Lower Side Back Pain

Pain felt in the lower back region, to either the left or right side, can have several causes. However, just because it is felt to one side does not indicate that a diagnosis can be given on that alone.

Typically, if you are feeling low back pain to one side, it will be felt around, or just above, the crest of the pelvis. Although it may also be referring a little into the buttock region.

Two typical causes of this are a disc bulge (disc herniation, slipped disc etc.) or facet joint pain, Both of these would be treated differently.

Facet Joint Pain.

Each vertebra articulates with the vertebrae above and below via the facet joints. These are positioned on either side of the vertebra and therefore the pain tends to be perceived on, or more to the side that the responsible facet joint is situated.

Disc Bulge.

When there is a disc bulge present, the disc tends to protrude backwards and to one side. This is because it is at the side of the disc where they are weakest or most vulnerable. Consequently, the pain will typically be felt on, or more to the side which the disc has 'bulged' towards.

Regardless of the cause of your pain, if there is a lot of inflammation present, the pain may be perceived right across the back. However, it will usually tend to feel more intense on one side relative to the other.

If the pain is feeling quite inflamed, then a short course of anti-inflammatories may well be indicated, just to try and settle things down a little.

NB It is important you speak to your GP/health professional to make sure it is OK for you to take a course of anti-inflammatories.

As the pain begins to settle, you will then need to become more active. By this I mean generally active, such as getting up and walking around a little, as well as a specific exercise programme which you should aim to progress towards.

The specific exercises you may need to perform will depend upon the cause of your pain:

If it is a Facet Joint problem, the likelihood is you will need a more flexion based exercise programme to begin with. For example, this maybe simply lying on your back with your knees bent and then gently 'flattening' your lower back into the floor.

If it is a Disc Bulge which is causing your pain, the opposite would be true. Under these circumstances, it is likely a more extension based exercise programme would be needed. A good exercise to begin with here, would be lying on your stomach little and often through the day. You may find it better by placing a pillow or two under your stomach if your back is still quite sensitive.

There are obviously other potential causes of the pain you are suffering with at the moment, but the above two are quite common ones.

The most important thing is you find the correct cause of your pain. This will enable you to address your problem correctly and therefore not only resolve the pain, but also minimise the risk of any future episodes re-occurring.