Lower Back Pain, Injuries, & Conditions
Lower back pain is very common, with four out of five individuals having lower back pain at some point in their lives. It can be caused by various accidents, illnesses, or disorders, with the most common cause being damage to the back muscles or tendons. Atherosclerosis, spinal structural issues, and trauma oof the discs are further factors. From minor to severe, lower back pain can occasionally make it difficult or impossible to move, sleep, work, or do other routine tasks.
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Most Common Causes of Lower Back Pain
- Age: Lower back discomfort is more common in individuals over 30. This is because the disks, the supple and rubbery tissue that supports the spine’s bones, are prone to deteriorate with age, leading to pain and stiffness.
- Weight: Those who are overweight and/or obese are more likely to suffer from lower back pain. The excess weight causes additional strain on disks and joints.
- Overall health: Back sprains and strains can result from the spine’s inability to be supported by weak abdominal muscles. In addition, lower back discomfort is more likely to affect people who smoke, consume alcohol excessively, or have sedentary lifestyles.
- Spinal Structural problems: Conditions that alter the spine’s shape and position, including scoliosis, can cause severe back pain.
- Disease: Lower back pain is more prevalent in those with a family history of osteoarthritis, some cancers, and other conditions.
Additional Causes of Lower Back Pain
- Lumbar Radiculopathy (Sciatica)
- Post Laminectomy Syndrome
- Facet Joint Syndrome
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Herniated Discs
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spinal compression fractures/ osteoporotic fractures
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spinal Arthritis
- Muscle Spasm
- Nerve Impingement (Radiculopathy)
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
- Thoracic or Lumbar Sprain or Strain
Available Treatments for Lower Back Pain Include:
- Ice or heat: You are more likely to improve your pain and mobility by using a combination of heat and ice packs to relieve lower back discomfort. Temperature therapies can be helpful in aiding stiff muscles.
- Medication: Lower back pain can be treated non-invasively using over-the-counter painkillers. The best drugs for lowering pain and swelling related to muscle-related lower back discomfort include naproxen, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen. If over-the-counter remedies don’t assist your chronic lower back pain, you may be prescribed stronger meds
- Ultrasound and Traction: You might need to consider alternative possibilities if the traditional therapies for your lower back pain don’t work. For example, your spine is aligned using traction, which may also assist slipped discs in realigning themselves. You can also massage the soft tissues around your back injury with ultrasound, utilizing sound waves that warm the muscles, helping them to relax and recover more quickly.
- Surgery: Only a small percentage of severe, persistent lower back pain patients need surgery. However, it is still a choice if other therapies don’t provide relief. To relieve strain on nerve pathways, small disc segments that have broken off or disintegrated can be surgically removed.
- Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injections. A strong painkiller is directly injected into a trigger site. It could be the solution to your issue, or it might just buy you some time without experiencing discomfort while you look into other options for treating your upper back pain.
- Lumbar Rhizotomy. Although spinal surgery might be frightening, there are occasions when it is the most effective way to get relief. Rarely is surgery recommended for isolated upper back discomfort. Problems with the spine, such as vertebral fracture, a herniated disc, or deformity, usually to blame for this.
- Lumbar Sympathetic Blocks. A lumbar sympathetic block is a type of injection that is used to treat chronic pain in the lower back. The injection is given near the lumbar sympathetic nerves, which are a part of the sympathetic nervous system.
Why Lonseth Interventional Pain Centers?
Lower back pain affects many people at various times in their lives. So why delay treatment? Reach out to the specialists at Lonseth Interventional Pain Centers today. We employ the latest state-of-the-art therapies to pinpoint and treat your lower back pain at its source. You’ll work with a knowledgeable team of double board certified pain management experts to create a unique treatment plan to help you alleviate your pain and get you back to your everyday activities.
Lower Back Pain FAQ
Many people will experience lower back pain at some point in their life. It can occur at any age, but it is especially common for those between the ages of 40 and 80. Lower back pain is the main reason for work-related incapacity.
Acute lower back pain may temporarily add stress to a person’s life, although it usually passes on its own in 2-4 weeks. However, if symptoms have not subsided by then, it is crucial to seek medical care to treat any underlying problems.
Our diet and lifestyle choices greatly influence how we respond to pain and injury. A history of smoking, repetitive lifting and bending during everyday activities or at work, age, and any bad lifestyle decisions regarding nutrition and exercise have all been reported to raise the risk of lower back pain. Exercise can help build muscle mass and assist in maintaining a healthy weight, keeping lower back pain at bay.