Back pain is a very common occurrence these days. More and more doctors are seeing patients with lower back pain complaints. In fact, it is estimated that 4 out of 5 adults will experience back pain at one point in their lifetime. The lower back connects our upper body to our lower body and performs all sorts of movements such as bending over, twisting and moving from side to side. Symptoms of back pain can be experienced as a range of feelings from mild aches and pains to very severe sharp stabbing pains. In this article we will discuss the most common symptoms of low back pain.
Back pain can be caused by various things, but the most common causes of lower back pain are trauma and muscle imbalances. Back pain can be acute or chronic, short term or lasting longer than three months, respectively. What is important is honing in on your symptoms so you can effectively treat the cause of your pain, not just the symptoms. Herniated discs, lumbar disc disease and Spinal Stenosis can all be contributing to your back pain.
Back pain is typically classified into two types of pain- acute or chronic. Acute pain is generally considered to be acute when the pain lasts for a few days up to a few weeks. While chronic lower back pain is back pain that lasts longer than three months. This type of pain can include severe flare ups or steady progressive pain.
So, what are the symptoms of back pain? The most common symptoms are:
- Muscle Aches- This type of back pain radiates throughout your back making you feel very achy, with an overall feeling of dull pain
- Shooting or Stabbing pain- Pain that is felt as a quick, sharp surge of pain and lasts for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Typically it subsides and fluctuates with intensity.
- Radiating pain down your leg or legs- This type of pain is known as Sciatica. It begins in the lower back then travels through the buttock and down the leg.
- Not being able to stand upright
- Decrease in range of motion and flexibility in the back
Although this article, “What are the symptoms of back pain” gives you a brief overview of back pain symptoms, please visit our conditions page to read up on all existing back pain conditions by clicking HERE.
