Low Back Pain (cont.)Medical Author:
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACRDr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. Medical Editor:
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MDMelissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology. In this Article
 What are other symptoms and signs sometimes associated with low back pain?Low back pain can cause a wide variety of symptoms and signs depending on the precise cause of the pain as reviewed above. Symptoms that can be associated with low back pain include numbness and/or tingling of the lower extremities, incontinence of urine or stool, inability to walk without worsening pain, lower extremity weakness, atrophy (decreased in size) of the lower extremity muscles, rash, fever, chills, weight loss, abdominal pains, burning on urination, dizziness, joint pain, and fatigue. How is low back pain diagnosed?The diagnosis of low back pain involves a history of the illness and a physical examination. It is essential that a complete story of the back pain be reviewed including injury history, aggravating and alleviating conditions, associated symptoms (fever, numbness, tingling, incontinence, etc.), as well as the duration and progression of symptoms. Aside from routine abdomen and extremity evaluations, rectal and pelvic examinations may eventually be required as well. Further tests for diagnosis of low back pain can be required including blood and urine tests, plain film X-ray tests, CAT scanning, MRI scanning, bone scanning, and tests of the nerves such as electromyograms (EMGs) and nerve conduction velocities (NCVs). Reviewed by Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD on 3/12/2012 Patient CommentsViewers share their comments
Lower Back Pain - Common Causes
Question: What is the cause of or reason for your lower back pain?
Lower Back Pain - Uncommon Causes
Question: Do you have an unusual reason for lower back pain? Please discuss the cause.
Lower Back Pain - Prevention
Question: In what ways do you try to prevent lower back pain? Please describe conditioning programs.
Lower Back Pain - Effective Treatments
Question: What kinds of treatment have been effective for your lower back pain?
Lower Back Pain - Exercises
Question: What stretches and exercises have helped with your lower back pain?
|
Suggested Reading on Lower Back Pain by Our Doctors
-
Related Diseases & Conditions
23 articles-
Sciatica
- Sciatica pain, caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve, typically radiates from the low back to behind the thigh to below the knee. Disc herniation is
-
Kidney Stones
- One in every 20 people develop a kidney stone at some point in their life. A kidney stone is a hard mineral and crystalline material formed within the
-
Pinched Nerve
- A pinched nerve can be caused of a variety of conditions, for example, carpal tunnel syndrome, herniated disc, sciatica, arthritis, spinal stenosis, trauma,
-
Endometriosis
- Endometriosis is the growth of cells similar to those that form the inside of the uterus, but in a location outside of the uterus. Endometriosis implants
-
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction (SI Joint Pain)
- Sacroiliac joint (SI) dysfunction is a general term to reflect pain in the SI joints. Causes of SI joint pain include osteoarthritis, abnormal walking
-
Pancreatic Cancer
- Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer has been called a "silent" disease because early pancreatic cancer usually does
-
Blood In Semen
- Blood in semen is also known as hematospermia. Blood in semen can be caused by many conditions affecting the tubes that distribute semen from the testicles
-
Radiculopathy
- Radiculopathy, a condition in which a nerve or nerves along the spine are compressed causing pain, numbness, weakenss, and tingling along the nerve(s).
-
Osteoporosis
- Learn about osteoporosis, a condition characterized by the loss of bone density, which leads to an increased risk of bone fracture. Unless one experiences
-
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a ballooning or widening of the main artery (the aorta) as it courses down through the abdomen. Most abdominal aortic aneurysms
-
Scoliosis
- Scoliosis causes an abnormal curvature of the spine. When the cause of scoliosis is unknown the disorder is described based on the age when the scoliosis
-
Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that causes chronic inflammation of the spine. The tendency to develop ankylosing spondylitis is genetically
-
Osteomyelitis
- Osteomyelitis is an infection of the bone. Potential causes include injections around the bone, fractures that puncture the skin, recent surgeries, and
-
Spondylolisthesis
- The five types of spondylolisthesis include 1) dysplastic, 2) isthmic, 3) degenerative, 4) traumatic, and 5) pathologic. The most common symptom of spondylolisthesis
-
Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE)
- Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infection is the most common type of infection acquired by patients while hospitalized. Patients at risk for VRE
-
Coccydynia
- Coccydynia is an inflammation of the bony area (tailbone or coccyx) located between the buttocks. Coccydynia is associated with pain and tenderness at
-
Pain Management
- Pain management and treatment can be simple or complex, according to its cause. There are two basic types of pain, nociceptive pain and neuropathic pain.
-
Herniated Disc
- A herniated disc may be caused by injury or degeneration from age. Symptoms depend on the location of the herniation and whether nerve tissue is being
-
Degenerative Disc Disease & Sciatica
- Degenerative disc disease makes the disc more susceptible to herniation (rupture) which can lead to localized or radiating pain. The pain from degenerative
-
Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis
- Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH or Forestier's disease) is a form of degenerative arthritis. It is characterized by calcification along
-
Cauda Equina Syndrome
- Cauda equina syndrome is a medical emergency condition that is caused by the uncommon compression of the nerves at the end of the spinal cord. Symptoms
-
Typhus
- Typhus is a disease caused by Rickettsia bacteria. Symptoms and signs include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash. Antibiotics are recommended
-
Porphyria
- Porphyria is a group of disorders that affect the nervous system, skin, or both. Porphyria is often an inherited condition that causes blistering, itching,
-
Sciatica
-
Medications
16 articles -
Procedures & Tests
11 articles -
Pictures, Images & Quizzes
7 articles -
Doctor's & Expert's Views
21 articles -
Health News
33 articles -
Health Features
9 articles
