The Center for the Spine and Neurosurgery
What are the causes of low back pain?
Next to the common cold, lower back problems are the most frequent cause of lost work days in men and women under 45, and low back pain is one of the most common problems treated by Orthopedic surgeons. Low back pain can have a number of causes, ranging from injury to wear and tear and the effects of aging.
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Strains and sprains are the most common causes of low back pain. A muscle may be strained by lifting and other activities if it is poorly conditioned or overworked. A sprain occurs when a sudden, forceful movement injures a ligament that has become stiff or weak through poor conditioning or overuse.
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Osteoporosis,or porous bones, is a weakening of bone structure most commonly seen in postmenopausal women. When this condition affects the lower back (lumbar) vertebrae, they can be fractured or compressed by a fall or simply from the stress of everyday activity.
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Other bone diseases, including arthritis, also can afflict the bones of the spine.
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Herniated or slipped disks occur as the soft disks that separate and cushion the vertebrae become harder and prone to crack with age. Material from the inside of the disk may push out or rupture and press on a nerve, causing severe pain in the leg.
How is low back pain treated?
Most cases of low back pain are not serious and respond to simple treatments, including rest and medications to control pain and reduce inflammation. Follow-up treatment may include an exercise program to strengthen the lower back and abdominal muscles and increase flexibility.
A herniated or slipped disk may be treated surgically when it causes pain and does not respond to other treatments. Severe arthritic conditions of the spine also can be helped through surgery.
The specialists at The Center are trained and equipped to diagnose the cause of your back pain and to prescribe and perform the most appropriate course of treatment.
Our physicians and other health care professionals are dedicated to providing the best and most advanced specialty treatments. Please visit our Physicians and Providers page for more information about our doctors on staff.
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