Causes And Treatment For Lower Back Pain

Almost everyone will have low back discomfort at some point in life. The intensity ranges from minor to severe and can be temporary or permanent.

To comprehend the causes and available treatments, one must be familiar with the anatomy of the spine. The spine comprises tiny bones, muscles, ligaments, nerves, and intervertebral discs. The muscles and ligaments support the bones, while the intervertebral discs cushion the spine, allowing for varied motions and stresses.

Lower back pain is the most common pain practically experienced by everyone, but not every lower back pain is severe. Many of them can be managed by simple corrections in diet and exercise, and proper posture maintained in daily routines.

This blog will discuss different aspects of lower back pain and its management

Anatomy

When we talk about back pain, it's essential to know the anatomy of the entire spine.

The spine is divided into four sections: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral. Small bones called vertebrae total 33, maintained by muscles and ligaments.

The first 7 spine bones are the cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, 5 lumbar vertebrae, 5 sacral, and a coccyx at the end.

The inherent stability of the back comes from the bony column, also called the vertebral column. The muscles and ligaments make the bony column stronger.

Back pain varies from person to person. The discomfort may appear gradually or unexpectedly the pain might be intermittent or continuous.

Types of Back pain

Classified as per the anatomy or structural location into the following categories:

1. Upper back pain — comprises the neck and the shoulder

2. Mid-back pain — Thoracic region pain, which is relatively uncommon

3. Lumbar back pain/lower back pain — pain around the flank and the waist area.

Upper and lower back pain are the most common pains we encounter daily.

Lower back pain is further classified into two types

1. Organic

2. Inorganic

If we distribute the lower back pain — it's 20% organic and 80% inorganic. So essentially, it becomes imperative to understand and correct the inorganic lower back and stay fit, contributing to the healthcare system.

Organic pain arises from any structural change in the vertebral column, like vertebral fractures, ligaments, rise structures, or small joints called facetal joints of the vertebral column.

Inorganic back pain essentially means pain arising from faulty postures like popped shoulders, round backs, and slouching—poor ergonomics during daily activities at home or office.

When working from home, the posture that the majority of us assume is not appropriate. It's essential to keep your posture proper and work sitting on a chair and table where the height of the table is standard.

Lack of exercise leads to weak vertebral column muscles, putting strains on them, and a deficiency of specific vitamins contributes to lower back pain. The deficiencies have become rampant due to our lifestyles, like closed doors, working, no sunlight exposure, and dietary habits comprising processed and packaged food.

Deficiencies lead to muscle fatigue and affect posture poor posture causes back pain and further exhaustion. This vicious cycle needs to be broken through the corrective measures discussed above.

Structural or organic pain causes the following conditions.