Have A Burning Pain In Lower Back. Numbness In Lower Abdomen Area. Had Kidney Stone. Suggest?

Posted on Sat, 11 May 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 11 May 2013 Answered on

Thu, 30 May 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : I have a burning pain in my right lower back. The pain gets better then worse at times and now I have some numbness in my right lower abdomen area. no pain just some numbness. The back pain started a few days ago. I have had pains like this before, they went away after several days. Never the numbness. I had a kidney stone 15 years ago on my left side but this pain is lower down in the back.

Answered by Dr. Prasad Akole (20 minutes later)

Dear friend, welcome to Healthcaremagic!
I am Dr. Prasad Akole (Critical Care Expert- http://bit.ly/Dr-Prasad-Akole) and am glad to address to your query here.

If it is intermittent, colicky, spasm like pain in the right lower abdomen, it is likely a ureteric colic. (due to ureteric stone).
Did it start up in th e back and then rounding the flanks to the right lower abdomen?
Is there any pain, blood on urination?
Do you get nausea, vomiting, sweats along with the pain?
Any fever?
Lower pain due to stone is due to ureteric calculus (stone) and can go toward the bladder and to lower abdomen.
I would advise you to get evaluated again for stones, urine routine exam, Ultrasound of the KUB (kidney, ureter, bladder), CBC (if above symptoms are present in various forms).
You can try plenty of drinking water or liquids and water pill (diuretic) under medical advice. You can take pain killers like paracetamol and anti-spasmodics like dicyclomine on prescription.

Watch for above symptoms.
There may be many other differentials. Please describe symptoms in details.

I hope to have answered your query satisfactorily. I would be glad to answer any further queries. Take care and please keep me informed of your progress at http://bit.ly/Dr-Prasad-Akole
Good Luck!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Prasad Akole (40 minutes later)

The pain in my right lower back is not a spasm like pain, just a constant dull burning pain. It increases and decreases at times. The pain started in my right lower back. what moved to the right lower abdomen area was a numbness, no pain, even when you touch the area. This area on the right lower abdomen feels slightly swollen compared to the left side. I have the pain in my back and the numbness in my abdomen. I do not get nauses. no vomiting,sweats or fever.

Answered by Dr. Prasad Akole (37 hours later)

Thanks for the update.

Is the swelling localised or diffuse one ?
Is there any colour change, redness?
Is there any bowel, bladder problem?
Is there tingling, numbness in the legs or difficulty walking?
A spinal nerve compression at the spine level can cause numbesss in the supply area but not swelling.

Your symptoms need evaluation as I mentioned in the first reply.
At your age, I would advise you to get evaluated again for stones, urine routine exam, Xray of the ;lumbar spine, ultrasound of the KUB (kidney, ureter, bladder), CBC (if above symptoms are present in various forms).

The differentials are many. Actual physical examination and investigations can additionally help here.

It is unlikely a ureteric stone from your new description. If there is no fever, nausea, pain, it is difficult to guess from distance.

You could ask me more queries once you undergo basic evaluation by your doctor (if there is still no solution)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar