The lower back is the most common area for people to experience pain worldwide. It is estimated that 80% of people in the world will experience some form of low back pain in their lifetime.
With lower back pain being so prevalent, it’s important for you to understand what it is and what you can do about it.
What is lower back pain?
Lower back pain is pain or discomfort that occurs in or surrounding the lower region of your back.
The lower back can also refer pain to other areas of your body. The most common areas for the low back to refer pain to are your hips and down your legs.
What are the symptoms of lower back pain?
Lower back pain can vary widely in symptom presentation.
It is most commonly described as a nawing ache that occurs during or after activity.
Lower back pain may also be described as a sharp, stabbing pain that occurs with select movements.
Others can experience a burning or tingling sensation in their lower back or their legs as a result of lower back pain.
What are the causes of lower back pain?
Figuring out what is causing your lower back pain can be tricky as there are many potential sources of low back pain.
In most cases, low back pain is secondary to dysfunction of the lower back joints or a muscular strain.
As you age, you will also develop arthritis in your lower back and this could cause you to experience stiffness and pain.
Your lower back pain could also be the result of one of the nerves in your lower back getting pinched by either a bony structure or the disc that lies in between your vertebrae.
Potential Diagnoses
The list of diagnoses related to the lower back is endless. This is why it’s important to consult a skilled practitioner to fully understand what may be at the root of your low back pain.
Here are a few of the most common diagnoses that occur at the lower back:
- Mechanical lower back pain
- Muscular strain of the low back
- Discogenic lower back pain
- Radiculopathy (nerve-related back or leg pain)
- Stenosis (age-related arthritic changes)
- Spondylosis (bony changes in the low back)
Did you know?
The United Kingdom spends approximately 12.3 billion pounds annually on lower back pain.
Often individuals with lower back pain are given costly treatments that are not effective for relieving the lower back pain in the long term.
This is why it’s important to seek out holistic treatment options for your low back pain if you want to achieve sustainable relief.
