The back structure can become irritated or inflamed in response to a variety of mild to severe conditions. The complex structure of your lower back means even minor damage to part of the lumbar spine can cause a lot of pain and discomfort.
Lower back pain is a symptom of stress or damage to ligaments, muscles, tendons, and discs. From dull, throbbing pain in the spine (osteoarthritis) to shooting, sharp pain due to a herniated disc (back pain), back pain can come and go, be constant or worsened by exercise or sitting for long periods of time, and are often associated with neurological symptoms such as numbness and tingling. In addition, localized back pain can radiate and spread to other parts of the body.
Mechanical back pain is caused by spinal column movement affecting the spinal column structures such as facets, joints, intervertebral discs, vertebrae (vertebrae), ligaments, muscles, and soft tissues. Muscle strains and sprains are the most common causes of back pain, especially in the lower back.
Spinal stenosis can occur on both the upper cervical spine and the lumbar spine, but the latter is more common. This kind of pain can be a symptom of other diseases and has many causes. Chronic pain can be triggered by a new injury or an underlying medical condition, but there is no real cause.
Muscle loss in the back and a lack of strength and stability are among the most common causes. In some cases, the pain can make it difficult or impossible to walk, sleep, work or engage in everyday activities.
There is little time left for home remedies such as over-the-counter painkillers, cold or heat therapy if acute back pain begins and disappears within two weeks. Chronic or long-term back pain develops over a long period of time, usually lasting at least three months and causing persistent problems. If a person occasionally has severe pain or persistent mild back pain, it can be difficult for a doctor to determine if they have acute or chronic back pain.
The most common causes of back pain are mechanical pain and axial pain, i.e., pain in the muscles, ligaments, joints, faces, joints of the iliosacral joint, and the spine’s bones. Both types of pain tend to be confined to the lower back, buttocks, and upper legs. Defined as lower back pain lasting at least three months, this type of pain is severe and does not respond to initial treatment, and requires a thorough medical examination to determine the exact cause of pain.
Lower back muscles diagram This diagram shows the muscles in the lower back that can cause you pain. Inflated discs that press against the nerves that travel from the back to the legs can cause sciatica or nerve irritation. If the nerves in this area are jammed, irritated, or injured, you may feel pain in other places where they move, such as arms, legs, chest, and abdomen.
If you have new back pain, you should contact your doctor to see if you need further tests. If you suffer a fever, unexplained weight loss, intestine or urinary problems, a spine specialist can examine the underlying cause of your back pain with imaging tests such as x-rays, CT, MRI, and myelograms. If your back pain is severe enough, your doctor may prescribe amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, as it concentrates on different parts of the pain response.
