The Reasons Why You Have Lower Back Pain

Do you frequently experience lower back pain? While many people pay little to no attention to back aches, you should not do the same. Whether mild or severe, you must take time to learn about what’s happening to your body to prevent the possible occurrence of more serious conditions.

In this article, we will discuss about the possible reasons of having lower back pain. Also, you will get to learn when you should or should not worry about your backache.

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Common Causes of Lower Back Pain

If you are currently suffering from lower back pain, it is possibly due to the following:

Ligament sprain and muscle strain

Strains happen when a muscle gets stretched too far then tears. If it affects the ligaments, strains occur. Both strains and sprains in the lower back can slowly develop over time due to repetitive movements.

Here are the common causes of sprains and strains:

• Poor posture
• Lifting heavy objects
• Sudden movements and falls that cause too much stress on the back
• Sports injuries

Sprains and strains may not sound serious but the pain they cause could be quite severe. For this, you need to pay close attention to how you feel.

Lumbar herniated disc

The lumbar disc has a jelly-like center that has the capacity to break through its tough outer layer. It can likewise irritate a nerve root nearby.

Once a herniated part of the disc reaches a nerve root, inflammation and nerve compression will occur; hence the pain. Also, the disc wall contains nerve fibers; a tear through may lead to severe pain.

Degenerative disc disease

Our intervertebral discs were very much hydrated when we were born. But as we age, they lose hydration and gradually wear down. Consequently, they lose their ability to resist forces, which will be transferred to the disc wall; hence the tears and pain.

Moreover, the discs may collapse and result in stenosis.

Osteoarthritis

Just like degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis may occur as we age. In fact, it is also known as degenerative joint disease or spondylosis. This happens when the disc and facet joints start to wear and tear.

Osteoarthritis causes inflammation, pain, and instability. It can also occur in one or multiple levels of one’s lower spine.

Deformity

Some people experience spine curvature cases, which include kyphosis or scoliosis. The deformity may cause lower back pain if breakdown of facet joints, discs, or sacroiliac joints occur.

Compression fracture

This condition occurs in the sufferer’s cylindrical vertebra. A sudden pain is experienced because of the bone caving in on itself. It usually results from having weak bones, a common condition of older people.

Trauma

Trauma may occur after a fall or a vehicle accident. The sufferer may experience spine dislocations or acute fractures that could be really painful. Should you find yourself in an accident, make sure to immediately undergo medical evaluation to avoid further problems.

Most of the conditions discussed above could lead to chronic pain, which lasts beyond three months. But take note that some people may also have such conditions without necessarily experiencing pain.

Back Pain Myths that You Should Stop Believing

There are numerous factors associated with back pain, but some are just myths. Here are some claims that you should stop believing:

Bad posture is a common cause of sudden pain.

Perhaps, you have heard about this claim a lot of times. But the truth is, the skeleton is so robust that one’s posture can not just change overnight and suddenly cause pain.

While modern interventions include correcting the posture, its connection to pain has not yet been fully established.

Acupuncture can surely eliminate your back pain.

Acupuncture alongside massage, manipulation, and other types of passive treatment can make you feel great and relieve your pain for one to two days. But if you are looking for a permanent solution, this is not among the options you should try.

What you can do is combine it with some types of active treatment. Also, make sure to get a good therapist. A lot of times, the effectiveness of such approach is subjective to the patient; so make sure you really know what you want before trying this.

Pilates can cure your condition.

For a long time now, pilates has been known as an effective way to treat lower back pain. However, there is an ongoing debate on whether it can really benefit the back.

Pilates targets the core muscles with the aim to keep the spine in neutral position as you move your limbs and trunk. But take note that this may even cause more back pain in some individuals.

A scan will show the cause of pain.

A scan is crucial for serious injuries, but not all conditions require it. And the truth is not all types of pain result from injuries. Stress level and general health are among the numerous factors that lead to back pain.

For this, you should not insist on getting scanned right away.

When it comes to your health, you must be extra careful when entertaining various thoughts and beliefs. Keep in mind that not all of them are true and that some may even cause more harm than good. Educate yourself to avoid possible problems in the future.

Conclusion

Indeed, lower back pain and other types of back ache cause feelings of discomfort. In order to treat your condition, you should first know what caused it. And as discussed above, there are numerous causes of lower back pain; some indicate serious conditions while some are just mild conditions that you should not worry about.

Whether or not you are suffering from severe pain, it is a must to pay close attention to your body in order to provide the right solution to your condition. Not all back pains are the same; therefore, you should make sure to fully understand what you are going through. Lastly, you should be extra careful when it comes to entertaining various thoughts on back pain. Just like other health conditions, there are many myths about it and believing some may even cause you harm.