3 Common Conditions that May Be Causing Your Lower Back Pain

Roughly 80 percent of adults experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints along with headaches. While this symptom is shared among so many individuals, the conditions lying behind the symptoms vary greatly. Here are a few of the most common conditions that may be causing your lower back pain:

• Muscle Strain

Muscle strain can happen to anyone. It is commonly caused by heaving lifting or sudden uncomfortable movement. A strained muscle is best described as the twisting or pulling of a muscle. You may at a greater risk for lower back muscle strain if you are excessively curving your lower back, you are overweight, or if experience weak muscles. Playing contact sports may also increase your risk of experience lower back muscle strain. If you are experiencing the following symptoms, your lower back pain may be a result of muscle strain.

• Muscle spasms
• Limited range of motion
• Pain brought on by movement

• Bulging Disc

The sound of this condition sounds frightening and worrisome, that being said it is actually the second most common cause of lower back pain. A disc is a cushion that lies between your vertebrae and your spine. As time progresses and people grow older, their discs begin to dehydrate and their cartilage begins to stiffen. This can cause the disc to bulge out larger than its circumference. Although growing older is a common reason behind experience a bulging disc, there are many other reasons behind the condition as well. These include:

• Degenerative disc disease
• Injury or trauma
• Repetitive lifting, standing and bending

Here are a few common symptoms that you may be experiencing if you have a bulging disc.

• Tingling and discomfort in the shoulders, arms, neck, and fingers
• Muscle spasms and pain in the lower back
• Pain the radiates from the lower back to the chest

• Arthritis

An estimated 21 million adults are affected by arthritis. Many of these adults experience arthritis in their lower back muscles. Arthritis is a degenerative disease that causes swelling and stiffness of the joints in your spine. It may be difficult to find the differences between arthritis and lower back strain, but there are a few symptoms that differ between the two. A few of these symptoms include:

• A curving spine
• Swelling in your joints
• Pinching and/or tingling in your spine
• Intermittent pain in your back
• Crunching feeling in your back

Unfortunately, arthritis is a condition that comes along with chronic pain that can take a toll on your life. Arthritis is commonly mistaken for many other conditions resulting in the condition being untreated. If left untreated, arthritis can cause muscle weakness, along with depression and anxiety.

It is important to practice safe activities and move carefully to prevent arthritis or any other type of back condition from developing. It is important to lift heavy objects properly. It is also important to avoid any intense and uncomfortable movement of your back.