Low Back Pain:

Most Common Causes of Low Back Pain are:

1.Strains

2.Sprains

Strains- Muscles of the low back can rip or tear. A strain is a result of a heavy load or sudden force applied to the muscles before they are ready for activity. The muscle essentially rips, along with blood vessels with in the muscle tissue. This may cause bleeding into the injured area (inflamation). It can take up to 2 to 3 hours before sufficient bleeding or irritation sets in to produce significant pain. This can help to explain why many people often can tolerate finishing the task at hand, only to suffer from intense pain later. This tear in the muscle tissue is followed by symptoms such as: Pain, swelling, and muscle spasms.

Sprains- refer to an overstretching of one or more of the ligaments of the back. The ligaments can be stretched beyond their natural integrity and in some cases can completely tear. It is common to have both ligament sprains and muscle strains occuring together. This is especially the case in severe falls and motor vehicle accidents.

Disc Bulge  

A herniated disc has the potential to cause compression against a nerve, producing what is called radicular pain. Radicular pain is also called sciatica. This pain is caused by compression of the nerves as they exit the spinal column. The pain may be felt radiating into the buttock or down the leg, and may be accompanied by a sensation of numbness or tingling in the leg.                                        

A herniated disc, also called a "slipped disc," is a disc that bulges out from its position between two vertebrae. There are four types of disc herniation:

  • Disc bulge or protrusion results when the disc bulges out from between two vertebrae without rupturing its surrounding envelope, the annulus fibrosis.
  • Disc prolapse results when the inner jelly-like central part of the disc ( the nucleus pulposis), seeps into the outermost fibers of the surrounding envelope, the annulus fibrosis.
  • Disc extrusion results when a tear occurs in the surrounding envelope of the disc, and the inner jelly-like central part of the disc leaks out of the disc.
  • Sequestrated disc is the term used when disc fragments are separated from the disc, coming to lie well outside the disc space in the spinal canal.