Over 80% of the population will suffer from lower back pain during their lives. Most cases of lower back pain can be linked to a general cause—such as muscle strain, injury, or overuse—or can be attributed to a specific condition of the spine, most commonly:

A number of less common conditions can cause low back pain as well, such as sacroiliac joint dysfunction, spinal tumors, fibromyalgia, and piriformis syndrome.

Find out which spinal conditions commonly cause lower back pain in older adults and how to identify the symptoms of each cause.
Lower back muscle strain symptoms include localized lower back pain and tenderness, pain that is intensified with movement, and stiffness.

Symptoms of lower back pain vary and can be either acute or chronic depending on the cause. Also learn when lower back pain may be a medical emergency.

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