The Lowdown on Lower Back Pain Causes

As you go about your routine, you're suddenly hit by a familiar blast of pain, making you instinctively reach around to try and soothe that region above the hips. Lower back pain strikes again. Millions of people experience this condition on a regular basis. Too many of them haven't any idea what's triggering these painful episodes.

A low back strain is a very common cause of lower back pain. Exactly what's going on? Essentially, you're overdoing your activities or lifting heavy objects improperly. This results in the muscle fibers in your lower back being pulled in ways they are not accustomed to.

Frequently, it isn't a grave injury. However, you'll have to restrict your movements considerably for a while. Be prepared to break out the ice pack and spend some quality time with your sofa.

Lumbar sprains, like muscle strains, are another common reason for suffering lower back pain. But lumbar sprains can cause considerably more pain because they are caused by tearing of the ligaments. Think of ligaments as the cables that keep a suspension bridge in place. If one of the cables breaks, the bridge suddenly becomes less stable and reliable.

Lower back pain in women is often tied to PMS as well as painful menstrual cramps. The latter part of pregnancy also puts added pressure on the spine and vertebrae. This leads to pinched nerves and quite a bit of discomfort. Endometriosis is another health issue for women that many times will be made worse by pain in the lower back area.

Not stretching your muscles throughout the day can also cause upper back pain. Even performing some back and arm stretches first thing every day can dramatically improve the health of your spine. To help ease the pain, try exercising your back muscles; this is especially important if your day to day tasks consist of repeating the same motions over and over.

There's a large assortment of triggers that lead to lower back pain, anything from straining a muscle to problems with your sciatic nerves. You can get an accurate diagnosis from your physician, who will examine your back and maybe recommend some tests.

You can't be too cautious when it comes to back pain treatment, and it can cause even worse issues if you ignore it. Sometimes waiting even just a few weeks can be too late. Like they say, it's better to be safe than sorry.