What is a common cause of low back pain in older populations?

Neural foraminal stenosis is a common cause of low back pain, especially in older populations. As individuals age, degenerative changes occur in the spine, such as disc degeneration, osteophyte formation, and thickening of the ligamentum flavum, which can lead to a narrowing of the neural foramina. This narrowing may compress spinal nerves that exit the spinal column, resulting in pain that can radiate to the legs and may be accompanied by neurological symptoms.

In older adults, the likelihood of neural foraminal stenosis increases due to the cumulative effects of years of wear and tear on the spine. This condition can cause chronic low back pain and may limit mobility and quality of life. It is often differentiated from acute conditions like herniated discs or muscle strains, which can have different onset characteristics and may occur at any age. Nephrolithiasis, or kidney stones, while potentially causing flank pain or referred pain to the lower back, are less common as a direct cause of low back pain compared to degenerative spine conditions like neural foraminal stenosis in this demographic.