Causes Of Back Pains Lower Back, Severe and Chronic
Discover the Main Cause Of Back Pains Along With Lower Back Pains
In most cases, back pain is caused by muscle contraction, injury or deformity of the spine. Approximately one in 10 cases, is caused by a systemic disease. Back pain can occur anywhere in the spine, from neck to the lumbar region and can be located in a small area or spread over a wide area, and it can radiate from the area of origin.
Back pain has multiple causes, including degeneration of the vertebrae, infection, tumor, and overload injuries. The exact cause may be difficult to identify because it can originate in soft tissue into bone, in the intervertebral disc or in the nerves that interact with these structures. Risk factors for low back pain include jobs that require repetitive movements, exposure to vibration caused by vehicles or industrial machinery, including cigarette consumption. Some sports, such as biking, skiing, or driving vehicles for long periods of time, may also be associated with low back pain.
Diseases such as osteoarthritis of the spine and osteoporosis can also cause pain. Some of these diseases are more prevalent in the elderly and, therefore, the elderly are at greater risk of suffering from back pain. Situations such as depression, anxiety, alcoholism or divorce, have been associated with low back pain. However, there are no studies that demonstrate conclusively whether these problems are the cause or the consequence of pain.
Back pain is the most prevalent health problem in industrialized societies. The back pain is the most frequent cause of disability in people over 45 years. Approximately 80% of the population suffers from at least one episode of back pain during their lifetime.
Two of every three patients are recovering in a period of time less than a month and around 5% persistent discomfort suffered by more than 6 months. About half of patients with chronic low back pain can resume their work.
The doctor must determine if the pain comes from skeletal muscle, neurological or visceral. The diagnosis is based on a careful medical history and physical exam. Sometimes, the injection of local anesthetic or corticosteroid at a certain structures or joint space, can help in diagnosis and treatment of back pain.
The techniques of image, including simple X-ray, scan, computerized axial tomography, myelography and nuclear magnetic resonance, can be used to identify the source of pain. Also neurophysiological studies can be useful at times. The techniques of image more expensive to be reserved for those patients whose diagnosis cannot be performed by conventional procedures, including physical exam.
