Low Back Pain

The following are conditions that may cause low back pain.

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ankylosing spondylitis - a form of arthritis with prominent back pain; it's also a type of spondyloarthropathy.

arthritis associated with inflammatory bowel disease - a form of arthritis that may accompany Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis; it's also a type of spondyloarthropathy.

fibromyalgia - a cause of diffuse pain.

herniated disk - also called a slipped or ruptured disk.

osteoarthritis - a form of wear and tear, or degenerative, joint disease.

osteoporosis - a disorder of the bones characterized by decreased bone mass (generalized thinning of the bones), which also decreases bone strength; pain typically develops only if a fracture complicates this condition

polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) - a form of arthritis that causes pain in the muscles of the lower back, thighs, hips, neck, shoulder and upper arms, as well as in other parts of the body.

psoriatic arthritis - a form of arthritis associated with psoriasis, and also a type of spondyloarthropathy.

Reiter's syndrome - a form of arthritis that may follow urinary, genital or bowel infection, and a member of the spondyloarthropathy family.

sciatica - a painful disorder that is produced by irritation of the sciatic nerve.

spinal stenosis - Narrowing (stenosis) of the spinal canal -- the space surrounding the spinal cord that serves to protect it -- may be caused by calcium deposits in ligaments, degenerative joint disease or disk disease, or it may be present since birth. Any of these problems alone or in combination can put pressure on the spinal cord or a nearby nerve, causing low back pain.

spondylolisthesis - a relatively common condition in which one vertebra slides forward on another.

sprain - an injury that stretches or tears ligaments.

strain - an injury that stretches or tears muscle fibers.

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