Is Your Lower-Back Pain Something Else Entirely? Find Out Here
“I have chronic back pain.”
That is such an easy statement to pass. Such an easy diagnosis to narrow your problem down to that it is almost impossible not to have landed on this conclusion if you’ve gone to your doctor a few times complaining about constant lower back pain. While it is one of the most common problems that people nowadays face, especially people between the ages 30 to 60, it can also be a side effect of an underlying condition that you are completely unaware of. Keep reading to find out more about what your lower back pain might be.
1. Herniated disc
The vertebral column or spine comprises many discs stacked up in a slightly curved structure, joint, or held together by a soft tissue-like structure called cartilage. As age increases, these discs get prone to injury due to deterioration. The deterioration can occur as a tear or hernia outside the disc or, sometimes, discs.
The tear occurs when the cartilage surrounding the disc gets pressed against the spinal cord or nerve roots due to increased pressure, often due to inflammation. This results in the compression of the nerve fibers that emerge from the end of the spinal cord, resulting in lower back pain.
Often slipped-disc happens when someone lifts something heavy suddenly or twists their back incorrectly. If your back pain lasts for more than 72 hours, it is important to seek medical attention. Ideally, you should first get an expert’s help, for instance, seeking Frederick chiropractic care immediately.
2. Spinal Cancer
On some unfortunate occasions, lower back pain can manifest itself into severe spinal or bone cancer. Spinal cancer is very much treatable if detected in the early stages, stages one or two. If you have been dealing with lower back pain for more than a few weeks, it would be ideal for visiting a specialist to get yourself tested.
3. Just Strain
Sometimes, lower back pain can just be a sign of constant strain on your back. It can be due to bad posture or habits, sudden work that caused tension to your back, incorrect exercise, and so on. It may also show physically as muscle spasms, tension, continuous pain, inflammation, stiffness, and heating up of the affected area.
You should get a consultation from a physical therapist or a chiropractor to avoid this issue becoming an even bigger medical emergency. They can also help you in avoiding this problem in the future.
4. Sciatica
The sciatica nerve connects the ends of your legs to the spine via your lower back. Remember when we said your nerve ends get pressurized due to a slipped disc? Well, that’s what happens here too. The slipped disk presses on the nerve, causing inflammation. The pain spreads to your hips and legs, feeling like pins and needles throughout your lower body and back. The pain can either be constant or can fluctuate.
There are specialists available, such as a chiropractor for sciatica pain, who make sure to bring you relief as soon as possible to the best of their abilities.
5. Spinal abnormalities
Often, incorrect spinal alignment or curvature can bring stress to the spine and surrounding ligaments. Kyphosis, scoliosis, and lordosis are all common conditions that cause abnormal curvature in the spine. These conditions are often first detected and diagnosed during childhood during routine checkups.
The abnormal spinal curvature puts unnecessary stress on the back, muscles, ligaments, and vertebrae, causing chronic back pain.
Staying in constant pain can never be good for anybody. Whether the back pain is due to your bad posture and habits or due to an underlying issue, you must visit a specialist to avoid complications.