Nearly 80% of people have back pain, including lower back pain, at some point or another during their life. Because it's an ailment that almost everyone experiences, you really need to understand what causes lower back pain. It's important to understand how you can keep severe lower back pain at bay by controlling these factors.
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 results in less protection for the vertebrae. Just the fact of getting older can play a part in experiencing lower back pain.
If the ligaments or muscles in your back experience a sprain, spasm, or strain, the spinal discs can burst or bulge. This leads to increased pressure on your spinal cord nerves. Your back will let you know about this through neural signs, more commonly known as pain. What are the causes of these strains, sprains and spasms? Generally these are injuries which are caused by trying to lift heavy weights or overextending muscles.
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. Being out of shape or overweight, having poor posture, experiencing stress and even being pregnant are all examples of this. Lower back pain and pain in the hips often appear together, increasing your discomfort. Another cause of lower back pain can be scar tissue from old injuries - this can also lead to further, more critical injuries.
When to Worry About 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 you experience any of these symptoms along with your lower back pain, see your doctor right away. They could point to a deeper problem such as a pinched nerve. If you are diabetic, lower back pain may indicate neuropathy.
Avoiding Lower Back Pain
By paying attention to proper back pain management techniques, most lower back pain can be avoided. Poor posture is often the root cause of lower back pain that never quite goes away. There are ways to change this. Stand straight, remember to lift with your legs rather than with your back, and do exercises to build lower back strength. Be certain that you pay attention to workplace ergonomics while on the job. This can go a long way towards preventing lower back pain.
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