Low Back Pain

Low back pain is pain affecting the lower part of the back. It is described as: · Acute if it has lasted less than 6 weeks. · Sub-acute if it has lasted 6-12 weeks. · Chronic if it has lasted more than 12 weeks. Low back pain is very common.

Low back pain means a pain or ache somewhere between the bottom of the ribs, at the back, and the top of the legs. The pain often begins suddenly, and may follow an obvious strain or injury, but may seem to come on "out of the blue", or come on slowly. The pain may travel to or be felt elsewhere. It often goes into the buttocks, but may go further down the leg and even into the foot. The pain may be worse on bending and is often worse sitting, especially in an easy chair. Sometimes turning over in bed and sitting up are agonising. Coughing or sneezing can often make the pain much worse. The muscles of the back may go into painful spasm. Back pain may be combined with pain into the leg, travelling down below the knee, this is otherwise known as sciatica, because the main nerve to the leg (the sciatic nerve) is being irritated by pressure on it.

There are various other symptoms which may go with back pain, some of which suggest problems other than back problems, and some of which point to the need for more urgent action by you and your doctor. Causes Low back pain is common. The main cause for low back pain is a strain of the muscles, or other soft structures (eg ligaments and tendons) connected to the back bones (vertebrae). Sometimes it is the cushion between the bones (intervertebral disc) which is strained, and which bulges out (herniates) and presses on the nearby nerves (as in sciatica).

Various conditions can cause back pain, and if in doubt about what is causing your pain, you should consult your doctor.