Pain due to low back problems is different for each person. For some, pain gets worse with certain activities. For others, it hurts all the time. The location of pain can also differ. Pain may be only in the low back. Or, you may have pain in the buttocks and legs. You may also feel tingling, weakness, and numbness. Whatever your symptoms, a low back problem often puts limits on your life. Doing even simple tasks, such as lifting groceries or bending to help your child, can be frustrating. In some cases, constant pain can even lead to depression.

If other treatments haven't helped your symptoms, surgery may offer relief. Surgery often helps:

Vertebrae are bones that stack like building blocks to make up your spine. The lumbar spine contains the five bottom vertebrae in your back. When the lumbar spine is healthy, you can bend and move in comfort. But if part of the lumbar spine is damaged, pain can result.

Disks are soft pads of tissue that act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae. The firm, fibrous outer layer of a disk is called the annulus. The soft center of the disk is called the nucleus.

The spinal canal is a tunnel formed within the stacked vertebrae. The opening between the vertebrae on either side of the spinal canal is called the foramen.

The lamina is the arched part of each vertebra that forms the back of the spinal canal. Facet joints are the joints where the vertebrae meet.

With age, a disk may thin and wear out. Vertebrae above and below the disk may then begin to touch. This can put pressure on nerves. It can also cause bone spurs (growths) to form where the bones rub together. Stenosis results when bone spurs narrow the foramen or spinal canal. This also puts pressure on nerves.

In some cases, vertebrae become unstable and slip forward. This is called spondylolisthesis. Slipping vertebrae can irritate nerves and joints. They can also worsen stenosis.