What triggers back pain?

You asked what triggers back pain. NHS gives two kinds of answer, one common and one that needs a clinician to sort out.

The two named triggers

NHS names the common one first. A common cause of back pain is an injury like a pulled muscle (strain).

It then adds a second group. Sometimes, medical conditions like a slipped disc, sciatica (a trapped nerve) or ankylosing spondylitis can cause back pain.

Telling the two apart

These are different kinds of cause: an injury, and medical conditions. Telling them apart is a clinician's job, and a written description cannot do it. Knowing which one applies is what lets you ask sensible questions about tests and cost.

Before your visit

Note when the pain began, what you were doing, and whether it spreads. Take that to a clinician. Ask which causes they are ruling in or out, and what each test costs, quoted in writing. For reading, start with OrthoInfo's low back pain page, the MedlinePlus pain page, and the NIAMS guide to back pain symptoms and causes.

Exam before estimate

Do not self-assign a cause from a list. Which cause applies changes what you should ask. In Garfield, as anywhere, get the exam before the estimate.