Duration
The duration of how long a burning sensation in the back can vary greatly and may provide clues as to the cause. If the symptom only lasts for a few seconds or minutes, it is usually just a faulty signal transmission from the nerves, without there actually being a cause in the back. In the case of longer lasting or recurring complaints, the causes are manifold. If the burning sensation is accompanied by severe pain that sets in very suddenly or lasts for more than two weeks and does not subside, a medical examination is recommended.
Symptoms
A burning sensation in the back is often accompanied by other pain qualities such as pulling or stabbing. If there is also shooting pain, the symptoms are usually caused by nerve irritation. This can be caused by muscular tension, for example.
If there are accompanying symptoms such as sensation or paralysis in one leg, a slipped disc is a probable cause. If, on the other hand, there is an additional fever, an inflammatory cause of burning in the back must also be considered. If a burning sensation is perceived in the lower back, it is usually a special quality of pain.
However, the perception of pain differs from person to person and the description of the pain character can be very different for comparable complaints. This is additionally due to the fact that each person has his or her own perception of pain. Burning pain in the lower back cannot be attributed to a specific cause and basically all possible triggers for pain in this region can be considered.
Lower back pain is often described as pulling or burning. These can be the same sensation and the same causes, but are named differently due to the different individual perceptions. This is usually a description of the character of the pain.
Pain that cannot be localised exactly and often has an aura is called pulling pain. Pulling pain in the lower back often radiates into the legs. In contrast, burning pain is often described as pain that is rather superficial and limited in its spread. However, there is no clear distinction between the different qualities of possible lower back pain, so that it is often described as pulling and burning. You can read additional information here: Pulling in the back
Diagnosis
In order for the doctor to be able to make a diagnosis of the burning sensation in the back, a targeted discussion with the patient is necessary. Among other things, the doctor will ask how long the symptoms have existed, where exactly they occur and what triggers them. Other possible complaints such as fever or fatigue are also relevant.
In addition, a short medical examination is usually performed. During this examination, the doctor can determine possible abnormalities by looking at and touching the back. Often the results of a medical consultation and physical examination already allow a diagnosis or at least a suspected diagnosis. Only in a few cases is it appropriate to carry out further diagnostic measures such as blood sampling or imaging.
