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. Loss of fluid results in the discs in your spine becoming less flexible. 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.

A strain, sprain or spasm in your muscles or ligaments can result in the rupture of a spinal disc. This leads to increased pressure on your spinal cord nerves. 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? Frequently, this type of injury is caused by attempting to lift heavy objects or overstretching the 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.

Lifestyle factors can also be contributors to lower back pain. 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. Another cause of lower back pain can be scar tissue from old injuries – this can also lead to further, more critical injuries.

When to Worry About Lower Back Pain

You should take your lower back pain seriously if it comes along with other symptoms. Watch out for weakness in the muscles, particularly in the legs, loss of bowel or bladder control, fever or coughing. If your lower back pain is accompanied by these symptoms, contact your physician immediately. They could point to a deeper problem such as a pinched nerve. 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 will greatly impact your ability to prevent lower back pain.

The causes of back pain are difficult to pinpoint because there are so many possible triggers. For example, the central nervous system alongside the spinal column plays a vital part in back pain.

Well over a million people suffer both minor and severe back pain at one time or another. About half of these people could have prevented the problem and found relief without seeking medical treatment. The other half may endure back pain for the course of their life, since they fail to be practical in resolving the problem.

In some instances, the problem is addressed through the use of surgery. But surgery frequently has complications, which can even go so far as to make your back pain worse than it was already. Even if you damage a shoulder ligament or tendon, you can take measures to relieve your pain without resorting to surgery.

Did you know that losing weight can reduce back pain? The incidence of obesity is continuing to rise right around the world. The added pressure on your muscles from the extra pounds will eventually lead to back pain. “Oh, my aching feet”, you might moan. You might not stop to think that the problem lies in poorly fitting shoes, excessive body weight and too much pressure on the joints and muscles that support you.

What’s the best way to ease your pain from a slipped herniated disk? Make sure you bend and lean safely, drop a few pounds if you’re overweight, get some shoes that fit properly, and use a curling technique to treat your pain.

Are you aware that by curling up in a fetal position you can reduce the pain caused by a herniated slipped disk? So, lie down on your side, curl your knees up towards your chest, and find out for yourself. While you’re curled, don’t fold up too tightly, and tuck a pillow or cushion between your knees. Don’t elevate the hips.

Now that you’re more aware of the causes of back pain, start to take action and get relief from your condition.