The inter vertebral discs in the lower spine are commonly blamed for low back pain.
During an office visit for low back pain, your doctor may describe how changes in the discs can lead to back pain. When talking about these changes, your doctor may use the terms degeneration or degenerative disc disease. Although the parts of the spine do change with time and in some sense degenerate, this does not mean the spine is deteriorating and that you are headed for future pain and problems. These terms are simply a starting point for describing what occurs in the spine over time, and how the changes may explain the symptoms people feel.
Causes
- Excessive strain on the low back caused by sports, frequent heavy lifting, or labor-intensive jobs
- Inflammation
- Abnormal micro-motion instability
- Strain on the lumbar spinal discs due to prolonged sitting and/or poor posture
- Lack of support for the discs due to weak core muscles
- Obesity
- Smoking, or any form of nicotine intake
- Major back injury
- Fracture
- Routine stress and strain begin to take a toll on the structures of the spine.
- Tears form around the annulus
Symptoms
- Moderate, continuous low back pain.
- Occasional pain flare-ups.
- Local tenderness.
- Leg pain.
- Giving out symptoms.
- Pain with sitting.
- Exacerbated pain with bending or twisting.
- Pain relief when walking or changing positions.
- Low back muscles spasms
- Pain radiating to the hips and down the back of the legs
Treatment
Nonsurgical Treatment
- Rest
- Physiotherapy
- Medicine
- Lumber belt or other assistive deices
- Postural corrections.