Common Causes of Back Pain
There’s a myriad of things that could be triggering your back pain but the common causes can be divided into the major categories listed below. To learn more background information about the causes of back pain, click here.
Injuries, Sprains, and Fractures:
Injuries, fractures or sprains to the spine can cause chronic or short-term back pain. These can happen in varying degrees of severity and can be the result of trauma, accidents, engaging in strenuous activity or lifting something heavy. Lumbar muscle strains are a common cause of low back pain and are associated with muscle spasms. Osteoporosis can also lead to back pain resulting from fractured vertebrae.
Pain from Mechanical Problems and Nerve Impingement:
These problems occur when you experience pain or difficulty moving your back in certain ways. One common mechanical problem is intervertebral disc degeneration or the breaking down of vertebrae with age. Another common mechanical problem is a ruptured or herniated disc that occurs when a spinal disc is pushed from its normal position and pinches spinal nerves or the spinal cord, causing back pain. Sciatica is one example of this nerve impingement.
Other Medical Conditions or Diseases:
Several medical conditions can trigger back pain including but not limited to: pregnancy, arthritis, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, fibromyalgia, kidney stones, cancer spreading from another area of the body, and disorders in the abdomen. Some of these conditions are longer term and often more serious.
Infections and Tumors:
Infections in the kidney, bladder, pelvic area, or vertebrae (osteomyelitis) can cause to pain in the back. Tumors, though rare, can also lead to back pain.
Cluett, Jonathan, M.D.. “Back Pain-Information About Causes of Back Pain.” Last Modified August 16,2011. http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/backpain/a/backpain.htm.
“Back Pain Causes: Injuries, Spine Problems, Diseases and More”. Last modified February 25, 2010. http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/guide/causes-of-back-pain
