DjelicS/Getty Images
- The most common cause of low back pain is muscle strains from poor posture or overexercising.
- Other common causes of low back pain include injury from trauma, osteoporosis, and arthritis.
- Low back pain can be relieved through stretching, correcting posture, and some medications.
- Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice.
Lower back pain is an all too common affliction with up to 80% of people experiencing it in their lifetime. Back pain can be debilitating, affecting your ability to work, exercise, or enjoy time with friends and family.
However, you can relieve lower back pain if you understand what's causing it. While it's best to consult with a doctor to determine the root of your pain, here are ten common causes of lower back pain.
1. Muscle strain
Muscle strains are the most common cause of lower back pain. Signs your back pain may be due to muscle strains include stiffness, back spasms, pain radiating through the lower back into the butt, difficulty standing properly, and pain for more than ten days.
According to Ai Mukai, MD, a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Texas Orthopedics, muscle strain can occur due to:
- Overstretching muscles
- Overusing muscles, such as lifting heavy items
- Bad posture
- Contact sports
- Repeated bending or twisting
How to relieve it:
- Applying ice. A 2014 review found that applying ice to acute musculoskeletal injuries can reduce pain, muscle spasms, and inflammation.
- Physical therapy
- Light massage
- Stretching
- Electrical muscle stimulation
2. Trauma
Unlike other causes which develop over time, back pain from trauma is sudden. According to Karena Wu, DPT, the owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy and Mukai, trauma that can cause lower back pain includes:
- Falls
- Car accidents
- Repeat sports injuries
- Lifting something too heavy or with your back
How to relieve it: Ice, light stretching, and massage can relieve pain caused by trauma. Depending on the extent of the injury, a doctor can provide more specific treatment options.
3. Osteoporosis
Weak and brittle bones - a condition called osteoporosis - can cause vertebrae to fracture or collapse, triggering back pain.
How to relieve it: Treatment depends on the severity and progression of your osteoporosis. Options include:
- Estrogen therapy, commonly used in younger women
- Reducing alcohol intake, for mild to severe cases
- Medications to prevent the loss of bone
4. Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting about 32.5 million people in the US. It occurs when cartilage in the joints begins to break down, including those in the spine, which can cause back pain.
Osteoarthritis might be responsible for your back pain if you experience other symptoms like stiffness, swelling, and a limited range of motion in your hands, hips, or knees.
How to relieve it: Medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help manage back pain from osteoarthritis. Long-term physical and occupational therapy can also mitigate discomfort. Procedures such as steroid or cortisone injections and joint replacement may be necessary in more severe cases.
5. Herniated disc
A herniated disk occurs when a spinal disc's jelly-like center pushes out through the exterior casing. It can cause pain not only in your low back, but also in your butt, thighs, or calves. Other symptoms include numbness throughout the body and muscle weakness.
A herniated disk can be caused by:
- Regular wear and tear due to aging
- Decreased flexibility as you age
- Lifting with your back muscles instead of your legs
- Twisting while lifting
How to relieve it:
- Repeatedly bending back as far as is comfortable
- Kinesiology taping
- Stability exercises
- Pain and inflammation therapies, such as taking anti-inflammatories,
- Epidural injections can alleviate herniated disc pain.
- Surgery
6. Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia, which affects four million Americans, is an condition in which a person experiences muscle pain for at least three months across multiple parts of their body. Researchers believe this is because of heightened pain sensors in the brain. In addition to back pain, it can also cause dull pain in the butt, shoulders, and legs.
How to relieve it: Over-the-counter pain medicine and prescribed antidepressants, alongside physical and occupational therapy, can help relieve fibromyalgia pain. In a 2017 study, researchers found a combination of aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises were the most effective methods for reducing pain and increasing well-being in people with fibromyalgia.
7. Ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation of the vertebrae in your back and possibly other joints. It triggers severe pain and stiffness across the back and sometimes other areas of the body, such as the hips, ribs, and hands.
How to relieve it: Cases of ankylosing spondylitis can vary from person to person, but physical therapy, ice and heat, pain medication, and posture exercises may relieve the pain.
8. Spinal stenosis
Spinal stenosis occurs when one or more of the spaces in your spinal canal narrows. This narrowing causes the spinal cord and nerves to become irritated or pinched, causing back pain ranging from dull to burning or sciatica. Spinal stenosis is commonly caused by osteoporosis and usually occurs in the neck or lower back.
How to relieve it: Pain medication such as ibuprofen and physical therapy are common methods for relieving spinal stenosis pain. More severe cases may require steroid injections or a decompression procedure which increases spinal canal space.
9. Multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the blood cells in the bones, which accelerates the breakdown of bones, especially those in the spine. This can cause back pain due to fractures. Signs of multiple myeloma also include fatigue, increased urination, and recurrent infections.
How to relieve it: Pain medication, radiation therapy, and surgery to support bones can help relieve back pain caused by multiple myeloma.
10. Spinal deformity
Spinal deformities prevent the spine from functioning properly and can cause lower back pain. Types of spinal deformities include:
- Scoliosis, when the spine curves to the side.
- Kyphosis, when the upper back overly rounds.
- Spondylolisthesis, when the vertebrae move excessively.
- Lordosis, when the lower spine curves more than usual.
How to relieve it: Treatment for spinal deformities includes physical therapy, posture training, and wearing a back brace.
Insider's takeaway
Some back pain goes as quickly as it came but, other times, you need to visit a doctor. According to Wu and Mukai, you should see a doctor if:
- Pain radiates to the leg or foot
- Feelings of numbness or weakness shoot down your leg
- Pain persists soon after trauma
- Back pain lasts longer than a week or two
- Bladder or bowel incontinence