Cause | Common Features* | Tests† |
---|---|---|
Common causes | ||
Sprains and strains | Pain that
| A doctor's examination |
Pain over a specific part of the spine, which sometimes
Usually in older people with pain and/or deformities in other joints | X-rays Sometimes MRI or CT (for osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis (OA) Osteoarthritis is a chronic disorder that causes damage to the cartilage and surrounding tissues and is characterized by pain, stiffness, and loss of function. Arthritis due to damage of joint... read more that is severe enough to cause nerve root pain) | |
Pain over a specific part of the spine, sometimes starting suddenly | X-rays Sometimes CT or MRI | |
Pain over a specific part of the spine that usually
| A doctor's examination Sometimes MRI Rarely CT | |
Pain over a specific part of the spine in the lower back that
Usually in older adults | A doctor's examination Sometimes MRI | |
Back pain that sometimes
| X-rays MRI or sometimes CT | |
Aching and stiffness in many areas of the body (not just the lower back) Sore areas that are tender to the touch Often poor sleep Most common among young or middle-aged women | A doctor's examination | |
Less common causes | ||
Stiffness, often worse immediately after awakening Progressive loss of back flexibility, often causing the back to hunch forward Sometimes a painful red eye and/or pain in other joints Often in young men | X-rays or occasionally MRI Blood tests | |
Numbness in the groin and around the anus Loss of bladder control Urinary Incontinence in Adults Urinary incontinence is involuntary loss of urine. Incontinence can occur in both men and women at any age, but it is more common among women and older adults, affecting about 30% of older women... read more and/or loss of bowel control Fecal Incontinence Fecal incontinence is the loss of control over bowel movements. Fecal incontinence can occur briefly during bouts of diarrhea or when hard stool becomes lodged in the rectum ( fecal impaction)... read more (incontinence) | MRI | |
Pain in a strip of skin on either the right or left side of the body, but not both Usually blisters develop on the painful strip of skin often after the pain starts | A doctor's examination | |
Cancer | Progressively worsening pain, regardless of position or activity Sometimes loss of appetite and/or weight | Usually x-rays MRI or CT |
Infection
| Progressively worsening, constant pain, regardless of position or activity Sometimes fever and/or night sweats Often in people who have had back surgery, who have an immune disorder Overview of Immunodeficiency Disorders Immunodeficiency disorders involve malfunction of the immune system, resulting in infections that develop and recur more frequently, are more severe, and last longer than usual. Immunodeficiency... read more , who take drugs that suppress the immune system Some Drugs That Can Cause Immunodeficiency , or who use IV drugs | Usually x-rays MRI or CT Blood tests |
* Features include symptoms and results of the doctor's examination. Features mentioned, including pain, are typical but not always present. † If pain resolves without treatment and no warning signs are present, testing may not be necessary. | ||
CT = computed tomography; IV = intravenous; MRI = magnetic resonance imaging. |