Medical conditions that cause back pain

Conditions that can cause back pain include:

• a slipped (prolapsed) disc (a disc of cartilage in the spine pressing on a nerve) – this can cause back pain and numbness, tingling and weakness in other parts of the body
• sciatica (irritation of the nerve that runs from the lower back to the feet) – this can cause pain, numbness, tingling and weakness in the lower back, buttocks, legs and feet
• ankylosing spondylitis (swelling of the joints in the spine) – this causes pain and stiffness that’s usually worse in the morning and improves with movement
• spondylolisthesis (a bone in the spine slipping out of position) – this can cause lower back pain and stiffness, as well as numbness and a tingling sensation

These conditions are treated differently to non-specific back pain. Click the links to find out more.

Very rarely, back pain can be a sign of a serious problem such as:

• a broken bone in the spine
• an infection
• cauda equina syndrome (where the nerves in the lower back become severely compressed)
• cancer

If you see your GP or Physiotherapist with back pain, they will look for signs of these.

Back pain will usually improve within a few weeks or months. There are several things you can try to help reduce your pain in the meantime.

There are also some specialist treatments that may be recommended if it’s through simple measures aren’t likely to be effective on their own.

See your GP or a physiotherapist if your pain isn’t improving despite trying simple treatments.

The main treatments for back pain are described below. You can also read a summary of the pros and cons of back pain treatments, to compare the options.