Different Types

Aches and pains can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). Doctors consider pain acute if it lasts no more than a month and is not caused by serious underlying medical problems. If pain persists for more than 6 months, it is classified as chronic. There are also two specific categories of low back pain:

• Mechanical pain is the result of illness or injury to the disks, facet joints, ligaments or muscles in the back. Strains and sprains are common injuries that cause mechanical pain. A strain is a stretched or torn muscle or tendon that connects muscle to bone, whereas a sprain is a stretched or torn ligament that connects bone to bone. While sprains are usually caused by trauma such as a fall or twisting, strains are usually the result of repetitive stress to the area over time. Mechanical back pain is usually found toward the lower spine, but can spread to include the buttocks and thighs. On rare occasions, when an injury is extensive, pain can spread below the knee.
• Compressive, or neurogenic, pain occurs when the nerves that radiate from the spine become irritated or pinched. This leads to numbness, pain and muscle weakness in the area supplied by the nerve. A herniated disk may result in compessive-type pain.