The low back pain is the second most common ailment affecting
80% of the general United States population at some point in
life. The pain may either be acute or chronic and is usually
caused by a variety of diseases and disorders of the lumbar
spine. Low Back pain is usually accompanied by sciatica.
Sciatica is a pain that involves the sciatic nerve and affects
the lower back, the back of the thighs and buttocks.
Causes and Symptoms of Low Back Pain
The patient of low back pain may experience two types of pain,
primarily - acute and chronic. The pain is symptomatic and can
be caused by the following reasons:
Acute Pain:
A sprain or a muscle tear, which can be aggravated by heavy
lifting or extended use of back muscles within 24 hours of the
injury, leading to muscle spasms or soreness. Usually improves
when you provide rest to the affected area.
Chronic Pain:
This pain may have several causes like -
1.Mechanical Obesity, pregnancy, bad postures while bending, or
stooping causes strain on the lower back muscles.
2.Malignancy Low back pain that is not relieved even after a
night's rest, maybe caused by a tumor in the cauda equine (the
roots of the spinal nerves controlling sensation in and movement
of the legs), or cancer of the prostate, breasts or lungs, maybe
caused because of a history of smoking, sudden weight loss or
old age.
3.Herniated Spinal Disk When the spinal disk begins to bulge
outward between the vertebrae. This is a common cause of chronic
back pain in adults.
4.Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain caused while lying down or
sitting; improves when the patient starts moving, is commonly
seen in males between the age group of 16-35 years.
5.Psychogenic Back pain which may be induced due to an
exaggerated minor injury or that may be usually prolonged
leading to somatoform disorder or other psychiatric disturbances.
6.Lower Back Pain with Leg Involvement When the back pain
radiates down the leg, the sciatic nerve is usually irritated by
herniated disks, tumors of the cauda equina, abscesses in the
space between the spinal cord and its covering, spinal stenosis,
and compression fractures. Some patients may also experience
weakness or lack of feeling, along with pain in the leg.
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About the author:
Saurabh Jain has created a website on comprehensive information
on Back Pain.
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