Low back discomfort is one of the most prevalent causes for a doctor's visit in the United States, according to the American College of Physicians. Low back pain is responsible for more years of disability than any other condition in the world. The reason for low back pain is frequently unknown, and imaging studies may fail to reveal it. Your lower back could be affecting you for a variety of reasons. Some of the possible causes are listed below.
Muscle and ligament injuries
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the most common causes of low back pain are strain and injury to the muscles and ligaments that support the back. The discomfort is usually more widespread in the muscles surrounding the spine, and it may be accompanied by muscle spasms. The pain may spread to the buttocks, but it is uncommon for it to spread much further down the leg.
If you suddenly start feeling pain in your lower back or hip that extends to the back of your thigh and down your leg, you may have a bulging (herniated) disc in your spinal column pressing on a nerve in your lumbar spine, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Sciatica is the medical term for this condition.
A bulged, slid, or ruptured disc, often known as a herniated disc, is a common cause of severe back pain and sciatica. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, a lumbar disk herniates when it ruptures or thins out and degenerates to the point where the gel within the disc pushes outward into the spinal canal. The herniated disc puts pressure on the spinal nerves, causing pain.
When it comes to back pain, fear is a complicated concept that has the ability to exacerbate the problem. When a person's back is taught that it is susceptible, degenerating, or damaged, there is evidence that pain-related fear is a natural reaction to deal with pain. Fear can lead to a lack of exercise and mobility, resulting in back pain. Physical therapists can assist you in overcoming your fears and resuming safe movement.
The discs in your back act as shock absorbers between the spine's bones. The elastic discs continue to shrink as people become older, causing the vertebral joints to rub against one another. Back discomfort is not a symptom of disc degeneration. Degenerative disc disease, according to the Arthritis Foundation, is defined as pain caused by deteriorated discs that cannot be traced to another cause.
Osteoarthritis was once thought to be caused by the gradual wear and tear of joints. Scientists now regard it as a joint illness, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Genetics, weight, injury, overuse, and other illnesses are all thought to play a role.
The narrowing of the spinal canal or the holes where spinal nerves exit the spinal column is known as spinal stenosis. As a person grows older, the discs begin to shrink, resulting in this disorder. At the same time, arthritis and chronic inflammation cause the bone and ligaments of the spine to swell or get larger. According to the American College of Rheumatology, osteoarthritis is the most common cause of spinal stenosis.
A crack or stress fracture in one of the vertebrae is known as spondylolysis. The stress fracture may weaken the bone to the point where it is unable to retain its correct position in the spine, allowing the vertebrae to shift or slip out of place, resulting in lower back pain.
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis is a bone condition that develops when the body loses too much bone, creates too little bone, or both. While it rarely causes discomfort, it can weaken your bones, making them more susceptible to breaking in the event of a fall. If you're 50 or older, talk to your doctor about whether a bone density test is necessary at your next exam.