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You are here : Healthopedia.com > Medical Encyclopedia > Diseases and Conditions > Low Back Pain
      Category : Health Centers > Stress

Low Back Pain

Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors | Symptoms & Signs | Diagnosis & Tests | Prevention & Expectations | Treatment & Monitoring | Attribution


Low back pain refers to pain or discomfort in the lower back.

What is going on in the body?

Low back pain may involve the muscles, joints, or nerves of the lower back. It may also be referred pain, which means the pain is actually coming from another organ, such as the kidneys.

What are the causes and risks of the condition?

Low back pain may be caused by a number of spinal disorders. Following are some common causes:

  • fibromyalgia, a condition that causes trigger points in body tissues, including the low back
  • osteomyelitis, or bone infection
  • ruptured disks, which involve the soft disks between the vertebrae of the spine
  • spinal degeneration, which may involve arthritis
  • spinal stenosis, or narrowing of the disk spaces with aging
  • sprains or strains of the muscles and other soft tissue in the back
  • tumors of the spine
  • A person with disorders of certain body organs may experience referred pain in the low back. These disorders include:

  • aneurysms
  • appendicitis
  • kidney disease
  • ovarian disorders
  • pelvic inflammatory disease, and other infections in the pelvic area
  • urinary tract infection
  • Following are risk factors that increase a person's risk for low back pain:

  • activities, such as driving a car, that pass vibrations along the spine
  • lack of physical activity
  • obesity
  • old age
  • smoking

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    Low Back Pain: Symptoms & Signs

    Author: Ann Reyes, Ph.D.
    Reviewer: Eileen McLaughlin, RN, BSN
    Date Reviewed: 09/05/01









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    Page Last Updated: 6th April, 2009