Surviving John

Many people complain about acute lower back pain. Around 80% of the US population is said to be affected by it and around 50% suffer from more than one episode of this condition. However, as opposed to what many people believe it is, acute lower back pain is not a disease but rather a symptom that may arise from different medical conditions. As a matter of fact, 7 out of 10 people with this condition had gone through medical evaluations but no specific cause was identified. Nonetheless, incidences or reasons as to why this pain attacks exist. Continue reading this article to get to know them.

Lower Back Pain Causes

Acute lower back pain may be triggered by different factors such as bone, spinal nerves, and muscle injuries and diseases. It may also characterize some organ problems within the abdomen, pelvis, or chest, as well as intra-abdominal disorders like appendicitis, kidney diseases, pelvic infections, aneurysm, bladder infections, ovarian disorders, and a lot more. Acute lower back pain may also be caused by normal pregnancy due to the strain placed on the lower back, stretching of pelvis ligaments, and nerve irritation. All these things will be considered and ruled out during the evaluation of your pain.

Another probable reason for acute lower back pain is nerve impingement, which is said to be caused by the herniation of the disc located between the lower back bones. One example of nerve root impingement is sciatica, which causes acute lower back pain that affects a specific area in the back with associated numbness in the leg area supplied by the affected nerve. You may also experience acute lower back pain due to spondylosis that occurs when the intervertebral discs lose its volume and moisture with age, thereby decreasing the height of the disc. Even minor physical trauma in similar circumstances may also cause nerve impingement and inflammation, thereby producing classic sciatica without rupturing the disc.

Spinal stenosis, a problem with the spine, may also be signaled by some lower back pain symptoms, including pain that radiates down to lower part of the body, felt more often then a person is standing for a long period of time. A medical emergency referred to as cauda equine syndrome can also trigger acute lower back pain to attack, especially when the spinal cord is compressed directly. Myofascial pain is another condition that can trigger back pain as well as other symptoms such as feeling of tenderness in some areas, difficulty to move certain muscle groups, and pain along the peripheral nerves.

Other factors that trigger acute lower back pain are osteomyelitis, fibromyalgia, tumors, and nerve inflammation. Fibromyalgia is characterized by pain and tenderness throughout the body, generalized stiffness, fatigue, lower back pain, and muscle aches. Osteomyelitis is characterized by stiffness and pain in the spine. Cancerous tumors are said to be characterized by acute lower back pain. Spinal nerve inflammation is caused by spinal nerve infection from the virus known as herpes zoster. This condition is characterized by shingles in spine and lower and upper back pain.

The conditions mentioned above are some of the factors that trigger acute lower back pain. It is never right to make assumptions, so if you feel any of the symptoms mentioned above, consult with your doctor immediately.