Low back pain is pain affecting the lower part of the back. It is described as:
People who have a back problem often talk about having a ‘slipped discʼ. However, major disc problems are not actually too common.When they do occur, it is normal because the disc has torn and ‘prolapsedʼ or ‘herniatedʼ, so that it presses against sensitive nerves from the spinal cord.
Sciatica is the name given to pains running down the back of the leg because nerve roots that make up the sciatic nerve have been compressed or irritated – either by a disc prolapse, from extra bone caused by arthritis, or due to a combination of the two.
Spine movement is made possible by joints between the vertebrae consisting of two flat faces or 'facets' on the bone. If these degenerate, the two halves of the joint grate painfully against each other.
This condition, also known as osteoarthrosis, is a long-term degeneration of the joints, which makes them less able to withstand stress. It's a wear-and-tear problem that affects most of us as we get older and which can give rise to pain in some cases.
There are many inflammatory diseases (e.g. ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis) that cause joints to become inflamed and seize up. These diseases can either directly affect the joints in the back, or cause problems with other joints that lead to pain in the back.