Constant Lower Back Pain

A dull ache in the leg after a fall, the numbing sensations of pain after you hit your hand on a wall and other similar pains and aches that most keep experiencing day in and day out. The point being, when there are these niggling little health issues, we are not our usual selves. We are constantly reminded of that pain and our attention gets diverted there albeit unintentionally. One such situation is when you experience constant lower back pain (lumbago). It definitely isn't something that you can ignore because the lower back is such a strategic spot, that every time you sit, stand, bend, stretch (you get the point) there are spasms of shooting pain up and down your spine. Why do some people experience this condition and what can one do about it. Let us learn that through the following article.

Causes

Constant lower back pain can develop due to several reasons and can get worse over time, thus leading to overall imbalance in the spinal structure. The following is a brief account of some of the most common causes of why this comes about.

Over Usage
The most common cause of lower back pain is the constant use of, and thereby strain to the different muscles, ligaments, discs and joints in the back region. So also, an injury in the lower back can cause tremendous pain. The muscles and discs that are affected are usually the facet joints and the sacroiliac joints. Another reason could also be that there might be problems experienced with the discs or facet joints between two vertebrae.

Sciatica (Nerve Root Pain)
Sciatica is the term given for acute nerve root pain in the lower back. Nerve root pain is commonly caused by pressure put on the nerve root. There are a number of reasons of why there might be pressure expended on the spinal cord. Like if there is a slipped disc, also known as prolapsed disc. In which a softer part of the disc makes its way out of the harder part and forms a bulging disc. This then applies pressure on the nerve and causes back pain. At other times, it might be the case of a herniated disc which happens when a person does not lift something in the proper manner or when there is constant motion and vibration experienced. A sudden jerking movement is enough to drive a person into extreme back pain.

Spinal stenosis, is another reason which can cause back pain. In this, the spinal canal begins to get narrower and narrower and thus presses into the nerves and surrounding muscles causing pain and discomfort. One of the other reasons that causes pain is osteoarthritis in which there is joint degeneration which is typically brought on by age. In this, the small joints in the spine suffer and lead to pain in the nerve roots, thereby causing consistent lower back pain. Conditions like spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis, can also lead to this condition. These come about when there are defects in the vertebrae. Other related problems of the vertebrae includes fractures which are the cause of a lot of pain. Spinal deformities can also lead to pain.

Dysmenorrhea
Dysmennorhea is experienced by most women during menstruation. In this, there is not only constant lower back pain but also muscle and lower back cramps experienced. Even though the pain will slowly fade away as the cycle ends, they can even last for up to 2 weeks and cause a lot of discomfort. This is usually caused by the prostaglandins chemicals that lead to uterine contractions.

Fractures
Compression fractures lead to a lot of pain and discomfort. These are more common among people who suffer from conditions like osteoporosis or have been consuming corticosteroid medication.

Other Causes

Here are some of the other reasons that can cause lower back pain:

• Bacterial Infections that affect the spine by blood that is carried from the infected region in the body
• Spinal tumors
• Stress
• Depression
• Fractured or cracked ribs

Constant lower back pain should not be ignored. There are chances that it might develop into more serious problems which will make it even more difficult for treatment for lower back pain resulting in irreparable damage. So whenever you experience chronic and continuous lower back pain, make sure that you get a thorough checkup done to rule out any health risks.