Friendswood Back Problems

Friendswood back problems are a common neurological ailment. Men and women are equally affected. It occurs most often between ages 30 and 50, due in part to the aging process but also as a result of sedentary life style.

About.com Guide
by Carol & Richard Eustice
Updated April 25, 2010

Lower Back Pain: A Common Problem

Back pain is a common neurological ailment. Men and women are equally affected. It occurs most often between ages 30 and 50, due in part to the aging process but also as a result of sedentary life style.

Lower back pain is a common cause of job-related disability and missed work. Most occurrences of lower back pain go away within a few days. Others take much longer to resolve or lead to more serious conditions.

Acute back pain generally lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute back pain is mechanical in nature, the result of trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis.

Pain from trauma may be caused by:

Symptoms

Symptoms may range from muscle ache to shooting or stabbing pain, limited flexibility and/or range of motion, or an inability to stand straight.

Lower back pain unrelated to injury or other known cause is unusual in pre-teen children, although, heavy backpacks can strain the back.

Chronic back pain is measured by duration, pain that persists for more than 3 mo's is considered chronic. It is often progressive and the cause can be difficult to determine.

Risks of lower back pain from disc disease or spinal degeneration increase with age.

As people age, bone strength and muscle elasticity and tone tend to decrease. The discs begin to lose fluid and flexibility, which decreases their ability to cushion the vertebrae.

Injury & Trauma

Pain can occur when, for example, someone lifts something too heavy or overstretches, causing a sprain, strain, or spasm in one of the muscles or ligaments in the back.

If the spine becomes overly strained or compressed, a disc may rupture or bulge outward. This rupture may put pressure on one of the more than 50 nerves rooted to the spinal cord that control body movements and transmit signals from the body to the brain. When these nerve roots become compressed or irritated, back pain results.

Low back pain may also reflect:

Other Causes

Most low back pain follows injury or trauma to the back, but pain may also be caused by:

Other Factors

Other factors that contribute to low back pain include:

Serious Problems

Low back pain may also indicate a more serious medical problem. People with back pain along with fever, loss of bowel or bladder control, pain when coughing, progressive weakness or pain radiating into the legs should contact a doctor immediately to help prevent permanent damage.