Oh, My Aching Back! Causes of Low Back Pain

While low back pain is rarely caused by a serious condition, it can be a very debilitating issue to deal with. When your back hurts, it can affect the rest of your life in terms of activities you can do and your level of enjoyment for them. In many cases, the cause of the low back pain is unknown, and the focus turns to managing the pain instead of treating the underlying problem. Other times, a specific reason for the low back pain can be pinpointed, such as when you lift a heavy object improperly or overdo a workout. No matter why your low back pain occurred, there are treatment options that you can use to reduce the level of discomfort and go back to living your life.

Common Causes
Most low back pain will occur for a handful of reasons. Repetitive motions or lifting heavy objects can result in a herniated disc that can cause the discomfort. Pain can also be caused by osteoarthritis; a degeneration of the joints that occurs as we age. Another problem that happens as we get older is spinal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spinal canal. If you are in a car accident or take a serious tumble off of a bicycle, you can actually fracture the vertebrae in your spine and that can lead to low back pain over the long term. Osteoporosis can also cause compression fractures that can be painful, and these are often seen in post-menopausal women.

What to do about it?
When you are not in good physical condition, it is much easier to do something to cause low back pain. That is why it is important to exercise regularly, focusing on strengthening the core muscles that will support the spine and prevent injury and pain. There are many excellent workout programs that will help you get your abdominal and back muscles in top condition so that lifting heavy objects or working in the yard for a day will not bring on low back pain. Good posture is another important component in back health, so make sure you are walking tall all day long.

Low back pain is a challenging condition to live with, especially if it continues over the long term. There are medications and therapies that can be used to treat the discomfort, but the best course of action is to prevent low back pain before it begins - by keeping the back and the surrounding muscles strong and healthy. A conditioned back is less prone to injury, which means you are less likely to experience the pain that often accompanies an injury to the back. Regular strengthening leads to a stronger back that allows you to enjoy life pain free.

For more information from Bill Johnson about Tramadol and back pain please check http://www.tramadolhome.com/lowbackpain.htm.