Changing the position of the body during work or at home can relieve chronic lower-back pain. Treatment can also relieve chronic back pain because of an injury. Some causes of lower back pain can be avoided. Other causes need to be handled through medication or therapy. People can help relieve their pain by knowing the cause.
Aging Process
Lower back pain occurs most often in people between the ages of 30 and 50, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. This occurs because of the aging process but also happens if a person has a sedentary lifestyle and is not getting enough exercise. Muscle straining or sprains of ligaments can lead to back pain as people age. People are at risk for disc-related degeneration in the back as they age. However, younger people, particularly students, can suffer from low back pain when carrying an overload of backpacks for schoolbooks and materials.
Posture
Developing a particular way of sitting or standing over long periods puts stress on the back and can lead to chronic lower back pain, according to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Poor posture can cause back problems. The way a person works, especially if awkward movements are involved, can cause lower-back pain.
Slipped Disc
Slipped discs can result from using the back muscles for activities a person is not used to doing, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Lifting heavy boxes or furniture and doing yard work can cause low back pain. Slipped discs occur when bones in the spine bulge or press on the nerves, often the result of twisting motions when lifting. Sciatica is a condition that results from a slipped disc pressing on the spinal root nerve, causing pain in the spinal cord and down into the leg, according to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Disc wear can lead to spinal degeneration over time, causing stiffness in the back and lower-back pain after walking or standing for a long time.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a bone-degenerating disease in which bone density decreases, causing an increase in the risk of fractured bones. Chronic lower-back pain can be an indication of osteoporosis because the bones in the back may be weakening. The disease is an age-related illness. The development of lower-back pain may be an indication of osteoporosis. Early treatment helps control the disease and prevents fractures.
Disorders
Fibromyalgia causes aching muscles and fatigue as well as tender points in the spine, hips and other areas, leading to lower back pain. Infections or inflammation in the spinal joints, called spondylitis, results in back pain and stiffness, according to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Osteomyelitis, an infection in the bones of the spine, and sacroiliitis, an inflammation of joints at the bottom of the back, can lead to chronic lower back pain. Accidents or physical trauma to the lower back can also cause chronic pain.
