What is Lower Back Pain and How to Treat It?

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What is Lower Back Pain?
Lower back pain is the pain on the lower back, from behind the ribs to the bottom. The pain might radiate to the legs. The lower back pain is caused by muscle, tendon, bone, or disc problems, which can be weak in accordance with age. Although it seems to be a simple condition, its unpleasant symptoms affect daily life.
Types of Lower Back Pain
For the next step, let you check the types of your lower back pain, which can be divided into 3 types:

• Sudden lower back pain, the pain on the lower back which remains for less than 6 weeks;
• Sub-sudden lower back pain, the pain on the lower back which remains for 6 weeks to 12 weeks;
• Chronic lower back pain, the pain on the lower back which remains for more than 12 weeks.

Lower Back Pain Causes
After realizing the types of your lower back pain, now let you check its cause. There are 9 common causes which are:

• Diseases of the ligaments or muscles of the back,
• Diseases of the spine,
• Infectious spinal disease,
• Non-infectious inflammatory disease,
• Degenerative diseases of the spinal joints,
• Herniated disc,
• Spinal stenosis,
• Spinal cancer or metastasis of cancer to the spine,
• Spinal injury

However, the lower back pain might be caused by internal organs, digestive system, and reproductive system. You may know the cause by seeing the doctor.
Low Back Pain Symptoms
You may confront the low back pain if you get these symptoms:

• Pain on the lumbar region,
• Sudden pain on the low back area, which might severe that you cannot stand or move,
• Sudden pain happens when you bending or stretching your back,
• Chronic pain on the back, which might obstruct you to bend your back or stand straight,
• Chronic pain on the back when moving after staying in a sitting or supine position for a long period.

Diseases Associated with Low Back Pain
You may confront the low back pain if you get these symptoms:

• Acute back strain is the most often occurred disease. It normally can heal itself within 1-2 weeks. The symptoms are back pain, and feeling sore when pressing the muscles in the spine area.
• Lumbar disc herniation, most found in 50 years below patients. It is mostly acute, happens after lifting heavy stuff or having the wrong position. The symptoms are back pain radiating down the legs, feeling numb and feeling weak mostly around the L4, L5, and S1 Nerves.
• Spinal stenosis is the back and leg pain that has slower symptoms. The symptoms are back pain radiating down the legs and feeling numb or feeling weak in the calf when walking.

How Low Back Pain is Diagnosed?
According to your symptoms, the doctor might give you a diagnosis. Now, let you know the lower back pain diagnosis.

• Plain radiograph – This is the first step of examination because of its convenience and inexpensiveness. The structure of the spine, which is enough information, can be provided by this method. However, it still has limitations. The deformity of the herniated disc, nerves, and connective tissue are not projected.
• Myelography – This method is conducted by inserting a needle into the spinal cord and injecting a contrast agent.
• Computer Tomography (CT scan) – This method is conducted to project high-resolution images of the bone structure. Moreover, the images can be processed to create a 3D figure of the bone structure. However, the limitation of this method is that the image of the herniated discs is not sharp.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – This method provides the high-resolution image of the spine and inward view of the spine. Moreover, MRI can project the herniated discs, muscles, nerves, bones, and cerebrospinal fluid. Therefore, this method is the best test to diagnose the abnormalities of the spinal region.

Lower Back Pain Prevention
To prevent from the low back pain, you may avoid the risk factors, such as:

• Avoid sitting in the same position for a long period, for example, sitting in front of the computer.
• Avoid carrying a heavy bag or carrying a shoulder bag on one side which causes body imbalance leading to lower back pain.
• Be careful of repetitive sports, for example, running,
  football, basketball, golf, badminton, tennis, etc., which some postures, such as, twist or pivot the body, lift, can cause sudden and chronic lower back pain.
• Exercise back muscles.

Treatment for Lower Back Pain
After getting the diagnosis, some treatment might be recommended from your doctor such as:

• Get enough rest, for improve healing process of your body,
• Avoid bending back, you might wear a back brace or a waistband,
• Take reliever, such as Paracetamol, anti-inflammatory
• Take physical therapy, such as ultrasound, short wave, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, elctro-acupuncture, traction, manipulation, etc., which can reduce sudden lower back pain,
• Practice correct posture.

Lower Back Pain Conclusion
In conclusion, lower back pain is a common spine disorder caused by the abnormalities of back muscles, discs, and spinal joints. Although lower back pain is a common condition, you should realize your symptoms and get a diagnosis and treatment in time. Then, the sudden symptoms of the lower back pain might not get worse and become chronic lower back pain.