The spine is a column of bones held together by muscles, tendons and ligaments. The spinal bones are cushioned by shock-absorbing disks. A problem in any part of the spine can cause back pain. For some people, back pain is simply an annoyance. For others, it can be excruciating and disabling.

Most back pain, even severe back pain, goes away on its own within six weeks ­— especially for people under age 60. Surgery usually isn’t suggested for back pain. Generally, surgery is considered only if other treatments aren’t effective.

Causes

A common cause of back pain is injury to a muscle or ligament. These strains and sprains can occur for many reasons, including improper lifting, poor posture and lack of regular exercise. Being overweight may increase the risk of back strains and sprains.

Back pain may also be caused by more-serious injuries, such as a spinal fracture or ruptured disk. It can also result from arthritis and other age-related changes in the spine. Certain infections can cause back pain.

Possible causes of back pain include:

Ankylosing spondylitis
Endometriosis
Fibromyalgia
Herniated disk
Kidney infection (also called pyelonephritis)
Kidney stones (Hard buildups of minerals and salt that form inside the kidneys.)
Muscle strains (An injury to a muscle or to tissue that connects muscles to bones, called a tendon.)
Obesity
Osteoarthritis (the most common type of arthritis)
Osteomyelitis
Osteoporosis
Poor posture
Pregnancy
Sacroiliitis
Sciatica (Pain that travels along the path of a nerve that runs from the lower back down to each leg.)
Scoliosis
Spinal cord tumor
Spinal fractures
Spinal stenosis
Spondylolisthesis
Sprains (Stretching or tearing of a tissue band called a ligament, which connects two bones together in a joint.)

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