By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2010-12-17 02:14:05 | Word Count: 664
The lumbar area refers to the lower portion of the back. It is the area most people complain about having back pain in.
What causes lower lumbar pain?
Lower lumbar pain can result from any number of things. Injury like lifting a heavy object improperly or any kind of muscle strain can cause intense lower lumbar pain. Additionally, pregnancy adds weight to the front of the body, which throws balance off and puts pressure on the lower back, resulting in pain. Stress and smoking have also been shown to contribute to low back pain, as they decrease blood flow to the area. Poor posture is another big contributor to lower lumbar pain.
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Degeneration and disease are also contributors to lower back pain. As we age, the discs meant to cushion our spines become warn out and just dont function as well as they did when we were younger. This can cause them to become displaced, and put pressure on nearby nerves causing pain and discomfort. Some diseases that can contribute to this are osteoarthritis (which involves the degeneration of the discs, causing the body to compensate with bone production leaving the sufferer with bone spurs), and degenerative disc disease (which happens when the discs in the spine become dried out, brittle and easily herniated).
Who is affected by lower lumbar pain?
Almost everyone will experience some kind of low back pain in their lifetime. Most frequently, it affects people between 30 and 50. This is because of a slowdown in lifestyle. This more sedentary pace results after a reduction in exercise, which causes a weakening of the muscles. That makes them more susceptible to various traumas and injuries.
Older folks can experience a high volume of low back pain as well though, as degeneration of the discs and muscles in the back goes along with the territory of aging.
How is low back pain treated? Depending on whats causing your low back pain, there are a number of things you can do to resolve it. Most low back pain can be relieved without surgery.
Ice and heat can help relieve back pain by increasing the flow of oxygen and nutrient rich blood to the area. Try alternating between the two for maximum results. Use an ice pack or a package of frozen vegetables on the affected area for 20 minutes or so, and then the next time use a heating pad. Typical heating pads may not be sufficient to provide lasting relief though. The Healthy Back Institute offers an infrared heating pad that uses technology that allows heat to deeply penetrate the skin and go directly to affected tissue and muscles.
If your pain is a result of a spinal compression issue, you may benefit from inversion therapy. The Healthy Back Institute offers an inversion table to bring this therapy to your home. The process involves totally inverting your body to allow gravity to reduce the strain on your spine and help naturally realign out of place discs.
Using lumbar support cushions can also help alleviate lumbar pain. The Healthy Back Institute offers a variety of lumbar support cushions to help support your back health at all times.
The Healthy Back Institutes main priority is relieving your lower lumbar pain, so you can start enjoying your life again. Visit www.losethebackpain.com today for more information on being free from lower lumbar pain.
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