What To Do For Sharp Lower Back Pain

When To Seek Medical Attention For Back Pain

Most episodes of lower back pain eventually resolve on their own, but there are times when you should seek urgent medical attention. Some of these situations include:

• Patient is a child

• Weakness, numbness and/or tingling sensations develop in the legs and/or feet

• Loss of bladder or bowel control

• Pain is severe, constant, suddenly or progressively worsens, and/or doesnt go away

• Pain interrupts sleep

While some situations may warrant immediate intervention, most cases are not urgent and can be scheduled at a time convenient for the patient.

What Are The Symptoms Of Low Back Pain

Low back pain is classified as acute and chronic. Acute low back pain lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute low back pain will resolve on its own. Chronic low back pain lasts for more than 3 months and often gets worse. The cause of chronic low back pain can be hard to find. These are the most common symptoms of low back pain. Symptoms may include discomfort or pain in the lower back that is:

• Protruding or herniated disk

Surgery For Lower Back Pain

Because the vast majority of patients recover from their low back pain with little help from a doctor, the rationale behind choosing surgery must be convincing. Eighty percent of patients with sciatica recover eventually without surgery.

Severe progressive nerve problems, bowel or bladder dysfunction and the cauda equina syndrome make up the most clear-cut indications for back surgery. Back surgery will also be considered if the patients signs and symptoms correlate well with studies such as MRI or electromyogram .

In the most serious cases, when the condition does not respond to other therapies, surgery may well be necessary to relieve pain caused by back problems. Some common procedures include:

• , such as a or removal of a portion of a
• a bone graft that promotes the vertebrae to fuse together
• removal of the lamina to create more space and reduce irritation and inflammation

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Diagnosis Of Lower Back Pain

A doctor will likely begin by requesting a complete medical history and conducting a thorough physical exam to determine where youre feeling the pain. The physical exam can also reveal whether the pain affects your range of motion.

In addition, a doctor may check your reflexes and responses to certain sensations. This helps them determine if your lower back pain is affecting your nerves.

Unless your symptoms are concerning or you have neurologic loss, a doctor will probably monitor your condition for a few weeks before sending you for more testing. This is because most lower back pain resolves with simple self-care treatments.

Symptoms that require more testing include:

• lack of bowel control

Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of these symptoms in addition to lower back pain.

How Can You Tell The Difference Between Muscle Pain And Bone Pain

Bone pain usually feels deeper, sharper, and more intense than muscle pain. Muscle pain also feels more generalized throughout the body and tends to ease within a day or two, while bone pain is more focused and lasts longer. Bone pain is also less common than joint or muscle pain, and should always be taken seriously.

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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

Treatment Of Nonspecific Pain

Many treatments are available for acute low back pain, but strong evidence for their benefit is lacking. Based on the evidence, a reasonable approach to treatment is described in Table 4.

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Help For Lower Back Pain

If you experience lower back pain, you may think that getting an X-ray, CT scan or MRI is needed to find the cause of your pain. However, these imaging tests usually dont help, according to Dr. Matthew Messoline, a doctor with Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group.

Most people with acute lower back pain feel better in about a month, regardless of having an imaging test, he says. Those who do get an imaging test for their pain dont necessarily get better faster. In fact, many cases of back pain can be easily treated with over-the-counter pain medication and through simple things like walking.

Imaging tests can sometimes lead to surgery and other treatments that may not be necessary. One study suggested that people who had an MRI were much more likely to have surgery than those who did not have an MRI. However, the surgery did not help them get better any faster.

Dr. Messoline also cautions about the risks associated with imaging tests. X-rays and CT scans use radiation that can add up and be harmful with repeated exposure over time, he says. If an imaging test is not necessary, it is best to avoid the exposure to radiation when you can.

When imaging tests for back pain are recommendedThere are instances when an imaging test is needed right away. Dr. Messoline recommends that you talk to your doctor if you experience back pain along with the following:

Self-care treatment for lower back painDr. Messoline offers these tips for treating lower back pain at home:

Exercise To Get Muscles Moving

It can be challenging to get up and move when back pain strikes. However, a short walk, yoga, water exercise, or another low-impact activity can often help alleviate back pain.

Exercise may loosen tense muscles and release endorphins, which are the brains natural painkillers.

A person can also consider starting a daily exercise program, including strength training and stretching, to help keep muscles flexible and strong.

Regular exercise may prevent future episodes of back pain that are due to tight muscles.

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How To Cope With Nerve Pain In Your Leg

Nerve pain in the legs can be frustrating at times. As a result, there are numerous ways to deal with the pain and make life more pleasant. Heat and ice packs are frequently used to relieve new pain, but they may be supplemented by physical therapy, medication, or regular exercise to alleviate chronic pain.

Common Causes Of Chronic Lower Back Pain

“Chronic lower back pain is less likely to be caused by injury to your muscles and ligaments and more likely to be due to issues with the lumbar disks, nerves, joints or vertebrae,” says Dr. Palmer. “There are several potential causes of chronic pain in the lower back.”

In general, osteoarthritis and degenerative disk disease are the underlying cause of many types of chronic lower back pain. However, lower back pain can also be caused by accident-related trauma and acute stress.

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Medication From The Store

There are two kinds of over-the-counter pain relievers that frequently help with back pain: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen. Both have some side effects, and some people may not be able to take them. Talk to your doctor before taking pain relievers. And don’t expect medication alone to solve your pain problem. Studies show you’ll probably need more than one type of treatment.

Referred Pain To And From The Lumbar Spine

Pain in the area of the lumbar spine may be due to important problems that are actually unrelated to the back. Referred pain occurs when a problem in one place in the body causes pain in another place. The pain travels down a nerve.. Sources of referred pain to the low back may include abdominal aneurysm , tubal pregnancy, kidney stones, pancreatitis, and colon cancer. Clues to these maladies include pain that waxes and wanes over a short period, with frequent peaks of intense pain, weight loss, abnormalities found during abdominal exam, and trace amounts of blood in the urine. On the other hand, pain can be referred from the low back and be felt in another location, as is often the case with . For example, it is not rare for a patient with a slipped disc in the lower back to have pain in the back of the thigh, or in the calf or even the foot, and not have any low back pain. This situation requires a doctor to sort out the type of pain and to do the examination required to show that the pain is actually coming from the spine .

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Where Can I Get More Information

For more information on neurological disorders or research programs funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, contact the Institute’s Brain Resources and Information Network at:

Office of Communications and Public LiaisonNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and StrokeNational Institutes of HealthBethesda, MD 20892

NINDS health-related material is provided for information purposes only and does not necessarily represent endorsement by or an official position of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke or any other Federal agency. Advice on the treatment or care of an individual patient should be obtained through consultation with a physician who has examined that patient or is familiar with that patient’s medical history.

All NINDS-prepared information is in the public domain and may be freely copied. Credit to the NINDS or the NIH is appreciated.

How Do I Stop Radiating Pain In My Legs

With alternating heat and ice therapy, you can reduce sciatic nerve pain within minutes. Ice can aid in the reduction of inflammation, whereas heat encourages blood flow to the painful area . Heat and ice may be beneficial in the treatment of severe muscle spasms associated with sciatica.

See A Specialist For Severe Leg Pain

If your leg pain does not go away with over-the-counter pain relievers or rest, it may be a sign of a more serious underlying condition. If this is the case, you should consult a vascular specialist, who can help you determine the source of your pain and prescribe the best treatments. radiates pain, which follows specific nerves, and referred pain, which affects the entire body and can appear in a variety of locations around an injured tissue, are the two primary types of leg pain. It is common for chiropractic care to be able to treat both types of pain.

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You Have Unexplained Weight Loss

If you experience sudden weight loss that can’t be explained by diet and lifestyle changes, then you should always pay attention to what your body is telling you. This is especially true when the unexplained weight loss is accompanied by back pain. See your doctor to rule out the possibility of a more severe condition, such as an infection or tumor.

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What Can Be The Exact Causes Of Lower Back Pain

To know the exact cause of lower back pain needs a diagnosis of your condition first. Only after that, you will be able to understand the reason for your pain. Our back spine is supported by muscles, ligaments, and joints. Sudden and repetitive injury in any of these supporters can be the reason for lower back pain.

Muscle Strain

Tearing or stretching of muscles or tissues connecting muscle to bone or tendon. This pulled muscle gives rise to pain, spasms, and stiffness in your lower back with time. Muscle injury can be localized and can cause pain anytime every time. To recognize muscle strain look for these symptoms :

• High-intensity pain that accelerated with movement
• Complications while standing or walking
• Sharp shooting pain when going to sit from standing for a while or vice versa.

This pain soothes when you recline with support and elevate your legs or you can also lie down and then elevate your knees.

Lumbar Herniated Disc

Whenever your body receives a shock from an injury it is absorbed by the shock absorbers between your vertebrae in spinal discs then your upper body supports these absorbers allowing a wide range of movements. Due to disc herniation, leakage of inner content may take place and causes irritation or compression to a nearby spinal nerve root. The repeated inflammatory events may cause the following symptoms :

When all these symptoms emerge from the sciatic nerve root, it is known as sciatica.

Piriformis Syndrome

Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunctions

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Period Pain Or Dysmenorrhea

Dysmenorrhea is the name for the pain a person can experience during their period. Although everyone experiences the symptoms of dysmenorrhea differently, the most common symptoms are:

• lower back pain
• pain and cramping in the lower abdomen
• pain that radiates down the legs

A person may also experience:

• surgical procedures to remove endometriosis tissue

Ways To Treat Chronic Back Pain Without Surgery

Back pain is considered chronic if it lasts three months or longer. It cancome and go, often bringing temporary relief, followed by frustration.Dealing with chronic back pain can be especially trying if you dont knowthe cause.

Back pain rehabilitationspecialistAndrew Nava, M.D., offers insights into common chronic back pain causes and nonsurgicaltreatment optionsand advises not to give up hope.

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Could Lower Back Pain Be Kidney Pain

It absolutely can. Kidneys are located on the back side of your body and kidney pain can sometimes feel like back pain. The only true way to tell the difference is to visit a doctor who can conduct a thorough examination.

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Chronic back pain is a persistent source of discomfort for many adults. In this webinar, our expert Stephanie Van, M.D., discusses common causes of back pain along with strategies for relief.

Lower Back Pain And Cancer

Cancer involving the lumbar spine is not a common cause of back pain. However, in people who have a prior history of cancer, for example, in the breast or prostate, or who have weight loss or loss of appetite along with back pain cancer needs to be considered.

Night pain can be a clue to cancer in the spine. A benign tumor called osteoid osteoma, which most often affects young people, causes pain that tends to respond well to aspirin. Multiple myeloma is a malignancy that occurs when the plasma cells in the bone marrow begin spreading uncontrollably. It is most common in older people, and can cause pain in many parts of the spine. When tumor or infection are suspected, blood tests may be ordered, including a CBC , sedimentation rate , and protein electrophoresis .

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Is Calf Pain From Dvt Constant Or Intermittent

cramping associated with DVT will last for a long time and become worse as time passes. You will not be able to stretch or remove the horse as a result of this condition. cramps or a throbbing sensation in the buttocks. In many cases, DVT symptoms are caused by a blocked blood vessel.

Calf Pain: When To See A Docto

You should consult a physician if you experience these symptoms: sudden and severe calf pain, leg pain that comes and goes, swelling in the calf, difficulty moving your ankle or foot, or difficulty breathing.

Low Back Pain Fact Sheet

If you have had lower back pain, you are not alone. Back pain is one of most common reasons people see a doctor or miss days at work. Even school-age children can have back pain.

Back pain can range in intensity from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp or shooting pain. It can begin suddenly as a result of an accident or by lifting something heavy, or it can develop over time as we age. Getting too little exercise followed by a strenuous workout also can cause back pain.

There are two types of back pain:

• Acute, or short-term back pain lasts a few days to a few weeks. Most low back pain is acute. It tends to resolve on its own within a few days with self-care and there is no residual loss of function. In some cases a few months are required for the symptoms to disappear.
• Chronic back pain is defined as pain that continues for 12 weeks or longer, even after an initial injury or underlying cause of acute low back pain has been treated. About 20 percent of people affected by acute low back pain develop chronic low back pain with persistent symptoms at one year. Even if pain persists, it does not always mean there is a medically serious underlying cause or one that can be easily identified and treated. In some cases, treatment successfully relieves chronic low back pain, but in other cases pain continues despite medical and surgical treatment.

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