Back Pain Symptoms

Back pain symptoms can be a bit confusing especially as pain can be felt some way away from the site of the problem, this is known as referred pain. This means that back pain can be felt in the hips, into the buttocks and down the legs.

To add to the confusion sometimes other things that are not anything to do with your spine can also mimic back problems, examples are as kidney problems and gall bladder disease.

The image below shows most of the common places where people feel their pain, click on the image where you feel your pain to get more information.

back pain symptoms

Central Lower Back Pain - this is most often caused by non-specific back pain.

Buttock Pain - This may be caused by Piriformis Syndrome

Pain slightly lower down and to the sides may be caused by sacroiliac joint dysfunction

Pain in the buttock and or the leg and foot may be sciatica. Read about pinched sciatic nerve symptoms here.

Pain in the front of the thigh is possibly a femoral nerve irritation.

Lower back and hip pain may be caused by a variety of problems, read about them in this section.

Pain in the lower back may sometimes be caused by kidney problems, this section outlines back pain kidney problems .

It is not possible to diagnose back pain on the internet!

You need to see someone experienced in the diagnosis of back problems such as your doctor or physiotherapist if you have not sure what your back problem is.

Lower Back Pain Toolkit Home Page