The fifth lumbar vertebra, also known as the L5 vertebra, can be a source of tremendous pain and discomfort.

The thoracic spine is the mid-portion of your back and extends from the base of the neck to the bottom of the rib cage. It is made up of 12 thoracic vertebrae, which are separated by soft spongy discs that aid in shock absorption.

The flank is the area on the sides of the body between the lower rib and hip bone, including the front and back aspects of the torso. It is commonly referred to as the side. Pain can radiate to the back or flank because of a problem in any of the nearby organs, or it may arise due to a neuromuscular condition.

The spine is composed of small bones called vertebrae that surround the spinal cord. Between each vertebra is a cushion called a disc. With time or trauma, the jelly-like center of the disc may shift and leak out through a crack in the tougher, outer covering. This is called a disc herniation or "slipped disc."

The spine is the part of your body most affected by the force of gravity. Due to gravity pulling down on the spine, the disks that rest between your spinal vertebra are at risk for compression.

A herniated disc can be excruciating. A herniated disc, often called a slipped or bulging disc, is the bulging or rupture of an intervertebral disc in your spine. Once it bulges or ruptures, it presses on your spinal nerves, causing great pain, usually in the lower back, but sometimes in the upper back, neck or legs.

Back pain is a common and pervasive problem for many Americans. The American Chiropractic Association says that back pain is the second most common reason for a visit to the doctor. Pain can extend from the lumbar spine to the pelvis and into the tailbone.

A disc herniation, defined as a rupture of the outer portion of one or more of your intervertebral discs, is a relatively common health complaint among Americans. Spinal disc herniations, notes MayoClinic.

Improperly performed situps or doing too many situps before the lower back is sufficiently developed can indeed cause back pain. One common method of the exercise involves placing feet under a bar to make it easier to complete a situp.

Spinal disks are soft and provide cushion between vertebrae. They have an exterior casing that keeps the soft center intact. A herniated disk is the rupture of the exterior casing that allows some or all of the soft center to push out.

If you have back problems and pain, your doctor may recommend treatments such as spinal decompression or inversion therapy. The goal is to help reduce pain and improve blood flow, but whether any of these treatments are right for you will depend upon your specific condition.

Before trying to correct your spinal alignment on your own, check with your doctor to make sure you don't have a more serious, underlying problem. Some spinal imbalances won't need a chiropractor.