A pinching sensation or pain in the lower back occurs when there is too much pressure on the nerves near the last five vertebrae of your back. This can be a painful condition and can gradually bring discomfort while carrying out the daily routine. It becomes necessary to visit a neurologist if the pain continues even after taking rest.
Symptoms of lower back nerve pinching
A pinched nerve in the lower back includes sharp pain and numbness with intermittent pain like stabbing sensations. There could be:
- Muscle spasms
- Reflex loss
- Weakness
Is it Sciatica pain?
Sciatica causes sharp pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness between your lower back till the ankles that feel like needles and pins. The symptoms can worsen with sudden movements like sneezing. Even normal walking becomes difficult. However, it is not sciatica if you have pain only in the lower back.
What causes pinching nerve pain in the back?
There is no particular reason for the pinching nerve pain in the back as it may start due to no reason or due to some injury or fall. Most individuals between 30 and 50 years of age experience these symptoms. This is because the vertebrae compress with age and the discs degenerate with time.
A herniated disc is another common cause of nerve pain in the lower back. This condition is experienced due to aging, defect or wear and tear in the vertebrae. Few other possible reasons include:
- Bulging disc problem
- Osteoporosis or bone spur formation
- Spinal stenosis
- Degeneration
- Spondylosis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
Certain factors may result in pinching nerve pain in the lower back like:
- Poor posture due to long working hours on the computer
- Lack of proper exercises
- Lifting heavy items improperly
- Repetitive movements
- Obesity
- Smoking
Where to look for a good neurologist?
While looking for an experienced neurologist for your lower back sharp pain and numbness, take an appointment at South Valley Neurology which provides competent, comprehensive, and compassionate care for treating any kind of neurological disorder. This community-based multispecialty neurological center is located in Morgan Hill, California, and has been working very hard to establish and maintain its excellent reputation since 2011.
Their team of certified neurologists provides neurological care to patients of age 6 and above. At South Valley, patients receive routine EEGs or electroencephalograms in the office for accurate diagnosis while they also offer nerve conduction studies, balance testing, and cognitive testing as a part of their treatment process.
Diagnosing the lower back pinching nerve sensation
Your neurologist will physically look for any physical injuries in the lower back by checking for:
- Limited motion
- Balancing issues
- Reflex changes in your legs
- Muscle weakness
- Sensation in the lower parts of the body
This will be followed by an X-ray, MRI, and CT scan.
Treatment
There are some basic noninvasive treatments for lower back pinching nerve problems as advised by the doctor:
- Taking pain killers
- Physical therapy
- Home-based remedies like ice and heat packs, regular exercises, and adjusting your sleeping position.
When the basic treatment fails to provide any relief then the doctor might recommend steroid injections and ultimately surgery. Therefore, it is advised to follow the non-invasive methods diligently so that you get relief and can avoid surgery.