Lower back and pelvic pain is a common condition that affects millions of people around the world. Nearly 577 million people suffer from lower back pain in their lifetime. This means that millions of people each year suffer from pain that gets in the way of living a normal, healthy life.
While some people may know the exact cause behind their pelvic lower back pain, such as if they got into a specific injury, other people may be unsure of why they are experiencing their pelvic lower back pain in the first place. However, understanding the underlying cause behind your pain is essential to guide the treatment options that can help relieve your pain and get you back to living a normal, healthy life.
That’s why in this post, you’ll learn more about the different causes of lower back and pelvic pain so you can better understand what may be causing your pain.
Symptoms of Lower Back and Pelvic Pain
Before diving into the potential causes that may be to blame for your pelvic lower back pain, it’s important to recognize common symptoms of lower back and pelvic pain.
While symptoms may vary slightly, here are some common symptoms to look out for if you believe you are suffering from pelvic lower back pain:
● Pain and discomfort (from mild to extreme pain)
● Pain may radiate from the lower back to the buttocks or toes
● Numbness
● Tingling
● Burning sensation
Pelvic lower back pain can be acute/ short-term and only last for a matter of days or weeks. Or, some people may suffer from chronic or long-term lower back and pelvic pain that lasts for weeks, months, or even years. Suffering from chronic pain inevitably impairs an individual’s quality of life and function. And, many people who suffer from chronic pain are oftentimes forced to modify part of their life in the hopes of better managing their pain symptoms.
Fortunately, if you are suffering from chronic pelvic lower back pain, there are several treatment options available that offer both short-term and long-term pain relief. However, before diving into how you can treat your chronic pelvic lower back pain, it’s important to understand the underlying cause that may be to blame for your pain symptoms.
Common Causes of Lower Back and Pelvic Pain
Whether you are suffering from acute or chronic lower back and pelvic pain, each situation can negatively impact your health and quality of life. To better effectively treat your pain, it’s important to understand what may be causing your pain in the first place.
Otherwise, not knowing where your lower back and pelvic pain came from can make it significantly more challenging to long-term manage your pain symptoms.
So, if you are a chronic lower back and pelvic pain sufferer who does not know the origins behind their pain– fear not! Below is a list of common causes for pelvic lower back pain that may help explain why you are experiencing your pain symptoms.
1. Injury
First, one of the more obvious causes of pelvic lower back pain is injury or physical trauma. For instance, repetitive movements from physical activities like sports, lifting, or running can lead to potentially result in stress fractures which can cause intense pelvic lower back pain. Other examples such as external trauma from a car accident may also cause a fracture and lead to lower back and pelvic pain.
2. SI Joint Pain/ Dysfunction
The SI joint connects the spine to the group of bones in your pelvis. SI joints work to support the weight of the upper body and act as a shock absorber as the body transfers weight from the base of the body to your pelvis and legs. Therefore, the SI joint is a major weight-bearing joint that, when damaged or not working properly, can cause extreme lower back and pelvic pain.
Several reasons may cause SI joint pain/ dysfunction like external trauma and stress (mentioned above), as well as arthritis and pregnancy which will be discussed later in this article.
3. Vertebral Disc Slip
A disc in your back provides cushioning between two vertebrae. This disc can get dislodged and become herniated, leading to result in a vertebral disc slip. This condition puts abnormal amounts of pressure on nearby nerves and thus results in intense chronic lower back pain.
4. Degenerative Diseases
A degenerative disease occurs when a function or structure of the body like tissues or organs changes for the worse. There are a variety of degenerative diseases that can also cause lower back and pelvic pain. Common examples include:
● Scoliosis: Abnormal curvature of the spine that can cause low back pain.
● Degenerative Disc Disease: Degeneration of the lumbar discs can result in lower back pain.
● Facet Joint Syndrome: Degeneration of the facet joint that links the pelvis and lower back. This degeneration can lead to a breakdown of the facet joint which then becomes inflamed and ultimately results in low back pain.
5. Arthritis
Arthritis is another common culprit of low back and pelvic pain. Arthritis can occur for many reasons such as old age to obesity and even family history. Unfortunately, arthritis is a chronic condition that inevitably can result in chronic back pain. And, many people who suffer from arthritis experience impaired mobility and overall quality of life.
6. Pregnancy
Pregnant women also tend to commonly experience low back and pelvic pain. This is because the added weight from the fetus puts additional strain and pressure on the lumbar spine. And, this added pressure can cause low back and pelvic pain because the body is not used to the added pressure from the fetus the woman is carrying.
7. Vitamin Deficiency
Last but not least, if you are struggling with low back or pelvic pain, your diet may be to blame. A Vitamin D deficiency can sometimes result in chronic low back pain in some people.
How to Manage Chronic Lower Back Pain
Now that you know more about the common cause of lower back and pelvic pain, it’s time to dive into how to manage chronic lower back pain. In many cases for managing chronic lower back pain, it’s essential you understand the exact condition causing the pain.
For instance, if the cause behind your pain is due to a vitamin deficiency, you can intentionally make an effort to consume that vitamin more to reduce your pain symptoms. However, for many chronic lower back pain sufferers, sometimes alleviating their pain symptoms isn’t as straightforward.
Below are some common treatment methods used to better manage chronic lower back pain.
Physical Therapy:
Physical therapy is an effective and versatile non-surgical treatment option that can help strengthen the pelvic muscles and help one regain strength and support in the lower back. Physical therapy can range from practicing different exercises to improving your symptoms over time.
Pain Medications:
Pain medications are more of a short-term solution to temporarily relieve chronic lower back pain as you search for a more long-term solution. NSAIDS are an example of a pain-relieving medication used to reduce pain symptoms.
Minimally Invasive Treatments
Simple solutions are often the best. That’s why at Pain and Spine Specialists we focus on providing minimally invasive treatments and therapies when possible.
At-Home Remedies/ Alternative Methods:
There are a variety of at-home treatments that can be done to try and reduce pain symptoms such as applying ice to the affected area. Additionally, some more alternative treatment methods like chiropractic treatments may prove beneficial in reducing your pain symptoms.
While non-surgical treatment options are almost always considered and used first to reduce pain symptoms, sometimes these non-surgical options alone may prove ineffective at long-term treating your low back and pelvic pain. If this is the case, your Dr for back pain may recommend surgical interventions to help reduce your chronic pain symptoms.
Although surgery is a long-term solution that is oftentimes effective, it’s important to understand that surgery is not always 100% effective. Plus, any surgery involves various risks and costs which is important to consider.
That being said, if you’ve exhausted other treatment methods without much success at reducing your pain symptoms, surgery could be a great next step.
How to Find The Best Back Pain Management Near Me
Chronic low back and pelvic pain can significantly impair your quality of life. You should never have to learn to tolerate your pain symptoms. There are several treatment options available to relieve your pain so you can get back to living a happier, healthier lifestyle.
If you are struggling with chronic low back and pelvic pain, you should consider seeking professional care from a doctor who specializes in lower back pain. If you live in or near Pennsylvania, Maryland, or Virginia, consider seeking professional care from Pain and Spine Specialists.
At Pain and Spine Specialists, we are a team of highly advanced pain specialists committed to helping you reduce your pain so you can take back control over your life. We understand how debilitating chronic pain can be, especially when you’ve seemingly tried many treatments without much success at reducing your pain.
We offer a range of treatments from injection therapies, to medication, and more so you receive the right treatment to best manage your symptoms. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help reduce your pain symptoms.