Abdominal aortic aneurysm
While low back pain rarely radiates to the abdomen,
abdominal disorders can often extend to the back and
be felt as acute low back pain. This process happens
in an abdominal aortic aneurysm, which represents an
enlargement of the aorta (large artery) in the abdomen.
In the elderly population this is not uncommon and
rarely is symptomatic. However, if the enlarged blood
vessel begins to leak blood or ruptures it can cause
severe, unremitting abdominal and back pain.Patients
with these symptoms need to seek medical care immediately.
If the blood loss is large enough, it will lead to hypotension
(low blood pressure), unconsciousness, or death.
By: Peter
F. Ullrich, Jr., MD
September 8, 1999
Updated February 28, 2001
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