1. Slideshow: Low Back Pain
2. Take the Back Pain Quiz!
3. Good and Bad Exercises for Low Back Pain

Medical Author:

Jason C. Eck, DO, MS

Jason C. Eck, DO, MS

Dr. Eck received a Bachelor of Science degree from the Catholic University of America in Biomedical Engineering, followed by a Master of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering from Marquette University. Following this he worked as a research engineer

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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People with lumbar disc disease typically develop complaints of chronic low back pain between the ages of 20 and 50 years. Often there is no history of a traumatic event preceding the onset of pain.

• Pain is often made worse with sitting or bending forward. There is localized tenderness in the lower back. Pain is persistent and lasts longer than six weeks.



• Men and women are equally affected.



• The symptoms of lumbar disc disease worsen as the degenerative changes in the spine progress from internal disc disruption to degenerative disc disease to segmental instability.



• With internal disc disruption, people have a deep ache in the low back that increases over several months. Pain is worse with motion.



• When this condition progresses, degenerative disc disease pain is present in the low back as well as the back of the buttocks and thighs.



• People with segmental instability have increasing pain radiating down the lower extremities. This pain is increased with movement and walking.

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