Acute or chronic low back pain is a common symptom that will affect over 80 percent of all adults at some time in their lives. Pain in the low back or lumbar region may be caused by a variety of diseases and disorders. Low back pain can vary from mild to severe and can greatly affect activities of daily life.In fact, low back pain is the second most common reason for visits to a primary care physician’s office.
The vertebrae of the lumbar region are responsible for supporting the body’s weight and consequently these vertebrae are bigger than those of the cervical and thoracic area. Large, strong lumbar muscles are attached to the spine at this location.
Symptoms
- Low back pain varies from person to person
- Pain may:
- Have a slow or sudden onset
- Be constant or intermittent
Causes
- Injury to the muscles, ligaments or discs
- Degeneration of the discs or facet joints
- Compression of nerves
- As a result of heavy lifting
- Repetitive bending
- Overactivity
Risk Factors
- Age
- Smoking
- Poor overall health
Prevention:
- Participation in a daily physical fitness program
- Maintain good flexibility
- Maintain good posture and body mechanics
- Eliminate the use of tobacco
- Maintain good overall health
- Using proper lifting techniques
Diagnosis
- Your doctor will discuss your symptoms, review your medical history, and perform a thorough physical examination of your back.
- X-rays: Identify broken bones, structural changes as a result of aging, curves or deformities.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Identify conditions such as torn muscles, herniated discs or infections.
- Computerized axial tomography (CAT) scans: Similar to an x-ray but provides three-dimensional images of the bones.
- Bone scan: To diagnosis more rare problems such as cancer or infections.
- Bone density test: Identify osteoporosis that may lead to spinal fractures.
Treatment
- Most low back pain can be treated without surgery. Treatment of low back pain usually begins with a few basic steps. Before beginning any back pain treatment program, be sure you know your diagnosis and discuss the treatment plan with your doctor. There are some conditions that cause back pain and require immediate treatment. For most cases of back pain, the first treatments are as follows:
- Rest
- Anti-Inflammatory Medication
- Heat Application
- Exercise
- Physical Therapy
- Epidural Steroid Injections
- Narcotic Pain Medications
- Muscle Relaxers
- Antidepressants
- Spinal Manipulation
- Acupuncture
- Biofeedback
- Interventional Therapy
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
- Ultrasound
- Vertebroplasty
- For more severe cases where non-operative treatments are ineffective, your doctor may consider surgical intervention.
