The human spine is a collection of small bones, vertebrae, stacked upon each other until they form a column. Each vertebra is separated from the other by a cushion called the disc, and they are attached together by ligaments and muscles are attached to the vertebrae by bands of fibrous tissue: tendons.
Gaps within each vertebra are in line a long hollow channel, which passes within the spinal cord, which leaves the base of the brain. The spinal nerves branch off to escape out of the column through intervertebral spaces.
It is the lower back that supports almost all the weight of the body. The lesser problem with bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments of this area can cause pain when standing, bending motion. Less frequently, sometimes as a disc clamp disturbed or irritated a nerve in the spinal cord, causing pain that goes down the leg below the knee is sciatica.
Aim
This booklet deals with acute low back problems in adults. If you're hit, you are probably familiar symptoms such as pain or discomfort in the lower back, pain or numbness down the leg (in case of sciatica), and inability to carry out your business Daily or do the things you love.
A lower back problem may both appear suddenly but gradually. We are talking about when acute pain only lasts a short time (usually several days to weeks); another episode of 3 months is not acute.
Your back is experiencing disruptions? You're not alone: eight in ten adults are affected at some point in their lives, and most will suffer even more of a crisis of acute low back pain. Between these attacks, most people can resume their usual activities, partially or fully released from their symptoms.
This booklet will tell you more about acute back pain: what to do, and what to expect when consulting a health care provider.
Causes
Even today, with new technologies, we discovered only in very few people the exact cause of a back problem. Most often, people complain of low muscle tone in this area, contractions or spasms, lumbar sprain, muscle or ligament tears or joint problems. Sometimes displaced discs may cause irritation of spinal nerves (see fig. 1) and then comes pain in the buttocks or leg. Or, in the leg, numbness, tingling or weakness.
The risk of being affected are greater among those in poor physical condition and those whose work is very demanding or requires them to sit or stand for long.
They are also more time to recover: the symptoms may seem even more heavy with emotional stress or long periods of inactivity.
Back problems are often very painful, but it is only a small minority they hide a bone or joint or a serious health concern.
