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"What is joint stenosis and does it require treatment or will it heal on its own over time?"



I recently slipped on ice and fell down a flight of stairs. I landed on my lower back. I have a shooting hot pain that feels like a Charlie Horse between my lower back and bottom side.


It sounds like what you are dealing with is an acute low back injury, not joint stenosis. Typically, a fall or strain can produce a low back injury, which in most cases is characterized by inflammation, tenderness, and spasm in the muscles along the sides of the back, called paraspinal spasm. Most cases of acute low back injury do not require emergency evaluation or treatment, as most get slowly better over a period of weeks. Things that you can do to relieve the pain include taking anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, engaging in light exercise as able, and performing back stretching exercises. If these strategies do not work for you, you may want to see your primary care doctor who might prescribe a stronger medication to relieve the muscles spasm. Signs that the back injury might be more serious and might require more urgent medical evaluation include if you have significant numbness and tingling that radiates down your legs, if you have any weakness in the muscles of the legs, or if you have any trouble with your bowels or bladder. If you have any of these symptoms, you should go to the emergency room or an urgent care appointment at your doctor's office.

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