What Can Cause Back Pain?

Your back is a very large area. It contains hundreds of muscles, millions of nerves, and dozens of bones. The malposition or inflammation of any of these structures can cause the pain you feel in your back. In addition, these might be possible causes of your back pain:

- a muscle strain or ligament sprain in the lumbar spine or sacroiliac joints
- sacroiliac joint dysfunction
- nerve root irritation or compression from a herniated disc
- narrowing of the spinal canal by bone overgrowth or degenerative disc disease
- an abnormal curvature such as scoliosis, kyphosis, or hyperlordosis
- spondylolisthesis
- muscle spasm
- vertebral misalignment or subluxation
- rib misalignment or subluxation
- spinal degeneration
- heavy or loose backpacks
- postural syndrome
- shingles
- fibromyalgia
- T4 syndrome
- aortic aneurysm
- compression fracture or other vertebral fracture
- rib fracture
- infection
- tubercolosis
- kidney stones or urinary tract infections
- failed back surgery causing FBSS (failed back surgery syndrome)
- pregnancy
- an inflammatory arthritis such as ankylosing spondylitis
- bacterial infection
- bone diseases such as tumors, Paget's Disease, or multiple myeloma
- women's issues such as pelvic inflammatory disease, menstrual cramping, ectopic pregnancy, or endometriosis
- men's issues such as prostate disease
- metastasizing cancers
- digestive tract issues such as ulcers, pancreatitis, or gallbladder disease
- obesity (although this may not be a direct cause)

Can you think of any more causes of back pain?