What Causes Chronic Low Back Pain?

Much back pain is mechanical, meaning it comes from the muscles, discs, joints and nerves of the spine rather than from a serious disease. Common causes of long-lasting low back pain include:

• Muscle or Ligament Strain: A common source of low back pain, often from lifting, twisting or overuse
• Herniated Disc: The soft center of a disc pushes out and presses on a nearby nerve
• Degenerative Disc Disease: Gradual wear of the discs that cushion the spine
• Spinal Stenosis: A narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the nerves
• Arthritis of the Spine: Wear of the small joints between the vertebrae, which can form bone spurs
• Spondylolisthesis: One vertebra slips forward over the one below it
• Sciatica: Radiating pain when a lower back problem irritates the sciatic nerve, sending pain down the leg

Factors such as aging, a sedentary lifestyle, physically demanding work, excess weight, smoking and poor posture can all raise the risk of developing long-term back pain.

Symptoms of Chronic Low Back Pain

Back pain feels different from person to person, partly because of the different causes. It may show up as:

• Dull Ache: Aching pain centered in the lower back
• Stiffness: Reduced flexibility, especially after rest
• Muscle Spasms: Spasms or tenderness in the back muscles
• Radiating Pain: Pain that travels into the buttock, leg or foot, which can signal that a nerve is involved
• Position-Related Pain: Pain that worsens with sitting, bending or standing for a long time

When to See a Physician for Back Pain

Much back pain eases with time and self-care, but some symptoms should be checked promptly. See a spine specialist if your back pain lasts more than a few weeks, keeps returning or is not improving with rest and home care.

Please Note: Seek immediate care if back pain comes with loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the groin or inner thighs or sudden or worsening leg weakness. Back pain with fever, unexplained weight loss or other new neurologic symptoms also needs prompt attention, as can pain that follows a fall or blow to the back. These can be signs of a condition that needs urgent treatment.

How Chronic Low Back Pain Is Treated

Because back pain has many causes, treatment starts with an accurate diagnosis, using your history, an examination and, when needed, imaging such as an X-ray or MRI to find the source. Treatment usually begins with nonsurgical care, and surgery is rarely needed to treat back pain. Common approaches include:

• Staying Active: Modifying the activities that aggravate the pain, along with self-care such as heat or cold
• Physical Therapy: Strengthening the muscles that support the spine and improving flexibility
• Medication: Anti-inflammatory or other medication to manage pain
• Spinal Injections: Treatment to reduce inflammation around an irritated nerve in some cases
• Massage Therapy: Relief for muscle tension and pain
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Support when long-lasting pain is affecting daily life and activity

When pain is caused by a specific structural problem and does not improve with conservative care, or when there is nerve compression causing weakness, surgery may be an option. Care often works best when it combines more than one approach, such as exercise, therapy and medication when appropriate. Your Resurgens spine specialist will help you understand what is causing your pain and which treatments are most likely to help.

Schedule an Appointment for Back Pain

If back pain is lasting or keeps coming back, a spine specialist can find the cause and help you find lasting relief. Book an appointment online today with Resurgens Orthopaedics or call us at (404) 847-9999.