3 Forms of Lower Back Pain in Vacaville

Lower back pain is a common annoyance that many of us have experienced and it affects many of our daily tasks. It is a chronic medical condition that can happen to anyone no matter what age they are.

But the thing about lower back pain in Vacaville is that once the cause is identified, it can be easily prevented and treated. Through this, the pain will no longer be a nuisance to your everyday life.

Types of lower back pain in Vacaville

There are 3 common forms of lower back pain, which includes the following:

• Muscle spasms
• Radicular pain
• Non-specific muscular pain

Muscle spasms - This a less common than non-specific type of muscular pain. Muscle spasms are known as a common manifestation of lower back pain and it happens when the back muscles involuntarily contract. It is somewhat similar to non-specific muscular pain where it often happens due to bending, heavy lifting, or other activities. The injury mostly starts when you experience a specific incident instead of chronic use.

Radicular pain - This is another common type of lower back pain that is caused by two factors:

• Pinching of one or more nerve roots
• Degeneration of the disc, which is the back absorber for the back

Radicular pain slightly differs from muscle spasms and non-specific muscular pain. Patients who have this will often experience a sharp shooting pain that starts from the back and goes into one or both legs. The legs will also experience a numbing or tingling sensation. There are instances when radicular pain can be classified as sciatic nerve pain or sciatica, which is another common and painful condition.

Non-specific muscular pain - This is the most common cause of back pain, which is basically just a muscle strain. When this happens, one common symptom to look out for is non-specific, intense muscular pain on either one or both sides of the lower back. This is normally caused by lifting, stretching, twisting, or any other kind of movement that causes stress to the lower back. Any sudden, unexpected movement like a fall can also trigger this kind of pain.

Sciatic nerve pain

Sciatica is a common type of lower back pain. This happens when the sciatic nerve has been pinched or compressed. The sciatic nerve is known as the largest nerve in the body wherein it runs from the lower back down the back of each leg. It is considered as unique because it's actually a symptom of a larger form of nerve pain. The difference between sciatica and radicular pain is that sciatica is a feeling of intense pain in the lower spine, whereas radicular pain may start higher up in the spine and then radiates toward the lower back.

How lower back pain is diagnosed

The first step to get treated for lower back pain is for you to schedule an appointment with your doctor. Make sure to take note of your symptoms before going to your appointment. Doctors will ask some specific questions to better understand the underlying cause of your pain.

Questions may include:

• Quality of your pain
• Intensity of your pain
• Location of your pain
• Your medical history as well as previous treatments and your response to these treatments

Back pain can have many different causes and a careful evaluation is important for the doctor to identify what may have caused it. Once your doctor has learned of your symptoms and back pain history, the possible cause can be determined and you will be provided with personalized recommendations that can help restore your health.

With that in mind, you can go check with Dr. Alex Tam of Absolute Family Chiropractic. His clinic can be found in Vacaville, CA and he specializes in these types of pain. You can get consulted by dialing the number (707) 474-5688 and make an appointment. Dr. Tam and his staff are willing to assist you and provide the treatment that is necessary for your condition.