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What Causes Lower Back Pain - And What Can You Do About It?

By: Kim Archer Nearly 80% of people have back pain, including lower back pain, at some point or another during their life. Since this is a problem which affects nearly everyone, it is important to know what the causes of lower back pain are. You also need to know how to control these factors to keep 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. We also tend to lose bone strength as we age. Loss of fluid results in the discs in your spine becoming less flexible. This means that they do a less effective job of protecting the vertebrae. Simply growing older can be a cause of lower back pain.

If the ligaments or muscles in your back are subjected to a strain, spasm, sprain, the spinal discs can bulge or rupture. That puts a considerable amount of pressure on the nerves that are located in your spinal cord. If those nerve roots experience irritation or compression, your back lets you know there's a problem by sending pain signals. So what's the cause of a back sprain, spasm, or strain? Generally it's some type of injury or trauma, for instance trying to lift an overly heavy object, or stretching beyond your limits.

Lower back pain can also be caused by diseases like osteoporosis and arthritis. There are also causes including viral infections, joint or disc irritation and 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. Lower back pain and pain in the hips often appear together, increasing your discomfort. 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 Be Concerned Over Lower Back Pain

You should take your lower back pain seriously if it comes along with other symptoms. Watch out for weakness in the muscles, particularly in the legs, loss of bowel or bladder control, fever or coughing. 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.

How to Avoid Lower Back Pain

If you take good care of your back in your everyday life, it's not too difficult to avoid lower back pain. If your back pain is chronic, there's a chance it stems from inefficient body mechanics. Always maintain correct posture and when you lift objects, use your legs instead of your back. As well, strengthen your back through exercise. Check that your workplace implements proper ergonomics in areas such as furniture and tools. This will help protect your body from suffering lower back pain.

Article Source: http://www.lifeweightloss.com

Kim Archer knows what it's like to suffer from chronic back pain. She is a regular contributor to Back Pain Treatment, a great information source on causes and treatments of back pain.

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