What triggers these nerves and shooting pain in the lower back can be a variety of things. The most common is a slipped or herniated disc. The cartilage between two vertebrae can slip out of place and cause the bones to compress. This compression triggers the nerve and causes extremely sharp, immobilizing pain. The longer this pain goes untreated, the more the nerve tissue is irritated. Eventually, the nerve tissue will die and the muscles they control will cease to work properly. Once the nerve tissue is damaged, it is highly unlikely to regenerate,resulting in permanent damage to the lower back area.

Other causes of lower back pain and spinal nerve damage are fractures of backbones and the complete slippage of one vertebra over another. However, these problems do not usually result in surgery. Rather, these patients are managed with back braces and medication. There is not much a surgical spinal procedure can do to fix broken vertebrae. The only thing you can do in such a case is immobilize the back and wait for the bones to heal.

Sciatica is another cause of nerve pain in lower backs. The sciatic nerve travels through the pelvis and can be compressed by the spine. If this pain is allowed to persist, lasting damage can be done to the lower limb and foot muscles, resulting in sensory loss and weakness. In extreme cases, nerve damage that goes untreated leads to paralysis. A consultation with a spinal surgeon or orthopedic should be done quickly.

In cases where nerves are being compressed, surgery is the best option to prevent damage from progressing. If you are experiencing lower back pain, you need to know that this pain will worsen over time if it is not treated. As time passes, you will be doing more damage to the spine and spinal nerves. The longer you wait to consult a spinal surgeon, the heightened risk of doing permanent, painful damage to your back.