What Causes Lower Back Pain – And What Can You Do About It?
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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 severe 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. As well, bone strength generally decreases as we get older. Our spinal discs lose flexibility due to the loss of fluid. This means that they do a less effective job of protecting the vertebrae. Just the fact of getting older can play a part in experiencing lower back pain.
If the ligaments or muscles in your back experience a sprain, spasm, or strain, the spinal discs can burst or bulge. This in turn places pressure on the nerves in your spinal cord. Your back will let you know about this through neural signs, more commonly known as pain. So what causes your sprains, strains 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. There are also causes including viral infections, joint or disc irritation and spinal abnormalities.
Lifestyle factors can also be contributors to lower back pain. This includes smoking, being overweight, pregnancy, stress, bad posture and being in poor shape. Hip pain and lower back pain sometimes come as a distressing package deal. 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
You should take your lower back pain seriously if it comes along with other symptoms. These might include a fever, a painful cough, loss of bladder or bowel control and muscular weakness, especially in the legs. If your lower back pain is accompanied by these symptoms, contact your physician immediately. They may indicate a pinched nerve or other underlying problem. If you suffer from diabetes, your back pain might be related to neuropathy.
Avoiding Lower Back Pain
By paying attention to proper back pain management techniques, most lower back pain can be avoided. Recurring lower back pain can usually be traced to poor posture. You can work on correcting this. Try exercises to build up strength in your lower back, stand up straight, and don’t forget to use your legs to lift objects instead of your back. Be certain that you pay attention to workplace ergonomics while on the job. This can go a long way towards preventing lower back pain.
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