Common Conditions Which Could Lead To Back Pain

Nearly all episodes of acute back pain are caused by muscular strain and these will resolve over time because our muscles have a good blood supply bringing the necessary nutrients and proteins for healing to occur. In fact about 50% of patients will feel relief within two weeks and 90% within three months, regardless of the treatment.

For sufferers that have lower back pain or leg pain that lasts longer than three months a more specific treatment method for the pain should be sought. In younger adults the disc is most likely to be the main cause of pain and conditions might include:

Lumbar disc herniation - As a disc degenerates, it may herniate which means the inner core leaks out, which is known as a disc herniation or a herniated disc. The weak spot in the outer core of the disc is directly beneath the spinal nerve root, so a herniation in this region puts direct strain on the nerve, which in turn can result in sciatica. Pain that radiates down the leg and is caused by a herniated disc is called a radiculopathy.

Degenerative disc disease - Degenerative disc disease refers to a syndrome in which a compromised disc causes low back pain. Lumbar degenerative disc disease usually starts off with a twisting injury to the lower back, such as when a person rotates to put something on a shelf or swing a golf iron. However, the pain is also sometimes caused by simple deterioration of the spine.

Isthmic Spondylolisthesis - The spine condition develops when one vertebral body slips forward on the one beneath it because of a small fracture in a section of bone that connects the two joints on the back side of the spinal segment.

For older people the source of the back or leg pain is much more likely to be osteoarthritis and the related conditions may include:

Facet Joint Osteoarthritis - Osteoarthritis, also referred to as degenerative arthritis, can cause breakdown of cartilage between the facet joints. When the joints move, deficiency of the cartilage causes pain as well as loss of motion and stiffness. The facet joints are located in the back portion of the spine. The joints combine with the disc space to make a three-joint complex at each vertebral level. The facet joint is made up of two opposing bony surfaces with cartilage between them and a capsule around it that produces fluid. The amalgamation of the cartilage and the fluid allows the joint to move with little friction. However, facet joint arthritis causes the cartilage to breakdown and the joint movement is associated with more friction. The patient loses motion and as they get stiffer they have more back pain.

Degenerative Spondylolisthesis - The name is actually Latin for slipped vertebral body, and it is diagnosed when one vertebra slips forward over the one beneath it. This condition occurs as a result of the general aging process in which the bones, joints, and ligaments in the spine become weak and less able to hold the spine in alignment. This disease is more common in people over fifty but most sufferers are over 65, with women being affected more than men.

All these conditions explained relate to the lower back and we have only talked about the most prevalent. There are many other miscellaneous causes, as well as numerous conditions causing upper back pain and neck pain and in this respect it is easy to see how back pain can so easily be wrongly diagnosed.