What Causes Lower Back Pain On The Right Side
Nearly 70 percent of adults may experience back pain at some point in their lives.
In fact, Lower back is the leading cause of disability on a global scale. When that pain occurs in specific locations, it can sometimes be a clue to its underlying cause.
Pain in the lower right side of the back can point to a variety conditionsincluding kidney issues, infections, appendicitis, and even pregnancy.
In this article, Ill outline some of the potential causes of back pain on the lower right side.
Ill also help you determine if your pain is an emergency, and when to talk to your primary care provider or another healthcare professional.
When Are Diagnostic Tests For Lower Back Pain Necessary
Many patients do not need X-rays in the first few weeks of pain because their pain will end up resolving. Many more do not need CT scans or MRI imaging, which are overly sensitive and often reveal abnormalities not related to the patients pain. These forms of imaging can be extremely useful, however, if a person has chronic or severe pain, and/or neurological symptoms. Blood tests may be ordered if an infection or tumor is suspected.
Valuable Resources For The Diagnosis Of One Sided Lower Back Pain
I have written articles about these diagnoses already. If you want to investigate any of them further, just click on the links and use our sidebar on the following page to find what you are looking for.
- Low back disc injury .
- Arthritis.
- Kinstretch.
Ultimately
Returning to a pain-free and fully functional life is within your reach: Effortful exercise with good coaching can help return you to a pain-free and fully functional life.
Dont be fooled into thinking passive care is always the best approach it is not required in many situations. Effortful treatment works wonders and can also reduce pain quickly.
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Possible Causes For Lower Back And Leg Pain
According to a study by Georgetown University, around 8% of all American adults experience persistent back pain that affects their quality of life. Most of them have limited movements to avoid aggravating the back in the lower back. In some cases, the intense lower back pain travels down to the buttocks, thighs, and legs.
Since back pain is also one of the main reasons why American workers miss work days, its important to get the right treatment as soon as possible. Finding out the right treatment starts with determining the root cause of the lower back pain that radiates down to the legs. Here are some of the most common reasons for pain in the lumbar spine:
Lower Right Back Pain: Causes And Treatment
Lower right back pain has many potential causes. Muscles, bones, discs, spinal nerves, internal organs, or underlying illness can directly or indirectly cause lower back pain.
Common causes of lower back pain on the right side only can be minor problems like a pulled muscle or a misaligned spine. Lower right back pain can also indicate more urgent conditions, like appendicitis, kidney stones, or spinal stenosis.
While dealing with any type of back pain is frustrating, pain in your lower right back is usually not serious and can be treated at home. Severe or ongoing pain should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.
This article explores the potential causes of lower right back pain. It also details when to seek medical help and how lower right back pain is diagnosed and treated.
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Stretches To Improve Back Pain And Rib Pain
Stretching your back can help to lessen rib pain and improve the symptoms of middle back pain.
According to the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, muscle stretching is one of the best ways to manage back pain, lessen muscular tension, and increase muscle strength. This provides better support for your upper body and increases the range of pain-free motion.23
The prayer stretch can help to relieve irritation of the joints and ligaments in your thoracic region. . This is what you should do:
Shingles Or Other Conditions
Flank pain that is accompanied by a rash on one side of your body can be a sign of shingles, which is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Liver disease or gastrointestinal problems may also cause pain in your flank.
If you have flank pain that doesnt go away, is severe or is accompanied by other symptoms, its a good idea to see your doctor.
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You’ve Been In Pain For Over A Week
Most back pain will subside after a few days, but if you’ve been experiencing pain for over a week, then it’s time to call a doctor. Your doctor will perform any examinations or tests required to help get to the bottom of your pain before it could become a bigger problem. As is the case with many health conditions, prevention and addressing problems early is key.
How We Can Help
Back pain is one of the most common reasons for doctor and emergency room visits in the U.S. Its a leading cause of lost workdays and long-term disability. Not seeking medical attention and allowing the pain to persist will only cause the condition to worsen.
Atlantic Spine Specialists are board-certified and specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of back pain. We are dedicated to relieving and restoring function to help our patients have the best quality of life. No matter what the cause of your pain, receiving an extensive spinal examination and accurate diagnosis are the first steps to resolving the issue. At Atlantic Spine Specialists our doctors will prescribe the best treatment plan for you.
To learn more about diagnosis and treatment,request a consultation at Atlantic Spine Specialists in Morristown, New Jersey. Or call us at 971-3500 to schedule your appointment.
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Herniated Disk In The Lower Back
A herniated, ruptured, or “slipped” disc means that a vertebral disc one of the soft pads of tissue that sit between each of the vertebral bones has becomes squeezed out of shape. Its cushioning material has been forced against, and possibly through, the ring of fibrous tissue that normally contains it. This causes pain, numbness, and weakness in the legs.
The normal aging process causes the discs lose moisture and become thinner, making them more vulnerable to “slipping.”
Most susceptible are men from ages 30 to 50. Smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, and improper lifting are also risk factors.
Symptoms include pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling in the back, leg, and foot.
Diagnosis is made through patient history, neurological examination, and MRI scan.
Treatment begins with rest, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, and sometimes epidural steroid injections into the back to ease pain and inflammation.
Surgery to remove the herniated part of the disc the part that was squeezed out of place can also be helpful.
Rarity: Common
Top Symptoms: lower back pain, moderate back pain, back pain that shoots down the leg, back pain that gets worse when sitting, leg weakness
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Tips To Relieve The Pain
- Stay active and continue your daily routines. Resting is likely to make your pain worse.
- Apply heat or ice for about twenty minutes frequently throughout the day to ease your pain and any inflammation.
- Try exercises for back pain and activities including walking, swimming, yoga and Pilates.
- Take over-the-counter pain relief such as ibuprofen.
- Stretch tight muscles for a few minutes every day.
- Keep good posture as this will ease the pressure on your lower back.
- Maintain a healthy weight to ensure an optimal load on your lower back.
- Ensure you lift safely by bending with your knees to a squat position and holding the load close to your chest.
- Drink plenty of water every day and limit your intake of animal protein and salt to reduce your risk of kidney stones.
- Wipe from front to back when going to the toilet to prevent infection from bacteria in your colon passing to your urinary tract.
- Give up smoking as the nicotine in tobacco can weaken your spinal bones and remove nutrients from your discs that may lead to spine problems.
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What Can Cause Lower Back Pain
Most acute low back pain is mechanical in nature, meaning that there is a disruption in the way the components of the back fit together and move. Some examples of mechanical causes of low back pain include:
Congenital
- Skeletal irregularities such as scoliosis , lordosis , kyphosis , and other congenital anomalies of the spine.
- Spina bifida which involves the incomplete development of the spinal cord and/or its protective covering and can cause problems involving malformation of vertebrae and abnormal sensations and even paralysis.
Injuries
- Sprains , strains , and spasms
- Traumatic Injury such as from playing sports, car accidents, or a fall that can injure tendons, ligaments, or muscle causing the pain, as well as compress the spine and cause discs to rupture or herniate.
Degenerative problems
- Intervertebral disc degeneration which occurs when the usually rubbery discs wear down as a normal process of aging and lose their cushioning ability.
- Spondylosis the general degeneration of the spine associated with normal wear and tear that occurs in the joints, discs, and bones of the spine as people get older.
- Arthritis or other inflammatory disease in the spine, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis as well as spondylitis, an inflammation of the vertebrae.
Nerve and spinal cord problems
Non-spine sources
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Fractures And Lower Back Pain
are often very difficult pain problems and indicate the possible presence of . In patients with severe osteoporosis, spinal fractures can occur with no early warning and no significant trauma the patient does not have to fall to fracture a vertebrae.
Patients with spinal compression fractures experience spasms and, often, very high pain levels.
In patients with low back pain where the cause is difficult to determine, especially for elderly patients with osteoporosis, a fracture in the sacrum may be the cause of the pain. A standard X-ray or bone scan may not show a sacral fracture. Imaging techniques such as CT scan or MRI can often reveal these fractures.
It is very important that patients with acute lumbar compression fractures be tested for osteoporosis. A bone density study is needed, unless the patient has no other osteoporosis risk factors and has had a very high impact fracture. Studies have shown that many patients with fractures in the U.S. are discharged from hospitals with no plans for management of their bone density problems, which then are left to worsen.
Although pain can be very intense, it is best for patients with lumbar fracture to resume activity as soon as possible. This is especially true for elderly patients, who can too easily become weakened, and develop other complications, if mobility is reduced for too long. may be needed for pain control, for as brief a period as possible.
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Lower Back Pain: What Could It Be
Do you have lower back pain? You are not alone. Anyone can experience lower back pain at any time, even if you dont have a prior injury or any of the risk factors. It is not always serious and can often get better on its own. But in some cases pain is your bodys way of telling you that something isnt right.
Learn more about lower back pain and what causes it from rehabilitation physician Akhil Chhatre, M.D., who specializes in back pain in the Johns Hopkins Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Bone Spurs And Arthritis
Facet joints are interconnecting joints located at the back of the spine. Collectively, they give the spine its integrity by limiting spinal movement. Each spinal level has a right and left facet joint.
Facet joints are often where bone spurs develop. These abnormal bone growths may be triggered by arthritis, previous trauma, or other causes.
When spurs develop on a right facet joint, they cause right-sided pain. Other symptoms include leg weakness, numbness, tingling, and electrical sensations that shoot down one leg.
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Which Lifestyle Factors Contribute To Lower Back Pain
There are three major lifestyle factors that may affect your chances of developing lower back pain:
- Multiple studies have established a link between smoking and lower back pain. Smoking raises inflammation inside the body and hinders the body from healing itself.
- Obesity is also associated with several types of chronic pain, including lower back pain. In people with high body mass index , the stress on the spine increases, contributing to even more wear and tear.
- Your level of physical activity can also play a role in your lower back health. While a sedentary lifestyle could increase your risk of developing lower back pain, so can excessive or strenuous physical activity. Check with your doctor if you are unsure about your ideal level of physical activity.
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Your Pain Extends To Other Body Parts
If you’re experiencing severe back pain that is coupled with pain in other areas such as shooting pain down your leg then you should see a doctor. This could be a sign that you have sciatica, a form of pain that affects the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back and through the buttocks before branching down each leg. This condition usually results from a herniated disk. A doctor will be able to offer a variety of ways that you can relieve this pain.
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Herniated Disk In The Upper Back
A herniated, ruptured, or “slipped” disc means that a vertebral disc â one of the soft pads of tissue that sit between each of the vertebral bones â has becomes squeezed out of shape. Its cushioning material has been forced against, and possibly through, the ring of fibrous tissue that normally contains it. This causes pain, numbness, and weakness in the legs.
The normal aging process causes the discs lose moisture and become thinner, making them more vulnerable to “slipping.”
Most susceptible are men from ages 30 to 50. Smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, and improper lifting are also risk factors.
Symptoms include pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling in the back, leg, and foot.
Diagnosis is made through patient history, neurological examination, and MRI scan.
Treatment begins with rest, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, and sometimes epidural steroid injections into the back to ease pain and inflammation.
Surgery to remove the herniated part of the disc â the part that was squeezed out of place â can also be helpful.
Rarity: Common
Top Symptoms: upper back pain, neck pain, arm weakness, back pain that gets worse when sitting, upper spine pain
Symptoms that always occur with herniated disk in the upper back: upper back pain
Urgency: Primary care doctor
What Exactly Is The Lower Back Anyway
Your lower back is known as the lumbar region of the spine. It has a lot of heavy lifting to do: The lumbar spine carries the weight of your entire upper body, plus biomechanical stresses that occur with movement.
The lumbar spine has five vertebraebackbones. Each vertebra has a large disc cushiony gel wrapped in a tough membrane on its front side that acts as a shock absorber. Each vertebra also has two cartilage-lined facet joints on its back side. Working together, discs and facet joints allow the spine to safely bend and twist.
Your lower back also includes ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Ligaments are strong bands that hold the vertebrae and discs together. Tendons attach muscles to the vertebrae. These structures help limit excessive movement that could harm the spinal cord.
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How Can You Prevent Lower Back Pain
While you cant stop aging or change your genetic makeup, lifestyle changes can help manage and prevent lower back pain. Having a healthy lifestyle may make you less likely to suffer an accidental injury, too.
Improve your physical fitness. People who are not physically fit are more likely to develop lower back pain because strong core muscles help support the lower back.
Stay active. People who lead sedentary lives may be more likely to injure themselves when they do exert themselves. As far as back health is concerned, its better to do a smaller amount of physical activity most days of the week than to sit all week and over-exert yourself on the weekends.
Lose weight if necessary. The more you weigh, the more pressure you have on your lumbar vertebrae. Being overweight or obese can put stress on the back and lead to lower back pain.
Lift heavy objects the right way. Be sure to squat while lifting so that your hips and knees do much of the work. Keep the load close to your chest while you lift.
Your legs, not your lower back, should be the main driver when you’re lifting something heavy.
Make your workspace as ergonomic as possible. If you sit at a desk, make sure your chair has plenty of low-back support and your hips are at a right angle to the floor.
Dont use tobacco products. In addition to all the other health problems tobacco use causes, it .