Typically, younger individuals (30 to 60 year olds) are more likely to experience back pain from a lower back muscle strain or from within the disc space itself - such as a lumbar disc herniation or lumbar degenerative disc disease.

This article details a description of typical symptoms and their possible causes in younger adults. The next page details typical causes of lower back pain in adults older than age 60.

These lower back pain symptoms include any combination of the following:

A back muscle strain or ligament strain is one of the most common causes of acute lower back pain. Lifting a heavy object, twisting, or a sudden movement can cause muscles or ligaments stretch or develop microscopic tears.

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With a lower back strain, the severity of the pain ranges from mild discomfort to severe, disabling pain, depending on the extent of strain and the lower back muscle spasms that result from the injury.

Sciatica includes any combination of the following symptoms:

Sciatica describes the symptoms caused when a nerve root in the lower spine is compressed, causing pain and numbness to travel along the large sciatic nerve that serves the buttocks, legs and feet.

In younger adults, sciatica can be caused by a wide range of conditions, most commonly a lumbar herniated disc (may also be caused by degenerative disc disease, isthmic spondylolisthesis, and other conditions).

Symptoms may include any combination of the following:

Lumbar degenerative disc disease can affect patients as young as 20. When the lumbar discs between the vertebrae begin to break down, the damaged disc can cause both inflammation and slight instability in the lower back, bringing about pain, muscle spasms, and sometimes sciatica.

Degenerative disc disease is common and is often successfully treated.

Symptoms may include any combination of the following:

Isthmic spondylolisthesis occurs when a vertebra in the low back slips forward on the disc space below it. It is most common at the L5-S1 level and can cause low back pain from instability and nerve root pain due to compression of the nerve root.

The fracture occurs in childhood, but normally does not create a lot of pain until a patient is in young adulthood.

Symptoms may include any combination of the following:

Sacroiliac joint disease or dysfunction can occur if there is too much or too little movement in the sacroiliac joint - the joints that connect the sacrum at the bottom of the spine to the hip on each side.

The above are typical causes of lower back pain in younger adults, but not all. Younger adults can also be affected by arthritis and other conditions that are typical causes of back pain in older adults. Symptoms for each type of condition will vary based on a number of factors, such as the severity of the pathology, and the individual's unique anatomy and perception of pain.

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Lower Back Pain Symptoms and Causes - Spine-Health

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