Do you have a pain in the lower part of your back? Here is the Lower back pain help available for you. Lower back pain is a very common condition that occurs in about 80% of people at some point in their lives and for which help is available. It may be caused by a sudden injury, typically due to improper lifting technique that produces excessive strain on the muscles and ligaments of the lower back. Other structures that may be involved include the intervertebral disc and facet joint. These structures are the mobile segments of the intervertebral joint and lead to symptoms of pain in the lower back.
Additional causes of lower back pain include osteoarthritis, depression, urinary tract infection and even cancer. Symptoms suggestive of some of these conditions are unremitting pain occurring day and night, age over 50 and other coexisting medical conditions. However most back pain is due to minor strain of the structures listed above, is mild, lasts only a few days and medical help is usually not sought. It is nevertheless a leading cause of sick days and contributes greatly to missed work.
About 50% of sufferers recover within 2 weeks, while 90% recover within 6 weeks. In a small minority the back pain becomes chronic, that is, lasting more than 12 weeks. Early management of acute back pain may reduce the number of people progressing to chronic back pain. Measures that may help include back education, encouragement of normal activity and physiotherapy, as well as medication. Sufferers of chronic back pain need a lot of support and reassurance
Back pain can occur in children and in under 10-year-olds must be taken especially seriously. Back pain is more common in older children in whom psychological as well as physical causes need to be considered. Back pain in the elderly is usually due to injury but may also be a symptom of osteoporosis and the fractures associated with that condition.
Lower back pain is also often associated with a particular type of pain called sciatica. This is where the sciatic nerve which arises from the lower part of the spinal cord and travels through the lower vertebral joint spaces becomes pinched. The pain is typically intense, sharp and stabbing, travelling down the leg. Treatment is more complex and healing takes longer, but it should resolve within 12 weeks.
X-rays are of limited value as they are often normal in severe back pain even with disc prolapse, while people with no symptoms who have back x-rays for other reasons may show changes, typically of osteoarthritis in the elderly.
Lower back pain is a very common condition which is usually caused by a minor strain of the back and for which help is available.