Acute Lumbago
How to properly handle sudden, severe low back pain
This is a condition where sudden, severe pain strikes the lower back when lifting something heavy or twisting your body quickly.
The medical name is acute lumbago, and the main cause is damage to the muscles or ligaments in the lower back.
The pain can be so intense it is sometimes called a "witch's stab," but with proper care, most cases improve.
Poor posture and lack of exercise weaken the tissues that support the lower back
Lifting heavy objects, sneezing, or turning quickly can trigger it
A sudden force damages the tissues in the lower back, causing severe inflammation
The pain is strongest right after onset, but most patients improve over a few days to a few weeks. Rather than staying at rest for a long time, current guidance is to keep up daily activities as much as the pain allows. However, pushing too hard can lead to chronic pain or recurrence, so it is important to return to activity gradually.
See a doctor right away in these situations.
If you have weakness or loss of sensation in your legs, trouble passing urine or stool (or leakage), a fever, unexplained weight loss, a history of cancer treatment, or severe pain that continues even at rest, another condition may be present. Please see a doctor promptly.