The Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments for Lower Back Pain

Our back or spine plays a critical role in overall health, supporting the body and its internal systems as we go about our day. We don’t even realize how much our back does until we experience back pain. Then, it becomes rather debilitating and even unmanageable without the adequate healing time and perhaps physiotherapy.

Together, we will explore the causes of lower back pain, prevention, and when to seek professional help for rehabilitation.

What Causes Lower Back Pain?

Lower back pain isn’t limited to age or physique, although those factors can play a part. For instance, falling off a ladder or getting hurt in a vehicular accident can cause significant injury to the spine. In addition, a person’s participation in sports, heavy lifting, and career choice impacts the body, often affecting their spinal alignment and the surrounding musculature.

Here are some of the common causes of lower back pain:

• Pulled muscle or strained ligament 
• Bulging or ruptured disk
• Skeletal misalignment
• Arthritis or osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Age 
• Excess weight
• Improper lifting
• Disease
• Sciatica
• Injury or accident
• Degenerative and hereditary conditions

One or a combination of the above can cause back pain ranging from mild to severe. For example, it can occur from ongoing, repetitive movements or poor posture from sitting at a desk for extended hours. 

While not all back conditions are curable, with the right combination of medication and therapy, back pain sufferers can find a degree of relief that provides significant improvement.

Symptoms of Lower Back Pain

There are some distinctive symptoms of lower back pain that are worth identifying. Lower back pain can come in the form of a slow, dull ache that develops over time or a sharp, somewhat painful, pinching sensation. Others may include:

• Shooting
• Burning
• Stabbing
• Aching
• Radiating, including down the legs

Specific movements can exacerbate back pain, such as bending, twisting, lifting, standing, or walking. Usually, back pain will ease with proper rest over a few weeks. Sometimes, people seek chiropractic or physiotherapy treatments to help relieve symptoms and strengthen the muscles and ligaments that support the back.

However, you should seek professional help if your back pain persists or is severe. There may be a more serious underlying cause that requires investigating.

Treatments for Lower Back Pain

One of the best treatments for lower back pain, aside from rest, is physiotherapy. Of course, hot or cold packs and muscle relaxants can provide temporary relief; however, with ongoing back pain, it is better to treat the root cause rather than “band-aid” methods.

Therapists may use a combination of methods, including the following:

• Back and core exercises
• Stretching and flexibility movements
• Posture correction
• Weight loss routines
• Tens machine stimulation
• Massage
• Acupuncture
• Chiropractic adjustments
• Targeting therapy for specific conditions

Surgery is sometimes necessary before beginning physiotherapy with an extended recovery time. Depending on the cause and your physical condition, it may take weeks or even months to feel significant improvement, though it is better than ignoring your back pain. 

Alleviate Your Back Pain with Physiotherapy

Experiencing lower back pain can prevent us from working efficiently and enjoying daily activities with our family. It can even worsen physical and mental health, leading to anxiety and depression if left untreated.

Don’t let your lower back pain take over your life. Instead, get the expert care you deserve with the certified professionals at Delta Physiotherapy & Rehab in Mississauga, ON. Together, they will assess and formulate a customized treatment plan to help identify underlying causes and reduce symptoms. Additionally, the staff provides expert lifestyle analysis and tips to prevent further injury.

Schedule your physiotherapy appointment online or call 905-270-3086 today and say goodbye to back pain for good!