What's the Cause of Your Lower Back Pain?

You're going about your day when a painful spasm hits, causing you to stop short and rub that area just above your hips. The culprit? Lower back pain. This is a condition that far too many people deal with in their day-to-day routines. Too many of them haven't any idea what's triggering these painful episodes.

A low back strain is a very common cause of lower back pain. What happens exactly? You're probably overdoing it physically, or lifting and carrying incorrectly. So the muscles in your lower back end up being stretched in an unfamiliar way.

Frequently, it isn't a grave injury. You will, however, need to stop twisting and turning for a few weeks. Stock up on ice and find a comfortable place to lay down.

A lumbar sprain is similar to a strain in that they are both popular causes of lower back pain. But lumbar sprains can cause considerably more pain because they are caused by tearing of the ligaments. Ligaments are like the supporting stay cables on a suspension bridge. If one of the cables breaks, the bridge suddenly becomes less stable and reliable.

Lower back pain in women is often tied to PMS as well as painful menstrual cramps. There is also additional pressure on your spinal region during the final weeks of pregnancy. This causes pinched nerves and a considerable amount of discomfort. Endometriosis is another health issue for women that many times will be made worse by pain in the lower back area.

When your muscles aren't properly stretched on a regular basis, upper back pain can result as well. Something as simple as a few arm and back stretches in the morning could do wonders for your overall spinal health. By exercising the back muscles, you can give them a lot of pain relief, particularly if your job involves a lot of repetitive movements.

There's a large assortment of triggers that lead to lower back pain, anything from straining a muscle to problems with your sciatic nerves. A proper diagnosis can be determined with a visit to the doctor’s office, and perhaps a handful of tests.

You can't be too cautious when it comes to back pain treatment, and it can cause even worse issues if you ignore it. You can do a lot of damage just by waiting even a few weeks. As the saying goes, better safe than sorry.