Symptoms, Causes Of Lower Back Pain And How To prevent Lower Back Pain

Nearly everyone from their early 20s undergoes some sort of back pain during their lifetime. Studies show that up to 80% of the global population are affected by low back pain at some point in their lives. Sometimes we discern the reason for our back pain, yet seldom, the origin of back pain can sense like a mystery. In this article, Dr Kausthub Desikachar helps his readers understand the symptoms, causes of lower back pain and how to prevent lower back pain. 

One of the most prevalent reasons people visit a Yoga therapist, a physiotherapist or a healthcare provider is lower back pain. Dr Kausthub Desikachar explains that the lower back is positioned behind the abdomen from the rib cage to the pelvis, called the lumbar region. Most often, we do not notice that our lumbar spine works for us throughout the entire day. It strikes a vital part in carrying the load of your upper body and bound for daily movements, such as bending, turning and adjusting the muscles in your hips, pelvis, limbs and feet.

Due to massive usage daily, the bones, ligaments, discs, and nerves surrounded by the spine are pretty sensitive to damage and wear and tear over time, causing pain in the lower back. Acute lower back pain lasts from a few days to a few weeks, while chronic lower back pain lasts longer than three months.

Symptoms Of Lower Back Pain

Dr Kausthub Desikachar says that lower back pain symptoms can vary from person to person. Usually, a person endures a blend of the below symptoms, which either occur abruptly or gradually. With some people, lower back pain can feel like it comes and goes but usually progresses worse.

1. Sharp to a dull ache in your hips.
2. Muscle spasms/contractions.
3. Stiffness of the muscles.
4. A sharp ache that rises in your lower back and goes down one leg (also known as sciatica).
5. Lower back pain that comes only when sitting but swiftly improves while walking.
6. Extreme lower back pain and make it challenging or unachievable to walk, sit, stand or move.

Common Causes of Low Back Pain

1. Lifting heavy objects
2. Twisting of the body
3. Trying to reach an excessive height
4. Extended hours of sitting
5. Bad posture
6. Standing on feet for long hours
7. Too much exposure to body vibration
8. Obesity
9. Wearing a high heeled shoe
10. Smoking
    
    

Other Health Conditions That Cause Lower Back Pain

1. Back Sprains

Back sprains are the most common cause of lower back pain that prolongs for days or weeks. Your back muscles or ligaments often get strained by lifting heavy objects, which leads to a sharp, tingling sprain in your lower back area. Some people may sprain their back just by sneezing, coughing, twisting or bending all of a sudden but, this kind of sprain often recovers within minutes.

2.Injury / Fracture

The muscles in your lower back can tear, and likewise, the bones in the lower spine can crack during a hard sit on any surface, an accident, or a fall. This draws in the attention of lower back pain.

3. Abnormal Spine Curvatures

Poor posture embeds pressure on your back muscles, ligaments and vertebrae, which causes a curvature on your spine in the long run, which leads to chronic lower back pain. 

4. Degenerative Disc Disease

Dr Kausthub Desikachar says our spinal discs are bound with rubbery cushions between the vertebrae, which serves as a shock absorber and help us bend, move and twist comfortably. When the cushions of your spine start to wear away, which is usually prevalent with older adults above 40, the bones begin to rub together and cause throbbing lower back pain. 

5. Arthritis

The cartilage is a cover that protects the ends of bones to produce low-friction movements. When cartilage is healthy, it efficiently allows bending, twisting and straightening actions and shields the bones and the joints. But when the cartilage starts breaking down, which is a normal part of ageing, it exposes the small nerves within the bone and causes lower back pain and stiffness, which restrains a person’s capability to accomplish everyday chores that demand bending and stretching.

6. Spondylitis

Inflammation of the spinal bone or the vertebrae is termed spondylitis. This inflammation causes the bones to fuse, making the spine less flexible along with continuous, dull low back pain and morning stiffness.

Other Causes For Lower Back Pain

1. Kidney and bladder problems
2. Pregnancy
3. Endometriosis
4. Ovarian cysts 
5. Uterine Fibroids

How To Prevent Lower Back Pain

Dr Kausthub Desikachar says to reduce the risk of back injury, you should:

1.  Maintain an ideal weight for your height as excess weight embeds a burden on the lower back discs, which results in lower back pain.
2. One must join Yoga or any other programs under the guidance of a specialist who can help strengthen your core muscles to support your spine. 
3. Make sure you sit on supportive chairs at a comfortable height in your workspace.
4. Always do stretches before workouts or strenuous physical activity.
5. Practice sleeping on a firm surface.
6. Live a healthy and active lifestyle. Being sedentary not just brings lower back pain but a lot of other health complications.