Lower back pain on the right side can be a sudden cause of concern for many people. The reasons for this pain can be many. However, most of the time, it is just caused by muscle pain because of your back getting hurt by some physical exercise or being stretched to the point of getting hurt. In such a case, the back pain will subside on its own, without you having to do anything. If the problem persists, you can apply an ointment or pain reliever cream or use sprays that are available in every local drug store. However, the main cause of back pain can be more serious or even life-threatening if not looked into.
Kidney issues
Apart from the kidneys, no other organ is located in that part of the body. If the problem is caused due to the kidney, it may not be just limited to urinary tract infections or kidney stones. While the former is easy to treat, the latter can be very painful but is still treatable with good outcomes. Kidney infections are also a common cause of pain in the kidneys, and, by extension, it can also lead to back pain, on the left or the right side. The other causes of kidney pain can be the direct impact a recent penetrating/blunt trauma may have had on the area. Such cases are called the lacerated kidney. If a woman is pregnant and experiences these issues, she should immediately consult her doctor. Symptoms of kidney pain can include fever, painful urination, flank pain, and nausea or vomiting. Other causes of back pain on the right side can be the following:
Appendicitis
The small tube that is attached to the large intestine and is sitting in the lower right side of the body is called the appendix. It is generally a latent organ that doesn’t carry out an active function. It collects food and food waste over time due to the cavity that it creates within the digestive system where the food gets stuck. In about 5 percent of people, usually young people who are below 30 years of age, appendicitis can occur. It causes the area to become inflamed and is accompanied by extreme pain in the right side. Tenderness or fullness in the abdomen area and bloating may also be experienced. This uncomfortable feeling and pain on the right side of the lower back or on an extreme pain on the lower front side are all symptoms of this condition. If you are experiencing these issues, contact your doctor immediately. Generally, it is treatable without any surgeries if you get it checked and dissolved soon.
Injury to muscles, ligaments, tendons, or other surrounding areas that support the spine and are called the soft tissues can also lead to back pain on the right or left side.
Problems with spinal structures such as facet joints or intervertebral discs can also be a cause
Lumbar herniated disc and facet joint pain (osteoarthritis), which is arthritis affecting the right side of the spine, allowing the jelly-like substance inside to protrude or leak outside, are also causes of back pain on the right side.
Spinal stenosis or sacroiliac joint dysfunction can be other causes.
Pain in the spinal column may arise in any combination of the interconnected structures, such as the small facet joints that run along the back of the spine, the nerve roots that branch out on the right-hand side of the spine at each segment, and/or the discs in each motion segment.
Cauda equina syndrome
This is one of the conditions characterized by nerve roots exiting the bottom of the canal of the spine in the lower back region, which then gets compressed and, consequently, gets inflamed. This causes not only extreme pain and discomfort but also some extent of bladder or bowel-related problems or dysfunction that can include symptoms almost resonating with IBS. Numbness and weakness are some other symptoms.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm or osteomyelitis
An aneurysm is the abdominal area refers to the rupture of the abdominal area and can cause problems in the lower right side. Osteomyelitis, which is an infection of the spine, may also lead to pain. These two are generally not very common causes of pain on the lowermost right side of the back.
Other less common or probable causes of back problems can include the likes of the following
- Spinal tumor: Most spinal tumors spread to the spine after starting in another part of the body; cancer tumors originating in the spine are not common. If a tumor presses on the right side of the spine or presses on a nerve root on the right side, back pain on the right side can be the result.
- Chronic pain syndromes: Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that causes full-body musculoskeletal pain and may cause pain concentrated on one side of the lower back. Other symptoms include tenderness in particular areas called the trigger points.
While most of the causes stated above can be causes of concern, the most common cause is only some form of blunt or penetrative trauma.
Kidney issues can be limited to infections or stones, and even appendix problems might be similar. However, you should not ignore such pain and must consult a doctor as soon as possible.
