Low back pain
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Low back pain
Low back pain may be dull, burning, or sharp, covering a broad area or confined to a single point. It is often triggered by some combination of overuse, muscle strain, or injury to the muscles, ligaments, and discs that support the spine; less commonly, it is caused by illness or spinal deformity.
A lower back problem that puts pressure on a nerve to the leg, such as a herniated disc, can cause leg symptoms, either on their own or along with low back pain. Leg symptoms can include pain, numbness, or tingling, usually below the knee, and/or weakness in one leg. Weakness and/or numbness in both legs, along with loss of bladder and/or bowel control, are symptoms of cauda equina syndrome, a serious condition in which the bundle of nerve roots at the end of the spinal cord are squeezed; it requires immediate medical attention.
Back pain can be:
- Acute, lasting less than 3 months. Most people gain relief within 4 to 6 weeks of home treatment.
- Recurrent, a repeat episode of acute symptoms. Most people have at least one episode of recurrent low back pain. Keeping the abdominal, back, and leg muscles strong helps protect the back from recurring injury.
- Chronic, lasting longer than 3 months. A combination of exercises, pain medication, and developing skills for managing and coping with chronic pain is the recommended treatment for chronic low back pain.
Credits
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
| Last updated: | May 25, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Reviewed By: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman |
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