Possible causes of back pain

The lower back bears most of the weight and stress of your body. Back pain most often occurs from strained back muscles and ligaments mostly caused by the improper or heavy lifting, or after a sudden awkward movement. Sometimes a muscle spasm can cause back pain. Often, there's an accumulation of stress with one particular event unleashing the pain. In many cases, there may not be an obvious cause.
 
The following specific conditions can also cause back pain.

Herniated disk
This is a specific condition which occurs when disk material presses on a nerve. It is one of the most common causes of back pain.

Sciatica
Sciatica often occurs when a herniated disk impinges on the sciatic nerve causing sharp, shooting pain through the buttocks and the back of the leg.

Spinal stenosis
This condition is rare and it occurs when the space around the spinal cord and nerve roots narrows due to arthritis and bone overgrowth. This can cause a nerve to get pinched or pressed.

Spondylosis
Spondylosis is a type of arthritis affecting the spine. It is caused by several degenerative changes in the spine that often come with aging.

Spondylolisthesis

This condition occurs when one vertebra in the spinal column slips forward over another.

Other conditions:

• Cauda equina syndrome.
• Cancer of the spine. 
• Infection of the spine.
• Injury to the bones, ligaments, or muscles of the back
• Spine curvatures which may be inherited and seen in children or teens
• Other medical conditions like fibromyalgia

Symptoms of low back problems

Low back pain means that the pain is located somewhere between the bottom of the ribs, at the back, and the top of the legs. The pain often begins suddenly and it may travel to or be felt elsewhere. Studies have shown that it often goes into the buttocks, but may go further down the leg and even into the foot. This condition is also known as sciatica, because the main nerve to the leg is called the sciatic nerve.

The pain may be worse on bending and is often worse while sitting, especially in an easy chair. Sometimes turning over in bed and sitting up could be extremely painful. Coughing or sneezing can also make the pain much worse.