Pain in the Lower Right Back

If you experience pain in the lower right area of the back, you may start to worry about its root cause. Targeted pain in certain parts of the back can indicate spinal problems or even issues with major organs that may require immediate medical treatment.

Rest assured, most cases of pain in the lower right back can be effectively resolved with at-home care or conservative treatment from your physician. Nonetheless, understanding the warning signs of a medical emergency can help you get the care you need. 

Read on for a complete overview of pain in the lower right back, what can cause it, and when to seek medical attention. 

Table of Contents

Can Spinal Stenosis Cause Right Side Pain?

Spinal stenosis can cause right-side pain. In fact, if spinal stenosis causes neurological symptoms, it’s more likely to affect one side of the body. 

Back pain from spinal stenosis may feel like burning or aching that extends from the back down the buttocks to the legs. This pain often gets worse if you stand up or walk around, especially for long periods. Many people experience relief from spinal stenosis back pain when they lean 

forward. This puts the spine in flexion, which creates more space in the spinal canal. 

Is My Right Side Back Pain from Lumbar Spinal Stenosis?

When spinal stenosis affects the lumbar spine, it can cause pain, numbness, and cramping in one or both legs. This occurs when the narrowing spinal canal impinges on the nerves in the lumbar spinal canal, which supply the lower extremities. 

If you experience right-side back pain with neurological symptoms (burning, numbness, cramping, or tingling), you may be struggling with spinal stenosis. A neurologist, orthopedist, or other spinal specialist can provide a diagnosis and personalized treatment plan. 

Spinal Conditions That Can Cause Lower Right Back Pain

In addition to lumbar spinal stenosis, the following spinal conditions can lead to lower right back pain:

  • Spondylolisthesis: This condition occurs when spinal instability causes a vertebra to slip out of position onto the vertebra beneath it. If the affected vertebra impinges on spinal nerves, it can trigger lower right back pain, as well as pain that radiates to the lower extremities.   
  • Herniated discs: Spinal disc herniation occurs when part of the soft disc interior, called the nucleus, presses out through a crack in the exterior, called the annulus. This often results from age-related degeneration. If the herniated disc presses on nearby spinal nerves, it can trigger pain in the lower back and right side of the body. 
  • Osteoarthritis: Also known as wear and tear arthritis, this form of arthritis causes the cartilage that protects the joints to gradually wear away. If it affects the joints of the spine, it can lead to lower right back pain. 

Lower right back pain may be kidney-related if it occurs beneath your ribcage, feels deeper than other forms of back pain, and is constant. In general, however, kidney-related pain is felt in the upper portion of the back, rather than the lower back.

With that said, kidney problems can cause pain on one side of the back – either the right or left. Kidney pain is often confused with back pain, which can delay proper treatment and may lead to more serious medical complications. 

Kidney pain is often described as a dull, constant, and typically one-sided pain in the back or side of the body. Unlike back pain from spinal issues, kidney-related pain typically:

  • Doesn’t go away if you change position 
  • Can radiate to the groin, sides of the body, abdomen, or thigh, but not down the entire leg
  • Feels like it starts deep within the body

Kidney Problems That Can Cause Back Pain

Kidney problems that can cause back pain include:

  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs), which can cause severe back pain if they spread to the kidneys
  • Kidney stones, which can get stuck in the ureters and prevent the flow of urine, causing swelling in the kidneys
  • Trauma to the kidneys, which can cause swelling and damage
  • Polycystic kidney disease, a hereditary condition that leads to cyst formation on the kidneys
  • Kidney cancer

It’s important to seek prompt medical care for kidney pain, especially if it’s accompanied by fever, vomiting, body aches, loss of appetite, or fatigue. Additionally, contact your doctor immediately if you experience potential kidney pain and have recently had a UTI. 

When Should I Worry About Lower Right Back Pain?

You may need to worry about lower right back pain if it:

  • Lasts for a month or longer
  • Worsens significantly over time
  • Is constant and doesn’t improve with at-home therapies
  • Is accompanied by signs of an infection, including fever, vomiting, body aches, loss of appetite, fatigue, or major weight loss or gain
  • Is accompanied by signs of a serious neurological problem (like cauda equina syndrome), including loss of bladder or bowel function or loss of function in the extremities
  • Is accompanied by symptoms of a UTI, like grain pain or bloody, cloudy, or foul-smelling urine

Even if your lower right back pain isn’t constant or severe, if it doesn’t resolve after two weeks of home care, we recommend scheduling an appointment with your physician. Generally, the earlier you receive a diagnosis and begin treatment, the quicker you’ll recover. Early treatment will also prevent your back pain from interfering with your normal activities. 

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What Are Red Flags for Lower Right Back Pain?

Red flags for lower right back pain include:

  • Constant or nighttime pain
  • Pain that lasts for more than a month
  • Severe, sudden back pain
  • A history of major physical trauma
  • Bladder or bowel incontinence
  • A history of cancer
  • Saddle anesthesia (numbness in the buttocks, inner thighs, and perineum)
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Fever, chills, nausea, and/or vomiting
  • Unexplained weight loss or weight gain
  • Unexplained, notable fatigue
  • Being younger than 18 or older than 50 

These red flags indicate that your lower right back pain may require prompt care.  

How is Pain in the Lower Right Back Treated?

Lower right back pain is treated differently depending on its cause. If it results from a kidney infection, for example, your physician will likely prescribe antibiotics to clear the infection.

When lower right back pain is caused by a spinal condition, like spinal stenosis, your physician will likely start with a conservative, non-surgical treatment plan. Most often, this involves activity modification and physical therapy to ease inflammation and improve muscular support for the spine. In some cases, physicians also prescribe pain medications to manage spinal stenosis symptoms. 

If non-invasive techniques fail to alleviate lower right back pain after several months, surgery may be recommended. Surgery is also generally recommended if the patient’s back pain is severe and/or significantly diminishes their quality of life. 

New surgical innovations, like the TOPS System, can provide relief from back pain due to lumbar spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis without the risks of spinal fusion. This FDA-approved treatment option can improve outcomes for patients suffering from severe spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis pain. 

If you’re struggling with pain in the lower right back, contact your physician for further guidance and care.