Causes of Lower Back Pain

"kidney stones or slipped disk?"

Infections, diseases, and other conditions of the abdominal organs can cause back pain. Lower back pain in women can be from gynecological disorders of the uterus or ovaries. Fibromyalgia and diseases within the nerves can also cause back pain that can be very difficult to diagnose.

Lower Back Muscle Strain or Sprain Causes

Most often seen in amateur athletes and other active people who do not train regularly is lower back pain from muscle strain or sprain. These kinds of injuries occur when the muscles are not properly warmed up and stretched prior to heavy exertion.

This may occur during a weekend football or basketball game with family and friends, while working in the garden, or rearranging the furniture in your home.

The key to preventing these types of injuries is proper warmup and stretching. It does not need to be a long involved process, but it does need to be the correct stretches to prevent injury.

The people at The Stretching Institute have some great free articles on stretching to prevent and treat lower back pain.

"most common abdominal causes"

The most common abdominal causes of lower back pain would include urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and other conditions that may cause kidney back pain.

Urinary tract infections may cause middle back or side pain, these occur when bacteria makes its way into the urethra. The infection can migrate or move up the urethra into the bladder causing a bladder infection and also into the kidneys causing infection there. These infections can occur in both men and women but they are more common in women.

"a sign of a more severe problem"

Symptoms of a urinary tract infection can include burning pain with urination, and your urine may be cloudy and/or have an odor. Signs of a more serious infection would include having a fever and feeling tired or sick. Back pain and tenderness would also be a sign of a more severe problem.

Kidney stones can cause back or flank pain when crystals or stones form within the kidney. Back pain from a kidney stone will often migrate, beginning in the back then moving around to the flank and then onto the abdomen and then down into the groin, as the kidney stone moves through the urinary tract.

"This is a serious disease..."

In women, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, and endometriosis are common causes of lower back pain. Pain in your lower back can also be a sign of ovarian cancer and uterine cancer, other symptoms include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, and urinary symptoms such as urgency or frequency. This is a serious disease and if you think you have ovarian cancer and any of these symptoms, you need to see your gynecologist immediately.

Fibromyalgia is a common cause of chronic pain. It is difficult to diagnose because many of the symptoms can have different causes. In most cases there is a history of widespread pain lasting more than three months and characteristic tender trigger points. Most common trigger points are on the front of the neck, across the chest, at the back of the neck, across the shoulders and upper back, high on the upper buttocks, greater trochanter of the hip, and the inside of the knees.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease that can also be very difficult to treat. Many times getting adequate rest, gentle exercises for physical therapy, and various complementary therapies are recommended. Yoga for relief of stress and stretching exercises for pain management may be useful

"most mysterious causes of lower back pain"

Herpes zoster can be one of the most mysterious causes of lower back pain, because it often begins without any identifiable reason. It is caused by a virus, and can be very difficult to diagnose in the early stages. After a few weeks of, often severe, pain, a rash will develop and the diagnosis becomes clearer. Many times the initial pain will have a tingling, or needles and pins, or a burning quality.

The treatment options for shingles include antiviral medication, which is most effective when given within 72 hours of the onset of symptoms. Further treatment consists of treating the symptoms, and allowing the disease to run its course. More information on this disease can be found at my page on Back and Abdominal Pain.

"most dangerous causes of lower back pain"

Dissecting aortic aneurysms are probably the most dangerous causes of lower back pain, and require the most urgent treatment. The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body, and it carries blood from the heart to the lower torso and legs. It lies just in front of the spine, where it is well protected.

Aneurysms are weak areas, which balloon out from the side of this very large blood vessel. As the weak areas continue to stretch, the layers may begin to tear, causing horrible pain radiating to the back. Patients often describe the severe pain as a ripping or tearing sensation, which begins suddenly without any known cause.

Pain like this is an emergency. If the aneurysm ruptures, you can bleed to death within minutes. So if you are having these types of symptoms, you need to call an ambulance immediately.

Learn More:
The Most Common Causes Of Lower Back Pain

Maybe these can also help:

Kidney Back Pain

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Back and Abdominal Pain

Return from Causes of Lower Back Pain to Causes of Back Pain

Return to Living with Back Pain.

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