The adrenal glands are triangle-shaped glands on top of the kidneys, which are located in the lower back. The outer part of the glands produces steroid hormones like cortisol, aldosterone and testosterone. The inner part of the glands produces epinephrine and norepinephrine, or adrenaline and noradrenaline. You should not feel adrenal pain when lifting your arms to stretch unless you have a disease or condition in one or both glands.
Stretching
Stretching typically has many benefits, as it improves your flexibility and increases blood flow to muscles, which improves your range-of-motion and your ability to perform daily tasks without being stiff. The possibility of becoming hurt during exercise decreases as well because your muscles and joints are looser. When you lift your hands to stretch, you are pulling on muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones in your abdomen and back. Any internal structure, such as the adrenal glands, which is afflicted with an abnormal condition may cause pain.
Adrenal Gland Disorders
If the adrenal glands don't function properly, the cause can lie within the hypothalamus or pituitary gland in the brain, which are responsible for stimulating the adrenal glands to produce their hormones, or there could be a problem inside the adrenal gland itself. Adrenal gland disorders include Cushing's syndrome, in which too much cortisol is produced; tumors of the adrenal glands or pituitary gland in the brain; or Addison's disease. Addison's disease occurs when insufficient amounts of hormones are being produced.
Lower Back Pain
Addison's disease, or adrenal insufficiency, is a form of adrenal gland disorder and has been linked with lower back pain. Certain hormones secreted by the adrenal glands control inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, asthma or ulcerative colitis. If your adrenal glands are not producing sufficient amounts of these hormones, an inflammatory condition in your body might prevail. If you have a condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, you might experience lower back pain. The pain might be especially obvious when you lift your arms to stretch.
Seek Medical Attention
If you have an unusual amount of pain when you lift your arms to stretch, seek medical attention. Only your doctor can determine the source of your pain and diagnose an adrenal disorder. Other symptoms associated with adrenal problems include weight gain with Cushing's, weight loss with Addison's, changes in heart rate and blood pressure, menstrual abnormalities and weakness.
