What Can Cause Lower Back And Hip Pain

When You Should See A Doctor

If your hip pain is regularly keeping you from sleep or waking you up at night, see your doctor.

They may check for tenderness and swelling around your hip. Theyll also assess the range of motion of your hip for signs of arthritis and tendonitis. Reduced motion is a sign of arthritis.

They may also take blood or fluid samples, or order X-rays to rule out various conditions.

Go to an urgent care facility or to an emergency room if your hip pain is caused from an injury.

Also seek immediate care if you have any of these symptoms:

• a joint that looks deformed
• inability to move your leg or hip
• inability to put weight on the leg with the sore hip
• intense pain or sudden swelling in your hip
• fever, chills, redness, or other signs of infection

Arthritis And Hip Pain

Spinal osteoarthritis is a degenerative arthritis of the spine.

Osteoarthritis is a condition in which the cartilage that lines the joints degenerates or breaks down. As this material stiffens or breaks down, the additional wear and tear on the bones can cause inflammation, bone spurs, and pain.

Spinal osteoarthritis is a condition in which the cartilage and discs in the lower region of the spine degenerate and fail to perform their function of acting as cushions for the joints. This degeneration and increased pressure on the joints can lead to inflammation, pain, and possibly pressure on the lumbar nerves.

Radiating Lower Back Pain Questionnaire

Use our free symptom checker to find out what’s causing your pain.

Severe pain always gets your attention and keeps it there, making you wonder if there is something worrisome that is wrong.

Back pain and outer hip pain area can be especially troublesome, causing you pain when you move, walk, and even when you sleep. Sciatic nerve pain is especially troubling, causing pain in the butt literally and shooting pain in the leg that begins in the mid buttock and runs down the back of the leg down to the ankle.

We’ve put together a handy guide that will help you pinpoint the exact cause of your pain and know how seriousor mild, your condition is and to know if you need to get help immediately or see a doctor at your convenience.

If you are concerned that the cause of your radiating back/hip/leg pain might be something serious, check the more serious possible causes of your pain below to see what doctors say about when to worry about radiating hip and back pain.

You can also consult our handy back pain quiz, which will help you use your symptoms to diagnose possible causes for your pain.

Read Also: Which Doctor To Visit For Lower Back Pain

What Causes Back And Neck Pain

Even with today’s technology, the exact cause of back and neck pain is difficult to determine. In most cases, back and neck pain may have many different causes, including any of the following:

• Overuse, strenuous activity, or improper use, such as repetitive or heavy lifting

• Trauma, injury, or fractures

• Degeneration of vertebrae, often caused by stresses on the muscles and ligaments that support your spine, or the effects of aging

• Infection

• Abnormal growth, such as a tumor or bone spur

• Obesity, which places increased weight on your spine, and pressure on your discs

• Poor muscle tone

• Joint problems, such as arthritis

• Smoking

• Protruding or herniated disk and pinched nerve

• Osteoporosis and compression fractures

• Congenital abnormalities of your vertebrae and bones

• Abdominal problems, such as an aortic aneurysm

Why Does My Lower Back And Hip Hurt

Your lower back and hip are codependent structures. A problem in one of these structures can cause dysfunction and pain in the other. 1

• If you have chronic lower back pain, the movements in your hip may be reduced and the muscles surrounding your hip joint can become tense and painful.2,3
• If theres an abnormality in your hip function, the mechanics of your lower back may be altered, causing pain in both regions.4

The lower back and hip share many groups of muscles. When a specific muscle is affected, it may lead to compensatory movements, fatigue, and pain in the other surrounding muscles.1

Read on to learn how lower back and hip pain can occur together. While some conditions may affect one side of your lower back and hip, others can cause pain on both sides at the same time.

Read Also: How To Lessen Back Pain

What Are The Complications Of Neck And Back Pain

• Loss or productivity: Back pain is the most common reason for disability in working adults.

• Nerve damage: If your back pain is from a herniated disc, pressure on the spinal nerves may cause a variety of problems, such as weakness, numbness, or severe shooting pain that travels from the back to the leg.

• Depression: Back or neck pain can disrupt all aspects of a persons life: work, physical exercise, social activities, and sleep. The anxiety and stress caused by the change in mobility and pain can lead to depression.

• Weight gain: Loss of mobility and inability to exercise can lead to weight gain and the loss of muscle strength.

It is a good idea to see a health care provider if you have numbness or tingling, or if your pain is severe and does not improve with medication and rest. If you have difficulty urinating, weakness, pain, or numbness in your legs, fever, or unintentional weight loss, you should call your health care provider right away.

Causes Of Lower Back Pain And Testicular Pain

Dec 16, 2019 | Health Freedom |

It isnt uncommon for people to experience lower back pain from time to time. If youre older, overweight and lacking in exercise, youre more likely to experience it. It usually goes away after a few hours or a day with rest and home treatment. However, when your lower back pain is accompanied with pain coming from your testicular region, it could be a sign of an underlying condition that you need to get checked out immediately with your local health practitioner.

Also Check: Can Lying Down Too Much Cause Back Pain

Can You Carry Stress In Your Hips

Your iliopsoas muscles have connection points to the top of your ribs, all along your lower spine, pelvic bowl, and to the top of your femur . A tight iliopsoas can be both the cause and the result of an inability to take a deep breath due to misalignment of the diaphragm and/or a result of the connection between the vagus nerve and the psoas.

Can I Prevent Neck And Back Pain

The following may help to prevent back and neck pain:

• Practice correct lifting techniques: avoid heavy lifting when you do lift something, bend your legs, keep your back straight, and then slowly lift your body and the object.

• Properly use telephones, computers, and other equipment.

• Maintain correct posture while sitting, standing, and sleeping.

• Exercise regularly. Learn specific back-strengthening exercises to keep your back muscles strong. Warm up with stretching exercises before doing back exercises.

• Do exercises that improve your balance.

• Avoid smoking.

• Reduce emotional stress, which may cause muscle tension.

• Make sure you have enough Vitamin D and calcium in your diet.

Also Check: What Causes Lower Back Pain That Radiates Down The Legs

How Are Back And Neck Pain Diagnosed

If you experience neck or back pain, you should see your health care provider for a medical and physical exam. He or she may also do X-rays of the affected areas, as well as magnetic resonance imaging . This allows a more complete view. The MRI produces pictures of soft tissues as well, such as ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels. The MRI could lead to a diagnosis of infection, tumor, inflammation, or pressure on your nerve. Sometimes a blood test may help diagnose arthritis, a condition that can cause back and neck pain.

Overuse Injuries And Trauma

Frequent use and repetitive movement patterns can lead to overuse injuries to muscles, ligaments, and joints. This could include:

• Exercises and physical activities, like tennis or golf, that require repetitive twisting and bending in the same directions.
• Frequently lifting heavy objects for work, or any movements that are regularly repeated.

Trauma can also lead to lower back and groin pain. Trauma could result from:

• Car accidents
• Falls
• Sports accidents

These can result in both acute and chronic injuries to the body, like strained muscles or broken bones. Depending on the type of trauma, the healing time and treatment needed can vary.

Both overuse and trauma injuries to the lower back or groin area can lead to weakness in the legs, tingling, numbness, pain, stiffness, or popping sensations.

Read Also: Does Running Help Lower Back Pain

When To See A Healthcare Provider

If your pain is caused by a muscle strain, minor joint sprain, or overuse, the pain should begin to resolve with rest and improve without medical help.

If you are experiencing chronic or unusual lower back and groin pain, your primary care healthcare provider or OB/GYN can help you determine the cause of your pain or refer you to a specialist. Lower back and groin pain in women is a symptom that may have many possible causes, so be sure to see your health care provider for a proper diagnosis.

It can be uncomfortable to discuss these symptoms with a health care provider, but it is important to find a provider you trust and with whom you feel comfortable discussing all of the symptoms you experience so that they can make an accurate diagnosis.

Seek immediate medical attention at an emergency room or urgent care if your pain is severe, sudden, or you have any of these other symptoms:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Rapid breathing or heart rate
• Weakness
• Dizziness or faintness

Managing Stress Trauma And Emotion

The easiest way for us to approach muscle tension is to only look at the muscles that are tight. However, to fully address our whole body health, we should also look at our mental health and how its causing muscle tightness.

Below are four approaches that anyone can start when learning how to manage personal stressors, traumas, and emotions that cause muscle pain.

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Conditions With Similar Symptoms

A number of conditions that are not actually related to the hip joint can cause hip joint pain and symptoms in the “hip” area. These include:

Spinal stenosis This condition most commonly causes pain in the buttock, low back, and back of the upper thigh . Spinal stenos is a lower-back problem, not a hip problem. Spinal stenosis causes pain in the buttock area that some identify as part of the “hip.”

Greater trochanteric bursitisThis causes pain over the point of the hip . It also causes tenderness and sensitivity to pressure. Although this seems like a hip problem, it is a problem well away from the joint itself and is related to an inflammation in a lubrication point called a bursa. Greater trochanteric bersitis is not a joint problem .

Non-orthopedic conditionsVery occasionally, non-orthopedic conditions can cause pain in the groin that masquerades as hip joint symptoms ovarian cysts, hernias, and other intra-pelvic conditions can sometimes cause pain that is mistaken for hip joint pain.

Other types of arthritisOther forms of arthritis can cause similar symptoms to osteoarthritis of the hip in particular, post-traumatic arthritis and avascular necrosis are almost indistinguishable in many cases from osteoarthritis of the hip.

The diagnosis of osteoarthritis versus rheumatoid arthritis can be made by a physician with experience in treating conditions of this type.

Sharp Pain In The Lower Back And Hip On One Side

A shooting and sharp pain felt on one side on your lower back and hip may be caused by muscle spasm, joint dysfunction, and/or nerve compression in the region. Common conditions that cause this type of pain are discussed below.

Spasm of the piriformis muscle located deep in the buttock may cause 5:

• Moderate to severe lower back, hip, and buttock pain
• Referred pain that may extend into the back of the thigh
• Inability to sit for a long time

The pain is typically felt on one side and may be worsened by hip movements, such as when getting out of bed.5

Piriformis syndrome is commonly caused by overactivity of the hip rotator muscles or sitting on hard surfaces for prolonged periods of time. An injury to the buttock may also cause this pain.6

Read more: What Is Piriformis Syndrome?

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Diagnosing Cancer And Back Pain

A doctor will consider your symptoms and medical history when diagnosing potential lower back pain causes. Its important to include if you have a history of cancer or a family history of cancer.

Because cancer is a rare cause of lower back pain in those who dont already have cancer, a doctor may recommend other treatments before doing a full cancer work-up.

However, if pain persists after physical therapy or anti-inflammatory medications, a doctor may order imaging studies and blood testing. These tests can help identify if there are potential cancer markers that are causing the lower back pain.

A Fat Wallet Can Trigger Piriformis

You might not think of too much cash as a source of pain, but a fat wallet can trigger piriformis syndrome. The condition can affect men who wear their wallet in the back pocket of their pants. This puts chronic pressure on the piriformis muscle and can aggravate the sciatic nerve over time. You can avoid this problem by keeping your wallet in a front pocket or jacket pocket.

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Mononeuropathies Of The Leg

Mononeuropathies can affect nerves in the legs, arms, or other parts of the body. Mononeuropathy means a single nerve or nerve group has been damaged, for example, by a lesion that has developed along a nerve or group of nerves. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a good example of a mononeuropathy, in this case, affecting the wrist area. With mononeuropathy symptoms may be sudden or may develop slowly . Some of the more common mononeuropathies are

• femoral neuropathy
• sciatic nerve dysfunction
• peroneal neuropathy .
• tibial neuropathy .

Symptoms of the neuropathies above would include burning sensation in leg areas where these nerves are housed as well as lack of coordination of these leg muscles. Other symptoms include muscle wasting, pain, and twitching, cramps, and spasms in these nerves. Treatment focuses on isolating the underlying cause of the nerve disorder and addressing it using medications such as injected glucocorticoids and/or physical

What Are The Symptoms Of Back And Neck Pain

Symptoms associated with back pain may include:

• Dull, burning, or sharp pain in your back. The pain can be confined to a single spot or cover a large area

• Leg numbness or tingling above or below your knee

• Stiffness or achiness that occurs anywhere along your spine

• Sharp, shooting pain that radiates from your low back to your buttocks, down the back of your thigh, and into your calf and toes

• Consistent ache in the middle or lower part of your back, especially after standing or sitting for an extended period

Loss of bladder and bowel control, with weakness in both legs, are symptoms of a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention.

Symptoms associated with neck pain can be:

• Arm numbness or tingling

• Shoulder pain

• Sharp shooting pains or a dull aches in your neck

Pain that occurs suddenly in your back or neck, due to an injury, is considered to be acute pain. Acute pain comes on quickly and may leave sooner than chronic back or neck pain. This type of pain should not last more than 6 weeks.

Pain that may come on quickly or slowly and lingers for weeks, 3 months or greater, is considered to be chronic pain. Chronic pain is less common than acute pain.

Also Check: Why Is My Lower Back And Hip Hurting

Hip Flexors And A Weak Core

Because the hip flexors and gluteal muscles are attached to the pelvis, it causes a tilted pelvis and low back pain when the muscles are out of balance.

Your hip flexors raise the thigh toward the abdomen. When they are tight, they pull the pelvis forward and cause an excessive arch in the lumbar spine. They also may take over some of the functions of the abdominal muscles, which weakens your core the abdominal and spinal muscles. A weak core also increases the risk of back pain.

Can Stress And Anxiety Cause Body Aches

Absolutely. Our bodies respond to our thoughts, whether were remembering past experiences or responding to the present moment. We tighten muscles in a primal response to stress, or to protect certain areas of the body from trauma. While this is a natural healthy response, it becomes problematic when those muscles dont let go and instead create chronic tension and pain.

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How Are Back And Neck Pain Managed

Acute back pain usually gets better without special treatment. Using acetaminophen or ibuprofen will decrease pain and help you rest. Surgery and special exercises are generally not used with acute pain.

For severe, disabling, or chronic back and neck pain, rehabilitation programs can be designed to meet your needs. The type of program will depend on the type and severity of your pain, injury, or disease. Active involvement of the patient and family is vital to the success of rehabilitation programs.

The goal of back and neck rehabilitation is to help you manage disabling pain, return to your highest level of functioning and independence possible, while improving your overall quality of life. The focus of rehabilitation is on relieving pain and improving mobility .

To help reach these goals, back and neck rehabilitation programs may include the following:

• Exercise programs to improve range of motion, increase muscle strength, improve flexibility and mobility, and increase endurance

• Help with obtaining assistive devices that promote independence

• Patient and family education and counseling

• Pain management techniques

• Gait and movement retraining

• Stress management

• Ergonomic assessments and work-related injury prevention programs

• Vocational counseling