Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

If you’re dealing with dull back pain, in many cases it will feel a little better if you straighten up your spine and strive to have healthy posture. However, for some people, straightening their spine only makes discomfort worse. So what kind of condition could you be dealing with if symptoms seem to worsen when you straighten your spine? We take a closer look at some spinal issues that can cause symptoms when straightening your back in today’s blog.

Pain When Straightening Your Spine

If you are dealing with pain or worsening symptoms when stretching your back or straightening your spine, you’ll want to head to your primary care doctor or a spine specialist. They’ll conduct a full physical exam and ask you about your symptoms before seeing if any of the following issues are contributing to your discomfort.

• Spinal Stenosis – The most common condition that causes discomfort when straightening your spine, especially if the pain is housed in your lumbar spine, is spinal stenosis. This is a condition that occurs when the openings through which spinal nerves pass begin to narrow. If these nerves can no longer pass unimpeded through these openings, nerve pain can develop. Many people with lumbar spinal stenosis find relief by bending over slightly, as this can create a larger space for the nerves to pass. The condition is sometimes affectionately referred to as shopping cart spine, as it may be noticeable in the grocery store when a person is hunched forward or leaning onto their shopping cart for support, as this position provides some pain relief. Standing up straight can cause these spinal openings to narrow, which is why straightening your spine can lead to discomfort if you have spinal stenosis.
• Sciatica – A similar issue that involves nerve compression is called sciatica, and we’ve talked about it on the blog in the past. This involves impingement or damage to the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in your body. It branches from your lower back all the way down each foot. Standing up straight can put more pressure on your hips and pelvis, which can irritate your sciatic nerve. Many people find temporary relief from sciatic nerve irritation by sitting or laying down, while standing and walking can cause symptoms to bubble to the surface.
• Herniated Disc – A final condition that a spine specialist will work to diagnose or rule out if you are dealing with back pain when standing up is a herniated or bulging disc. Your spinal discs sit between your vertebrae and help provide mobility and stability to the spinal column. Over time, these discs can wear down and lose some of their natural height, which can make them more susceptible to shifting or herniating. Similar to the above issues, this disc issue can irritate nearby nerves and lead to symptoms. Straightening your spine can seem to exacerbate symptoms depending on where the problemed disc is housed.

These are just a few of the issues that could be causing your spine pain if you’re noticing that symptoms are getting worse when you’re standing up or straightening your spine. Pain tends to be more common when bending the spine, but a number of conditions can also become more noticeable when straightening your spine, so if you are dealing with this type of spinal discomfort, make it a point to reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.

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