3 most common types of lower-back pain
About one in four adults in the U.S. has had lower-back pain lasting an entire day in the last three months, which may explain why it has been rated the fifth most common reason people go to a doctor. Most often, no related structural cause is identified.
Not all lower-back pain is alike, but it can be classified into subtypes in order to help doctors reach a diagnosis and determine treatment. In our survey of more than 14,000 people with such pain, we focused on the three most common types, excluding a small group who said their lower-back pain was associated with vertebral infection, fracture, or cancer.
A guide to the causes of back pain
Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal, may occur from arthritis, aging, a variety of inherited conditions, or
injuries, among other causes. Symptoms typically appear slowly and get worse over time. Symptoms of spinal stenosis may be
similar to those of a pinched nerve since the spine may press on a nerve root. You might be affected if you are age 60 or
over and experience:- Leg pain that worsens with walking and can be relieved by rest.
- Aching, cramping, or burning, most likely in both legs.
- Absence of pain when seated.
Symptom chart
| Description | Spinal canal is narrowed, and the openings in the spine through which the nerves pass may be narrowed |
|---|---|
| Hallmark | Onset of leg pain (usually in both legs) while walking, which can be relieved by rest. (Can be confused with peripheral artery disease.) |
| Sensory/motor symptoms | Numbness or burning around the buttocks. Can be associated with pinched nerve, with radiating pain in one leg, burning, numbness, tingling, and weakness |
| Character of pain | Back pain with aching, cramping, or burning pain in both legs |
| Pain worsens | With continued walking |
| Pain relieved | When seated/resting from walking |
| Age | Most common in people age 60 or over |
The neurosurgeon recommended exercise, which Pittman found to be quite helpful. He used a treadmill four days a week until this past summer, when he had to help his wife, who fractured her leg. When he tried to return to his exercise program six weeks later he found that his leg pain was worsened when walking on the treadmill.
Although surgery has been recommended, Pittman is waiting it out. He is still able to walk through the supermarket and the mall, and he plans to try a spinal decompression machine, which gently repositions the spine to promote the relief of pressure. He hopes the new treatment will work so that he won't have to have surgery.
