Back pain is one of the most common health conditions people have. It is probably also the most common excuse to be absent from work. Although it can affect all age groups, back pain incidence is most common among the 30 to 60 years old. Almost everyone will have their episode with back pain at one time or another.
Back pain is more specifically called low back pain if it happens anywhere below the ribs and above the legs. Possible sources of low back pain may come from lifting , reaching or twisting movements.
Causes of Low Back Pain
Low back pain has been determined to be caused by any of the following:
- Stress from overuse, strain on the back muscle, or injury
- This may include sprains or strains of ligaments and muscles, fracture or compression structures of bones.
- The pain results after an activity like lifting a heavy load or a sudden movement.
- Sprain may come from bad posture and awkward position like bending for a long time.
- Being overweight may aggravate back pain.
- Aging – Degeneration of the spine joints in people over 60 is common.
- Herniated disk- The vertebra in the low back slips forward on the disk space below it, causing pressure on nerve roots.
- Illness – An example is lumbar degenerative disk disease, which causes the breakdown of the lumbar disk, resulting in chronic low back pain, inflammation and muscle spasm.
- Congenital spine problem
- Osteoarthritis – It affects the small joints in the spine. It can make the joints stiff and sore and also put pressure on the nerve roots.
- Arthritis – Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis, which often affects the spine.
- Bacterial infection in the spine, bone or spinal cord
- Spinal tumors – These are growths on the bones and ligaments and could appear on the spine, spinal cord or on nerve roots. This condition usually requires medical emergency.
Diagnosis of Low Back Pain
Chiropractic care is one of the most effective methods available in the treatment of low back pain. When you visit your chiropractor for checkup, you will be asked about your present and past health conditions, the symptoms and activities you do. You will then be put to a physical examination, which may include an x-ray examination of your back. The info you provided plus the results of the examination can help identify the cause for the pain. In most cases, the chiropractic doctor is able to come up with a treatment plan recommending the most appropriate treatment for your condition, after the first exam.
Most low back problems do not require urgent and long treatment.
We can save our backs while it is not too late. We can do something about the causes of low back pain especially on those we have control over.