Even if you have no past injury or any risk factors, you can develop lower back pain at any moment in your life. It is not necessarily severe and typically improves on its own. However, in certain circumstances, pain is your body’s way of alerting you that something is wrong. So, read this Life Rx Los Angeles article to figure out what’s causing your lower back pain.

What is lower back pain?

The lower back, also known as the lumbar region, is the part of the back that begins under the ribs. And almost everyone experiences this condition at some point in their lives. 

Axiom discomfort (pain lingering in the lower back) is defined as dull and aching rather than searing, stinging, or acute. This type of pain can be accompanied by mild to severe muscular spasms, reduced movement, and hip and pelvic problems.

What Causes Lower Back Pain?

Causes of lower back pain can be due to various accidents, ailments, and diseases. They are as follows:

1. Muscle Strain & Ligament Sprain

A lower back sprain or strain can occur suddenly or gradually over time as a result of repeated actions such as:

  • Lifting a heavy object or bending or twisting the spine when lifting.
  • A fall is an example of a sudden movement that puts too much strain on the low back
  • Over time poor posture
  • Sports injuries, including involving twisting or high impact pressures
  • Sneezing, coughing, twisting, or leaning over can cause lower back discomfort

While these causes may not appear dangerous and do not usually result in long-term discomfort, the acute pain can be too intense.

2. Fractures

The bones in the spine might break in an event, such as a vehicle accident or a fall. Also, a fracture in the cylindrical vertebra, in which the bone caves in on itself, can cause severe discomfort. This form of fracture is more prevalent in elderly persons and can be due to weak bones, such as osteoporosis.

3. Disc Problems

A lumbar disc’s jelly-like core might burst through the thick outer covering and irritate a surrounding nerve root. The herniated section of the disc contains proteins that generate inflammation when they reach a nerve root, and nerve root discomfort causes by both inflammation and nerve compression.

Discs also lose moisture and wear out with age. As it loses hydration, it loses its ability to withstand stresses and transmits force to the disc wall, which can cause tears and discomfort, also weakness and herniation. The disc might potentially compress, causing stenosis.

4. Arthritis

The most prevalent kind of arthritis that causes lower back discomfort is osteoarthritis. And this disease is caused by disc and facet joint wear and tear. It can cause pain, inflammation, instability, and stenosis to varying degrees at single or numerous levels of the lower spine. 

Less Common Causes of Lower Back Pain

While far less prevalent, lower back pain can also be caused by:

  • Infection. A spinal infection, also known as osteomyelitis, is uncommon but can cause severe pain and be fatal if left untreated. Patients with weakened immune systems are more likely to get a spine infection.
  • Tumor. Most cancers that spread to the spine originate in the breast, prostate, kidney, thyroid, or lung.
  • Diseases. Lower back pain can be a sign of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia, and other conditions.

These are just a list of the most frequent causes of lower back pain. However, there are many more! Learn more about it here at Massage Rx’s blog and the best exercises for lower back pain!

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