Back Pain
Eighty-five to 90 percent of people in the US will suffer from back pain at some time during their lives. Back pain is the second most common reason patients visit their doctors in the United States. Here are some of the causes of back pain:

1. Back Strain: This is the leading cause of back pain in the United States (85% of cases).
2. Disc herniation: A herniated disc is a rupture or tear of the cartilage that surrounds the vertebral discs. Pressure from the vertebrae above and below the affected disc squeezes the cushioning substance (nucleus pulposus) out of the disc. The nucleus pulposus can press against spinal nerve roots. This can cause severe leg pain and may cause nerve damage if not treated properly.
3. Osteoarthritis/spinal stenosis: The constriction or narrowing of the vertebral canal, the space that surrounds the spinal column.
4. Ankylosing spondylitis: A chronic inflammatory disease that first affects the spine and nearby structures. As the disease progresses, vertebrae will fuse together. This disease has a strong hereditary (runs in the family) tendency and primarily affects men under 30 years of age.
5. Spondylolisthesis: Spondylolisthesis is the partial forward movement (dislocation) of one vertebra over the one below it. Usually, the fifth lumbar (low back) vertebra is dislocated over the first sacral (tail bone) vertebra.
6. Infection (less than 1% of cases).
7. Cancer (less than 1% of cases).
8. Fracture.
9. Trauma: An injury due to an accident or fall may cause a fracture or muscle strain.
10. Non-spinal causes: Non-spinal causes of low back pain include abdominal aortic aneurysms, kidney stones, infection, or perforating stomach ulcer.