There’s nothing quite like constant, nagging lower back pain to make life almost unbelievably unpleasant. You don’t realise just how much you rely on your back until you have lower back trouble, and everything from sitting, to standing, and walking around becomes painful.

Not all lower back pain comes from the same thing though. It’s also not always in the same place. In fact, you can have lower back ache anywhere from your pelvic area, to the lower edge of your ribs. So in the quest to understand a little more about lower back pain, let’s find out what causes it most often:

• One of the most common causes of lower back pain is injury. You may find that you experience lower back pain after playing sports, or after lifting something heavy.  People who have been in car accidents, even minor ones, often find that they also experience lower back pain.
• As you get older, you will also find that you naturally tend to experience lower back pain more frequently.  That is because the spongy discs between your vertebrae naturally wear away, and there is less cushioning of your spine.  That results in more ‘wear and tear,’ and in turn, more lower back pain.
• People who suffer from diseases like arthritis may also find that lower back ache is one of their symptoms. It can also be a sign of a congenital spine problem, or of osteoporosis.
• Pregnancy is another of the most common causes for lower back pain.  As your pregnancy progresses, you will find that you experience more lower back pain, and that it becomes more intense.
• Bad posture is another common cause of lower back pain.  If you are carrying yourself stooped, you may find that just straightening up can make a world of difference to your back.
• Another common cause of lower back pains is being overweight, or unfit.  In the case of people who are overweight, it is the excess weight you are carrying that causes undue strain on your back, and if you are unfit, it is the poor muscle tone that is a factor.
• Finally, there are also diseases and illnesses that can cause lower back aches.  For instance, if you have kidney trouble, you might experience lower back pain.

The trouble with lower back aches is that because there are so many potential causes, it is often difficult for doctors to accurately diagnose what is causing your pain.  In some cases, your doctor may find no physical reason for your pain at all, and there are cases of lower back pain attributed to stress or depression!

If you are experiencing this type of pain, then your doctor will probably first rule out any possible physical causes, and if there’s nothing that could be directly causing the pain, then he or she might recommend lifestyle changes, and a pain management medication.

The good news is that many cases of lower back pain are treatable at home, without interfering too much with your daily life – but the first step in treating lower back pain is to find out the cause!

{ 0 comments }