Symptoms and Complications
The pain from a muscle spasm in the back can travel down the buttocks and
leg. Joint pain in the lower back may spread down the backs of the thighs.
It's a stabbing pain at the time of the injury or a few days after. Someone
who has trouble getting out of a car or bed or rolling over often has back joint
pain. The pain lasts 4 to 14 days, and may return a few times a year. It usually
gets worse when the person bends backward. Also, there's usually more pain in
one leg than in the other.
Pain when bending forward is usually, but not always, a sign of a disc trouble,
as are short severe attacks of back pain alternating with longer bouts.
If someone has pain when bending both forward and backward, thinning discs have
probably thrown the back joints out of line, making them easy to strain. Thinning
discs can also make the back less flexible and pinch a nerve, causing sciatic
leg pain, which is pain that travels down the leg and possibly to the feet.
Sciatica gets worse when bending forward. If there's enough pressure on the
nerve, muscles can weaken and bowel and bladder problems may occur.
A herniated disc causes a constant back and leg pain. Intense persistent sciatic
pain going down the leg to the foot is a sure sign of a herniated disc.
Bone spurs jut out into the spinal cord and press on nerves, causing pain.
Spinal stenosis is usually not a major problem. However, if someone feels worsening
numbness or has trouble moving, they may need surgery for spinal stenosis.