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.

Radicular pain is often deep and steady, and can usually be reproduced with certain activities and positions, such as sitting or walking.

Accurately diagnosing osteomyelitis requires both diagnostic studies and lab tests, and may necessitate a surgical procedure to obtain a bacteria culture.

Symptoms of spinal infection go beyond back pain. Learn what osteomyelitis can cause, including nighttime pain, fever, chills, and shakes.

Treatment for osteomyelitis typically begins with antibiotic treatment, then progresses to surgical approaches if the spine infection does not respond.
Vertebral osteomyelitis is an infection of the vertebral bodies in the spine. It is a rare cause of back pain in young people, but is more common in the elderly.

Fortunately, back muscle strains and pulled back muscles usually heal with time. Learn about the various pulled back muscle treatments available.

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