Low back pain refers to any of several types of 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 a kidney.

What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?

Low back pain may range from a dull ache to severe, disabling pain. The individual may have related symptoms, including the following:

• decreased ability to flex the knee
• decreased ability to move the foot and toes in certain directions
• numbness, burning, or tingling in the leg
• pain that travels down the leg to the back of the thigh and calf (known as sciatica)

What are the causes and risks of the condition?

Low back pain may be caused by a number of spinal disorders. Some common causes include:

• 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 (narrowing of the spinal canal)
• narrowing of the disk spaces with aging
• sprains or strains of the muscles and other soft tissue in the back
• tumors of the spine

Read More!