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What is the cause of lower back pain?

By: Peter Hutch

What is back pain and it’s types?

Back pain in the lower back or low back pain is a common concern, affecting up to 90% of Americans at some point in their lifetime. Up to 50% will have more than one episode. Low back pain is not a specific disease. Rather, it is a symptom that may occur from a variety of different processes. In up to 85% of people with low back pain, despite a thorough medical examination, no specific cause of the pain can be identified.

In most cases, the pain lasts from a few days to a few weeks and usually clears up after about six weeks.
There are two categories of back pain

·acute - this is where your back pain lasts for less than 3 months, and
·chronic - this is where your back pain develops gradually over time, lasts more than 3 weeks, and causes long-term problems.

Causes of back pain-

Many things can cause low back injuries--muscle strain or spasm, sprains of ligaments (which attach bone to bone), joint problems or a "slipped disk." The most common cause is using your back muscles in activities you're not used to, like lifting heavy furniture or doing yard work.

Mechanical problems: A mechanical problem is a problem with the way your spine moves or the way you feel when you move your spine in certain ways. Perhaps the most common mechanical cause of back pain is a condition called intervertebral disc degeneration, which simply means that the discs located between the vertebrae of the spine are breaking down with age. As they deteriorate, they lose their cushioning ability

Infections and tumors: Although they are not common causes of back pain, infections can cause pain when they involve the vertebrae, a condition called osteomyelitis, or when they involve the discs that cushion the vertebrae, which is called discitis.

Back pain caused by lumbar spine problems
For patients with low back pain that lasts longer than three months, or patients with predominantly leg pain, a more specific and definable problem for the pain should be sought. There are several very common causes of low back pain and leg pain:



Back Pain Treatment

The most frustrating aspect in treatment of back pain is that there is no "magic bullet." Most individuals recover completely by simply avoiding strain to their spine. Patients often find help from ice, heat, and medications. If the basic steps do not alleviate back pain, the next step is to seek medical evaluation. Depending on the symptoms and the length of the problem, your physician can properly organize a treatment schedule.

Types of Surgery for Back Pain

Surgery for back pain is generally not recommended unless all other options of treatment have been tried and unless emergency surgery is required.
There are different types of surgery for different diagnoses. Surgery can fall into 3 main categories; nerve decompression, fusion of bony segments and deformity correction.

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