Lower back pains are usually the result of unhealthy practices. You might ask what is meant by unhealthy practices? Well, anything that puts additional strain on the body and in this case, on the lower back, is unhealthy practice. Examples are bad sitting postures, too much driving of two-wheelers, particularly on bumpy roads, excessive consumption of alcohol, tobacco or narcotic drugs, strenuous exercises (this is particularly applicable to sportspersons), wrong food habits like eating fatty foods, etc. are unhealthy practices. Any one of them or their combination would definitely lead to lower back pain or upper back pain or neck pain at one stage or another.
On the other hand, lower left back pain could be much more complicated. In general, such lower left back pain would be due to left sciatica, which is caused by sciatic nerve irritation. The sciatic nerve controls the leg reflexes and provides strength to the leg, since it connects the spinal chord with the outer thigh, the hamstring muscle in the thigh, and muscles in the lower leg and feet. Impairment of the sciatic nerve results in leg muscle weakness, tingling sensation or numbness.
The symptoms of lower left back pain must be analyzed to find the nature and extent of the sciatic nerve irritation. Certain symptoms could suggest a more serious injury to the sciatic nerve. Presence of weakness or numbness would indicate a damaged nerve. Severe pain might be due to a compressed nerve, which would warrant surgery. Loss of control of bladder or bowel, as well as a progressive loss of sensation or weakness in the leg could also be indicative of serious conditions. A competent physician should be immediately consulted when such symptoms are witnessed.
Lower left quadrant stomach pain that spreads to the back is another ailment that is very difficult to diagnose. Stomach pains are the results of several causes like ulcers, indigestion, pancreatitis, kidney infections, stomach cancer, cholesterol problems, etc. Normally, most of these stomach pains do not extend to the back, particularly the lower back. However, kidney infections and stomach cancer ailments could result in severe pain in the lower back. The physician would be able to analyze all the possible causes and decide on the nature of the back pain due to the lower left quadrant stomach pain. Based on the findings, the doctor would recommend suitable remedial measures and treatment.
Lower left back pain due to kidney infections could lead to severe and chronic lower back pains. In particular, the left kidney infection would affect the left lower back. Addressing the root cause is more important in such cases. Scans like ultrasound, MRI and CT help in identifying the exact cause of the problem, facilitating correct treatment.
Overall, lower back pains occur from several root causes. Proper analysis is the best course before resorting to medications, exercises and further treatment. Do-it-yourself home treatments should be avoided at all costs, as these could lead to further complications, resulting in permanent disablement of the lower body. In certain extreme cases, the entire body could be affected by paralysis if the nerve injury is severe. Leaving it unattended or wrong treatments can aggravate the existing problem and lead to irredeemable damages. Always consult a competent specialist physician, when in doubt.
Lower left back pain could be due to left sciatica, which is caused by sciatic nerve irritation