Low Back Pain - Physician Advice on Relief and Causes

Low back pain is one of the most common reasonsnotice the affected leg is weak and have foot drop
for visiting a primary care physician. People mayor the inability to extend the great toe. Although pain
experience back pain after lifting heavy objects,caused by a pinched sciatic nerve (sciatica) can be
twisting and turning their backs during exercise orvery painful and debilitating, there is no risk of
household chores, or after a period of inactivity. Thispermanent nerve damage or paralysis. Sciatica is
article discusses the possible causes and treatmentstreated with physical therapy, massage,
for many sources of lower back pain. Low back painanti-inflammatories and manipulative treatments.
is one of the most common reasons for visiting aA herniated disk or narrowed spinal column (spinal
primary care physician. People may experience backstenosis) can also cause low back pain. The pain is
pain after lifting heavy objects, twisting and turningachy or sharp and can worsen suddenly if nerves are
their backs during exercise or household chores, orcompressed, leading to the symptoms discussed
after a period of inactivity. Acute low back pain isabove. A primary difference between these
often caused by muscle inflammation and spasm andconditions is that the pain from a bulging disk is made
may start suddenly or increase gradually over time. Itworse from bending forward and decreased by
may occur in the center of the low back or next toleaning backward. The opposite is true for spinal
the spine on either side. The pain from muscle strainstenosis pain. The pain from both of these conditions
and spasm is often achy and crampy with periods ofgets better with laying down. Thee pain caused from
sharpness that occur because of "stressing" thesciatica is usually is not relieved by laying down (it
involved muscle. Laying down usually relieves the pain.may even get worse). The development of sudden
The pain is often accompanied by stiffness whenleg weakness, lack of sensation in the pelvic area and
moving the lower back and very tender muscles. Itinvoluntary leakage of urine or stool are signs of
will usually get better with regular use of rest, heat,cauda equina syndrome. The cauda equina is a "tail"
massage and/or anti-inflammatories and/or muscleof nerves at the end of the spinal cord. If these
relaxants for two to four weeks. Moist heat appliednerves are pinched, it produces the cauda equina
for 20 minutes three to four times daily and takingsyndrome. In addition to the conservative treatments
200 to 800 mg per day of ibuprofen helps relieve thefor a pinched nerve, surgery may be an option to
contracted and inflamed muscles. People can hastenreduce the impingement by removing the disk or
recovery by continuing to be as active as toleratedfusing the vertebrae to widen the spinal column.
and not to lift heavy objects or move in ways thatOther non-muscular and non-neurologic causes of
aggravate the pain.back pain are infection and cancer. Warning signs that
Low back pain which lasts more than 6 weeks andthese conditions may be a cause of acute or chronic
or begins to change in character needs to below back are fever, chills, lack of improvement with
evaluated by a physician. If the pain becomes sharpregular use of anti-inflammatories and exercise, and
and begins to radiate into the buttocks or down thepain that worsens with laying on the back. It is
legs, a nerve may be pinched. The most commonimportant to inform a physician about these
nerve affected by muscular spasm, spinal stenosis orsymptoms so that blood tests and imaging studies
a herniated disk is the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nervecan be ordered to diagnose and treat these
is a combination of nerve roots which come from theconditions before complications arise.
lower spinal cord (L4-S3) and form the largest nerveThe injury associated with low back pain can be
in the body. When a combination of the nerve rootsprevented by regular exercise (such as walking and
or the whole nerve is pinched, one experiences pain,low back exercises), maintenance of a healthy body
tingling or numbness in the buttock or the backsideweight and using correct body mechanics when lifting
of the leg past the knee to the foot. One mayheavy objects.