Right lower back pain may be caused by muscle strains, nerve problems, or conditions related to your kidneys or appendix. At-home treatments and lifestyle modifications can help ease pain.

Lower back pain on the right side can be caused by a muscle strain or a nerve problem originating in your spine. But other times, the pain may be due to a condition affecting one of your organs.

With the exception of your kidneys, most internal organs are located in the front of the body, but they can trigger pain that radiates to your lower back.

Some of these internal structures, including your ovaries, intestines, and appendix, share nerve endings with tissues and ligaments in your back. If the structure is located in the right lower portion of the body, you may have pain on the lower right side of your back, too.

Keep reading to learn more about the causes of pain on the lower right side of your back and how it’s treated.

According to the National Institutes of Health, lower back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical treatment or miss work.

Pain is most often caused by mechanical problems. This means there is an issue in the way your spine, muscles, nerves, and spinal discs work together and move.

Some examples of back muscle issues that may cause pain on the right side of the lower back include:

Several spinal conditions could cause compression, inflammation, or injury to the nerves in your spine, causing pain on the right side of the lower back.

This pain may feel like a tingling, burning, numbing, or sharp sensation that can radiate to other parts of your body, such as your legs and buttocks.

Possible spinal conditions that may affect the right side of your lower back include:

The kidneys are located on either side of your spine, under your rib cage. Your right kidney hangs a little lower than the left, making it even more likely to cause lower back pain if it’s infected, irritated, or inflamed.

Several kidney problems may lead to pain in the right of your lower back.

For instance, you may experience a sharp, cramping pain in your lower back, abdomen, and groin if kidney stones lodge in the ureter. This is a tube that carries urine from your kidneys to your bladder.

Kidney infection from bacteria like E. coli may also cause lower back pain, as well as:

The appendix is a small tube that attaches to your large intestine and sits in the lower right side of your body. Appendicitis is when the appendix becomes inflamed and infected.

You may experience tenderness and fullness in your abdomen that begins near the navel. This pain will gradually extend to the lower right side of your abdomen and may become severe.

Sometimes, this pain could radiate to your lower back on the right side.

The aorta is the largest blood vessel in your body. If the portion of your aorta in your abdomen bulges abnormally, it’s called an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).

AAA typically doesn’t cause any symptoms. However, if the bulge bursts, you may experience:

A ruptured AAA may cause life threatening bleeding complications. It’s important to get immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms.

Language matters

Sex and gender exist on spectrums. This article will use the terms “male,” “female,” or both to refer to sex assigned at birth. Click here to learn more.

Some causes of pain in the right side of the lower back are more specific to people assigned female at birth.

These causes may include:

Testicular torsion may lead to lower back pain on the right side of people who have testicles.

This occurs when your spermatic cord, which lies in your scrotum and carries blood to your testes, becomes twisted. As a result, blood flow to your testicle is severely reduced or even cut off altogether.

Tumors that press on your spinal cord or nerves may also cause pain on the right side of your lower back.

However, some cancers that form elsewhere in your body may also metastasize to your back, which could lead to lower back pain. These may include:

Learn more about lower back pain and cancer.

Speak with a healthcare professional if the pain on the right side of your lower back worsens, doesn’t improve after 3 weeks, or impacts your daily activities.

Most cases of lower back pain on the right side are not medical emergencies.

However, get immediate medical attention if your back pain is accompanied by any of the following symptoms:

  • sudden, severe pain
  • loss of bladder or bowel function
  • chest pain
  • weakness, numbing, or loss of sensation in your lower body
  • difficulty urinating

The appropriate treatment for lower back pain will depend on the severity of your symptoms and the underlying cause.

Your treatment plan may include a combination of home remedies, alternative remedies, and medical interventions.

Home remedies

Several home remedies and over-the-counter (OTC) treatments could help you manage lower back pain on the right side. These may include:

Alternative remedies

If home remedies don’t help treat your lower back pain and you don’t require medical intervention, a doctor may recommend alternative remedies, including:

Medical treatments

Medical treatments for pain on the right side of your lower back will depend on the underlying cause.

Some treatments may include:

Learn more about how to treat back pain.

What causes pain on my right side lower back?

Some possible causes of pain in your right lower back include muscle strains and sprains, kidney problems, spinal conditions, appendicitis, and pregnancy, among others.

How do I know if my back pain is muscle or organ?

Back pain is usually non-visceral, which means it isn’t related to organs. However, sometimes internal organ inflammation may cause back pain. Speak with a doctor for a proper diagnosis. The quality of the pain and whether it’s sharp or dull could help determine the underlying cause.

What are red flags for lower right back pain?

Get immediate medical attention if your lower right back pain is accompanied by symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, difficulty urinating, and weakness or numbness in your lower limbs.

In many cases, pain on the right side of the lower back is caused by a pulled muscle or other injury to your back.

However, it may also be caused by an underlying health condition that could require medical treatment.

It’s important not to ignore your symptoms, especially if your lower back pain is intense and comes on suddenly, or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms.

Be sure to talk with a doctor if you’re concerned about back pain, or if the pain is affecting your daily activities.