Lower Back Pain Causes And What Can Be Done About Them

Much like back pain in general, there can be many different causes such as muscle strain, trauma, and poor body mechanics such as poor posture. The difference with lower back pain, however, is that the central point for the pain is specifically located in the lower regions of the spine. Due to the more specific location of the pain, the causes of the pain can be easier to pinpoint.

As general back problems can be caused by many different factors that can range from stress to damaged discs in the spine to diseases, it is most commonly caused by muscle strains. Understanding lower back pain causes is crucial to proper treatment which leads to speedy and relatively less painless recovery. A good way to understand the many different causes is to have a chat with your doctor about your daily activities and how they may affect your spine.

So what can cause lumbar muscle strain? As with general back problems, lower back pain causes can include abnormal or exorbitant stretching of muscles, ligaments, or tendons in the back. Other than that, poor conditioning may also lead to back problems. What exactly is meant by poor conditioning? A good rule of thumb is general unhealthiness, such as, obesity and smoking. Obesity is a huge problem for lower back issues as the spine is supported by large muscles known as the paraspinal muscles, which support both the spinal column as well as the weight of the upper body. Hence, those with heavier than average upper bodies put much greater strains on the paraspinal muscles.

A good way to combat this would be to strengthen the muscles around the lower back so that they may aid the five lumbar vertebrae and its connective ligaments in the lower spinal column in carrying the weight of the upper body. A strong lower back is an excellent weapon against lower back problems.

As with general back problems, lower back pain causes can also be exacerbated by age. Arthritis commonly occurs in joints such as the knees; however, arthritis can affect any joint in the body. The spine is made up of many small joints; therefore, arthritis can also occur in the lumbar spine. Arthritis of the spine can cause lower back problems with movement. Lumbar spine arthritis usually occurs with other spinal conditions such as disc degeneration and spinal stenosis. The discs of the lumbar spine can wear out with age, which can be exacerbated as the facet joints are worn out by arthritis.

In addition, as arthritis progresses, symptoms of spinal stenosis can arise as the nerves of the spine become pinched. Some symptoms of spinal stenosis include numbness, tingling, and leg pain which can lead to difficulty in walking. It is important to seek medical help if any of these symptoms arise. Contrary to popular belief, the problem is not "healed" by rest. Talk to your doctor about the many different lower back pain causes because the spine should never be ignored.