Four Causes of Lower Back Pain in Ridgewood

If You Are Experiencing Lower Back Pain, Learn About Common Causes

If you are experiencing lower back pain in Ridgewood, you’re not alone. Approximately 80% of adults experience lower back pain at some point during their lives.

There are a number of conditions that may be responsible for lower back pain in Ridgewood; as such, back patients will exhibit differing symptoms of varied intensity. Certain causes of back pain may be traumatic in nature, such as spinal injuries experienced during athletic activity or a car accident. Others may be the result of a degenerative condition brought on by genetics or the wear and tear processes associated with aging.

The common factor, however, is symptoms of pain in the lower back area, also known as the lumbar region of the back. For some patients, the pain may travel toward the buttocks, thighs and legs.  When the pain travels below the knee to the ankle, foot or heel, the pain is called sciatica and may be a sign of a pinched or irritated spinal nerve. Learn more below about the injuries and conditions that may cause lumbar back pain.

Traumatic Injury or Chronic Disease? Sources of Lower Back Pain In Ridgewood

The lumbar region of the back is susceptible to pain caused by both chronic conditions and traumatic injuries. This anatomical area features the five largest vertebrae of the spine, separated by spinal discs. Issues that cause symptoms of pain may affect the spinal vertebrae themselves, the spinal discs, the spinal cord, spinal nerves, or associated muscles and connective tissue.

Featured below are two traumatic injuries and two chronic diseases that may result in lumbar back pain.

Lower Back Pain Causes: Traumatic Injuries

1. Herniated Disc
   The majority of disc herniations (or slipped spinal discs) occur in the lumbar region of the spine; the bottom two discs at waist level are particularly prone to herniation. While these injuries may be caused by degeneration due to aging, herniations often occur due to spontaneous trauma. Lifting large, heavy objects, especially while twisting, is a common cause, especially among individuals whose work or lifestyles involve repetitive load lifting. Slipped discs cause pressure on the spinal nerves and consequential symptoms of back pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness of the leg. 

2. Sprains and Strains
   Sprains and strains of the connective tissue that surrounds and supports the lumbar region of the spine are among the most common causes of lower back pain. These injuries often occur due to excessive physical strain on the back, such as heavy lifting, auto accidents, athletic injuries, or accidental falls. When a sprain or strain occurs, the ligaments, tendons, and muscles of the spine are stretched or, in severe cases, torn. This, in turn, results in localized swelling of affected tissue and symptoms of pain, tenderness, and stiffness.

Lower Back Pain Causes: Chronic Diseases

1. Spinal Stenosis
   Lumbar stenosis is the most common form of spinal stenosis, a condition that causes the space within your spine to narrow. This narrowing creates pressure on the spinal nerves in your lower back; as a result, patients may experience pain, tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness. A classic sign of lumbar spinal stenosis is difficulty or pain while walking for longer distances – a condition called claudication.  Lumbar stenosis is a degenerative condition that is caused by wear and tear damage of the spine and is frequently associated with osteoarthritis.

2. Ankylosing Spondylitis
   Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis specific to the spine. Like other forms of arthritis, it causes joint inflammation and degeneration. Patients affected by ankylosing spondylitis will experience inflammation of the spinal joints and resultant symptoms of chronic pain, discomfort, and stiffness. As this condition advances, it will typically affect the sacroiliac joints at the base of the spine, causing intense lower back pain.  Laboratory blood tests are key in distinguishing Ankylosing spondylitis from other common causes of low back pain.

These are just a handful of the many issues that may cause pain in the lumbar region of the spine. Whether your condition is caused by a chronic disease or a traumatic injury, the spinal specialists at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute can provide you with the effective, targeted treatment options you need to achieve lasting lower back pain relief. To learn more about treatments for lower back pain in Ridgewood at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute or to schedule an appointment, please visit us here or contact us at 1-800-321-9999.