12 häufige Ursachen für Schmerzen im unteren Rücken: Symptome, Ursachen und Lösungen

25. November 2023

By Dr. Jeremy Campbell,

Licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy

Back pain, especially in the lower region, is something many of us encounter, often making our daily lives more challenging.

It's a widespread issue, and understanding why it happens is key to finding relief.

Our back is a complex structure, essential for supporting our bodies and enabling movement, but when it’s in pain, everything seems to come to a halt.

In this article, we'll explore 12 common causes of lower back pain, trying to understand what might be causing your discomfort and how to address it.

1. Muscle or Ligament Strain

Symptoms: Sharp, sudden pain with stiffness, muscle spasms, and limited mobility.

Causes: Overstretching or tearing muscles or ligaments due to heavy lifting, sudden movements, or poor posture.

When muscles or ligaments in the back are overstretched or torn, it triggers an inflammatory response leading to pain and stiffness.

The body's reflex is to protect the area, causing muscle spasms that further limit movement and compound the pain.

Solution: The key to addressing muscle or ligament strain in the lower back is a combination of rest, gentle exercise, and proper posture.

Initially, rest is crucial to allow the injured tissues to heal. Applying ice can help reduce inflammation and pain in the first 48 hours.

After the acute phase, gentle stretching and strengthening exercises can help restore flexibility and strengthen the surrounding muscles, providing better support to the back.

It's also important to practice good posture, both while sitting and standing, to prevent future strains.

2. Herniated or Bulging Discs

Symptoms: Sharp, radiating pain, numbness, or tingling, typically extending to the legs.

Causes: Discs protruding due to strain, injury, or wear and tear.

Disc herniation occurs when the softer inner material of a spinal disc pushes through a tear in the tougher outer layer.

This can irritate nearby nerves, causing pain that radiates along the nerve's path.

The process is often the result of age-related wear or sudden strain on the spine.

Solution: Treatment for a herniated disc often involves a combination of rest, physical therapy, and pain management.

Resting initially helps reduce inflammation, while physical therapy can strengthen the back muscles and improve flexibility to relieve pressure on the nerve.

In some cases, medications or injections for pain relief and reducing inflammation may be recommended, and surgery is considered when conservative treatments fail to provide relief.

3. Osteoarthritis

Symptoms: Deep, aching pain with stiffness and reduced flexibility in the spine.

Causes: Breakdown of cartilage in the joints and discs in the lower back.

Osteoarthritis in the spine occurs as the cartilage that cushions the joints and discs wears down.

This leads to bones rubbing against each other, causing pain, inflammation, and reduced mobility.

Solution: Managing osteoarthritis in the lower back usually includes a combination of regular low-impact exercise, such as swimming or walking, to maintain joint mobility, along with physical therapy.

Pain relief may be achieved with anti-inflammatory medications, and in some cases, joint injections or surgery might be considered.

4. Osteoporosis

Symptoms: Sudden, sharp pain, often due to a fracture.

Causes: Brittle and porous bones leading to increased fracture risk.

Osteoporosis weakens the bones, including the vertebrae, making them more susceptible to fractures.

These fractures can occur suddenly and be extremely painful, often resulting in sharp, debilitating back pain.

Solution: Prevention and management are key, focusing on diet and lifestyle changes to strengthen bones, along with medications to slow bone loss.

For pain due to fractures, treatments may include rest, braces, or surgery, depending on the severity.

5. Sciatica

Symptoms: Burning or searing pain radiating from the lower back to the leg.

Causes: Compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve.

Sciatica is often caused by a herniated disc pressing against the sciatic nerve.

This pressure leads to inflammation and pain along the nerve's path, often felt as a sharp, shooting pain from the lower back down through the leg.

Solution: Treatment typically involves physical therapy to strengthen the back and abdominal muscles, along with stretches to improve flexibility.

Pain relief can often be managed with over-the-counter medications, and in severe cases, corticosteroid injections or surgery may be necessary.

6. Spinal Stenosis

Symptoms: Dull, cramping pain in the lower back, extending to the legs.

Causes: Narrowing of the spinal canal.

Spinal stenosis involves the narrowing of the spaces within the spine, which puts pressure on the nerves.

This condition is typically caused by age-related wear and tear and leads to pain, especially when walking or standing for long periods.

Solution: Treatment often includes physical therapy to build strength and endurance and to maintain the flexibility and stability of the spine.

Pain relief may be provided by medications, and in some cases, decompressive surgery may be recommended.

7. Spondylolisthesis

Symptoms: Sharp, stabbing pain, often radiating down the legs.

Causes: One vertebra slipping over another.

Spondylolisthesis occurs when a vertebra slips forward over the bone below it.

This can result from a fracture or degenerative changes in the spine, leading to nerve compression, pain, and instability in the lower back.

Solution: Conservative treatments like physical therapy, focusing on strengthening and stabilizing the spine, along with pain management through medications or injections, are usually the first line of treatment.

Surgery may be considered in severe cases.

8. Poor Posture

Symptoms: Chronic, dull ache with tightness or stiffness.

Causes: Imbalance in the muscles and stress on the spine due to improper posture.

Continuous poor posture leads to an imbalance in back muscles and spinal misalignment.

Over time, this strain on the muscles and spine results in chronic pain and stiffness.

Solution: Improving posture involves conscious correction, ergonomic adjustments to work and living spaces, and exercises to strengthen core muscles.

Physical therapy can also provide guidance and support in correcting postural habits.

9. Kidney Problems

Symptoms: Sharp pain, usually on one side of the lower back.

Causes: Kidney infections or kidney stones.

Kidney-related back pain is caused by conditions like kidney stones or infections.

These conditions cause pain that can be sharp and severe, often concentrated on one side of the lower back.

Solution: Treatment for kidney-related back pain involves addressing the underlying condition, such as antibiotics for infections or medical procedures for kidney stones.

Drinking plenty of water and following a healthy diet can also help.

10. Sedentary Lifestyle

Symptoms: Dull, persistent pain, worse after prolonged sitting.

Causes: Weakening of back muscles and reduced spine flexibility.

A sedentary lifestyle leads to weakened back muscles and decreased spinal flexibility.

This lack of muscular support and mobility increases the risk of back pain, often exacerbated by prolonged periods of sitting or inactivity.

Solution: Incorporating regular physical activity, particularly exercises that strengthen the back and improve flexibility, along with taking frequent breaks from sitting, can help alleviate this type of back pain.

11. Pregnancy

Symptoms: Constant, dull ache with a sensation of heaviness.

Causes: Increased strain due to weight gain and hormonal changes.

During pregnancy, the added weight and shifting center of gravity put extra strain on the back.

Hormonal changes that loosen the ligaments and joints in the pelvic area also contribute to this back pain.

Solution: Gentle exercise, such as prenatal yoga or walking, along with physical therapy, can provide relief.

Using support pillows and practicing good posture can also help alleviate discomfort.

12. Stress and Tension

Symptoms: Chronic ache or muscle tightness.

Causes: Emotional stress leading to physical tension in the back.

Stress can lead to physical manifestations such as muscle tension in the back.

This tension leads to an ache or stiffness, often becoming a chronic issue if the underlying stress is not addressed.

Solution: Stress management techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, and yoga can be effective.

Regular exercise and relaxation techniques can also help relieve muscle tension.

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It's a simple yet effective way to tackle various back pain issues without the need to step out.

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