For the right lower back pain treatment, doctors conduct different blood tests and imaging tests and try to find the actual cause for the same. It’s because different causes of lower back pain are treated differently. And if the actual reason is not defined, the treatment might go wrong and the patient might suffer severely.
In this post, we will discuss the common causes of lower back pain so that it’s easy for you to understand your problem and the treatment prescribed by the doctor. Also, knowing the causes will help you differentiate your lower back pain from others and follow the right schedule for the same.
Herniated lumbar disk–
There are about 17 bones or vertebrae stacked above one another, making an adult’s thoracic and lumbar spine. Each set of vertebrae is cushioned with a disk, which absorbs the pressure put on the bones. And the disk is made of an outer rind and inner gel.
The problem occurs when the inner gel in the lumbar spine slips and squishes beyond the outer rind, pressing the surrounding nerves. This pressure on the nerves causes pain. Just remember that there are many reasons for slippage.
Facet joint damage–
Facets joints are the joints that connect the five vertebrae of the lower back. According to experts, the facet joints experience loads of compressive force and stress largely. Due to force and stress, the cartilage in the facet joints breakdown, leading to pain.
Poor postures or repeated overuse is a common reason for facet joint damage. Along with pain, the problem leads to inflammation, stiffness, and muscle spasms.
There is no such particular reason for compression fracture. The vertebrae in the lumbar spine collapse in themselves. Usually, the experts consider this collapse due to osteoporosis or as a result of trauma.
The problems people suffer from due to compression fracture are sudden but severe pain and limited spinal mobility.
Narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back leads to lumbar spinal stenosis. The major reason for this problem is the formation of the bone spur. The bone spur thickens a nearby ligament or degenerates a lumbar disk or joint.
Actually, spinal stenosis doesn’t cause lower back pain. It results in sciatica, which is a type of pain that radiates down the lower extremities.
When a lumbar vertebra slips forward, above the vertebrae below, it puts a huge compressive force on the lumbar disk. As already discussed, the lumbar disk is the spinal part that separates the two vertebrae. If the force intensity is high, the lumbar disk gets flattened, leading to nerve compression and sciatica.
The common reason for this problem is a fracture in the small piece of bone, known as the pars interarticularis. The bone is found adjacent to the facet joints.
The natural view of the spine is upper back curving backward and lower back curving forward. If this natural curvature changes when viewed from behind, the sideway curves of the spine, it’s known as scoliosis. It’s a spinal deformity, leading to lower back pain.
Generally, you don’t require any lower back pain treatment for scoliosis. But, if the curvature is severe, it will stress significantly on the lower back and become severely painful.
Now, you very well know the causes of lower back pain. So, get the right lower back pain treatment from the right doctor and stay pain-free.