Back Pain
Mr. Arch Custom Orthotics
Lower Back Pain Causes & Treatment
Lower back pain is very common. It can result from a strain (injury) to muscles or tendons in the back. Other causes include arthritis, structural problems and disk injuries. Pain often gets better with rest, physical therapy and medication. Reduce your risk of low back pain by keeping at a healthy weight and staying active.
What is lower back pain?
Low back pain can result from many different injuries, conditions or diseases — most often, an injury to muscles or tendons in the back.
Pain can range from mild to severe. In some cases, pain can make it difficult or impossible to walk, sleep, work or do everyday activities.
Usually, lower back pain gets better with rest, pain relievers and physical therapy (PT). Cortisone injections and hands-on treatments (like osteopathic manipulation or chiropractic adjustments) can relieve pain and help the healing process. Some back injuries and conditions require surgical repair.
How common is lower back pain?
Around four out of five people have lower back pain at some point in their lives. It’s one of the most common reasons people visit healthcare providers.
Some people are more likely to have lower back pain than others. Risk factors for lower back pain include:
- Age: People over 30 have more back pain. Disks (soft, rubbery tissue that cushions the bones in the spine) wear away with age. As the disks weaken and wear down, pain and stiffness can result.
- Weight: People who are obese or carry extra weight are more likely to have back pain. Excess weight puts pressure on joints and disks.
- Overall health: Weakened abdominal muscles can’t support the spine, which can lead to back strains and sprains. People who smoke, drink alcohol excessively or live a sedentary lifestyle have a higher risk of back pain.
- Occupation and lifestyle: Jobs and activities that require heavy lifting or bending can increase the risk of a back injury.
- Structural problems: Severe back pain can result from conditions, such as scoliosis, that change spine alignment.
- Disease: People who have a family history of osteoarthritis, certain types of cancer and other disease have a higher risk of low back pain.
- Mental health: Back pain can result from depression and anxiety.
Research on back pain focuses on:
Managing chronic low back pain. The NIH Back Pain Research Consortium (BACPAC) is a patient-centered research initiative to improve understanding of the condition and generate new tools for better targeting of existing and new therapies.
Improving treatments for back pain. The Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT) compares surgical and nonsurgical approaches for three common back pain conditions.
Identifying how inflammatory back pain disorders progress to help prevent the disease from advancing.
Treating acute pain and stopping the development of chronic pain.
Preventing disability in people who have back pain.
Who Treats Back Pain?
Different types of health care providers treat back pain, depending on the cause:
- Pain specialists, who are physicians including anesthesiologists with specialized training in evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of all different types of pain.
- Family or primary care doctors.
- Orthopaedists, who treat and perform surgery for bone and joint diseases.
- Neurologists, who treat disorders and diseases of the spine, brain, and nerves.
- Neurosurgeons, who perform surgery for disorders and diseases of spine, brain, and nerves.
- Rheumatologists, who specialize in treating musculoskeletal diseases and autoimmune disorders.
- Physical therapists, who specialize in movement and strengthening muscles.
Can I prevent lower back pain?
You can’t prevent lower back pain that results from disease or structural problems in the spine. But you can avoid injuries that cause back pain.
To reduce your risk of a back injury, you should:
- Maintain a healthy weight: Excess weight puts pressure on vertebrae and disks.
- Strengthen your abdominal muscles: Pilates and other exercise programs strengthen core muscles that support the spine.
- Lift the right way: To avoid injuries, lift with your legs (not your back). Hold heavy items close to your body. Try not to twist your torso while you’re lifting.
