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Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Low Back Pain

Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors

Low back pain refers to pain or discomfort in the lower back.

What is going on in the body?

Low back pain may involve the muscles, joints, or nerves of the lower back. It may also be referred pain, which means the pain is actually coming from another organ, such as the kidneys.

What are the causes and risks of the condition?

Low back pain may be caused by a number of spinal disorders. Following are some common causes:

fibromyalgia, a condition that causes trigger points in body tissues, including the low back

osteomyelitis, or bone infection

ruptured disks, which involve the soft disks between the vertebrae of the spine

spinal degeneration, which may involve arthritis

spinal stenosis, or narrowing of the disk spaces with aging

sprains or strains of the muscles and other soft tissue in the back

tumors of the spine

A person with disorders of certain body organs may experience referred pain in the low back. These disorders include:

aneurysms

appendicitis

kidney disease

ovarian disorders

pelvic inflammatory disease, and other infections in the pelvic area

urinary tract infection

Following are risk factors that increase a person's risk for low back pain:

activities, such as driving a car, that pass vibrations along the spine

lack of physical activity

obesity

old age

smoking

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