Upper Lumbar Pain On One Side
Flank pain at the side of the lower back always needs to be checked out carefully by a professional to see if it’s kidney related. But in many cases it’s actually a pain that comes from the lower back. Certain positions can overstretch muscles on the side of the lower back, causing them to go into spasm. Sometimes the upper lumbar vertebrae can get jammed too.
A chiropractor can release any restricted lumbar vertebrae and show you how to calm down the muscles in the area. But it’s important you understand the positions that cause these types of problems so that you don’t keep recreating it.
The biggest cause of upper lumbar flank pain is maintaining a position where your low back is tilted to one side for too long. Normally the culprit is the way we sit, or lie in bed.
Poor sitting positions that cause flank pain
If we sit on a couch leaning to one side, this can put the vertebrae in an awkward position. And overstretch those flank muscles. Eg. Leaning on one elbow or hand, or putting our feet up next to us on one side.
Bad sleeping position that causes upper lumbar pain to one side
If you lay on your side and then roll back slightly so you are partially face up, you can end up in a bent position that resembles the shape of a banana. Any sleeping position where we are bent to the side in the lower back can cause flank pain if maintained for too long.
How can you relieve flank pain?
The safest way to relieve tightness in the flank muscles is to lean up against the wall with a tennis ball over the muscles to the side of your lower back, round out your back so that area protrudes, and repetitiously bend your knees to roll the tennis ball up and down on that side. Sometimes the glutes get tight to so here is how to release your gluteal muscles.
Often the spinal joints need to be released to, so feel free to give us a call if you are having problems in this area.