Lower left back pain has been one of the most widely spread reasons for individuals to seek medical support. Some may suffer constant miseries while others may suffer fluctuating aches. The intensity and severity is dependent on the cause of the pain and asks for different treatment options.
Causes
While there are a lot of reasons for an individual to suffer from lower left back main, there are some common issues. That includes:
- Damage to the soft tissues of the body including the supporting muscles and ligaments for the spine
These include strains and pulls to the lower back muscles caused due to overuse or overstretch due to some activities. It also includes sprain to the ligaments, inflammation or muscle spasms.
- Physical injury caused to the spinal column including the joints or discs
It is the most common cause of lower left back pain in individuals caused due to the affect of a lot of issues including herniated discs in the lumbar regions, medical conditions such as osteoarthritis in the facet joints of the spinal column or a general dis-function in the sacroiliac joint of the column. While all the factors have their own causes that lead to the disorder, they collectively contribute to the same cause, lower left back pain in the individuals.
- Medical conditions that affect the internal organs including intestines, kidney and the organs of the reproductive system
It is another one of the common reasons for lower back pains in individuals that are not totally under our control. It can be caused due to any disturbances in the abdominal organs including infections in the kidneys, stones in the bile gland or kidneys, infections in the pancreas, ulcer infections in the colitis and even gynecological issues in females including endometriosis and formation of fibroids in their reproductive organs.
Symptoms
Symptoms for lower left back pain can be anything starting from severe pain, burning, numbness or extreme discomfort to the left side of the body. It depends on the severity of the disorder and the cause of the pain. It can be outcome of some serious adverse issue or just the result of some temporary condition. Whatever it is, the most common symptoms include:
- Feeling of unusual weakness in the lower regions of the body
- Sensation of tingly feelings in the left sides of the lower back portions
- Nausea or vomiting conditions in most common cases
- Individuals also complain to fall short of breathe
- Dizziness is another common symptom
- Fevers and chills due to acute pain to the bones are common
- Confusion in general
- If the pain is due to other medical conditions of the abdominal organs, individuals generally have experiences of painful urination. In extreme cases, bloodied urination is also a sign.
- Incontinence is another common sign for people suffering from lower left back pains.
If you suffer from any one or more than one of the following conditions for more than a few days, you must immediately consider consulting with your physician as negligence can bring in more adverse effects to your overall health.
Treatments
The most primary treatment to lower left back pains is self care. With proper rest and avoidance of strenuous activities, you can easily pull the reins on your back pain. Over the counter drugs can act as supper effective solutions to immediately provide you with relief. That includes usage of anti-inflammatory drugs including ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen in extreme cases. Compression therapies using hot or cold packs can help you effectively deal your pain to great extents.
If you are suffering from extreme cases and need to visit a doctor, there are a lot of treatments you can avail. That includes prescribed medicines such as:
- Muscle relaxants: Doctors can prescribe you muscle relaxant medications including baclofen, chlorzoxazone for cases of muscle spasms and tightness.
- Opioid and narcotics: In extreme cases, using opium based drugs like fentanyl and hydrocodone are used for short time spans if the intensity of the pain is too great to tolerate.
- Injections: Steroid injections for lumbar epidural space are also an option. Doctors also prescribe the usage of braces at times.
If the conditions are too extreme to be treated with medication, a surgical method may be opted to cure the issue. Apart from that, massage, acupuncture and meditation can be effective in most cases.