Decline of the brain function can cause low back pain

Spinal canal stenosis and lumber herniated disk are a part of 15 % of known causes of low back pain, but the causes of 85 % of low back pain are unknown.
 
By the recent research of brain science, it turned out that some of the low back pain which cause is unknown and difficult to treat are related to the decline of the brain function caused by the decrease of blood flow in a part of the brain where is related to pain.
 
73 years old woman had been suffering from the pain and tingling sensation in her lower back and legs which cause was unknown. Her MRI images don’t show any abnormality causing spinal canal stenosis and lumber herniated disk. When she keeps sitting posture, pain and tingling sensation in her lower back and legs get worse.
 
When we feel pain, our brain secretes substance which suppresses the pain so the pain gradually decreases. But if we are under too much stress, the secretion of the substance which suppresses the pain decreases. That makes us sensitive to small stimulation that usually doesn’t cause pain.
 
In her case, it was assumed that some kinds of stress lowered the function of the brain and she felt pain by small stimulation.
 
She started rehabilitation of the brain in a hospital.
The first step of brain rehabilitation is probing the cause of psychological stress lowering the function of the brain. What she talked about was that she had been regretting that she might not understand her husband who had passed away 9 years ago after his 7 years’ life of fighting cancer. Stress caused by the death of her husband could be the main reason of the lower function of her brain. Awareness of the events causing the stress is the first step.
 
The second step of brain’s rehabilitation is physical therapy.
It is assumed that self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment have good influence on the function of the brain and lead to increase the substance that alleviates pain.
 
After 3 weeks’ of brain’s rehabilitation, her pain level decreased and she had more confidence and looked happier.