Causes of Lower Back Pain and Possible Treatments

Your lower back is a significant place in your body. Besides just adding structure to your spine, it also helps protect specific organs. Your lower back also improves your movement and posture. When you experience lower back pain, that throws everything else out of whack. You may even find that you can’t stand properly. There are many causes of lower back pain. This article will discuss some of the most popular reasons for lower back pain and how you might find relief.

Causes

Sometimes you may experience lower back pain because of an injury that was brought on through strain. If you lifted an extremely heavy object, for example, you could have sprained either the muscles, tendons or the ligaments found in your lower back. The continued use of your lower back can cause tears to form in these areas. This is called a lumbar strain. It can either be acute or chronic. This strain is the most common reason for lower back pain. While it occurs most commonly in older adults, it can happen to anyone through an accident or injury.

Lumbar radiculopathy is another cause of lower back pain. This describes a situation in which the nerves are irritated because the discs in the spine have been damaged. This damage can be given through simple wear and tear. It could also be a result of an injury. The pain occurs when the disc ruptures in the center. It then causes the nerves to become irritated, which causes you a great deal of pain.

Bony encroachment is another cause of lower back pain. This is a condition in which the vertebrae starts to grow. It limits the space of the spinal cord and its nerves. This can occur due to Arthritis or other conditions.

Treatments

In regards to lumbar strain, the procedure can be as simple as resting. Sometimes all you need to do is keep from lifting heavy objects or bending your back in a certain way for some time. The body will naturally heal the tears on its own. However, you might also be given pain relievers to ease the muscle spasms that you receive from the injury. Using heat can also sometimes help reduce the lumbar strain. A heat press can be applied to the lower back in an attempt to relax the muscles and tendons. Another method for treating lumbar strain is a massage. This should be performed by professionals who are experienced in treating lumbar strains. Otherwise, they might make the problem worse. Finally, you may be asked to undergo reconditioning in an attempt to help strengthen your back.

To help lumbar radiculopathy, one of the reasons treatments that someone might receive is a cortisone injection. They might also receive several physical therapies to help ease the pain like massages, heat applications, electrical stimulation, and even an ultrasound. To help with the discs, surgery may be necessary. This surgery is done to remove the herniated disc.

Treatments for bony encroachment can vary. The factors that determine a particular treatment are age, health, and the overall situation of the infringement. Sometimes all a doctor might suggest is specific exercises. Other times, surgery may be required. Surgical decompression is used to remove the bone that’s causing the problem for the spinal cord.