Lower Left Back Pain

You may feel lower back pain on just one side of the body that may be constant or come and go. It can be caused by an injury to your muscles, ligaments, or spine. It may also indicate a problem with an abdominal organ like your kidneys.

What causes lower left back pain

The most common causes of lower left back pain are:

soft tissue damage of muscles or ligaments that support the spine
injury to the spinal column, such as discs or facet joints of the spine
a condition involving internal organs such as kidneys, intestines, or reproductive organs

Soft tissue damage

When muscles in the lower back are strained (overused or overstretched), or ligaments are sprained (overstretched or torn), inflammation can occur. Inflammation can lead to muscle spasm which can result in pain.

Spinal column damage

Lower back pain from spinal column damage is commonly caused by:

herniated lumbar discs
osteoarthritis in facet joints
dysfunction of sacroiliac joints

Internal organ problems

Lower left back pain can be an indication of a problem with an abdominal organ such as:

kidney infection
kidney stones
pancreatitis
ulcerative colitis
gynecological disorders such as endometriosis and fibroids

Your lower left back pain could be caused by a serious condition. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:

unusual weakness in your lower body
tingling in your lower body
nausea
vomiting
shortness of breath
dizziness
confusion
fever
chills
painful urination
blood in the urine
incontinence

Treating lower left back pain

Self-care

The first step in treating lower back pain is commonly self-care such as:

Rest. Take a day or two off from strenuous activity.
Avoidance. Avoid or minimize activities or positions that aggravate your pain.
OTC medication. Over the counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory pain medications such as aspirin (Bayer), ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) can help reduce discomfort.
Ice/heat therapy. Cold packs can reduce swelling, and heat can increase blood flow and relax muscle tension.

See your doctor

A visit to your doctor, the second step in treating lower back pain, may be necessary if your self-care efforts are not producing results. For lower back pain, your doctor might prescribe:

Muscle relaxants. Drugs such as baclofen (Lioresal) and chlorzoxazone (Paraflex) are commonly used to reduce muscle tightness and spasms.
Opioids. Drugs such as fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic) and hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab) are sometimes prescribed for short-term treatment of intense lower back pain.
Injections. A lumbar epidural steroid injection administers a steroid into the epidural space, close to the spinal nerve root.
Brace. Sometimes a brace, often combined with physical therapy, can provide comfort, speed healing, and offer pain relief.