Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

Back pain can be caused by thousands of different problems, but a doctor can make some educated guesses as to what might be causing your pain based on a description of your symptoms and learning about where your pain is located. Today, we’re going to explain some conditions you might be dealing with if you pain is radiating from the lower left side of your back.

Lower Left Back Pain

If you truly want to get to the bottom of the pain on the lower left side of your back, head into a spinal specialist’s office. Sometimes the problem is a minor issue, while other times it signals a more serious problem. Here are some of the more common causes of pain in your lower left back.

Muscle Strains

You have a number of different muscles on either side of your spine in the lumbar portion of your back, and oftentimes the most common causes of back pain on your left side is due to a muscle strain or sprain. These aren’t usually very serious, and they typically respond well to conservative treatment options. If you’re dealing with minor or mild discomfort in your lower left back or if spasms start up in the area, you’re probably dealing with a simple strain or sprain. Tackle it with rest, controlled exercise, stretching techniques and plenty of fluids.

Organ Problems

A number of organs are housed on the lower left side of your body, and problems with these organs can feel like pain is emanating from the lower left side of your back. Kidney stones or a kidney infection often cause pain in that area of your back, as do injuries to your pancreas. If you can’t remember physically hurting your spine, you’ll want to have your pain examined because any organ problems are best treated before they turn into bigger issues.

Specific Spinal Problems

Finally, there are a couple of different spinal conditions that can present symptoms in the lower left portion of your back. For example, problems like a lumbar herniated disc, a problem with a spinal facet joint, or disruption of the sacroiliac joint can all cause pain, discomfort and a host of related symptoms in the lower left region of your spine. Sometimes these injuries are brought on by acute trauma, while other times they develop over the decades as we get older, so it can be difficult to self-diagnose your issue. However, with the aid of imaging techniques, a doctor can get to the bottom of your spinal condition right away.

So if you are dealing with pain in the lower left side of your back, consider setting up a visit with a spine specialist unless you’re pretty sure it’s only a strain. Monitor your back pain in the coming days, and if pain remains or gets worse, set up an appointment with your doctor. All of the above conditions can be successfully treated by a professional, so don’t just power through the pain. Let Dr. Sinicropi get rid of your pain for good.

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