Lower back pain ranks as one of the most common health issues today. Nearly 80% of adults will experience it at some point in their lives.
Typically, lower back pain starts with a sudden strain in the muscles. However, conditions like arthritis or a slipped disc can also trigger it. This pain may feel like an ache or a sharp sting and can be either constant or come and go.
Below, we’ll cover the causes of lower back pain and how to manage it effectively. You’ll also learn when to seek medical care.
What is Lower Back Pain?
Let’s first understand what lower back pain is.
Low back pain strikes the lumbar region, the area below your ribs. It’s a widespread problem, with nearly everyone experiencing it at some point in their lives. In fact, it’s a major culprit behind lost workdays in the United States, affecting around 84% of the population annually. While it often improves on its own, persistent pain warrants a medical evaluation.
Lower Back Pain Symptoms
Low back pain is a common issue with no specific signs or symptoms that distinguish it from other forms of chronic pain.
It can present as mild, constant soreness or severe, sudden stabs of pain. It can impact walking, posture, and other physical activities. Pain can occur at any age and may be acute, resulting from exercise, contact sports, sprains, or other strenuous activities, or chronic, lasting more than three months. See a doctor if your pain doesn’t go away in 3 days.
Symptoms Demanding Immediate Attention
- If you hurt your back in an accident or fall.
- If your back pain comes with problems going to the bathroom (peeing or pooping).
- If your legs feel weak or numb.
- If you have a fever along with back pain.
- If your back hurts when you pee or cough.
These could be indications of a serious condition, you should seek medical attention early enough.
Now, what about causes? We’ll let’s discuss them below.
Lower Back Pain Causes
Muscle Strain vs. Sciatica
Pain in the back is usually caused by strain that results from such activity as lifting or any other strenuous task. But in certain situations, intervertebral discs that are spaces between the vertebrae become herniated or ruptured, that puts pressure on nerves. In the case where the sciatic nerve is disturbed, pain is felt from the lower back to the leg commonly referred to as sciatica
Jobs and Your Back
Many jobs make your back hurt. If you lift heavy things, pull hard, or twist a lot, your back might ache. Also, sitting for a long time in a bad chair can hurt your back.
Bags and Backaches
Carrying heavy bags on your shoulder is not good for your back. Your lower back has to work hard to hold up your body and the weight of the bag. If your bag is too heavy, it can really strain your back. Using a rolling bag can help a lot.
Exercise and Back Pain
Working out is good for you, but too much can hurt your back. People who don’t exercise much and then do a lot of hard exercise on the weekend can get back pain.
Posture Matters
How you stand and sit makes a big difference. If you slouch, your spine gets stressed. Try to sit up straight with your back supported. When you stand, make sure your weight is on both feet.
Herniated Discs
Your spine has soft cushions between the bones called discs. These discs can get damaged over time or from an injury. If a disc gets damaged, it can push on your nerves and cause a lot of pain. This is called a herniated disc.
Age-Specific Lower Back Pain Concerns
Younger Adults (20-40)
Back pain in younger adults is often due to physical strain, poor posture, or injuries from sports or workouts. Proper lifting techniques, posture adjustments, and strengthening exercises can help prevent and alleviate pain.
Middle-Aged Adults (40-60)
As we age, the spine naturally begins to wear down. Disc degeneration and reduced flexibility make the back more susceptible to pain. Adding core-strengthening and low-impact exercises (like walking or swimming) into your routine helps maintain spine health.
Older Adults (60+)
Older adults face a higher risk of conditions like spinal stenosis and osteoporosis, which can increase the likelihood of back pain. Activities that promote flexibility, balance, and bone health, such as yoga and strength training, become especially beneficial.
Chronic Conditions and Back Pain
Several chronic conditions can contribute to lower back pain:
- Spinal stenosis: A narrowing of the spinal canal that compresses spinal nerves.
- Ankylosing spondylitis: Inflammation of the spine’s joints, sometimes affecting shoulders, hips, ribs, and other areas. This condition causes chronic back pain, stiffness, and in severe cases, spinal fusion.
- Fibromyalgia: Characterized by widespread muscle pain, including the back.
These are just general causes. However there some other reasons that cause lower back pain.
Other causes
Lower back pain can sometimes signal underlying conditions unrelated to the spine. Possible causes include:
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Endometriosis
- Kidney stones
- Pregnancy
- Cancer
Risk Factors for Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is a common problem, especially as you get older. It often starts around age 30, and the chances of it happening again increase as you get older.
What makes you more likely to get lower back pain?
- Age: The older you get, the more wear and tear your spine goes through.
- Weight: Extra weight puts extra pressure on your back.
- Lack of exercise: Weak back and core muscles can make your back more prone to injury.
- Jobs that involve heavy lifting or bending: These activities can strain your back.
- Smoking: Smoking can damage the discs in your spine.
- Poor posture: Slouching or sitting incorrectly can put stress on your back.
- Medical conditions: Some health problems, like arthritis or osteoporosis, can increase your risk.
Diagnosing Lower Back Pain
If you experience lower back pain, you must consult your doctor to check the cause of the pain. Next, they will ask you questions about your pain such as when the pain began, whether it is localized or generalized, and what helps and or worsens the pain.
At other times, the doctor would wish to capture the back in form of pictures to check whether there is an issue. This can be done with plain films X-rays or CT scans or MRI. However, these tests are not always required at the initial stage of diagnosing the disease. Depending on the symptoms that you present, your doctor will determine if you should have them.
Natural Treatment for Low Back Pain
Back ache or low back ache is a common complaint with different causes and one of the natural ways to treat it is by carrying out the following activities:
Rest is Not Best
Sometimes when you experiences a back pain, all they would desire is to sleep, but this is not always the best thing to do. Because doctors say that it’s better to resume the normal activities right away. If you continue to lie in bed for more than couple of days, your back could become even more painful and your muscles more relaxed.
You might want to stay in bed when your back hurts, but this isn’t always the best idea. Doctors say it’s better to keep doing your normal things as soon as you can. If you stay in bed for more than a couple of days, your back might get even sorer and your muscles could get weaker.
Warm it Up
Heat can help ease back pain. Try using a hot water bottle or taking a warm bath. The heat can relax your muscles and make you feel better for a while.
Yoga Can Help
If your back pain lasts for more than three months, yoga might be helpful. Studies show that people who do yoga for 12 weeks have less back pain than people who don’t. Yoga can help you stay flexible and strong. But it’s important to learn yoga from a trained teacher so you don’t hurt yourself.
What About Chiropractic and Massage?
Some people go to chiropractors or massage therapists for back pain. Chiropractors try to fix the bones in your spine. Massage can help relax your muscles. There’s some evidence that massage can help with long-term back pain, especially if you also do exercises and stretches.
Acupuncture: Does it Work?
Acupuncture is a process that involves use of needles that are tiny to be inserted on the skin. Some of the consumers believe that it provides relief to back pain. However, literature suggests that, it is unclear whether acupuncture is more effective than sham-acupuncture in the management of acute low back pain. But perhaps the thing that acupuncture is good for is chronic pain in the back.
Lower back Pain Medication
For mild lower back pain, over-the-counter medicines like Tylenol, Advil, or Aleve can help. These medicines, called NSAIDs, fight swelling and pain. You can also use creams or gels with menthol or capsaicin on your back.
When to See a Doctor
If over-the-counter medicines don’t help your pain after a few weeks, or if your pain is really bad, you should see a doctor. They can figure out what’s causing your pain and tell you how to treat it.
What Else Can Help?
- Injections: If other things don’t work, your doctor might give you a shot of medicine called a corticosteroid. This can help with swelling and make pain better for a while.
- Surgery: Only a few people need surgery for lower back pain. It’s usually for really bad pain that won’t go away. Surgery might mean taking out a damaged disc, making more room for your spinal cord, or joining bones together.
- Physical Therapy: Physical therapy is really helpful for lower back pain. A physical therapist can teach you exercises to make your core and back muscles stronger, help you move better, and fix bad posture. Studies show that physical therapy really helps people with lower back pain feel better and move easier. You can also consider it as effective lower back pain exercises.
Get Stronger
Making your core and back muscles strong is important for stopping and dealing with lower back pain. Exercises like planks, bridges, and back extensions can help. But it’s really important to do these exercises the right way to avoid getting hurt. Ask a physical therapist or doctor to show you how to do them safely.
Preventing Low Back Pain
You can’t completely dodge low back pain as you age, but certain steps can lower your risk.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Extra pounds put pressure on your spine. Losing even a small amount can make a big difference. A study in the American Journal of Medicine found that shedding 10 pounds reduced back pain by half in overweight people.
- Move your body regularly. Exercise strengthens core muscles, which support your back. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly. Activities like walking, swimming, and yoga are gentle on the back.
- Lift smart. Bending your knees and using your leg muscles, not your back, is key to safe lifting. This reduces strain on your spine. Remember, technique matters more than strength.
- Check your workspace. If you sit at a desk, ensure your chair supports your lower back and your feet flat on the floor. Your monitor should be at eye level to prevent neck strain, which can also lead to back pain.
Last Words
Pain in lower back is one of the ailments that is common in the society, but there are ways through which it can be prevented or controlled. I have come to realize that by avoiding inactivity, fixing posture, and ensuring when lifting heavy objects, you can avoid back pains.
In case the pain does not subside or it even intensifies, the person should seek medical assistance to get the appropriate medication.
Do not neglect your back; the proper care that you give it today will help you to avoid the future discomforts.
