Most lower back pain is muscular or ligamentous in origin. Damage to the intervertebral discs or vertebrae can sometimes be the cause. Finally, some lower back pains are digestive, gynaecological or skin-related.
Back pain: the spine is not the only culprit
Back pain is very common. 4 out of 5 French people suffer from it at some point in their lives (1). While the pain may appear to be bone-related, it is much more often muscular in origin. It can also be caused by digestive, menstrual or infectious problems. Here's an overview of the possible causes of low back pain.
Back pain: primarily a muscular problem
What is commonly known as "back pain" is often referred to in medical parlance as "low back pain". Although it can be extremely painful, it is generally not serious and disappears after a few days or weeks. The majority of lower back pain, or "lumbago", is muscular in origin. They are the result of damage to the muscles, ligaments or tendons that provide support and mobility to the spine (2).
These injuries are generally caused by a wrong movement, or by too much physical effort. The back muscles are then put under excessive strain, causing intense contractions on a chronic basis. The pain can be felt
The colon is linked to the vertebrae
It may seem surprising, but some back pain is thought to have a digestive origin. They occur in patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, also known as "functional colopathy".
This condition causes swelling and stomach pains, as well as transit problems. The resulting pain can radiate up to the thighs and even down the back! Although there is no precise explanation for this symptom, there may be a mechanical and neurological link between the colon and the spinal column.
A bacterium at the root of certain back problems
Lower back pain can be "symptomatic": the result of an illness. It may be caused by an infection, in particular due to a bacterium in the skin flora, propionibacterium acnes, which has colonised the spinal column!
The results of a study conducted by a Danish university and published in the European Spine Journal in 2013 suggest that the bacterium could be the cause of a significant proportion of chronic low back pain with herniated discs. By administering antibiotics to some of the 162 patients tested, the scientists noticed a reduction in their pain (3)!
Lower back pain during menstruation
Back pain could have menstrual origins. During their periods, some women complain of lower back pain. This is caused by contractions of the uterus, and usually disappears spontaneously within a few days.
If they are particularly disabling and intensify over the months, it is essential to consult a gynaecologist.
The spinal column
Although they are not often the cause of low back pain, bone diseases can still be a cause. One example is scoliosis, a deformity of the spine in all three planes of space. It generally appears during childhood or adolescence and particularly affects girls. Scoliosis may remain asymptomatic, but it sometimes leads to acute back pain.
Notice Assurance Maladie : « Quelques éléments d’information destinés aux professionnels de santé concernant le patient adulte atteint de lombalgie commune »
Notice Ameli : « Lombalgie ou mal de dos, de quoi parle-t-on ? »
Albert HB et al. Antibiotic treatment in patients with chronic low back pain and vertebral bone edema (Modic type 1 changes) : a double-blind randomized clinical controlled trial of efficacy. European Spine Journal, avril 2013 ; volume 22, Issue 4, pages 697–707
Who hasn't heard that wet weather is bad for rheumatism? Or his grandmother predicting bad weather by a sudden worsening of his back pain? The popular belief that the weather influences musculoskeletal diseases is widespread.
Back pain: symptoms, intensity, duration... when should you seek help?
Back pain is very often temporary and benign. But sometimes the pain is intense, long-lasting and indicative of a more serious condition. How do you recognise the seriousness of lower back pain? What are the warning signs to seek medical attention?
