Lower Back and Leg Pain

A variety of treatments can relieve lower back pain and ease the discomfort of leg pain. Finding the right treatment begins with accurately diagnosing what’s causing your symptoms. Common lumbar and sacral spine conditions include:

• Compression fracture  – A compression fracture occurs when tiny cracks form in your vertebrae and weaken the bones. Eventually, these cracks may cause the vertebrae to collapse on one another. Osteoporosis, a bone-thinning disease, is a common cause. Symptoms of a compression fracture may include pain that worsens when walking or standing, difficulty bending or twisting, loss of height and a curved, stooped shape to the spine.
• Degenerative disk disease  – Disks that cushion your vertebrae may deteriorate over time. As a result, it can be harder for the spine to move. Pain can be mild to moderate. It may improve when standing, shifting positions or reclining.
• Herniated disk  – A herniated disk occurs when the soft, jelly-like center of a disk that cushions your vertebrae pushes through a tear in a disk. It may cause back pain, as well as arm or leg pain. Pain may increase when bending down or lifting something. Arm or leg pain, numbness or tingling, and weakness are also possible.
• Muscular problems – It’s easy to strain or sprain a muscle in your lower back during exercise, movement or incorrect lifting. These movements may result in dull, achy pain that may feel worse when you move around and feel better with rest. You might hear a pop at the time of your injury. Other possible symptoms include muscle spasms, cramps, stiffness or difficulty walking.
• Sacroiliac joint pain  – Sacroiliac joint pain can occur after an injury or develop over time. As you grow older, the cartilage of your joints can wear away or become stiff. As a result, bones rub against each other, causing pain. You may feel the pain in your lower hip, groin or upper thigh. You may also experience numbness, tingling or weakness in your leg. These symptoms may get worse when sitting, standing, walking, sleeping or climbing stairs.
• Sciatica – In most cases, sciatica occurs when a herniated disk or overgrowth of bone puts pressure on the roots of your sciatic nerve. This pressure may cause pain from your lower back to your buttock and the back of your thigh or calf. The pain can be mild, sharp or burning. Often, it’s worse when coughing, sneezing or sitting for a long time.
• Spinal stenosis  – The vertebrae and disks that make up your spine form a hollow opening where your spinal cord passes through. Sometimes, this area can narrow and pinch your spinal cord and nerves. Possible symptoms include neck pain or stiffness, sciatica, difficulty walking or standing, and numbness in your shoulders, arms or hands.
• Spinal osteoarthritis – Everyday activities or repeated strenuous tasks that put stress on your lower back can cause the joints and disks in your lumbar spine to break down. Bony spurs that put pressure on nerves that run along the spine can also develop. If you have this condition, you may have stiffness in your lower back, weakness or numbness in your legs, or pain that improves when lying down.
• Spondylolisthesis – This condition occurs when one vertebra slips out of place onto the vertebra below it. If it presses against a nerve, it may cause symptoms, including pain in your back, buttocks or legs. You may notice that your muscles are tight, and you also have trouble standing or walking.

With unmatched experience in diagnosing and treating spine pain, your condition will be carefully evaluated by the team of experts at the Spine Center as we work with you to develop a customized treatment plan. Highly skilled and caring providers, plus state-of-the-art technology and treatments, means you’re at the right place for exceptional patient care.

Affiliations with OrthoCincy Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and Mayfield Brain & Spine ensure you receive the highest possible level of spine care.