Low Back Pain
Low Back pain, which may or may not include leg pain as well (sciatica) can be broadly defined in three categories: -
Pathological back pain
This is due to pain from the back whose primary source is an organic disease of either the spine of another organ. An example of this would be the sort of back pain that comes about with a kidney infection or in an extreme case pain from a secondary cancer. Certain types of inflammatory arthritis can also cause pathological back pain. Pathological back pain is a relatively rare presentation.
Neurological back pain
This is back pain that emanates from an irritation or impingement of a nerve. This is pain that emanates from either the spinal cord or one of the nerves that lead off the spinal cord most commonly the sciatic nerve. This is the sort of pain that one gets when you have a prolapsed intravertebral disc ('slipped disc'). Very often this pain is accompanied by a lack of function of that nerve which is most usually expressed as a weakness in the muscles, a reduction in sensation or possibly a reduction or absence of the reflex that the nerve serves. Neurological back pain probably represents less than 5% of all back pain.
Mechanical back pain
Mechanical back pain is the commonest type of back pain. Probably about 70% of the population will experience some mechanical back pain at least once during their lifetime. At any one time roughly 20% of the population are experiencing mechanical low back pain; that’s an awful lot of people!
There are a number of structures in the back that can cause back pain that are not neurological or pathological. One of the commonest sources of mechanical back pain are the small joints that connect each vertebra together - these joints are called facet joints. However, there are nerve endings in many of the ligaments that surround the back and of course a lot of the musculature of the low back is very able to produce back pain.
A particular source of muscular back pain are trigger points. An explanation of trigger points and how they are treated is given here.
Some Symptoms of Mechanical Low Back Pain.
There are wide variety of symptoms that present with mechanical low back pain but some of the commonest are set out below;
Most mechanical back pain gets worse with rest and better with movement; this means that most people with this type of pain will have a tough time in the morning, get better as the day wears on and then in the evening start to get sore again.
Most will find sitting and lying down painful and gentle mobilisation more comfortable They sometimes will experience a dull sensation in the buttocks or the back of the leg that can sometimes extend to the knee but rarely beyond.
Pathological back pain
This is due to pain from the back whose primary source is an organic disease of either the spine of another organ. An example of this would be the sort of back pain that comes about with a kidney infection or in an extreme case pain from a secondary cancer. Certain types of inflammatory arthritis can also cause pathological back pain. Pathological back pain is a relatively rare presentation.
Neurological back pain
This is back pain that emanates from an irritation or impingement of a nerve. This is pain that emanates from either the spinal cord or one of the nerves that lead off the spinal cord most commonly the sciatic nerve. This is the sort of pain that one gets when you have a prolapsed intravertebral disc ('slipped disc'). Very often this pain is accompanied by a lack of function of that nerve which is most usually expressed as a weakness in the muscles, a reduction in sensation or possibly a reduction or absence of the reflex that the nerve serves. Neurological back pain probably represents less than 5% of all back pain.
Mechanical back pain
Mechanical back pain is the commonest type of back pain. Probably about 70% of the population will experience some mechanical back pain at least once during their lifetime. At any one time roughly 20% of the population are experiencing mechanical low back pain; that’s an awful lot of people!
There are a number of structures in the back that can cause back pain that are not neurological or pathological. One of the commonest sources of mechanical back pain are the small joints that connect each vertebra together - these joints are called facet joints. However, there are nerve endings in many of the ligaments that surround the back and of course a lot of the musculature of the low back is very able to produce back pain.
A particular source of muscular back pain are trigger points. An explanation of trigger points and how they are treated is given here.
Some Symptoms of Mechanical Low Back Pain.
There are wide variety of symptoms that present with mechanical low back pain but some of the commonest are set out below;
Most mechanical back pain gets worse with rest and better with movement; this means that most people with this type of pain will have a tough time in the morning, get better as the day wears on and then in the evening start to get sore again.
Most will find sitting and lying down painful and gentle mobilisation more comfortable They sometimes will experience a dull sensation in the buttocks or the back of the leg that can sometimes extend to the knee but rarely beyond.
