What are the causes of low backache?
Mechanical low backache or the “musculoskeletal” backache is the most common form of back pain. This may result from strain of the muscles or the ligaments in the back. It excludes structural causes like disc prolapse and tumours. Only 1-3% of the patients with low back ache will have lumbar disc herniation (slipping of the intervertebral disc situated between the vertebral bodies causing compression of the nerve root).Sciatica is the pain due to the irritation of sciatic nerve (the nerve which supplies the lower limb) due to lumbar disc prolapse. Sciatic pain is usually present in the low back and buttock and goes down the thigh up to the foot. Several studies have shown that smokers are more prone to get back pain, sciatica and spinal degenerative changes. Smoking also delays the bone healing and increases the chances of surgical failure after spine surgery. What are the points to be noted in the patient with backache? • Age of the patient. • Any history of cancer (like prostate or b
