Lower back pain is a common symptom that can affect people of all ages. Although the pain can vary in intensity, most cases are not serious and go away quickly without treatment.
However, if you experience severe lower back pain in conjunction with other symptoms such as fever, chills or nausea, you may have an infection or other medical condition that requires prompt attention and back pain treatment from your doctor.
In this article, we will discuss the causes of severe lower back pain so that you know what to do if it happens to you or someone you love!
Symptoms that may accompany sharp pain the lower back
The pain can radiate to other areas of the body, including the buttocks, groin, hip, thigh and knee. In some cases, it can even extend to the calf or foot. Sharp pain in the lower back may last for a few days or even weeks and if left untreated, can become chronic. Get it treated with right back pain treatment before the pain becomes permanent.
Chronic back pain can be debilitating for patients as it makes them unable to perform everyday tasks such as lifting heavy objects and sitting for long periods without experiencing any discomfort whatsoever.
Common musculoskeletal causes of severe lower back pain
There are a number of common musculoskeletal causes of acute lower back pain. Muscle strain and muscle spasm, which can be caused by overuse or poor posture, account for approximately 70% of cases.
A herniated disk—a condition in which the soft center of an intervertebral disk (the cushioning between your vertebrae) pushes out through the tough outer layer—is another common cause.
It’s usually caused by repetitive stress on the spine and can result in numbness or weakness below your waist, as well as severe low back pain.
There are many other possible causes of severe lower back pain beyond those related to your muscles and joints: arthritis; spinal stenosis (narrowing of your spinal canal);
spondylolisthesis (forward displacement of one vertebra); sciatica (sciatic nerve compression); spinal cord compression; and more.
Acute back pain due to inflammation of internal organs
Acute back pain can be caused by inflammation of internal organs. If you have acute lower back pain, your doctor will need to rule out the following causes:
- Kidney stones
- Appendicitis
- Pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation)
- Peritonitis (peritoneal cavity inflammation)
- Urinary tract infection or kidney infection that spreads to the abdominal area or pelvis.
In addition, chronic lower back pain may stem from an intestinal obstruction, a tumour in the spine and spinal stenosis—a condition that involves narrowing of the spinal canal due to bony spurs on its walls or degeneration of intervertebral discs between vertebrae.
If you’re experiencing lower back pain, it’s important to seek medical attention and treat with suitable back pain treatment from a doctor or other qualified health care provider.
Severe back pain can be caused by many different things, but the sooner you recognize and treat the problem, the more likely you are to feel better faster.
