Common Causes of Lower Back Pain - By: Allan Michael Taylor

Are you one of the many people who are constantly being pestered by lower back pain? Have you tried all sorts of patches and ointments for it to go away but none just seem to work? Well, before you can find the perfect solution for your problem, it is of prior importance to know the cause of your pain. When you already know what's causing it, then you will know how to deal with the pain properly and with what.

There are a number of functions which the lower back serves like for movement, structural support, and protection of some body tissues. Just like the other parts of the body, it is very important and must be maintained in a perfect condition, otherwise, the whole body may suffer.

What are the usual causes of lower back pain?

One of the most common causes is called the lumbar strain. This is when the tendons, ligaments, and/or muscles in the lumbar area are injured by being over-stretched. The over stretching may be due to improper use, overuse, or trauma. When you have a soft tissue injury, it is classified as "acute" lumbar strain and may last for days to even weeks. However, when it lasts for months, then it is classified as "chronic" already. This kind of pain is often felt by people in their 40s although younger ones may also suffer from the same condition.

Another common cause of lower back pain is nerve irritation. Irritation of the lumbar spine nerves may be due to mechanical impingement or diseases. The condition may happen anywhere along the roots, the spinal cord, and the skin surface. Lumbar disc disease (radiculopathy), nerve inflammation due to viral infection (shingles), and bony encroachment are some of the usual conditions where there is nerve irritation.

The third most common cause of lower back pain is the bone and joint condition. Conditions which lead to pain may be congenital (from birth), degenerative (wear and tear), and arthritis (joint inflammation).

When it's congenital, the typical conditions which cause lumbar pain are scoliosis and spina bifida. The former is when the spine is curved sideways. It could be functional (one lower extremity is shorter than the other) or structural (when there is an abnormal spine architecture). Spina bifida, on the other hand, is a defect in the bony vertebral arch. It can be a small abnormality without symptoms, but it can also come with major nervous abnormalities in the lower extremities.

Now, degenerative condition of the bones and joints are also a common cause of lumbar pain. As people age, the water and protein in the cartilage changes. This results to a thinner, weaker, and more fragile cartilage. Since discs and joints are partly composed of cartilage, they go through degenerative changes overtime and become weak too.

Finally, arthritis can also be a cause of lower back pain. Reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and arthritis of inflammatory bowel disease are all forms of arthritis which can lead to lumbar pain and stiffness. This kind of pain is commonly worse in the morning.

About the Author

Ralph Miranda is an expert when it comes to pain relief and back pain. To find out everything about his system, visit his website at http://www.ThePainZapper.com.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Allan-Michael-Taylor/45501

Additional Articles From - Home | Health & fitness | Back pain