The cause of lower back pain is a source of loss work time, agony in daily life and many times a bevy of tears that seem never ending.
Back pain is aggravating, irritating, frustrating and a source of pain that feels like none other. At times it can take your breath away.
The lower back is created from five vertebrae, the sacrum and the coccyx and is made up of the lower one third of the spine.
The lumbar vertebrae have an incredibly tough job of supporting all the upper body weight on their hourglass-shaped rings of bone.
The tail bone is made up of the coccyx and the sacrum and is located at the tail end of the spine. The sacrum is a group of bones which are fused together.
Think about all the pressure and weight that is exerted along the back line and it is rather easy to understand why lower back pain can be a prime location of agony.
There are many different reasons for back pain.
Some of which are caused by things in your control and others by things out of your control.
For example, things you can control include things such as poor posture and obesity, while things out of your control include a traumatic accident, an infection or even an exercise or sports injury.
As you age bones began to lose their strength and muscles begin to get less flexible, both of which predispose you to back pain as you age.
There are certain back conditions that can cause lower back pain, such as sciatica. This occurs when a ruptured or herniated disc pushes on the sciatic nerve.
When the disc puts pressure on the sciatic nerve it can cause shooting pains to race down one or both of your legs.
Spinal degeneration is another back condition associated with lower back pain.
In this condition, the general wear and tear of aging on the spinal discs lead to a narrowing of the spinal cord.
Associated with aging, spinal degeneration can leave you feeling stiff as a board in the morning and even in pain after you have been standing for prolonged periods of time.
A bulging disc, also known as a ruptured disc or a herniation, is caused by the discs located in between the vertebrae coming under too much pressure. This increasing pressure ultimately results in the cartilage pressing into the nerve roots and in the most severe of cases, into the spinal canal itself. This pressure causes severe lower back pain.
Quite commonly associated with aging, spinal arthritis is causes intermittent lower back pain. It can also cause you difficulty bending or walking. You may also experience weakness and numbness in your legs.
Back pain and aging seem to go hand in hand. But the goal is to find a physician who will listen to your concerns and your physical concerns.
No one should accept back pain as a result of aging. Don't give up on back pain relief without a fight!