Inflammatory conditions:Conditions that cause arthritis, such asankylosing spondylitis, can cause lower back pain.
It is also possible to have a combination of these conditions contributing to your lower right back pain.
It can be challenging to determine whether your lower right back pain is triggered by muscle or organ pain.
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Muscle Strain
Muscle strains are the most common cause oflower back pain.
This is because your lower back is used for many different movements, such as bending and twisting.
When you overuse your back muscles or experience a sudden injury, it can cause lower back pain.
Muscle strains in the lower back cause pain that does not usually radiate to your legs.
Although medical professionals used to recommend rest, the importance of keeping the muscles moving is now emphasized.
Ligament Injuries
A ligament injury in the lower back is called a lower backsprain.
People often injure back ligaments during falls, sporting accidents, or car accidents.
Poor posture can also damage your ligaments over time.
The symptoms of a lower back ligament injury are similar to those of a lower back muscle strain.
Treatment:Similar to a muscle strain, NSAIDs and ice can help relieve pain and swelling.
Ligament injuries may also benefit fromphysical therapy.
When it occurs in the lumbar spine, it can cause lower back pain on one or both sides.
Pain fromspinal stenosisis often described as a burning ache or pain.
It may radiate down the buttocks and into the leg.
Spinal stenosis pain is typically worse when standing or walking and is relieved by leaning forward.
It can also cause numbness, tingling, weakness, or cramping in the feet and legs.
Symptoms are more pronounced when standing or walking.
Treatment:A surgical procedure called alaminectomyis the treatment for spinal stenosis.
The procedure involves removing bony spurs to open up the spinal column.
Sacroiliac pain may also be due to a form of arthritis calledankylosing spondylitis.
In many cases, a soft, liquid-like substance inside the disc can leak out.
Symptoms of radiculopathy include pain, weakness, numbness, or a pins-and-needles sensation that runs down one leg.
There may also be cramping and discomfort while walking.
If conservative strategies aren’t effective, surgery may be suggested.
Sciatica andmuscle spasmsare also common.
Treatment:Typically, the severity of the curvature guides the treatment plan.
Some instances may simply be observed over time.
Using a brace can slow or stop the curvature of the spine.
More severe cases may require surgery.
Spinal Cysts and Tumors
Two potentially serious causes of back pain arespinal cystsand tumors.
Cysts develop due to degenerative changes in the spine, while tumors can develop due to changes in cells.
A spinal cyst can press on a nerve root that goes to a different area of the body.
This pressure can cause radiculopathy.
Spinal tumors, either cancerous or non-cancerous, can press on the spinal cord itself.
Symptoms include back pain that radiates (spreads) to other areas, known asreferred pain.
Treatment:There are several treatment options, including physical therapy, pain-relieving injections, or surgical removal.
In cancerous tumors, the cancer may also be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.
Causes include spinal trauma, tumors, infection, and spinal birth defects.
Treatment:Immediate surgery is generally advised.
Bone
The bones themselves can also cause pain in the lower back.
Bone Spurs
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 leftfacet joint.
Bone spursoften develop at facet joints.
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.
Treatment:Bone spurs can be removed surgically if necessary.
This relieves pressure on the nerves.
Many of these injuries require emergency medical attention.
When your lumbar spine is fractured, you may experience:
Treatment:Compression fractures may not require treatment.
However, other types of spinal fractures often require surgical intervention.
Kidney Issues
Lower right back pain can be related to the kidneys.
A kidney infection, known aspyelonephritisand kidney stones, can cause pain on either side of the lower back.
Kidney stonesare another common kidney-related cause of non-spine-related back pain.
Even a tiny kidney stone can be painful as it passes through the urinary tract.
The pain will typically be sharp.
There may also be lower abdominal pain, pain with urination, and nausea or vomiting.
Treatment:A kidney infection requires antibiotics.
Kidney stones are often managed through pain relief and waiting for the stone to pass.
Surgery may also be an option.
Nausea or vomiting are also common.
Treatment:Most gallstones are treated byremoving the gallbladder.
Appendicitis
Appendicitis can sometimes cause back pain.
It can occasionally also radiate to the right side of the back.
Treatment:Surgery to remove the appendix is required to prevent potentially life-threatening complications like infection.
Some individuals with IBD develop a condition calledsacroiliitis, which is inflammation of the sacroiliac joints.
Treatment:Treatment forsacroiliitisoverlaps with therapy for IBD and may include a jot down of medication known as biologics.
In some cases, surgery may be necessary, and joint fusions may help relieve some of the pain.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Abdominal aortic aneurysms are often asymptomatic.
However, one of their symptoms is low back and hip pain.
Treatment:Abdominal aortic aneurysmsrequire surgical intervention for treatment.
If they rupture, they are a medical emergency.
PID can cause pain in the lower abdomen that radiates to your lower back, buttocks, and thighs.
Treatment:Antibiotics are the most common treatment for PID.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis triggers when the tissue that usually lines the uterus grows outside of the uterus.
When it grows near the lower back, it can cause pain.
Endometrial tissue in the lower back can compress nerves and cause inflammation.
Pain from fibroids can be treated with over-the-counter medications.
This can lead to lower back pain during menstruation.
Treatment:Painful periods can be treated with over-the-counter medications.
Hormonal birth control can also help manage painful periods.
Ovarian Tumors or Cysts
Pain from anovarian cystor tumor will likely cause abdominal or pelvic pain.
Treatment:Low back pain resulting from an ovarian tumor or cyst depends on the underlying cause.
Pregnancy
Back pain is common during pregnancy.
This kind of pain occurs due to certain changes that happen to your body when you’re pregnant.
For example, hormones can cause your muscles to relax and your ligaments to loosen.
As yourpregnancy progresses, your center of gravity changes, causing your lower spine to move forward.
This can put a strain on your back muscles, especially if you find yourself leaning backward to compensate.
Treatment:Back pain from pregnancy usually resolves after delivery.
Pain can often be managed with Tylenol (acetaminophen).
Discuss safe medication use with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant.
Testicular Torsion
Testicular torsionhappens when a testicle twists abnormally, blocking the blood supply.
This condition causes sudden, severe pain in the groin that can radiate to the lower back.
You may also experience:
Treatment:Testicular torsion is an emergency.
If you have any of these symptoms, seek medical care right away.
Surgery can usually repair testicular torsion if it is caught quickly enough.
In severe cases, testicular torsion results in surgical removal of the affected testicle.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing lower right back pain involves a physical exam and a review of your medical history.
Based on the findings, your doctor may order imaging studies to look for abnormalities throughout your body.
Anerve conduction study, orelectromyography,may also be ordered.
This can show your doctor how well electrical signals are traveling through nerves.
Depending on your symptoms, additional bloodwork, imaging, or referral to a specialist may be necessary.
Treatment
Right-sided low back pain treatment differs depending on the underlying cause.
It can also originate in internal organs such as the kidneys or the appendix.
Certain conditions related to the female or male reproductive systems can also cause lower back pain.
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