Experiencing lower back pain is quite common. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, near 80 percent of grownups have lower back pain at some point in their lives. The pain can vary in intensity from a dull ache to sharp sensations that affect your movement and quality of life.
You can mistake back pain for hip pain. The joint of your hip is near your spinal column. For that reason, injuries to your hip can resemble or cause back pain. In addition to hip and lower back pain, you may also experience:
- groin pain on the affected side;
- stiffness;
- pain while walking or moving;
- problems with sleeping.
It is easy to overwork the lower back and hips since they are responsible for lifting, twisting, and moving the legs and trunk. Pains due to overuse and minor injury prevail in these locations of the body.
Although this pain can become common for you, you should not ignore them. Rest and early treatment can substantially enhance a person's outlook.
The causes are similar for both males and females. The following are some of the most typical reasons for lower back and hip pain.
Sprains and Strains
Sprains and strains are a common cause of discomfort around the back and hips. A sprain is a torn or overstretched ligament, while a strain is a torn or overstretched tendon or muscle.
Individuals with sprains and strains are most likely to experience pain that increases with activity and improves with rest.
Common causes of sprains and strains in this location include:
- sports injuries;
- a fall or trauma;
- awkwardly twisting the body;
- lifting heavy objects.
Playing a sport or participating in other exercises without a proper warm-up can add to muscle strain.
Damage to the ligaments, tendons, or muscles in the hip or lower back can cause:
- muscle pain;
- muscle weakness;
- tenderness;
- swelling;
- lowered range of movement.
Treatment:
Individuals will generally find that their symptoms improve with a couple of rest days.
Stretching can quicken recovery. Applying a cloth-covered ice pack to the affected location for 10 to 15 minutes at a time can also help.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, can minimize the discomfort and swelling that these muscle injuries cause.
If these treatments do not help, the injury may be more severe, for instance, a muscle tear. In this case, an individual must see their physician.
Tight Hip Flexors
The hip flexors are muscles that extend from the hips to the knees. They are responsible for the range of movement in the legs and hips. If these muscles are stiff and tight, often due to staying in a seated position for too long, a person might experience back and hip pain.
Hip flexor strains, which are strains in the hip flexor muscles, can likewise cause sharp pain in the back and hips.
Symptoms of tight hip flexor muscles include:
- inflammation in the upper leg
- muscle spasm in the hips or thighs;
- soreness in the hips and thighs.
Some people may also experience a sense of weakness when trying to kick the leg or raise the knee toward the chest.
Treatment:
Physical therapy workouts and stretches can help relieve tight hip flexors and minimize pain. Examples consist of pulling the knee towards the chest or lunging one leg forward from a kneeling position to develop flexibility in the hips.
Preventing activities that can increase hip flexor tightness, such as sitting too long at a desk or wearing high heels for extended durations, can likewise help.
A Herniated Disk
A herniated disk takes place when one of the cushioning disks between the vertebrae slips out of place. The disk can put pressure on a nearby nerve, which might trigger tingling and burning pain in the lower back that reaches the hips and legs.
With age, you are getting more vulnerable to herniated disks since of the natural wear and tear of the spine that occurs with time. Also, the disks likewise end up being less flexible.
Typical causes of a herniated disk:
- inappropriate lifting or twisting while lifting;
- a fall or injury;
- being overweight;
- repetitive pressure on the back;
- driving for long periods;
- cigarettes.
Signs of a herniated disk:
- sciatica, or a sharp, shooting discomfort from the buttocks down the back of one leg
- numbness in the leg or foot;
- muscle weak point in the leg or foot.
In extreme cases, individuals might experience a loss of bowel and bladder function. If this occurs, they must go to the health center or call 911 right away.
Treatment:
The treatment for a herniated disk involves eliminating pain while it recovers. Bed rest will typically ease the pain too.
Some other treatment alternatives:
- physical therapy exercises;
- taking NSAIDs to eliminate pain and inflammation;
- epidural steroid injections, which include injecting corticosteroids into the epidural area, including the inflamed nerves.
In extreme cases, a medical professional might suggest surgery to correct a herniated disk.
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Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
The sacroiliac (SI) joints connect the lower portion of the spine to the pelvis. If these joints move excessive or insufficient, individuals may feel discomfort in the back and hips.
The symptoms of SI joint dysfunction include a hurting lower back that makes it challenging for a person to find a comfy position. The pain will usually get worse with physical activity, such as running or climbing upstairs.
A herniated disk and arthritis can cause symptoms comparable to those of SI joint dysfunction.
Treatment:
Treatment alternatives for SI joint dysfunction:
- NSAIDs to alleviate discomfort and inflammation
- physical therapy workouts to strengthen the core and pelvic muscles
- stretching and using ice to the affected locations
- the injection of a steroid into the SI joint
A physician may suggest that an individual has corticosteroid injections to decrease back inflammation. In unusual instances, they might advise surgery to fuse the joints.
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis of the back can lead to the breakdown of the protective and cushioning cartilage of the spine. This loss of cushioning can trigger the bones of the back to rub together and put higher pressure on the nerves, including the nerves that go to the lower back and hips.
Arthritis in the back and hips causes joint stiffness and pain. A person might likewise experience weakness in the legs and hips, which can influence on their everyday activities.
Treatment:
Doctors don't have a remedy for arthritis, but people can handle their symptoms utilizing medication and some life methods like:
- exercises that strengthen the back and hips muscles to enhance flexibility and range of motion;
- attempting home remedies for arthritis;
- alternative treatments, such as massage, acupuncture, and nutritional supplementation;
- surgery, if arthritis triggers significant spine canal constricting
- NSAIDs.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis that mostly impacts the spinal column, causing chronic swelling in the spine joints. Lower back and hip pain are often some of the very first signs that an individual with ankylosing spondylitis experiences.
Symptoms consist of muscle pain and stiffness that is generally even worse in the early morning. Some other symptoms:
- low-grade fever
- appetite loss
- malaise, which is an underlying feeling of pain
Treatment:
There is no treatment for ankylosing spondylitis. However, just like other types of arthritis, people can manage the condition with a wide choice of medical and at-home treatments.
Prescription medications, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers and NSAIDs, can help. Specific lifestyle activities, including doing routine exercise, icing impacted areas, and not cigarette smoking, can also help.
Paget's Disease
Paget's disease of bone is an unusual condition that affects an estimated 1% of people in the United States, according to the American College of Rheumatology.
This condition triggers a person's bones to redesign unusually, leading to bone softening, which can affect the pelvis, lower back, hips, and arms. An individual with Paget's illness has more danger of bone pain and fractures.
The symptoms of Paget's disease consist of:
- hip ache;
- hearing loss;
- bowed legs, where the knees are wider apart than usual;
- headaches;
- tingling and tingling down the legs.
Treatment:
The treatment for Paget's illness includes medications to decrease the possibility of the bones breaking. Physicians usually prescribe medicines to treat osteoporosis. In unusual cases, a medical professional might recommend surgical treatment to fix bones and bring back alignment.
When to see a physician?
Individuals ought to look for emergency attention if they experience any of the following symptoms together with lower back and hip discomfort:
- loss of bowel and bladder function
- inability to move one or both legs
- loss of sensation in one or both legs
- noticeable deformity in the legs or back, such as the inability to stand up straight.
If a person experiences less severe signs that do not enhance with rest and non-prescription treatments, they must visit their physician. A doctor can examine their symptoms, make a diagnosis, and recommend the most effective treatments.
Summary
When a person experiences lower back and hip discomfort simultaneously, there may be an underlying injury or medical condition, causing both of these signs. In other cases, the causes may be distinct.
Lower back and hip pain can make performing everyday activities tough. If these symptoms do not resolve or unexpectedly become worse, you should attempt medical care.
Regardless of the cause, early treatment helps improve the outlook of an individual with back and hip pain. Without treatment, some causes of the pain can get worse and may eventually affect an individual's mobility and lifestyle.
