Back pain can be felt anywhere in your back but will be most common in your lower back as this is where most of your body's weight presses. It can be from a strain or a minor injury and will get resolved on its own after some time. If you find that you frequently get back pain and it gets severe gradually, you need to go for a checkup to avoid or catch the following conditions early. They may not be common, but it is good to have them ruled out.

Degenerative Disc Disease/ Discogenic Back Pain

If you get injured or as you get old, the discs in your spinal cord may get damaged or experience wear and tear. A disc is a firm cushion located between vertebrae in your spinal cord. Its primary task is to act as a shock absorber and to give your spine flexibility.

Ruptured/Herniated Disc/ Slipped Disc

This is another condition that affects the discs in your spinal cord. If a disc degenerates, it can herniate partially. This herniation means the disc has popped out of its place and slid into the spinal canal. The spinal canal is where the spinal cord passes. The disc exerts pressure to your spinal nerves, which may be felt as pain on your lower back down your legs. You may hear your doctor mention the term sciatica. A herniated disc may lead to another condition known as spondylolisthesis.

Spondylolisthesis

This is when one of the vertebrae in your spinal cord slips under or over the vertebrae located next to it.

Arthritis

You may also experience arthritis that affects the spinal cords vertebrae and joints. You can either have osteoarthritis, which is the wear and tear of these joints, or rheumatoid arthritis, a condition where your immune system may cause inflammation or the damage of various areas in your back. Pain can be felt when you make some movements.

Arthritis and ageing can also lead to the narrowing of the spinal canal. This narrowing will cause pain and may even cause nerve damage.

Osteoporosis

If you have this condition, your bones lose density and strength. They become brittle and weak, increasing their likelihood to fracture. The disease mostly affects bones of the spine, hip and wrists. In the case of severe osteoporosis, slight movements including sneezing can lead to bone breakage!

Spinal Curvatures/ Scoliosis

If your family has a history of scoliosis, you need to go for a checkup as this condition can worsen over time. It usually affects children before puberty and leads to the curvature of your spinal cord.