The Lowdown on Lower Back Pain Causes

You're going about your day when a painful spasm hits, causing you to stop short and rub that area just above your hips. Once again you're the target of lower back pain. Countless individuals suffer from this condition as they go about their daily tasks. Too many of them haven't any idea what's triggering these painful episodes.

Straining a muscle is often the reason for lower back pain. What happens exactly? Basically you do too much or lift too much for too long a time. This results in the muscle fibers in your lower back being pulled in ways they are not accustomed to.

Most often, this is not a serious injury. You will, however, need to stop twisting and turning for a few weeks. Keep the ice pack handy and get used to a horizontal position.

Lumbar sprains, like muscle strains, are another common reason for suffering lower back pain. But unlike a strain, lumbar sprains can be much more painful, because it's a result of the ligaments being torn. Think of ligaments as the cables that keep a suspension bridge in place. If a cable snaps, the integrity of the bridge is weakened.

Lower back pain in women is often tied to PMS as well as painful menstrual cramps. There is also additional pressure on your spinal region during the final weeks of pregnancy. This causes pinched nerves and a considerable amount of discomfort. Another women's health concern associated with lower back pain is endometriosis.

When your muscles aren't properly stretched on a regular basis, upper back pain can result as well. Even performing some back and arm stretches first thing every day can dramatically improve the health of your spine. Exercising your back muscles can aid in relieving the pain, especially for anyone whose job requires repetitive motions.

There can be any number of reasons for lower back pain, ranging from sciatic nerves to muscle strain. Make an appointment with your doctor to get a diagnosis through an examination and perhaps some further testing.

When it comes to back pain treatment, it's better to be overly cautious than do nothing to eliminate it. Even putting it off for a few weeks can make the condition worse. Like they say, it's better to be safe than sorry.