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The lower back

The lower back (lumbar spine) contains five bones (vertebrae) with discs between them. There are also ligaments, muscles, blood vessels and nerves throughout. The back is a very strong structure which is designed to carry heavy loads.

In most cases there is often no single structure responsible for the cause of pain.

Most back pain will get better with time, and surgery is rarely the answer. Scans and X-Rays are rarely needed for lower back pain, as normally they do not give the information that could help with a diagnosis. The information and links below provide lots of advice on your back pain and how you can begin to manage it.

 

Common back pain

Many patients have a combination of back pain, leg pain, leg numbness and weakness. These symptoms can be distressing for you but don't necessarily require emergency medical attention.

A rare but serious back condition, Cauda Equina Syndrome, can lead to permanent damage or disability and will need to be seen by an Emergency Specialist Spinal Team.

If you have any combination of the following symptoms, seek medical help immediately.

Cauda Equina Syndrome Warning Signs

  • Loss of feeling / pins and needles between your inner thighs / genitals

  • Numbness in or around your back passage or buttocks

  • Altered feeling when using toilet paper to wipe yourself

  • Increasing difficulty when you try to urinate

  • Increasing difficulty when you try to stop or control your flow of urine

  • Loss of sensation when you pass urine

  • Leaking urine or recent need to use pads

  • Not knowing when your bladder is either full or empty

  • Inability to stop a bowel movement or leaking

  • Loss of sensation when you pass a bowel motion

  • Change in ability to achieve an erection or ejaculate

  • Loss of sensation in genitals during sexual intercourse
     

Cauda Equina information - (These are wallet sized cards and are two pages)

Cauda Equina Syndrome Warning Card

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