Acute Low Back Pain Quiz
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Low back pain
Pain in the lower back worsens when standing up
Pain in the lower back with slouching
Pain in the spine
I have back pain
Low back pain when standing straight
Pain on one side started first
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Acute Low Back Pain?
Sudden pain in the lower back can be caused by muscle strain, such as after lifting heavy objects or coughing vigorously. In some cases, the pain is apparent upon waking up and no preceding cause is found.
Typical Symptoms of Acute Low Back Pain
- Symptoms started with lower back pain on one side only
- Back pain worse with exercise
- Lower back pain triggered by lifting objects or bending forward
- Lower back pain when standing up straight
- Difficulty walking normally
- Lower back pain
- Difficulty standing up from sitting position
- Lower back pain worse when getting up from sitting
Diagnostic Questions for Acute Low Back Pain
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Did you have lower back pain on one side only when your symptoms started?
- Does your back pain worsen after exercising?
- Do you have lower back pain when lifting objects or bending forward?
- Do you have lower back pain when you stand up straight?
- Do you have difficulty walking normally?
Treatment of Acute Low Back Pain
This condition usually improves without treatment. Reducing strenuous activities, taking a short period of bed rest, and using warm compresses can help. In severe cases, seeing a physiotherapist and taking medications to reduce pain and muscle spasms can be helpful.
Reviewed By:
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Family Medicine)
Dr.Patel serves as Center Medical Director and a Primary Care Physician at Oak Street Health in Arizona. She graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine prior to working in clinical research focused on preventive medicine at the University of Illinois and the University of Nevada. Dr. Patel earned her MSc in Global Health from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her Family Medicine residency in Chicago at Norwegian American Hospital before completing a fellowship in Leadership in Value-based Care in conjunction with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned her MBA. Dr. Patel’s interests include health tech and teaching medical students and she currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.
Content updated on Feb 19, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
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- Difficulty walking in a straight line with one foot directly in front of the other
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- Waddling gait
- Need to hold into something for supoport while walking
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See full list
Symptoms Related to Acute Low Back Pain
Diseases Related to Acute Low Back Pain
FAQs
Q.
Still in Pain? Why Your Laminectomy Stalls & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Persistent pain after a laminectomy can result from slow nerve healing, scar tissue, incomplete decompression, spinal instability, recurrent disc herniation, adjacent segment problems, or non-spine sources, and urgent signs like new weakness, bowel or bladder changes, fever, or severe unrelenting pain require immediate care. Medically approved next steps include surgeon re-evaluation with imaging, structured physical therapy, targeted medications or image-guided injections, pain management, and revision surgery only when clearly indicated. There are several factors to consider that could change your next move, so see the complete guidance below.
References:
* Al-Obaidi S, Alwan A, Abood Z, et al. Failed Back Surgery Syndrome: A Narrative Review of Etiology, Diagnosis, and Management. *Diagnostics (Basel)*. 2022;12(11):2795. doi:10.3390/diagnostics12112795
* Ma S, Zhang K, Li Q, et al. Post-Laminectomy Syndrome. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023.
* Tonn JC, Stoyanov B, Goldbrunner R, et al. Failed Back Surgery Syndrome: Definition, Etiology, and Treatment. *World Neurosurg Suppl*. 2022;160:e1-e11. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2022.05.022
* Thomson S, Jacques L. Failed back surgery syndrome: a comprehensive review of diagnosis and management. *Pain Manag*. 2019;9(4):387-402. doi:10.2217/pmt-2018-0050
* Daniell NR, Joann C. Failed back surgery syndrome: review of medical causes and management. *F1000Res*. 2019;8:F1000 Faculty Rev-256. doi:10.12688/f1000research.17641.1
Q.
Back Pain? Why Your Spine is Aching & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Back pain is usually mechanical and short-lived, caused by strain to muscles, discs, joints, or nerves, and it often improves with staying active, heat or ice, short-term over-the-counter pain relievers, posture fixes, and physical therapy. There are several factors to consider, including urgent red flags like new bladder or bowel problems, groin numbness, fever, severe leg weakness, or a major injury, and the fact that imaging is usually unnecessary in the first 6 weeks; see the complete step-by-step guidance and warning signs below to decide the safest next steps in your care.
References:
* Shokraneh, F., Eghbal, S., Montazeri, A., Hosseini, H., Kazemi, S., & Shokraneh, F. (2021). Prevalence, Causes, and Economic Burden of Low Back Pain: A Scoping Review. *Pain and Therapy*, *10*(4), 1335-1352.
* Qaseem, A., Chou, R., Humphrey, L. L., Forciea, M. A., & Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians. (2021). Non-pharmacologic and Noninvasive Therapies for Low Back Pain: An Update of a Living Clinical Guideline From the American College of Physicians. *Annals of Internal Medicine*, *174*(12), 1735-1741.
* Foster, N. E., Anema, J. R., Cherkin, D., Chou, R., Cohen, S. P., Gross, D. P., ... & Van Tulder, M. W. (2021). Prevention and treatment of low back pain: evidence, challenges, and promising directions. *The Lancet*, *397*(10290), 2368-2384.
* Deyo, R. A., & Mirza, S. K. (2022). Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Low Back Pain. *JAMA*, *327*(12), 1184-1185.
* O'Keeffe, M., O'Sullivan, P., O'Sullivan, K., & Dankaerts, W. (2021). Exercise therapy for chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. *Physical Therapy Reviews*, *26*(6), 461-477.
Q.
Back Pain? Why Your Vertebrae Ache and the Medical Steps to Recovery
A.
Most aching that seems to come from the vertebrae is usually mechanical, from muscle or ligament strain, age related disc changes or herniation, and arthritis, with fractures, infection, or cancer being less common. Recovery is typically nonoperative, stay active, use short term pain relief, start physical therapy, reserve imaging for persistent symptoms or red flags, and consider injections or surgery only when clearly indicated. There are several factors to consider, including urgent signs like bladder or bowel changes, severe leg weakness, groin numbness, high fever, or major trauma, so see the complete guidance below to understand key red flags and step by step actions that can shape your next healthcare decisions.
References:
* Chou R, Samartzis D, Wong YW. A Review of the Causes and Management of Low Back Pain. Cureus. 2019 Jun 24;11(6):e5001. doi: 10.7759/cureus.5001. PMID: 31448101; PMCID: PMC6657922.
* Qaseem A, Wilt TJ, McLean DM, Forciea MA; Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians. Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2017 Apr 4;166(7):514-530. doi: 10.7326/M16-2070. Epub 2017 Feb 14. PMID: 28192789.
* Urquhart DM, Karran EL, Van Middelkoop M, Winstanley EL, Brennan-Olsen SL, Wiggers N, Cicuttini FM. The Role of Vertebral Endplate Defects in Back Pain. Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2020 Feb;18(1):51-57. doi: 10.1007/s11914-020-00566-0. Epub 2020 Jan 21. PMID: 31965313.
* Foster NE, Anema JR, Cherkin D, Chou R, Cohen SP, Gross DP, Ferreira PH, Fritz JM, Koes BW, Peul WC, O'Sullivan P, Ueberall MA, van der Heijden GJ, Woolf A; Lancet Low Back Pain Series Working Group. Prevention and treatment of low back pain: evidence, challenges, and promising directions. Lancet. 2018 Jun 9;391(10137):2368-2383. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30489-6. Epub 2018 Mar 21. PMID: 29573872.
* Maher C, Underwood M, Buchbinder R. Non-specific low back pain. Lancet. 2017 Feb 18;389(10070):736-747. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30970-9. Epub 2016 Oct 20. PMID: 27769516.
Q.
Lordosis Pain? Why Your Spine Is Over-Curving + Medical Next Steps
A.
Lordosis pain usually comes from an excessive inward lumbar curve driven by posture problems, muscle imbalances, extra abdominal weight, pregnancy, or spine conditions like spondylolisthesis; it is often manageable without surgery through targeted physical therapy, core and glute strengthening, hip flexor stretching, and posture and daily habit changes. There are several factors to consider, including when to get imaging, which red flag symptoms need urgent care, and how options like bracing, injections, weight management, or rare surgery fit into your plan; see below for complete details and step-by-step next medical steps that can impact your care.
References:
* Kim K, Park J. Lumbar hyperlordosis: a narrative review of causes, clinical manifestations, and treatments. J Phys Ther Sci. 2023 Aug;35(8):570-575. doi: 10.1589/jpts.35.570. Epub 2023 Aug 18. PMID: 37626952; PMCID: PMC10437452.
* Wang X, Ma S, Li B, Zhai S, Liu S, Li Y, Wu W. The Relationship between Lumbar Lordosis and Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Med. 2021 Sep 16;10(18):4208. doi: 10.3390/jcm10184208. PMID: 34575997; PMCID: PMC8469375.
* Dolp R, Meier C, Kliziński P, Drerup B, Reichel H, Kappe T. Validity and reliability of common methods for assessing sagittal spinal alignment: a systematic review. Eur Spine J. 2020 Sep;29(9):2121-2139. doi: 10.1007/s00586-020-06480-1. Epub 2020 May 15. PMID: 32415518.
* Al-Mohannadi M, Salameh N, Daas Z, Khaddaj E, Al-Thani H. Effectiveness of Exercises on Lumbar Lordosis in Individuals with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review. J Clin Med. 2022 Aug 10;11(16):4667. doi: 10.3390/jcm11164667. PMID: 36015694; PMCID: PMC9409893.
* Zhang Y, Fan Y, Zhu Q, Zhang C, Liu D, Ma Z. Surgical correction of lumbar hyperlordosis: a systematic review of techniques and outcomes. Spine J. 2024 Apr;24(4):681-692. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2023.11.011. Epub 2024 Jan 31. PMID: 38317769.
Q.
Shooting Leg Pain? Why Your Sciatica Is Misfiring & Your Next Steps to Relief
A.
Shooting leg pain that travels from your lower back down one leg is often sciatica, a misfiring nerve signal from irritation or compression due to things like a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, piriformis irritation, or spondylolisthesis, and most cases improve with time, smart movement, and targeted care. Know the red flags and next steps: seek urgent care for new bladder or bowel loss, groin numbness, or rapidly worsening leg weakness, and otherwise use gentle activity, heat or ice, NSAIDs if safe, posture changes, and physical therapy, with imaging or injections considered if symptoms last beyond 6 to 8 weeks; there are several factors to consider, and important details that could change your plan are outlined below.
References:
* Konstantinou, T. M., Gkouvas, V. A., Gkotsis, G. K., Kouridakis, P. G., & Nikolaou, G. K. (2020). Sciatica: Diagnosis and Management for the General Practitioner. *American Family Physician*, *101*(9), 566–574. PMID: 32379374.
* Oh, J., & Kim, E. (2019). Diagnosis and Treatment of Lumbar Radiculopathy. *PM & R : the Journal of Injury, Function, and Rehabilitation*, *11*(7), 785–794. PMID: 31238478.
* Luijsterburg, P. A. J., Verhagen, A. P., & Ostelo, R. W. G. (2018). Conservative management of sciatica. *Journal of Pain Research*, *11*, 893–909. PMID: 29713217.
* Dydyk, A. M., & Massa, R. N. (2023). Sciatica. In *StatPearls*. StatPearls Publishing. PMID: 30009653.
* D'Andrea, G., Cattani, L., & Meagher, S. (2018). Sciatica: diagnosis, treatment and future directions. *The Spine Journal*, *18*(12), 2320–2332. PMID: 30206143.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Casazza BA (2012). Diagnosis and treatment of acute low back pain. American family physician.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22335313/Atlas SJ, Deyo RA (2001). Evaluating and managing acute low back pain in the primary care setting. Journal of general internal medicine.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11251764/Patel AT, Ogle AA (2000). Diagnosis and management of acute low back pain. American family physician.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10750882/