What is Low Back Pain?

Low back pain can be very debilitating and life changing for a great deal of people. In fact, about 80 percent of adults experience low back pain at some point in their lifetimes. Low back pain is the most common cause of loss days of work due to a job-related injury or disability. Low back pain does not discriminate between men or women. The economic and social impact of low back pain can be a substantial drain on wages due to missed days of work and people’s daily quality of life. In 1990, a study ranked low back pain the 6th most burdensome condition in the U.S. in terms of mortality or poor health; in 2010, low back pain jumped to third place, with only ischemic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ranking higher.

Low back pain can range in intensity from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp sensation that leaves the person incapacitated. Pain can begin abruptly as a result of lifting something heavy or by trauma from an accident; or it can develop over time due to age-related changes of the spine. Sedentary lifestyles also can contribute to low back pain, especially when a weekday routine of getting too little exercise is punctuated by strenuous weekend workout.

Most low back pain is acute, or short term, and lasts a few days to a few weeks. It tends to resolve on its own with self-care and there is no residual loss of function. The majority of acute low back pain is mechanical in nature, meaning that there is a disruption in the way the components of the back (the spine, muscle, intervertebral discs, and nerves) fit together and move.

Subacute Low Back Pain is defined as pain that lasts between 4 and 12 weeks. Chronic Low Back Pain is defined as pain that persists for 12 weeks or longer, even after an initial injury or underlying cause of acute low back pain has been treated.

ConditionCausesSymptomsDiagnosis, Treatment & Recovery

What Causes Low Back Pain?

Most low back pain is mechanical related in nature. In many cases, low back pain is associated with spondylosis, a term that refers to the general degeneration of the spine associated with normal wear and tear that occurs in the joints, discs, and bones of the spine as people get older. Some examples of mechanical causes of low back pain include:

Sprains are caused by overstretching or tearing of ligaments, whereas strains are tears in tendon or muscle. Both can occur from twisting or lifting something improperly, lifting something too heavy, or overstretching. Such movements may also trigger spasms in back muscles, which can also be painful. Typically, muscle strains are a sign of acute back pain. If the condition becomes chronic, it can be related to facet joint syndrome.

Pain originating from a damaged dehydrated and deteriorated vertebral disc particularly due to degenerative disc disease. Early disc degeneration may not cause severe pain or other symptoms, but when the degeneration becomes advanced, or with injury (annular tear), low back pain may occur.

Over time, the intervertebral discs become compressed and bulge outward (herniation) or rupture, causing low back pain.

A curvature of the spine that does not usually cause pain until middle age. Lordosis is an abnormally accentuated arch in the lower back. In many people scoliosis can cause debilitating chronic pain that can require to surgery to relieve the pain.

Sciatica is a form of radiculopathy caused by compression of the sciatic nerve, the large nerve that travels through the buttocks and extends down the back of the leg. This compression causes shock-like or burning low back pain combined with pain through the buttocks and down one leg, occasionally reaching the foot.

A condition in which a vertebra of the lower spine slips out of place, pinching the nerves exiting the spinal column.

When playing sports, experiencing a car accident or a fall injures tendons, ligaments or muscle the results can lead low back pain. Traumatic injury may also cause the spine to become overly compressed, which in turn can cause an intervertebral disc to rupture or herniate, exerting pressure on any of the nerves rooted to the spinal cord. When spinal nerves become compressed and irritated, back pain and sciatica may result.

is a narrowing of the spinal column that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that can cause pain or numbness with walking and over time leads to leg weakness and sensory loss.

A curvature of the spine that does not usually cause pain until middle age. Lordosis is an abnormally accentuated arch in the lower back. In many people scoliosis can cause debilitating chronic pain that can require to surgery to relieve the pain.

What are the Symptoms of Low Back Pain?

When any one of these conditions become prevalent the following symptoms are associated with these conditions:

  • Feel sharp, dull ache pain in the area of the disc tear in the low back. This pain can travel into the buttocks and thighs not usually past the patient’s knees.
  • Spasms of the low back and buttocks muscles
  • Numbness and or tightness can be related to disc tears or bulging and herniated disc. If the disc bulges, extrudes or herniates into the spinal canal and compresses the spinal nerves, the patient can experience numbness in the legs.
  • Weakness is commonly associated symptom resulting from a spinal nerve being compressed or irritated. The patient experiences weakness in their buttock, thigh or hamstrings or leg buckles, and they lose control of the leg temporarily.
  • Tingling is commonly found in patient’s legs or feet when experiencing degenerative disc disease, annular tears, herniated disc or spinal stenosis.

What are the Diagnostic & Treatment Options for Low Back Pain?

What Is the Recovery Time?

Our Least Invasive Procedure patients’ can begin getting out of bed one hour after surgery and go home shortly afterwards. There will probably be some pain after the procedure and is usually localized to the incision site. Activity is gradually increased and patients can return to non-physical work as early as two weeks. Keep in mind just because there is less or no pain, always consult your physician before beginning any physical work.

Our Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery patients’ post-operative recovery is much longer and may involve overnight stay in the hospital. Once your pain in under control you can go home. Dr. Rodriguez will give you medication to control your pain while you recover at home.

At home, you will need to continue to rest. You will be instructed on how to gradually increase your activity. You may still need to take the pain medications for a while. However, pain and discomfort should begin to reduce within a couple of weeks after surgery. The doctor will discuss with you other techniques for reducing pain and increasing flexibility before you leave for home. MIS patients can return to non-physical work as early as four to six weeks. Spine fusion patients can return to non-physical work as early as two to three months.

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Dr. Marco Rodriguez

Dr. Marco Rodriguez is a board-certified and fellowship trained orthopedic spine surgeon who specializes in compassionate care for spine patients utilizing least invasive and minimally invasive spine surgery techniques.

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Kenner LA Office
3705 Florida Ave.
Kenner, LA 70065

Baton Rouge Office
606 Colonial Dr Ste A
Baton Rouge, LA, 70806

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