One of the most annoying forms of pain to have is back pain. If your back hurts, you are faced with frequent pain that seems to not go away. Being the nerve epicenter of the body, even the mildest of aches can be an annoying hurdle. If you’re experiencing back pain in Jacksonville, you’re probably wondering what caused it in the first place. Well, it can be a variety of causes, but the following are the most common.
Strain or sprain
These are the most common causes of back pain. A strain is an injury to the muscles or tendons, while a sprain is an injury to the ligaments. Both of these injuries affect the muscle connection to the bones and joints, thus making movement difficult. These injuries can happen by falling from a high place, getting into a car accident, or moving/twisting your back improperly.
Herniated Lumbar Disc
A disc herniates when its contents (nucleus pulposus) spill out through its protective outer layer. The pain comes from the nucleus pulposus pressing up against a spinal nerve root and compressing it. Depending on the location of the disc and the nerve root being compressed, this can also cause leg and buttocks pain.
Degenerative Disc Disease
It is somewhat inaccurate for this to be labeled a disease, as it’s more of a byproduct of our bodies’ natural changes as we grow older. As the human body ages, cells begin to degenerate, and the intervertebral discs in our spines begin dehydrating. This of course shortens the distance between each disc and even starts abnormally changing the spine’s shape. These changes can be anything from overgrowth of capsular ligaments to the developing of bone spurs. And during all of this, the body is working around the clock trying to run damage control. These events, all happening at once, is often what leads to the back pain you find in older people.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
Down the lower back, around the area of the pelvis, is the “sacrum”, known as the “keystone” of the pelvis. The points where it meets the ilium, at the right and left sides of the back, are known as the sacroiliac joints. These joints are held together by very strong ligaments which, like the joints they hold, aren’t meant to be moved much. So, if something happens to put strain on the ligaments, or anything else that may hinder the joints’ functionality, what results is lower back pain and proximal leg pain.
There are many causes of back pain, but the above four are the most common. The back, being what contains the spinal cord and holds up the head, is one of the most important parts of our bodies, but also the most prone to damage. So, if you are seeking back pain treatment in Jacksonville, talk to your doctor, and see if they can find what the problem is.
