What Would Cause My Lower Back To Hurt

Possible Causes Of Pain When Standing

In some cases, your pain may be caused by a strain, a sprain, or simple muscle fatigue. If the pain has appeared after overexertion, an accident, or a sports injury, you may have stretched or twisted a tendon or ligament . Other causes of pain while standing include:

• Spinal stenosis a narrowing of the spinal column that puts pressure on spinal nerves
• Hyperlordosis curvature of the lower spine
• Herniated disc when part of a disc that acts as a cushion between two vertebrae, slips out of place, possibly compressing a nerve
• Spondylolisthesis when a lumbar vertebra slips forward onto the bone beneath it
• Neuropathy damage to peripheral nerves that may cause weakness, numbness, tingling, or pain in the hands and feet
• Osteoarthritis damage to joints of the spine, known as facet joints, usually as a result of aging
• Pinched nerves resulting from pressure from bones, cartilage, muscles, or tendons
• Sciatica pressure on the sciatic nerve that causes pain in the hips, buttocks, and legs

When To Contact A Medical Professional

Contact your provider right away if you have:

• Back pain after a severe blow or fall
• Burning with urination or blood in your urine
• History of cancer
• Loss of control over urine or stool
• Pain traveling down your legs below the knee
• Pain that is worse when you lie down or pain that wakes you up at night
• Redness or swelling on the back or spine
• Severe pain that does not allow you to get comfortable
• Unexplained fever with back pain
• Weakness or numbness in your buttocks, thigh, leg, or pelvis

Also contact your provider if:

• You have been losing weight unintentionally
• You use steroids or intravenous drugs
• You have had back pain before, but this episode is different and feels worse
• This episode of back pain has lasted longer than 4 weeks

Thyroid Dysfunction + Alternating Chronic Lower Back Pain/adductor Pain Could The Psoas Be The Root Cause

I have a theory, that the root cause of my ongoing chronic pain, and possibly even my unexplained hypothyroidism diagnosis, may be muscular imbalance. I’m wondering if a psoas problem is at the centre of it.

When I was about 22 years old, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is rare in young people, and also rare in men. For a young man to be diagnosed with hypothyroidism is rare. I’m 38 now.

I was, a young man diagnosed with hypothyroidism. And the hypothyroidism treatment has never helped me.

Probably because I don’t have true hypothyroidism. Just something which looks like it. Increased physical activity is what lead to this weird and unexplained diagnosis. Increased physical activity is what causes my chronic pain.

I don’t think I have real hypothyroidism. Why?

My thyroid bloodwork abnormality is worsened by physical activity. It is eased by sitting.

My chronic pain issues are also eased only by sitting and worsened by activity.

Has anyone had any experience with something like this?

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When To See A Specialist For Lower Back Pain

If you’re experiencing lower back pain that’s not responding to rest and self-care, it’s time to consider seeing a spine specialist.

“A spine specialist will likely perform a physical exam as well as one or more imaging scans to diagnose the root cause of your lower back pain. Depending on your diagnosis, he or she will then design a treatment plan aimed at alleviating your pain and preventing it from disrupting the everyday activities you enjoy,” says Dr. Palmer.

Next Steps:

What To Do For Chronic Backpain Can You Get Pain Relief Without Surgery

Surgery can be an effective option for long-term pain relief. But theres not a lot of data to support that surgery is the best solution for curing back pain.

Generally, surgery is only recommended after non-surgical treatment options have stopped working.

The best treatment for chronic back pain is movement, which may sound weird. When your back hurts, you usually think its time to take it easy. So, you avoid certain activities or movements because you think it will help you heal faster.

But the less you move the more youll experience that muscle deconditioning and your pain will probably get worse.

So, how do you heal your chronic back pain? You need ongoing active physical therapy.

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What Are The Treatments For Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain usually gets better with rest, ice and over-the-counter pain relievers. After a few days of rest, you can start to get back to your normal activities. Staying active increases blood flow to the area and helps you heal.

Other treatments for lower back pain depend on the cause. They include:

• Medications: Your provider may recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or prescription drugs to relieve pain. Other medications relax muscles and prevent back spasms.
• Physical therapy : PT can strengthen muscles so they can support your spine. PT also improves flexibility and helps you avoid another injury.
• Hands-on manipulation: Several hands-on treatments can relax tight muscles, reduce pain and improve posture and alignment. Depending on the cause of pain, you may need osteopathic manipulation or chiropractic adjustments. Massage therapy can also help with back pain relief and restore function.
• Injections: Your provider uses a needle to inject medication into the area thats causing pain. Steroid injections relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
• Surgery: Some injuries and conditions need surgical repair. There are several types of surgery for low back pain, including many minimally invasive techniques.

The Benefits Of Conservative Nonsurgical Treatment For Herniated Discs

Medication, rest, massage, physical therapy, home exercises, hydrotherapy, chiropractic care, and pain management are just a few examples of conservative nonsurgical treatments that may be used during the first few days following surgery. Over 95% of people who have arm pain due to a herniated disc can improve in about six weeks and resume normal activities. There is a cervical herniation of a disc. A disc herniation in the lower cervical spine is more likely to cause pain around or adjacent to the shoulder blade. When the herniated disc is found in the neck, there is usually shoulder and arm pain. When the sciatic nerve is damaged, the pain is most intense in the buttocks, thighs, and calves.

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How Is Back Pain Treated

Acute back pain usually gets better on its own. Acute back pain is usually treated with:

• Medications designed to relieve pain and/or inflammation
• analgesics such as acetaminophen and aspirin
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen may be sold over the counter some NSAIDS are prescribed by a physician
• muscle relaxants are prescription drugs that are used on a short-term basis to relax tight muscles
• topical pain relief such as creams, gels, patches, or sprays applied to the skin stimulate the nerves in the skin to provide feelings of warmth or cold in order to dull the sensation of pain. Common topical medications include capsaicin and lidocaine.

Exercising, bed rest, and surgery are typically not recommended for acute back pain.Chronic back pain is most often treated with a stepped care approach, moving from simple low-cost treatments to more aggressive approaches. Specific treatments may depend on the identified cause of the back pain.

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.

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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.

How Your Back Works

The spine, which is also called the backbone or spinal column, is one of the strongest parts of the body and gives us a great deal of flexibility and strength.

Its made up of 24 bones, known as vertebrae, one sitting on top of the other. These bones have discs in between and lots of strong ligaments and muscles around them for support. There are also the bones in the tailbone at the bottom of the back, which are fused together and have no discs in between.

On either side of the spine, running from top to bottom, are many small joints called the facet joints.

The spinal cord passes inside the vertebrae, which protect it.

The spinal cord connects to the brain through the base of the skull and to the rest of the body by nerves that pass through spaces between the bones of the spine. These nerves are also known as nerve roots.

As you grow older, the structures of your spine, such as the joints, discs and ligaments, age as well. The structures remain strong but its usual for your back to get stiffer as you get older.

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Who Should I See For Lower Back Pain

Your primary care physician knows you best and should be your first contact for lower back pain. If he or she is unable to diagnose or treat the issue, you may get referred to a specialist, such as a rehabilitation physician . These specialists practice a comprehensive approach to lower back pain, and can diagnose and treat a variety of conditions that have lower back pain as a symptom.

Later, you may get referred to a physical therapist, a chiropractor or another practitioner depending on the nature of your back pain. The good news is that surgery is rarely needed for lower back pain. Only about one in ten patients needs lower back surgery, Chhatre says.

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Why Does My Back Hurt

There are a number of reasons, some of which may not be glaringly obvious, why you are experiencing back pain. Trauma or direct injury to the area can certainly result in acute or chronic pain, but oftentimes the cause of your back pain can be traced to something else. Some of the most common causes of back pain include:

Seemingly harmless activities like repetitive lifting or repetitive motions such as swinging a golf club often put a strain on your muscles and ligaments and result in back pain. Chronic or degenerative conditions, such as those listed above, can also be culprits of back pain. However, if none of these things apply to you, your back pain may be the result of something else.

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.

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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.

Characteristics Of Kidney Pain

Your kidneys are positioned below your rib cage on both sides of your spine. Because of the location of the kidney and the types of nerves involved, kidney pain may feel like it is coming from another part of your bodyoften your upper back.

This type of pain is sometimes called referred pain. Because of how these nerves work, it isnt always obvious whether pain in your back is coming from a more external problem or an internal organ, like your kidneys.

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Prevention Of Lower Back Pain

Looking after your back can help to reduce your risk of getting back pain. It can help to do the following.

• Get plenty of exercise. Keeping active with regular exercise can help to prevent back pain coming back, or reduce your risk of getting it in the first place.
• Take care with lifting and carrying heavy items. Dont lift or carry more than you can manage, and make sure youre using the right technique. This means slightly bending your back, knees and hips when lifting, rather than stooping from your back.
• Keep a good posture. If you work at a desk, make sure your chair, desk and computer screen are set up correctly. Your employer should be able to assess your workstation.
• Move regularly dont sit in the same position for long periods of time.

What Are The Symptoms Of Lower Back Pain

Symptoms of lower back pain can come on suddenly or appear gradually. Sometimes, pain occurs after a specific event, such as bending to pick something up. Other times, you may not know what caused the pain.

Pain may be sharp or dull and achy, and it may radiate to your bottom or down the back of your legs . If you strain your back during an activity, you may hear a pop when it happened. Pain is often worse in certain positions and gets better when you lie down.

Other symptoms of lower back pain include:

• Stiffness: It may be tough to move or straighten your back. Getting up from a seated position may take a while, and you might feel like you need to walk or stretch to loosen up. You may notice decreased range of motion.
• Posture problems: Many people with back pain find it hard to stand up straight. You may stand crooked or bent, with your torso off to the side rather than aligned with your spine. Your lower back may look flat instead of curved.
• Muscle spasms: After a strain, muscles in the lower back can spasm or contract uncontrollably. Muscle spasms can cause extreme pain and make it difficult or impossible to stand, walk or move.

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Strengthen The Core Muscles

A weak core can lead to an increase in lower back pain, as well as hip flexor issues. Its important to strengthen your core muscles to help reduce low back pain and avoid further injury. Core strengthening exercises target the abs, lower back, and buttocks and aim to improve balance, coordination, and flexibility in the body.

The following exercises should be done daily with proper form in order to achieve optimal benefit: