Lower Left Back Pain

Published: January 04, 2018
Dear TeenHealthFX,

I just recently woke up and I had some slight lower left back pain. When I went downstairs, I tried stretching it out by moving my back in the opposite direction, and it caused the pain to worsen. Now if I move too much, it hurts, and I can barely change positions. I'm afraid I might have pulled a muscle and I'll be like this all day. I don't want to be bed-ridden and I want to resolve this issue as soon as possible. I don't know if I should go to the hospital because I don't want them sticking a needle in my back. What should I do? Extra Details: At one point during the night, my alarm on my phone woke me up. I quickly turned and shut off the phone

Signed: Lower Left Back Pain

Dear Lower Left Back Pain,

Back pain and stiffness are most often caused by a pulled muscle, strained ligament, or bruising. There are a few reasons why you may be experiencing this pain, including:

  • Sitting and/or sleeping for long hours in poor posture positions
  • Aggressive physical activity (Ex: Playing a sport)
  • Heavy school bags/backpacks
  • Excess weight/obesity
  • Puberty
  • Stress 

 

Symptoms of back pain usually disappear within a week without special treatment. FX suggests the following:

  • Rest and relax your body
  • Engage in mild stretching 
  • Take breaks from time spent on your phone and/or computer, in order to reduce the possibility of poor posture. 

 

If you find that this back pain continues, TeenHealthFX suggests scheduling an appointment with your physician and/or physical therapist. If you don't have a doctor and live in northern New Jersey, you can call the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at 973-971-5199 for an appointment with an adolescent medicine specialist. You can also contact your insurance company for a list of in-network providers. 

TeenHealthFX recomends the following resources:

Signed: TeenHealthFX

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