Ask the expert: I am suffering from lower back pain

I have a nagging pain in the small of my back, which sometimes becomes so painful I can hardly walk. Can Ayurveda help?

A catch in the back might seem to appear out of the blue, but the underlying problem has probably existed for years.

One of the common causes of backache is poor posture. A balanced posture decreases stress on your back by keeping the muscles, bones and other supporting parts in their natural position. Any change to the normal spinal curve can stress or pull muscles. This leads to increased muscle contraction, which causes pain. Other major factors that could cause back pain are sprain or strain of muscles or ligaments in the area, and a lack of exercise or incorrect exercise. Being overweight can also cause lower back pain.