Asthma, Health, & Technology Welcome Guest | Login or Register

About 80 percent of the population experiences back pain, frequently lower back pain, at some point in time. Because it’s an ailment that almost everyone experiences, you really need to understand what causes lower back pain. 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. Loss of fluid results in the discs in your spine becoming less flexible. This results in less protection for 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. 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. Other causes include disc or joint irritation, viral infections, or spinal abnormalities.

Lower back pain can also be caused by various physical conditions. 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. Poor posture is often the root cause of lower back pain that never quite goes away. There are ways to change 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. Make sure to follow proper ergonomic procedures during your workday. This will greatly impact your ability to prevent lower back pain.