What Are The Most Common Causes of Lower Back Pain?

​They say 8 out of 10 Americans will experience low back pain at some point in their life and if you are 1 of those 8 you know all too well that low back pain can be debilitating.  Low back pain is the number one cause of disability worldwide!  It is also interesting that lower back problems tend to be more common in women than men and the majority of low back pain cases reported are from people that spend most of their time working at a desk. They also say $50 billion a year is spent on symptom treatment for low back pain and the cost in lost work is somewhere around $100 billion.  Back pain without a doubt is a big financial burden not only to those who suffer but to society in general.      

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So what are the most common causes of lower back pain?

1. Sprain or Strain of Back Muscles - A sprain is an over-stretched or torn ligament. A strain is an over-stretched or torn muscle or tendon.  

2. Lumbar Disc Herniation - A disc herniation is simply a torn damaged spinal disc that squishes out between the vertebrae following the path of least resistance.  Visually try and think of smores, and how the marshmallow squishes out the side. 

3. Degenerative Disc Disease - Is the erosion and inflammatory process that destroys the discs and almost always the vertebral bodies above and below the disc over time. 

4. Spondylolisthesis - Is a condition of the spine where most commonly L5 will slide forward relative to the sacrum, as well as damage or fracture of the posterior elements of the vertebrae often called a pars defect which can also allow ther vertebrae so slide forward relative to the sacrum. 
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5. Atlas/Axis Misalignment - Atlas and Axis are the upper two neck bones and due to accidents and injuries they can misalign creating a global postural distortion that frequently results in pelvic unleveling, and chronic lower back pain as the side effect that develops over time. Due to the body imbalance sprains, strains, disc herniations, and degenerative changes are much more likely to occur in the lower back.  

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and low back pain download our complimentary e-book.

Other Less Common Causes of Lower Back Pain

6. Scoliosis - Manifests as abnormal curves in the spine.  

7. Fracture of the Vertebral Body - A broken bone goes without saying.  It hurts.

8. Spinal Stenosis - Is simply the narrowing of the opening in the spinal canal or the IVF (Inter-vertebral foramen) where the nerve roots exit.  Stenosis will typically occur in an area of the spine that is chronically inflammed and usually under high stress.  The two most common areas of the spine that become stenotic are the lower neck and lower back.   
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9. Medication Reactions - No kidding some medications can mimic severe low back pain.  Our first experience with this was with a patient that started a medication called metformin without our knowledge.  Lower back pain is listed as a side effect.  It can be difficult to wrap you mind around how a chemical can simulate lower back pain but it can in fact.  

​Natural Treatment For Chronic Low Back Pain

The most commonly overlooked source of low back pain as we mentioned above is a misalignment of Atlas or Axis in the upper neck to the point that it throws the head off center and thus out of balance.  The effect of this is global in that your head will lean to one side you will have a low shoulder, a high hip, and one leg will be shorter than the other. Spinal imbalance is not significant until we add the component of TIME, in that gravity never stops, it pushes down on us day after day and with an unbalanced spine it will create high stress areas the 3 most common being right where the head and neck meet, the lower neck/upper back/shoulder area, and the lower back/pelvis/hips area.  These areas have a very high tendency to become irritated, inflamed, and ultimately degenerate over TIME.  This is the reason upper cervical chiropractors are so concerned with spinal balance, spinal health and spinal hygiene.  

Dr. Grayson Blom is a Boise, Idaho native that works with a nationwide group of Doctors expertly trained and specializing in the Upper Cervical procedure. Dr. Blom is also one of the few Doctors in the state of Idaho trained and certified in the Upper Cervical procedure.  
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To schedule an appointment to determine if you are a candidate for upper cervical care click the button below or call 208-559-0541. 

REFERENCES:

1. ​https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Low-Back-Pain-Fact-Sheet
2. http://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(16)31012-1.pdf
3. http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/top-causes-disability
4. http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/lower-back-pain/lower-back-pain-symptoms-and-causes