The most common medical complaints are that of back pain. On a positive note, back pain episodes usually diminish within a few weeks if caused from muscle strain. Unfortunately, a backache can be among the most difficult and frustrating problems for patients and their doctors.

Understanding the cause of your pain is the key to proper treatment. Because back pain is sometimes difficult to treat, a better understanding of the causes of will assist patients in their recovery.

The most common causes of back pain are:

Muscle strains are the most common cause of low back pain. Patients may or may not remember the initial event that triggered their muscle spasm, but the good news is that most episodes of back pain from muscle strains fade away completely within a few weeks.

A ruptured intervertebral disc, also called a herniated disc, is another common cause of back pain.

Discogenic back pain is thought to be a common cause of low back pain. Discogenic back pain is the result of damage to the intervertabral disc, but without disc herniation. Diagnosis of discogenic back pain may require the use of a discogram.

Spinal stenosis causes back pain in the aging population. As we age, the spinal canal can become constricted, due in part to arthritis and other conditions. If the spinal canal becomes too tight, back pain can be the result.

Arthritis most commonly affects joints such as the knees and fingers. However, arthritis can affect any joint in the body, including the small joints of the spine. Arthritis of the spine can cause back pain with movement.

Spondylolisthesis causes back pain because adjacent vertebra become unstable and begins to "slip." The most common cause of spondylolisthesis is due to degenerative changes causing loss of the normal stabilizing structures of the spinal column. If the spine becomes unstable enough, back pain can become a problem.

As stated earlier, backaches are hard to diagnose. The causes listed above are just a few of the most common reasons why people suffer with back pain. If you suffer from acute backaches, you should meet with your physician.