Lower back pain, sometimes called axial back pain, is a sense of pain in the L1 to L5 lumbar vertebra. No matter how easy it seems to diagnose, getting hold of its underlying causes means serious business.
Most interestingly, the causes of lower back pain when sitting but not standing are pretty unique. In other words, the pain occurs while sitting and standing with spinal stenosis or degenerative disc disease. But it’s not the same with coccydynia or spondylolisthesis. Here’s more on that note.
Who Suffer From Lower Back Pain
In most cases, lower back pain occurs when a person is past their mid-thirties. However, certain aspects other than a motor vehicle accident can cause this discomforting issue among younger people. For instance, someone with a poor posture and reluctance to physical exercise is more likely to experience it.
General Symptoms of Lower Back Pain
A mild or chronic back pain alongside neck pain is one of the obvious symptoms. In addition, you may notice things like fever, weakness, and weight loss. Plus, the worst-case scenario might include a loss of bowel control or pain in other organs.
Lower Back Pain Made Worse by Sitting
While sitting, your body weight puts constant pressure on the spinal discs of your lumbar spine. As a result, the lower back pain gets even worse. That’s why you feel a sense of pain relief as you stand up, but the pain comes back right after sitting.
Lower Back Hurts When Sitting on Couch
The culprit can be your comfy couch or a bad posture while sitting on it. Either way, it is the inactive lifestyle that harms the most. You see, slouching is not the most ergonomic position for a human body as it puts additional tension in the spinal tissues.
Lower Back Pain When Sitting up From Lying Down
Your sleeping position might be the problem if you experience lower back pain when sitting up from lying down. Sleeping in awkward positions not only hampers your quality sleep but also puts pressure on the spinal joints. Consequently, spine issues such as over-flattening and muscle strain tend to occur.
Why Does My Lower Back Get Tight When I Sit
Injuries or excessive sports activities can cause your hamstrings and gluteus muscles to get tight. As a result, your back may also feel tight during daily activities such as sitting or bending.
Lower Back Pain When Sitting but Not Standing
Issues like spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease cause lower back pain in both sitting and standing positions. Hence, they won’t be in the scope of this article. Instead, we will be focusing more on the conditions that apply to diagnosing lower back pain only when sitting.
Why Does My Lower Back Hurt When I Bend or Sit
Below are some common diagnoses that might come forward after a thorough physical examination.
Disc Herniation
Disc herniation occurs when a buildup of pressure from body weight or physical activity causes the spinal discs to push out of their regular shape. Generally, a herniated disc is a common condition among aged people. Yet, it might occur from falling injuries and weight lifting. Some symptoms of this issue include:
- Severe or acute low-back pain after weight gain.
- The pain started after an injury that caused the neck or back to twist.
- Numbness in the limbs.
- Pain increases during a sneeze or cough.
Coccydynia
Coccydynia is one of the few chronic conditions that give birth to low-back pain when sitting. It is constant pain or soreness in one’s tailbone that occurs due to trauma. People with coccydynia might face pain during:
- Sitting on solid surfaces.
- Standing up from sitting.
- Leaning slightly backward at a seated position.
Besides, patients report a sudden relief after standing up or leaning forward at a 45-degree angle when sitting. Moreover, some people find the pain tolerable while putting the bodyweight on either of the buttocks.
Sciatica
Sciatica refers to the pain signals in the sciatic nerve that travel down the buttocks and spread through the back of one’s legs. Although several conditions can trigger it, the most common are bone spurs.
In most cases, the pain signals in the sciatic nerve feel like a dull ache on either side of the back. Yet, exceptions may include a sensation close to an electric shock that worsens by sitting too long.
Muscle Strain
The core muscles in the lumbar area and shoulder muscles can get strained from daily activities. Furthermore, you may experience muscle spasms, an involuntary movement in your muscles. Meanwhile, your back might get stiffer (close to a 90-degree angle) and harder to move.
However, one that contributes to building muscle fatigue near the lower back is usually the lumbar strain. Sometimes, the pain spreads only to your buttocks, leaving your legs pain-free.
Sacral Tumor
Despite being a rare medical condition, having a tumor in your lower spine (Sacrum) can trigger back pain when sitting. Most importantly, not all types of tumors affect the lower back region. For instance, sacral chondrosarcoma is more likely to cause pain in your lower back than giant cell tumors or plasmacytoma.
Probable symptoms are:
- Severe or acute pain when sitting down.
- Bowel incontinence and urinary tract infections as the tumor grows.
Although these symptoms are somewhat vague, you should get immediate medical care upon noticing any of them.
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis refers to an instability of the lumbar spine that occurs when a lumbar vertebra slips out of its place. Consequently, it pinches the nearby spinal nerve roots and causes back pain immediately after sitting. Anyhow, keeping the entire body in a neutral standing position tends to reduce the pain ever so slightly.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction might cause pain in one’s lower back, thighs, hips, and buttocks when sitting. Yet, common symptoms include low-back pain when climbing stairs and a burning sensation near the pelvic area. Usually, people with an arthritic spine are in danger of sacroiliac joint dysfunction.
How Can I Fix Lower Back Pain While Sitting
Although some of the chronic conditions require treatment from a spine expert, you might try out the methods below for pain relief.
Home Remedies
- Consider improving your posture, whether you’re sitting or walking. Also, getting a standing desk can help retain proper blood flow. Likewise, a good sleeping position will keep your blood supply intact.
- Use ice packs or a heating pad for 20 minutes or so until they reduce the inflammation.
- Depending on your medical history, you may take over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications. NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen tend to work better, for example.
- Try using a lumbar roll or back brace to support your spinal discs when sitting.
- Get a massage to treat instances of muscle tone.
- Enroll in exercise programs as a form of exercise therapy. Practice any aerobic exercise alongside additional exercises like gentle stretch and beneficial strength training exercise.
- Last but not least, consider hiring a stretching coach to do assisted stretching exercises like yoga.
Medical Treatment
A qualified healthcare provider may prescribe the following forms of treatment.
- Physical therapy to build up your muscle strength from scratch.
- Steroid injections or other nerve-blocking medications to reduce pain intensity.
- Alternative therapies such as chiropractic care, acupuncture, and laser therapy before moving on to a surgical procedure.
Final Thoughts
Lower back pain when sitting but not standing usually improves over time. So, try the home remedies for a month or so if the pain is acute. But if it continues or gets worse, contact a spine specialist at Delray Disc and Spine. The first appointment is completely free! So, contact now and get to the root of your back pain.