseases like osteoporosis and arthritis. Other causes include disc or joint irritation, viral infections, or spinal abnormalities.
Lower back pain can also be caused by various physical conditions. This includes smoking, being overweight, pregnancy, stress, bad posture and being in poor shape. Lower back pain and pain in the hips often appear together, increasing your discomfort. Scar tissue from previous injuries can also be a cause of lower back pain - this scar tissue buildup can even cause other, more serious injuries.
When to Worry About Lower Back Pain
When lower back pain is accompanied by various other symptoms, it's best to treat the situation seriously and check with your doctor. The symptoms to keep an eye on include progressive weakness in your legs, bladder or bowel control issues, fever, and pain during coughing. These signs might indicate problems such as a pinched nerve. If you have diabetes, your back pain might be connected to neuropathy.
Avoiding Lower Back Pain
By taking good care of your back in daily life, most lower back pain can be avoided. Recurring lower back pain can usually be traced to poor posture. You can work on correcting this. Stand straight, remember to lift with your legs rather than with your back, and do exercises to build lower back strength. Make sure to follow proper ergonomic procedures during your workday. This can go a long way towards preventing lower back pain.
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Author Resource:-
Kim Archer knows what it's like to suffer from chronic back pain. She is a regular contributor to Back Pain Treatment, a great information source on causes and treatments of back pain.
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