12 Common Causes for Lower Back Pain on One Side

This content was medically reviewed by Baher S. Yanni, MD, on February 22nd, 2022.

Everyone has or will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Some may experience mild back pain that originates from sitting in a chair too long or bending in an awkward position. Others may have more severe or chronic pain that prevents them from performing basic daily functions. Whatever the reason or the severity, back pain is a common discomfort most people suffer through.

As people age, they associate any discomfort in their bodies with getting older, and while that may be true for some, other underlying medical conditions can contribute to back pain.

Most lower back pain stems from simple everyday activities. We find ourselves waking up with back pain from sleeping uncomfortably or from moving objects around. In most cases, back pain associated with these causes will mend itself after a day or two. But some back pain is a symptom of a more serious medical condition.

To help you better understand the symptoms you are experiencing, we will take a look at 12 of the most common causes for lower back pain, specifically on one side.

4 Causes of Back Pain on One Side from Spine Problems

Our spine is one of the most important parts of our body. It contains a multitude of nerves that connect our brain to the rest of our bodies. It gives our bodies strength and support to perform our daily tasks. If any damage happens to one of the nerve endings or vertebrae, you can experience extreme discomfort in your lower back.

Facet Joint Pain

Facet joint pain, also known as facet joint syndrome or osteoarthritis, occurs naturally with age. Our body slowly wears itself down over time, and it can affect one or both of our facet joints. These joints are situated at the back of the vertebra, and this condition can result in stiffness, discomfort or dull aches.

Bone spurs can also be the cause of some of the discomfort. As our bones wear themselves down, our body attempts to rebuild the missing bone material. Rather than reassuming their original shape, these growths become bone spurs. These spurs can pinch or rub against a nerve root. You may experience shooting pain through your hip and down your legs.

Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is another medical condition usually associated with old age and osteoarthritis. As you age, the space for the nerves in your spine narrows, putting extra pressure on them. For some, the pressure will result in a pinched nerve feeling in the lower back, but others can experience more drastic symptoms.

There are several reasons why the space for your nerves narrows. The most common originates from aging. As you get older, your body naturally produces bone spurs to accommodate for any wear and tear. These bone spurs that form limit the amount of space your spinal canal has for the nerves to travel through.

To make your spine more flexible and less prone to damage, your body has a soft cushion that acts as a shock absorber between your vertebrae. Over time, this cushion may dry, leaving the bone weaker than before. If the bone cracks, it allows for some of the inner material to seep through and press against the nerves.

Along with the lower back pain, other symptoms of spinal stenosis include numbness, tingling, and/or weakness in the foot or leg. When standing for long periods or walking, you may feel cramping or sharp pain in one or both legs. Sitting or bending forward may help reduce some of the pain.

Lumbar Herniated Disc

In between each vertebra are intervertebral discs that act as the shock absorbers in our spine. They provide cushioning that reduces any stress caused by impact. Over time, these discs begin to dry out and lose some of their squishiness. As a result, these discs become flatter and harder from the vertebrae wearing them down. This process is also known as disc degeneration.

A herniated disc originates from pressure or stress placed on these flatter and harder intervertebral discs. The pressure causes the discs to dislodge themselves, and they may press themselves against any spinal nerve roots.

The most common symptoms for a lumbar herniated disc tend to be sciatica, weakness, lower back pain and loss of bladder or bowel control. You’ll feel numbness, weakness, pain or burning sensation that runs down the buttocks and the length of your leg. You’ll have a hard time walking or lose leg function entirely.

Even if you don’t experience any of the other symptoms listed above, if you lose control of your bladder or bowel functions, seek medical help immediately.

Spinal Tumor

In worst-case scenarios, a spinal tumor is a cause of your lower back pain. They are usually an abnormal mass of tissue in your spine that grows at an uncontrollable rate. These tumors can either be primary or secondary.

Primary tumors originate in the spinal column and conform around bones, discs, nerves or other parts of the spine. In most cases, primary spinal tumors are noncancerous and occur primarily in younger people. Secondary tumors are more dangerous and pose a greater risk to your health. These tumors do not originate in your spine but spread there from cancer somewhere else in your body. Cancerous cells from areas such as the lungs, breast or prostate travel through the spine and can become lodged.

Symptoms with a spinal tumor are a little difficult to identify. In general, if you feel any sort of back pain without moving or while lying down, you may have a spinal tumor. If left unchecked, the pain can extend to other parts of your body, such as the leg, arm, hip and feet.

Also, be wary of loss of sensation or muscle weakness, stiff neck, decreased sensitivity to pain, heat and cold, loss of bowel functions, paralysis or scoliosis.

8 Cause of Back Pain on One Side from Organ Issues

Your spine isn’t the only part of your body that can cause lower back pain. For many of us, the pain originates from an issue with one of our internal organs. These issues can be with muscles, the digestive tract, kidneys, reproductive organs and a few others.

Back Strain or Sprain

Back strains or sprains are the most common reason for lower back pain. Strains and sprains affect either your muscles, ligaments or tendons. Athletes and those who participate in physically intensive activities or jobs are more likely to suffer from a back strain or sprain, but it can affect everyone. Lifting, sleeping, walking, and accidents can easily cause our backs to contort into uncomfortable positions.

When we apply excess stress and pressure to our backs, it can cause the ligaments, tendons and muscles to strain, leading to twisting, pulling or tearing. The pain will usually occur immediately or shortly after the injury. If you twist your back too far, your body will immediately tell you with a shooting pain through the affected area. You might also experience muscle cramping, spasms and decreased movement of the area.

Kidney Infection/ Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are hard masses that form inside the kidney, usually consisting of insoluble calcium compounds. As the stones travel through your kidneys or ureters, thin tubes that connect your kidneys with your bladder, it can cause an intense jabbing sensation in the lower back. You may also experience intense pain or difficulty with urinating. In more serious situations, you might notice blood in your urine, feel nauseated, or vomit.

Rather than a kidney stone, kidney infections can also cause lower back pain. The infection tends to start somewhere in the urinary tract or bladder. It then makes its way to the kidneys, where it causes inflammation. Like with most infections, it can bring on a fever, nausea, vomiting and a painful or stinging sensation while urinating.

Appendicitis

The appendix is a small, narrow pouch that extends off the colon. Appendicitis occurs when a blockage or infection affects the pouch. The appendix becomes inflamed and irritated. You will feel an intense pain on the right side of your abdomen that can extend to the right lower back.

Appendicitis is a serious medical condition that you should not take lightly. You should keep an eye out for any of the symptoms and seek medical attention immediately if you feel a combination of them. Symptoms of appendicitis include:

bloating or excessive gas
swelling in the abdomen
loss of appetite
vomiting
nausea
constipation
diarrhea

Appendicitis will not heal on its own and requires immediate surgery to remove the afflicted appendix. Contact a doctor or emergency room as quickly as possible to prevent serious damage from occurring.

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease. It is a chronic condition that results in an inflammation of the large intestine or colon. Ulcerative colitis affects the lining of your intestine and can lead to ulcers and other serious medical conditions if left unchecked. Ulcerative colitis can cause ongoing diarrhea that contains blood or pus. You may feel discomfort in your abdominal area or increased and painful cramping symptoms, causing pain around the lower back area. While there is no known cure for this disease, you can receive treatments to help reduce the symptoms and allow you to better function.

Due to the serious nature of the disease, you should be aware of any of the symptoms that doctors associate with the disease. The most common symptom is the blood or pus in the stool. You may also experience a sudden loss in weight usually due to a loss in appetite.

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas produces enzymes to help with your digestion and with your body’s ability to process sugar. Pancreatitis occurs when these enzymes remain inside the pancreas rather than in the stomach. It damages the lining of your pancreas and can cause upper abdominal pain that spreads to the lower back region. For some, the pain is a dull sensation that grows in irritation and pain from eating, specifically foods high in fat.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a debilitating disorder that affects women specifically. The endometrium is the tissue that lines the inside of the uterine wall. For some women, their body produces the same tissue outside of the uterus or on the opposite side of the uterine wall. It can easily affect a woman’s ovaries and fallopian tubes.

What makes endometriosis a serious medical condition is that the endometrium tissue functions the same outside the uterus as it does inside. It still thickens, sheds and bleeds during each menstrual cycle. While the inside of the uterus has a natural opening to expel the tissue, the outside wall does not. The endometrium becomes trapped inside the body.

Pregnancy

Lower back pain is a common side effect of pregnancy. As the baby grows inside the uterus, the woman’s body accommodates by shifting its organs accordingly. Lower back pain can be a cause of the uterus pressing against an internal organ, or it can add extra stress and pressure to the spinal column.

While the pain is directly linked to pregnancy, you can alleviate some of the pain by adjusting your posture and giving yourself enough back support.

Testicular Torsion

Men also suffer from gender-specific issues that result in symptoms of lower back pain. Testicular torsion is one such medical condition that results from twisting of the testicle inside the scrotum. When the testicle twists, it bends and tightens the spermatic cord that brings blood to the scrotum. Without a constant blood supply, the afflicted testicle may swell and emits sudden and severe pain.

Although testicular torsion affects the testicles, the pain can be severe enough to migrate its way to the lower back. The pain can lead to nausea, vomiting and blood in the semen. If you notice a sudden and severe pain in your groin followed by swelling, you should seek medical attention immediately. Surgery is the best solution to mend testicular torsion, but if left unchecked for too long, the doctor may recommend the removal of the testicle.

When Should You go to a Doctor?

Sometimes, lower back pain goes away on its own. As long as you allow the afflicted area to relax, the pain might recede However, that is not always the case. In some instances, the reason for the back pain is more severe and needs medical attention. Here are some telltale symptoms to look out for.

The pain spreads from your back down your legs or up your arms.
Your legs become weak, numb, tingly or immovable.
You have difficulties controlling your bowel movements.
There is blood in your urine.
You have a fever and/or abdominal pain
You were in an accident that resulted in back pain
You have unexplained weight loss.
The pain is deep, dull and usually in one spot.

If you don’t experience any of these symptoms, don’t hesitate to see a doctor anyway. It’s better to have the doctor tell you nothing is wrong than say you should have come sooner.

Schedule a Visit

If you feel that you are currently suffering through any of these 12 causes for lower back pain, schedule an appointment today. The Spine INA is your go-to specialist for lower back pain. Give them a call at (609) 371-9100 or contact them online.

No one should have to live with lower back pain, so why should you?