Lower Back Pain Causes in Women

Numerous conditions ranging from physical problems to psychological factors contribute to the onset of lower back pain. A common complain among women, especially in those of menopausal age, the intensity of lower back pain can range from mild to severe depending on the severity of its cause. To treat lower back pain and prevent its recurrence, it is vital to learn its cause before starting treatment. Enlisted below are some conditions that may lead to lower back pain in women.

[Read: How to Get Relief from Back Pain]

Tumours

Even a benign tumour originating in the spinal bone, pelvis or spinal cord can trigger lower back pain. Pain caused by malignant tumours is usually unbearable and needs immediate medical attention. Both primary as well as metastatic tumours (which spread to the back from elsewhere) can cause intense pain in the lower back. The intensity of backache symptoms caused by tumours depends on whether the tumour has affected the nervous system or not and the symptoms may range from severe pain to urine incontinence and loss of nerve and muscle function.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis causes severe pain in the joints of the spine, thereby, leading to lower back pain. Women, who indulge in strenuous physical activities, often complain of stinging pain in the back and hip. This may either be due to osteoarthritis or lack of calcium in the body. Bringing your day’s schedule to a standstill, osteoarthritis of the back also causes you to limp or makes it difficult for you to walk without taking rest.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy exerts excessive stress on the lumbar spine, thus causing lower back pain. It also affects the production and functioning of the female sex hormone estrogen and relaxin, the ligament-loosening hormone, thereby, contributing to pain in the back. A naturally occuring labour pain further stresses the ligaments and muscles of the spine, increasing lower back pain. Pregnant women are often recommended pelvis-tilt exercises and stretches to prevent back pain during and post pregnancy.

[Read: Exercises for Lower Back Pain in Pregnancy]

Other Reasons of Lower Back Pain in Women

• Spinal conditions such as Ankylosing spondylitis, herniated disc, spinal bone encroachment, spinal deformities (such as scoliosis or kyphosis) and Spinal Stenosis.
• Bacterial infection in the spine.
• Compression Fractures: In post menopausal women with osteoporosis, compression fracture of the spine is a common condition. Even mild force on the spine can cause compression fracture.
• Spinal Infection: Infection in the spine or spinal bleeding.
• Paget Disease may cause localised pain in the lower back.
• Menopause: Hormonal influx caused during menopause may trigger mild pain in the lower back and also contribute to development of osteoporosis.
• Wrong PostureObesity: Being overweight or obese burdens the lower back with additional body weight, thus casing backache.
• Research has shown that depression, stress and anxiety along with poor coping skills increase a person’s risk of chronic back pain as he or she leads an unhealthy lifestyle due to his or her mental condition and fails to follow pain management techniques effectively.

It is advised that a patient with lower back pain contact an orthopaedic on a timely basis to analyse the cause of lower back pain and avail specific treatment before the  condition worsens.

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