Sudden Lower Back Pain - What to Look For

Back pain is a fairly common symptom of several diseases and disorders. It is a universal problem that is more commonly seen in adults than children. Sedentary lifestyle that most of us follow is one of the major causes of back pain. However, although a dull aching back pain may be a common condition, sudden severe back pain is not. Let us take a look at it in detail.

Severe Lower Back Pain
Back pain can be acute as well as chronic. The sudden lower back pain is mostly an acute type of back pain. On the other hand, dull and aching pain is the chronic back pain. If acute back pain is not treated at proper time, it can turn chronic; which is difficult to treat. Depending on the cause, back pain may or may not be accompanied with other symptoms. Let us take a look at the causes of severe lower back pain in brief.

➡ Causes

The nature and severity of pain can help in determining the cause immediately. When talking about the causes, back pain is mostly caused due to an injury to a muscle or a ligament. Injury or trauma is also one of the causes for Cauda equina syndrome which is an emergency condition. Following are the other causes of sudden pain in the lower back.

Muscle Sprain
Sudden stretching or tearing of any back muscle can lead to sudden and severe lower back pain. Similarly, damage to the ligament can also cause back pain. This occurs due to improper sitting, bending, or lifting heavy objects. Muscle injuries are commonly observed among athletes and dancers.

Sciatica
Inflammation of the sciatic nerve causes sciatica. The sciatic nerve extends from the lower back to the legs; and hence, the pain is also experienced in the back, buttocks and legs. Sciatica pain is a sudden shooting pain with a burning sensation that is often experienced only in one part of the body.

Herniated Disc
Herniated disc, or the slipped disc, is another significant cause of sudden lower back pain. When these discs, present between vertebrae, get damaged due to injury, they bulge or rupture. This is known as herniated disc. Sudden pressure on the lower back, injury, or improper movement can result in herniated disc.

Spondylolysis
Spondylolysis is quite a common cause of pain in the lower back. In simplest terms, it is defined as a condition caused due to defect or disorder in the vertebrae. Cervical spondylolysis and lumbar spondylolysis are more common than other types. There are several causes of spondylolysis, a congenital defect being the foremost. It can also result from an injury, trauma or a fracture.

Kidney Disorders
In most of the cases, severe lower back pain in men and women is caused due to disorders of the kidney, like kidney infection or kidney stones. Excruciating back pain, lower abdominal pain, disorders while urination, swelling, etc., are some of the other symptoms observed if one suffers from disorders of the kidneys.

Pregnancy
Women often complain of back pain during pregnancy. This is very common and is considered normal only if the pain is not excruciating or accompanied with other symptoms. Back pain occurs due to the extra weight that the woman puts on during pregnancy. As the weight is distributed around the uterus, women experience lower back pain. Sometimes, hormonal imbalance or improper posture can also be the cause of back pain in women.

➡ What to Look For

Explaining the type and nature of your back pain appropriately to the doctor will help in easy and quicker diagnosis. The following are the things you should look out for and explain to your health care provider. These are red flags or the warning signs that will help detect severe underlying causes.

• Back pain that comes and goes
• Back pain that worsens with time
• Back pain that aggravates while sleeping, bending, getting up, etc.
• Sudden back pain that wakes you at night
• Back pain accompanied with other symptoms like abdominal pain, numbness, etc.
• Back pain accompanied with weight loss, fever, etc.
• Severe back pain in pregnant women
• Back pain that is not relieved with home remedies

➡ Treatment
Applying ice pack is an effective home remedy that can be used immediately when you experience pain. However, it is recommended to consult the doctor immediately in case you experience sudden back pain. Medication like painkillers, anti-inflammatory painkillers, muscle relaxants can help ease the pain. In certain cases, surgery may even be required to treat the underlying cause. On the other hand, in most of the cases, non-surgical treatments like acupressure or physiotherapy can be effective. Taking complete bed rest is also essential for treating sudden lower back pain.

You need to follow precautionary measures even after the underlying cause is treated completely. You should take adequate amounts of rest, avoid any activity that can cause stress, strain or pain in muscles. You should also remember that back pain can be prevented simply by adopting proper sitting and sleeping postures. Similarly, extra care should be taken when participating in any sports or athletics. Following these methods can prevent back pain to a great extent. Take care!

*This article is meant for informative purposes, and should not be substituted for medical advice.