Lower Back Pain Causes

What are the most common lower back pain causes? Typically, back pain stems from muscle strain, overuse or injury. Over time, this can stress your back’s intricate spinal structure and the constant tension makes your back prone to further injury. The causes of lower back pain tend to build on each other, as less-used muscles must compensate for injured ones. While tumors, disease and surgery all have potential to produce lower back pain, here are five likely causes.

1. Injury or Overuse Injury or overuse is the most common reason men experience lower back pain. Your muscles, ligaments and joints become damaged through practices like improper or heavy lifting. Repetitive motions or a sudden strain can cause a herniated disk.  
2. Compressed Nerves Compressed nerves in your spine is another source. In fact, it may be the most common cause of lower back pain. Herniated disks produce pain due to nerve compression. Material inside a disk can bulge or rupture, becoming painful if it presses on a nerve.
3. Fractured Vertebrae Significant force can fracture your vertebrae, causing severe pain. Car and bike accidents are two examples. Powerful, direct blows usually cause these fractures. Sometimes fractures occur from spine compression like in a fall.
4. Urinary and Prostate Conditions Many men experience back pain due to urinary disorders. For example, kidney stones typically produce pain in the lower back. Urinary tract infections (UTI), more common in women than men, also cause pain. Prostate disease is another possible origin.
5. Osteoarthritis and Osteoporosis A degenerative joint disease called osteoarthritis causes lower back pain. This condition typically develops with age and it affects your hips and other joints, too. Osteoporosis, a disease that causes bone deterioration, is another source; however, this condition is more common in postmenopausal women than in men.