What is the cause of my sharp back pain? How can I treat it effectively? Find answers to these and other key questions about sudden, severe back pain.

Understanding the Causes of Sharp Back Pain

Sudden, sharp back pain can be an alarming and debilitating experience. However, it is important to understand that there are various potential causes behind this type of acute back pain. Some of the most common mechanical issues that can lead to sharp back pain include:

Muscle Spasms

A muscle spasm, or a prolonged contraction of the back muscles, is often triggered by trauma or repetitive strain. This protective mechanism aims to shield the spine from further injury, but can result in intense, sharp pain.

Herniated Discs

A herniated or “slipped” disc can occur when the soft, inner part of a spinal disc protrudes through the outer, tougher layer. This can put pressure on nearby nerves, causing sharp, shooting pains that may radiate down the legs (known as sciatica).

Compression Fractures

Compression fractures, or breaks in the vertebrae, can be caused by trauma such as a fall or car accident, or by weakened bones due to conditions like osteoporosis. These fractures often produce very sharp, localized back pain.

Spinal Infections

In rare cases, a spinal infection known as osteomyelitis can lead to acute back pain, typically accompanied by fever and other symptoms.

Other Potential Causes of Sharp Back Pain

It’s important to note that not all sharp back pain is actually originating from the back itself. Certain internal conditions can also manifest as back pain, including:

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

A rupture or tear in the main abdominal artery, known as an abdominal aortic aneurysm, can cause severe, sudden back pain.

Kidney Infection

A kidney infection, or pyelonephritis, can sometimes be felt as sharp back pain, often accompanied by fever and other urinary symptoms.

Pleurisy

Pleurisy, or an inflammation of the lining of the lungs and chest, can also mimic the sensation of back pain.

When to Seek Medical Attention

If you experience sudden, sharp back pain, it’s important to consult your doctor, especially if the pain is severe, accompanied by other worrying symptoms, or appears to have no clear cause. Seeking prompt medical attention can help determine the underlying issue and provide appropriate treatment to get you on the road to recovery.

Treating Sharp Back Pain

The treatment for sharp back pain will depend on the underlying cause. Some common approaches include:

Conservative Treatments

For many cases of acute back pain, conservative treatments such as over-the-counter pain medication, heat/ice therapy, and gentle stretching and exercise can provide relief.

Physical Therapy

A physical therapist can develop a personalized treatment plan involving strengthening exercises, manual therapy techniques, and education on proper body mechanics to help address the root cause of the pain.

Medications

In some cases, prescription medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, or neuropathic pain medications may be necessary to manage acute back pain.

Interventional Treatments

For more severe or persistent cases, interventional treatments like epidural injections or minimally invasive spine procedures may be recommended by a specialist.

Preventing Future Sharp Back Pain

While some causes of sharp back pain may be unavoidable, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk and prevent future episodes:

Maintain Good Posture

Proper posture, whether sitting, standing, or performing activities, can help take pressure off the back and minimize strain on the muscles and spine.

Strengthen Core Muscles

Building up the core muscle groups that support the spine can help stabilize the back and reduce the likelihood of injury.

Practice Proper Lifting Techniques

When lifting heavy objects, be sure to use your legs, keep your back straight, and avoid twisting motions to prevent straining the back.

Stay Active

Regular exercise and physical activity can help maintain flexibility, strength, and overall spine health, reducing the risk of acute back pain episodes.

By understanding the potential causes of sharp back pain and taking proactive steps to address and prevent it, you can take control of your back health and get back to your daily activities pain-free.

Sharp Back Pain: Stabbing Pain in Back

Ouch! A sudden sharp pain in your back can stop you in your tracks. Unlike the dull ache of sitting too long at a computer or the gradual neck stiffness from too much driving, the cause of a sudden sharp pain in your back (also known as acute back pain) is not always obvious.

In fact, there are a number of common and less-common causes for acute back pain, and they are both mechanical and medical in nature.

Diagnosing Sharp Back Pain: Common Causes

Acute, sharp back pain caused by a mechanical problem within the back (meaning a problem with the bones, disks, ligaments, or muscles of the back) is one of the most common types of back pain. Some specific causes of acute, sharp back pain include:

• Muscle spasm. A muscle spasm is a prolonged contraction or stiffening of the back muscles, which can be triggered by trauma or repetitive strain. The back muscles spasm to protect the spine from further injury. A spasm can produce sharp back pain in either the upper or lower back.
• Herniated disk. A herniated disk — also called a bulging disk, slipped disk, ruptured disk, or pinched nerve — can also cause sudden, sharp back pain. It can result from the improper lifting of heavy objects or overly strenuous activity. Sharp back pain that shoots down through the buttocks into the legs, called sciatica, is a common symptom of a herniated disk.
• Compression fracture. This term refers to a fracture of the spine bones (vertebrae). It can be caused by trauma (a fall or car accident) or by weakened bones (osteoporosis), and the pain is often very sharp.
• Infection. Sometimes the vertebrae themselves can become infected in a rare condition known as osteomyelitis. With infection, back pain is usually accompanied by fever and other symptoms.

Other Causes of Sharp Back Pain

“Occasionally, sharp back pain that seems to be coming from the back is not really back pain at all,” says Cynthia Haines, MD, chief medical officer at HealthDay, a daily health news website based in Norwalk, Connecticut.

For example, rupture of the main artery in the abdomen (called a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm) can be a very serious cause of sharp back pain. Also, kidney infection (pyelonephritis) and an infection of the lining of the lungs and chest (pleurisy) can mimic back pain. In these cases, treatment of the underlying cause will usually resolve the back pain.

Keep in mind that it is always best to consult with your doctor.

“Anytime you experience a pain that comes on suddenly, with no apparent cause, you should call your doctor,” says Dr. Haines. She also advises a call to your doctor if the pain you are experiencing is anything other than very minor.

Other symptoms that require immediate medical attention include back pain with fever, numbness or tingling, shooting pains in the extremities or groin, progressive weakness, difficulty walking, or loss of bowel or bladder control.

Bottom line: There are many causes of sharp back pain, but most have simple treatment solutions. By talking with your doctor, you can determine the cause and get on the road to recovery — and back to your everyday activities as soon as possible.

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Spinal Stenosis | Spine Center | Condition

At UT Southwestern Medical Center, the expert team of doctors in the Spine Center specializes in all available evidence-based treatments for spinal stenosis – both medical and surgical.

Our multidisciplinary approach gives patients access to neurosurgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, pain management specialists, and physiatrists with one call. We strive to coordinate, facilitate, and expedite patient care and save our patients time.

Our Spine Center is one of only a few U.S. programs offering endoscopic surgery for the treatment of herniated discs – a potential cause of spinal stenosis.

About Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing in the spine that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. The condition can occur in the neck (cervical spinal stenosis), the middle of the spine (thoracic stenosis), or the lower spine (lumbar stenosis).

Spinal stenosis can be caused by injuries and diseases such as osteoarthritis and scoliosis.

Many people have no symptoms, but some people experience pain, numbness, or weakness in the neck or back.

The Spine Center offers our patients the most advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies and techniques for spinal stenosis, such as specialized spine imaging.

Diagnosing Spinal Stenosis

If we suspect spinal stenosis, we’ll conduct a physical examination and order additional testing. Tests, procedures, and spine imaging studies used to diagnose spinal stenosis can include:

• Bone scans
• Computed tomography (CT) scan
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Myelography
• Nerve conduction studies to measure electrical activity generated by muscles and nerves
• X-rays

Spinal Stenosis Treatments

After diagnosis, we’ll make sure patients see the right experts to treat their specific symptoms. Our Spine Center specialists treat spinal stenosis with therapies that include:

• Anti-inflammation drugs
• Biofeedback
• Cortisone injections
• Physical therapy
• Surgery

We’ll create a care plan that minimizes the number of visits a patient needs to make, while also providing all the support needed.

Research and Clinical Trials

UT Southwestern conducts clinical trials aimed at improving the treatment of spinal stenosis. Talk with our doctors to see if a clinical trial is available.

See More

Back and Spine;

Orthopaedics and Rehab

• Douglas Dickson, M.D.
• Kavita Trivedi, D.O.

July 3, 2019

Orthopaedics and Rehab

• Carlos Bagley, M. D.

June 5, 2017

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Spinal pain in the middle of the back | “Hello!”

Features and causes of pain syndrome

Doctors distinguish between acute and chronic manifestations of ailments. A pathological condition is considered acute if the pain manifests itself for the first time. If a person experiences discomfort constantly, with a periodic increase and decrease in the intensity of unpleasant symptoms, the pain is chronic.

Pain may be:

• throbbing;
• sharp, sharp;
• stabbing or cutting;
• pulling.

Sometimes the pain is accompanied by swelling or numbness of the back, arms, legs, face.

The causes of back pain in the thoracic spine may be associated with problems in different body systems. Most often they are caused by diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Reflected soreness is less common in pathologies of internal organs. In some cases, both factors take place: diseases of the spine, which is the “axis” of the whole organism, often lead to prolapse, displacement or compression of the internal organs.

Soreness with increased exertion

After intensive physical work, pulling pain often appears. It is most commonly caused by muscle tension and fatigue. Such sensations can occur after carrying weights, sitting for a long time (static load) or sports training. Women sometimes experience pulling pains during pregnancy.

Diseases of the spine

If pain is accompanied by tingling, cutting or heat in the spine, then it is most likely not due to muscle fatigue. Such symptoms usually signal diseases of the spine:

• arthrosis;
• retrolisthesis;
• osteochondrosis;
• deformations;
• protrusion or hernia.

These pathologies are characterized by chronic pain, which increases sharply after emotional stress, physical exertion or hypothermia.

The fact that it is the spine that hurts in the middle of the back is indicated by the following symptoms:

1. crunching or clicking when moving;
2. increasing stiffness;
3. increased pain when changing body position, turning the head and other movements;
4. coldness of hands and feet;
5. periodic numbness of hands, face, back, legs, neck;
6. sensation of “current” in the body;
7. frequent dizziness, migraine.

If the spine becomes numb in the middle of the back, this indicates compression or damage to the nerve roots. Left untreated, this problem can lead to spinal cord injury, loss of sensation, and loss of mobility.

If the spine hurts in the middle of the back when pressed, the pain is most likely caused by myositis or another inflammatory disease of the muscle tissue.

Soreness under stress

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system are not always the cause of pain. Often, pain in the collar region, thoracic region and lower back is caused by a stressful condition. Due to strong emotional stress, a person constantly strains his muscles, stoops, raises his shoulders – all this leads to uncomfortable sensations. To get rid of pain, you must first deal with stress. High efficiency is shown by spa treatment, manual therapy, massage and physiotherapy, including therapeutic baths.

Referred pains

If the ailment is caused by diseases of the internal organs, the following symptoms may accompany the pain:

• cough;
• shortness of breath;
• temperature increase;
• cardiac arrhythmias;
• constipation, diarrhea;
• vomiting;
• bloating;
• yellowish appearance of eyes and skin;
• plaque on the tongue.

In tuberculosis, the back hurts in the back of the lungs. With inflammation of the gallbladder or liver disease, pain occurs in the back and on the right under the ribs, while nausea appears, and sometimes the temperature rises. With inflammation of the kidneys, pain is accompanied by difficult or frequent urination.

Features of diagnosis

The presumptive reason why the spine hurts in the middle of the back can be determined by the nature of the discomfort and additional symptoms, but only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis. If you are only concerned about pain in the back, you should consult a neurologist or orthopedist. If discomfort appeared after a bruise or other injury, an examination by a traumatologist is needed. If you have a cough and fever, you may need to consult a phthisiatrician.

To establish the exact causes of pain in the middle of the back in the spine, various diagnostic procedures allow:

• X-ray;
• MRI;
• CT;
• Ultrasound of internal organs;
• ECG;
• laboratory tests.

MRI or X-rays in several planes reveal curvature of the spine, changes in the width of the vessels, damage to the intervertebral discs, displacement of the vertebrae. ECG, ultrasound and tests help to detect diseases of the internal organs.

Treatment for pain in the spine in the middle of the back

Pathologies of the musculoskeletal system (musculoskeletal system) and the complications caused by them require surgical treatment only in the later stages. In other cases, conservative methods are sufficient.

Mandatory elements of the treatment plan are:

• medication;
• physiotherapy;
• physiotherapy exercises;
• normalization of the regime of rest and work;
• healthy diet.

These measures are necessary to strengthen the ligaments and muscles in order to reduce the load on the spinal column and develop mobility. They also allow you to restore the integrity of the intervertebral discs and get rid of protrusions and hernias, eliminate pain, prevent inflammation, accelerate tissue regeneration and normalize blood circulation. As a result, along with soreness in the back, migraines and fatigue disappear. To speed up the treatment of osteochondrosis, arthrosis, intervertebral hernias, auxiliary therapy can be used: manual therapy, acupuncture, massage and other methods. Help improve well-being yoga and swimming.

Despite the apparent simplicity of the treatment plan, self-treatment in the event that the back hurts in the thoracic spine is contraindicated. When trying to calm the reflected pain on your own, the time needed to treat the pathologies of the internal organs will be lost. Inept massage or manipulations performed incorrectly during manual therapy can lead to rupture of the intervertebral discs. In addition, unqualified assistance can lead to the development of chronic intense pain, paresis or paralysis.

In the clinics of the “Zdravtstvuy!” network high-quality laboratory and diagnostic equipment is used, which makes it possible to detect diseases of the musculoskeletal system at an early stage. Experienced highly qualified doctors use both the latest and classic methods of treating musculoskeletal pathologies and diseases of internal organs. For the convenience of patients, all clinics are located near metro stations.

Why does my back hurt? Treatment of back pain

Why does my back hurt? Common problem – simple solutions

Most people suffer from back pain of varying intensity and location. Pain in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions can be caused by various reasons, but the most common of them is osteochondrosis of the spine. Also, the symptoms of back pain occur due to injuries, in more rare cases, they are a sign of a tumor, an infectious or autoimmune disease.

Most often, people who lead a sedentary lifestyle, who are overweight (which is an additional risk factor for developing osteochondrosis), as well as those who constantly have significant physical activity associated, for example, with weight lifting, complain of back pain. These are the main causes of back pain.

Back hurts a lot: what exactly is the pain?

• The back can hurt in different ways. With osteochondrosis, moderate pulling pain increases with physical exertion, coughing, sneezing, can give to the leg, mimic pain in the heart. In such cases, it is important to consult a doctor so as not to confuse osteochondrosis with angina pectoris and get the right treatment.
• In the presence of an intervertebral hernia, the back may hurt when bending or turning the body, moving, walking. In such cases, sharp pains in the back can occur. The pain can radiate to the legs, sometimes causing numbness in the lower extremities.
• With sciatica, there may also be complaints of leg numbness, itching or burning, pain may radiate to the buttock, thigh, and also intensify when walking and other movements.
• The back can hurt due to myositis – inflammation of the lumbar muscles, which occurs after severe overexertion or hypothermia.
• Another common cause of back pain is sciatica. In this case, pain often occurs in the sacrum, lower back, buttocks, and sometimes in the legs and feet.

If your back hurts all the time, the strength of the pain does not change with movement, does not go away with a change in body position, or increases, you should consult a doctor and find out the cause of the pain, as it can be caused by inflammatory and infectious diseases, as well as tumors of internal organs.

How to get rid of back pain?

Depending on the cause of the problem, back pain can be treated in different ways. The most effective and common of them are physiotherapy, physiotherapy exercises, swimming, as well as the use of drug therapy aimed at relieving inflammation and pain.

In many cases, a comprehensive approach to the treatment of back pain is recommended. Taking drugs that reduce pain allows you to quickly get rid of muscle spasm that occurs when compression or infringement of the nerve roots, normalize blood circulation and speed up recovery processes.