Print OverviewBack pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical help or miss work. Back pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Fortunately, measures can help prevent or relieve most back pain episodes, especially for people younger than age 60. If prevention fails, simple home treatment and using the body correctly often will heal the back within a few weeks. Surgery is rarely needed to treat back pain.Products & ServicesA Book: Back and Neck HealthA Book: Mayo Clinic Guide to Pain ReliefProducts for Pain Relief, Mobility and SafetyShow more products from Mayo Clinic SymptomsBack pain can range from a muscle aching to a shooting, burning or stabbing sensation. Also, the pain can radiate down a leg. Bending, twisting, lifting, standing or walking can make it worse. When to see a doctorMost back pain gradually improves with home treatment and self-care, usually within a few weeks. Contact your health care provider for back pain that: Lasts longer than a few weeks. Is severe and doesn't improve with rest. Spreads down one or both legs, especially if the pain goes below the knee. Causes weakness, numbness, or tingling in one or both legs. Is paired with unexplained weight loss. In rare cases, back pain can signal a serious medical problem. Seek immediate care for back pain that: Causes new bowel or bladder problems. Is accompanied by a fever. Follows a fall, blow to the back or other injury. More InformationTailbone pain Request an appointment There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. From Mayo Clinic to your inbox Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview. 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Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry Causes Low back pain caused by spinal degeneration and injury. Click here for an infographic to learn more Back pain often develops without a cause that shows up in a test or imaging study. Conditions commonly linked to back pain include: Muscle or ligament strain. Repeated heavy lifting or a sudden awkward movement can strain back muscles and spinal ligaments. For people in poor physical condition, constant strain on the back can cause painful muscle spasms. Bulging or ruptured disks. Disks act as cushions between the bones in the spine. The soft material inside a disk can bulge or rupture and press on a nerve. However, a bulging or ruptured disk might not cause back pain. Disk disease is often found on spine X-rays, CT scans or MRIs done for another reason. Arthritis. Osteoarthritis can affect the lower back. In some cases, arthritis in the spine can lead to a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord, a condition called spinal stenosis. Osteoporosis. The spine's vertebrae can develop painful breaks if the bones become porous and brittle. Ankylosing spondylitis, also called axial spondyloarthritis. This inflammatory disease can cause some of the bones in the spine to fuse. This makes the spine less flexible. More InformationInfographic: Back Pain Risk factorsAnyone can develop back pain, even children and teens. These factors can increase the risk of developing back pain: Age. Back pain is more common with age, starting around age 30 or 40. Lack of exercise. Weak, unused muscles in the back and abdomen might lead to back pain. Excess weight. Excess body weight puts extra stress on the back. Diseases. Some types of arthritis and cancer can contribute to back pain. Improper lifting. Using the back instead of the legs can lead to back pain. Psychological conditions. People prone to depression and anxiety appear to have a greater risk of back pain. Stress can cause muscle tension, which can contribute to back pain. Smoking. Smokers have increased rates of back pain. This may occur because smoking causes coughing, which can lead to herniated disks. Smoking also can decrease blood flow to the spine and increase the risk of osteoporosis. PreventionImproving one's physical condition and learning and practicing how to use the body might help prevent back pain. To keep the back healthy and strong: Exercise. Regular low-impact aerobic activities — those that don't strain or jolt the back — can increase strength and endurance in the back and allow the muscles to work better. Walking, bicycling and swimming are good choices. Talk with your health care provider about which activities to try. Build muscle strength and flexibility. Abdominal and back muscle exercises, which strengthen the core, help condition these muscles so that they work together to support the back. Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight strains back muscles. Quit smoking. Smoking increases the risk of low back pain. The risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked per day, so quitting should help reduce this risk. Avoid movements that twist or strain the back. To use the body properly: Stand smart. Don't slouch. Maintain a neutral pelvic position. When standing for long periods, place one foot on a low footstool to take some of the load off the lower back. Alternate feet. Good posture can reduce the stress on back muscles. Sit smart. Choose a seat with good lower back support, armrests and a swivel base. Placing a pillow or rolled towel in the small of the back can maintain its normal curve. Keep knees and hips level. Change position frequently, at least every half-hour. Lift smart. Avoid heavy lifting, if possible. If you must lift something heavy, let your legs do the work. Keep your back straight — no twisting — and bend only at the knees. Hold the load close to your body. Find a lifting partner if the object is heavy or awkward. Buyer bewareBecause back pain is common, many products promise prevention or relief. But there's no good evidence that special shoes, shoe inserts, back supports or specially designed furniture can help. In addition, there doesn't appear to be one type of mattress that's best for people with back pain. It's probably a matter of what feels most comfortable. The Mayo Clinic experience and patient stories Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care like they've never experienced. See the stories of satisfied Mayo Clinic patients. Mississippi man finds relief at Mayo Clinic for excruciating back painEdward Markle was desperate. Despite receiving nerve blocks from his doctors, Edward says the pain from two herniated discs had become excruciating and unrelenting. He could not sit or walk without pain. He slept on the floor, two hours a night. He was increasingly worried about the future. "It shut my quality of life down to almost zero," he says. "I couldn't move. I could not get out. I could not find a way to… Surgery to correct scoliosis helps Pat Druckenmiller move againPat Druckenmiller is a person who likes to keep moving, whether that means playing clarinet in a community band, teaching students at a tribal college, relocating her family to the other side of the world or simply taking a walk each day. She and her husband, Doug, have lived a life full of adventure, including living in multiple states, traveling the world extensively and living in Taiwan. Throughout these adventures, movement has kept Pat fit… By Mayo Clinic Staff Request an appointment Diagnosis & treatment Feb. 18, 2023 Print Show references Back pain: In depth. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/back-pain/advanced. Accessed June 25, 2022. Low back pain: Fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Low-Back-Pain-Fact-Sheet. Accessed June 25, 2022. Walls RM, et al., eds. Back pain. In: Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Elsevier; 2023. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed June 25, 2022. Low back pain. American Association of Neurological Surgeons. https://www.aans.org/en/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Low-Back-Pain. Accessed June 25, 2022. Knight CL, et al. Treatment of acute low back pain. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed June 25, 2022. Hayden JA, et al. Some types of exercise are more effective than others in people with chronic low back pain: A network meta-analysis. Journal of Physiotherapy. 2021; doi:10.1016/j.jphys.2021.09.004. Bengtson KA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Aug. 28, 2022. Related Back surgery: When is it a good idea? Herniated disk and bone spurs on spine Herniated disk FAQs Infographic: Back Pain Myofascial release therapy: Can it relieve back pain? Radiofrequency neurotomy Sleeping positions that reduce back pain Tailbone pain Show more related content Associated Procedures Acupuncture Bone scan Chiropractic adjustment CT scan Discogram Diskectomy Electromyography (EMG) Laminectomy MRI Radiofrequency neurotomy Spinal fusion Ultrasound Urinalysis X-ray Show more associated procedures News from Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic Minute: What is augmented reality spine surgery? 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