7 Things That Can Cause Pain in Your Lower Right Back—Plus, When To Worry

About 90% of individuals have decrease again ache sooner or later. The ache can really feel completely different from individual to individual relying on the trigger.

Ache within the decrease proper aspect of the again could be on account of many situations that have an effect on completely different elements of the physique.

1. Musculoskeletal Issues

When decrease again ache on the precise aspect stems from musculoskeletal (muscle and backbone) issues, you’ll have points with any of the next physique elements: 

Discs: Cushions between the backbone’s bonesJoints: Connections the place bones meetLigaments: Tissue connecting bones and stabilizing the spineMuscles: Tissues that transfer and assist the spineSpinal wire: Nerves within the backbone Tendons: Tissue connecting muscle tissue to bonesVertebrae: Bones of the backbone

2. Radiculopathy and Sciatica (Nerve Ache)

Radiculopathy happens when one thing presses on a spinal nerve, inflicting a pointy, burning, capturing ache; numbness; or weak spot alongside the nerve’s pathway. It might happen within the neck, higher again, or decrease again. 

Sciatica is a selected kind of radiculopathy that impacts the sciatic nerve within the decrease again and legs. It causes sharp, burning, or capturing ache down one leg and sometimes worsens whenever you sit, bend, or raise your legs straight up whereas mendacity down. In extreme instances of nerve compression within the decrease again, chances are you’ll expertise issues with bladder (peeing) or bowel (pooping) management.

Whereas docs might not at all times discover an underlying trigger, sciatica can happen with:

Herniated discs: The internal a part of the disc leaks and presses on nervesSpinal stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canalPelvic fractures: When a number of bones in your pelvis breakPiriformis syndrome: Nerve irritation from the piriformis muscle, a muscle within the buttocks that helps you progress your hip and leg out

3. Muscle Spasms

Muscle spasms are involuntary muscle tightening that causes intense discomfort. You may get them from: 

Dangerous postureCertain medicines, like statins that decrease cholesterolChronic well being situations like Parkinson’s diseaseDehydration (not getting sufficient fluids)Electrolyte imbalances (low potassium, calcium, or magnesium)Muscle strains and sprainsNerve compression (herniated discs, spinal stenosis)A tough workoutMyofascial ache syndrome (sore spots in your muscle tissue)

4. Posture Modifications

Backbone curvatures could make standing up straight tough, inflicting decrease proper again ache. Posture adjustments can come from

Scoliosis (backbone goes side-to-side)
Lordosis (backbone goes inward)
Kyphosis (backbone grows outward)

In extreme instances of ankylosing spondylitis, a kind of arthritis that impacts the backbone, the vertebrae fuse, inflicting a stooped posture.

5. Points With Your Inner Organs

Situations associated to the kidneys and the appendix may cause ache that radiates to the decrease proper again. These embrace:

Kidney stones: These small, laborious deposits may cause sharp, intense ache within the decrease again, pelvis, or groin. The ache might come and go when the stones transfer via the ureters, tubes carrying pee from the kidneys to the bladder.
Kidney infections: These may cause deep, uninteresting decrease proper again ache. Kidney issues might also trigger fever, nausea, vomiting, ache with urination (pee), and blood within the urine.
Appendicitis: This situation happens when the appendix, a small pouch on the massive gut, turns into infected. Initially, you’ll have a extreme bellyache close to the stomach button that shifts to the decrease proper aspect. As appendicitis progresses, the ache worsens and will radiate to the decrease proper again.

6. Gynecological Situations

Issues within the feminine reproductive organs may cause radiating ache to the decrease proper again. These situations embrace: 

7. Being pregnant

Throughout being pregnant, the rising uterus strains the spinal muscle tissue and the sacroiliac joint that join the decrease backbone to the pelvis, resulting in again discomfort. After childbirth, you might also expertise again ache as muscle tissue get well.

Relying on what’s inflicting it, the ache may really feel like a uninteresting ache or a pointy, intense ache. It may begin immediately and never go away, worsen slowly over time, or come and go. Shifting or sitting might have an effect on the way it feels. 

Somebody with ache within the decrease proper aspect of the again might expertise radiating ache. Radiating ache is a kind of ache that spreads from one space of the physique to a different.

Some situations are extra generally tied to sure sorts of ache. A health care provider will contemplate the way you’re experiencing the ache when making a prognosis.

Acute Ache

Acute ache is sudden and lasts lower than 12 weeks. It might end result from sudden accidents or situations equivalent to:

Compression fracture (break of a vertebra, or spinal bone)Herniated discMuscle spasmSciaticaSpinal most cancers (tumor on the backbone)Spinal an infection, which might be an abscess (assortment of pus), osteomyelitis (bone an infection), or discitis (disc an infection)Backbone curvatureSprains (ligament accidents)Strains (damage to muscle tissue or tendons)

Persistent Ache

Persistent proper decrease again ache typically develops steadily and lasts over 12 weeks. It stems from ongoing situations or accidents that don’t heal correctly. Examples of situations that trigger it embrace:

Ankylosing spondylitis
Degenerative disc illness (gradual carrying down of discs in your again)
Myofascial ache syndrome
Osteoarthritis (breakdown of cartilage within the joints)
Piriformis syndrome
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction, which is irritation of the joint that connects your decrease backbone to your pelvis (hip bone) 
Spinal stenosis
Spondylolisthesis (vertebrae slip misplaced over time)
Spondylosis (discs get skinny and fewer versatile with age)
Put on and tear of the side joints, the hinges that join the bones in your backbone

Ache That Doesn’t Get Higher With Relaxation

Decrease proper again ache that doesn’t enhance with relaxation might point out persistent underlying situations equivalent to:

Arthritis, together with ankylosing spondylitisAutoimmune disordersCancer within the decrease again Nerve compression Nerve illnesses like a number of sclerosis (MS)Sprains, strains, or accidents that don’t appropriately heal

Numbness, Tingling, or Weak point

Decrease proper again ache accompanied by numbness, tingling, or weak spot typically signifies nerve involvement within the backbone or close by constructions. It might make it tough to stroll or stand. Some situations that will trigger this embrace:

Herniated discFracturesDiabetesMS

Attain out to a physician if the ache:

Will get worse or stops you from every day activitiesLasts over a number of daysOccurs after you have had cancerOccurs with progressive numbness, tingling, or weaknessShoots down your leg or into your groinOccurs with a fever, painful urination, or blood in urineOccurs with redness, swelling, or heat within the backbone

Search emergency care when you:

Expertise fever, nausea, and vomiting with the painExperience sudden weak spot, numbness, or cannot standHave ache that follows an damage Have sudden, intense decrease proper stomach or again ache Lose management of your bladder or bowels

Your physician will most likely ask questions on your medical and household historical past and do a bodily examination to higher perceive the reason for decrease proper again ache. They could ask you questions like what the ache looks like, when the ache began, and the way lengthy you have had it.

They could additionally run exams to find out the reason for ache, together with:

Imaging take a look at: This might be X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or computed tomography (CT), which take photographs or scans to get a greater have a look at the realm of your again that is inflicting your ache.
Blood exams: This may help establish any underlying medical situations that might be inflicting your again ache. A whole blood depend (CBC) or an erythrocyte sedimentation fee (ESR) are two sorts of blood exams that is perhaps accomplished to verify when you’ve got irritation or an underlying medical situation associated to your ache.
Electrophysiological exams: These exams verify {the electrical} exercise of the muscle tissue or nerves to find out in the event that they’re functioning correctly.

After getting a correct prognosis in your ache, your physician will create remedy choices to assist relieve signs. Relying on the trigger and severity of your decrease proper again ache, the sorts of remedy might embrace:

At-home cures: This may embrace utilizing ice or warmth packs to assist relieve ache and irritation.
Medicines: This contains over-the-counter medicines like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs), equivalent to Advil (ibuprofen), for ache or prescription medicines like anti-inflammatory injections or muscle relaxants. The kind of treatment you’re taking will rely upon the kind of decrease again damage and whether or not it is acute or power.
Bodily remedy: This may embrace stretches and low-impact workout routines to enhance mobility, posture, and muscle energy after a again damage.
Surgical procedure: That is sometimes the final choice if all different remedies aren’t serving to relieve your ache.

Decrease proper again ache can stem from sprains, strains, again situations, nerve compression, power well being issues, or points with inside organs. The ache can vary from a uninteresting ache to a pointy ache that will shoot down the leg. See a physician if the ache within the decrease proper aspect of your again is extreme, lasts various days, worsens, or disrupts your day-to-day actions.