Back pain

Signs and symptoms

• Muscle ache
• Shooting or stabbing pain
• Pain that radiates down your leg
• Pain that worsens with bending, lifting, standing or walking
• Pain that improves with reclining

What causes back pain

• Muscle or ligament strain. Repeated heavy lifting or a sudden awkward movement can strain the back muscles and spinal ligaments. If you’re in poor physical condition, constant strain on your back can cause painful muscle spasms.
• Bulging or ruptured discs. Discs act as cushions between the bones (vertebrae) in your spine. The soft material inside a disc can bulge or rupture and press on a nerve. However, you can have a bulging or ruptured disc without back pain. Disc disease is often found incidentally when you have spine x-rays for some other reason.
• Osteoarthritis can affect the lower back. In some cases, arthritis in the spine can lead to a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord (spinal stenosis).
• Skeletal irregularities. A condition in which your spine curves to the side (scoliosis) also can lead to back pain, but generally not until middle age.
• Compression fractures can develop and cause weakness in your spine’s vertebrae.

When to see your doctor

See your provider if your back pain:

• Causes new bowel or bladder problems
• Is accompanied by fever
• Follows a fall, blow to your back or other injury
• Is severe and doesn’t improve with rest
• Spreads down one or both legs, especially if the pain extends below the knee
• Causes weakness, numbness or tingling in one or both legs
• Is accompanied by unexplained weight loss

Medical care and help

Seek medical help if you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above. Back pain is a complex condition. Our physicians can identify the source of your pain with a test or imaging/scan, and working alongside our pain management and orthopedic specialists will provide a suitable treatment plan for you.