Chronic Lower Back Pain

Chronic lower back pain is the most familiar kind of back pain in the industrialized world. For individuals younger than 45 years, it is the most common cause for disability claims. To qualify for chronic pain, it must be unresolved for at least three months. The most frequent cause is a work-related trauma to the spine resulting in injury.

Approximately five percent of lower back pain patients end up with chronic pain. Between three and four percent are temporarily disabled, while one percent end up with a permanent disability. Unresolved lower back pain (LBP) accounts for about one-third of the surgical procedures performed. The common cold is the only thing that accounts for more sick days than back pain for employees.

Many Reasons for Chronic Lower Back Pain

Causes of chronic lower back pain other than injury include inflammatory spondyloarthropathy, metabolic bone conditions, and fibrositis. For instance, some types of cancer can metastasis to the spine and result in intense pain. Degenerative bone disease can cause pain when the discs lose the padding between them and sit disc on disc.

Another cause for lower back pain is weak muscles, particularly in the abdomen. When the muscles do not adequately support the movement of the lower back, it puts stress on the entire spinal column. It can result in radiating pain across the back and down the legs. It is possible to experience chronic pain due to undiagnosed internal conditions. Only a qualified healthcare professional can give an accurate diagnosis and develop an effective treatment plan.