Lower Back Pain: Symptoms And Remedies

Back Pain or discomfort in the lower portion of our back and the spinal column is a common phenomenon and can be largely attributed to our changing lifestyles. Wrong posture or inadequate exercise is most often the cause of the pain in the lower spinal column. The treatment of such a pain can vary from a simple over the counter medicine to surgery depending on the severity and the cause.

The back pain is generally felt in the lumbar and the sacral region and can also affect other areas. A sprain in the muscles or the ligaments constituting the lower portion of the spine can be the most common cause of backache. Some of the other problems that involve pain in the lower back are disc degeneration due to arthritis or ageing, spondylitis, infections and tumors.

In most of the cases the back pain is localized in the lower back and vanishes after some time. However, it may even extend to the buttock or the leg on the affected side. In cases wherein the pain is persistent and increases with time or results in weakness in the foot or loss of bladder control- proper medical check up becomes essential.

In some cases stiffness or persistent back pain around the spine can disturb your sleep resulting in further problems like tiredness. Such problems can be rectified by the used of pillows designed to maintain our body posture and thus ensure proper sleep. The use of the wrong type of mattresses can also affect the body posture and result in back pain.

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Back Pain Facts?

There are several causes of back pain: mechanical causes, eg lumbar disc disorders; degenerative conditions, eg degenerative disc disease; inflammatory conditions, eg ankylosing spondylitis; infective causes, eg osteomyelitis; neoplastic causes, eg primary benign or malignant tumours; metabolic bone disease, eg osteoporosis; referred pain, eg from duodenal ulcer; psychogenic pain - originating in the mind rather than the body.

Back pain is one of humanity's most frequent complaints and does not usually reflect any underlying disease. However, anyone with back pain that does not improve after a few days should first consult a Physician, as back pain can sometimes indicate significant and serious conditions which might not otherwise be diagnosed. Back pain is very rarely a sign of a serious medical problem. It is however important that the treatable medical causes are identified early on.

Back pain affects 50 to 80 percent of people in the U.S. at some point in their lives. In any given year, 10 percent of adults experience back pain or other symptoms, such as limited mobility or stiffness. Each year, Americans spend an estimated $24 billion on treatments for back pain - not including missed time from work nor the emotional costs of enduring pain and not being able to participate in daily activities. Imagine what it would be like to have problems working, golfing or enjoying playtime with children!

Back pain can be mildly uncomfortable, excruciating or anywhere in between. It can start slowly, sometimes a result of poor posture, or come on suddenly because of injury. If your question is not answered here, please contact one of our information specialists. Back pain can last for a few short days or can linger for weeks, months and even years. Arthritis is a common form of back pain. The earlier arthritis is diagnosed, the more steps can be taken to reduce disability in the future. Other factors that aggravate back pain include suffering from stress, not getting enough sleep, being overweight, having poor posture or not being physically fit.

Back pain should not be considered a normal part of aging; it is a chronic condition that calls for similar lifestyle changes as diseases like arthritis and diabetes do.