What is lower back pain?
Lower back pain can be acute (recent injury) or chronic (long term pain). Your lower back consists of 5 vertebrae and you can experience a wide range of symptoms if your lower back is sore.
The main potential causes for mechanical lower back pain are muscles strains, disc injuries, potential nerve injuries or overloading the vertebrae (ie poor posture).
Signs and symptoms of lower back pain:
- Pain in your lower back and/or buttock region
- Pain when bending forward brushing teeth, getting dressed, etc
- Pain when lifting something heavy from the floor
- Pain with prolonged sitting (eg at desk, driving, etc)
What should I do if I am suffering from lower back pain?
Research has revealed that movement and exercise is one of the best things to help manage lower back pain. Heat (cream or wheat packs) will help with temporary relief as well as trying to move within your pain limits. Some pain is ok with movements, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are causing more harm to your back.