Pain in the lower back, whether constant or recurring, can not only cause discomfort, but also make a person's life truly unbearable.People suffering from severe back pain are not only deprived of the opportunity to play sports, for example, or do physical work, but they often find it difficult to even walk, stand or sit, which means that the most common everyday activities become a real test for them.Therefore, if a person has back pain in the lumbar region, it is extremely important to understand the causes of this ailment in time and begin appropriate treatment to avoid much more serious health problems.
Main causes of pain.
Discomfort and unpleasant sensations in the lower back that arise from time to time are often not associated with specific diseases, but with the impact of adverse factors on the human body.We are talking about:
- sedentary work, for example, long periods of time behind the wheel or in an office in front of a computer;
- excessive physical activity;
- prolonged stress;
- intense training in the gym that does not correspond to a person's capabilities;
- poor diet leading to a deficiency of vitamins and microelements;
- Poor quality mattress, etc.
In children, back discomfort is most often associated with incorrect posture, an incorrectly selected chair and study table, as well as a backpack and shoes.Excess weight can also cause pain in people of any age, especially if the extra kilos have appeared in a short period of time.
The main thing is that by eliminating the influence of the above factors, you will be able to quickly get rid of lower back problems and return to your usual lifestyle.
However, if your lower back area usually bothers you, and even more so if the intensity of the sensations increases each time, there is a high probability that they are caused by much more serious reasons.All diseases that can cause back pain can be divided into 2 groups: the first includes problems with the musculoskeletal system, and the second includes various pathologies of internal organs.
Low back pain as the main symptom manifests itself when:
- lumbar osteochondrosis;
- osteoporosis;
- protrusion of the intervertebral disc;
- intervertebral hernia;
- spondylosis;
- curvature of the spine (scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis);
- arthritis;
- spinal tuberculosis;
- myositis;
- intercostal neuralgia;
- sciatica.
This group also includes congenital anomalies of the spinal structure, as well as previous injuries.
If the pain in the lumbar region is reflex in nature, that is, associated with disturbances in the functioning of nearby internal organs, the patient can be diagnosed:
- urolithiasis;
- pancreatitis;
- cholecystitis;
- hemorrhoids;
- chlamydia;
- colitis;
- liver diseases;
- kidney pathologies;
- Benign or cancerous neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract.
Unpleasant sensations in the lumbar region can also be a residual phenomenon after a severe cold, flu or sore throat, as well as as a consequence of frequent and prolonged constipation.
In women, the lower back often hurts for completely natural reasons related to the processes occurring in their body.We are talking about persistent discomfort and pain during premenstrual syndrome and during menstruation itself, menopause or pregnancy.In the latter case, back discomfort often haunts the expectant mother throughout the 9 months, intensifying as the fetus grows and the load on the spine increases.
Pathological causes in women are most often associated with infectious processes in the vagina (candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis), inflammation of the appendages or the inner lining of the uterus (endometriosis), the formation of ovarian polyps or tumors, as well as contraction of the uterus after an abortion.Also, in pregnant women, severe pain in the lower back may indicate a threat of premature birth or miscarriage.
Pain and its causes in men, in addition to all the above diseases, can be associated with inflammation of the epididymis or prostate.For example, with epididymitis, discomfort localized mainly in the groin area can spread to the lower back, and with prostatitis, in addition to discomfort in the anus, back pain on the right often radiates to the leg and buttocks.
types of pain
Unpleasant sensations that arise in the lumbar region vary in nature, intensity and duration.The pain can be sharp and sharp or annoying and painful, barely noticeable or aching, paroxysmal or constant.Only by understanding what exactly a person feels can you understand what causes these sensations and how to eliminate their root cause.
For example, severe pain that torments a person almost 24 hours a day may indicate osteochondrosis.A patient with this disease finds it difficult not only to lift weights or walk, but even to sit, cough or sneeze.Accompanied by severe pain and radiculitis, which affects not only the lower back, but also the hips, buttocks and legs.At the same time, discomfort and unpleasant sensations intensify, you just have to try to change your body position or walk.
Acute pain in the lower back in the vast majority of cases indicates muscle strain, excessively sudden movements, excessive physical exertion, injuries, hypothermia or a long stay in an uncomfortable position.In this case, the patient suffers from so-called “lumbago”, which feels like an electric shock.Aching pain is characteristic, first of all, of the inflammatory process in the muscles.In most cases, they are accompanied by stiffness in movement, so the patient must abandon any manifestation of activity and remain in bed for several days.
Periodic pain can be caused by abnormal physical activity, an uncomfortable position of the body during work or sleep, as well as pathologies of some internal organs.They disappear completely as soon as their source is identified and removed.If the cause of poor health is not discovered in time and the disease manages to gain momentum, the discomfort associated with it can become chronic.We are talking about inflammatory processes or degenerative changes in bone and cartilaginous structures, damage to nerve fibers and circulatory disorders in the vessels of the legs.
There is also a distinction between local and generalized pain.In the first, the discomfort is felt in a specific place in the lumbar region or extends only to nearby areas, such as the buttocks or thighs.In the second case, the pain syndrome covers the entire back, pelvic region and legs, including the feet and fingers.
When can't you do without medical help?
The first thing you should do if you feel discomfort and pain in your back is simply rest a little.It is quite possible that the cause of these sensations lies in habitual fatigue, endless stress and worries, or a generally uncomfortable office chair at work.But if the pain does not subside or, after disappearing for a while, appears again, postponing the consultation with a specialist simply does not make sense.Additionally, if it extends simultaneously to the lower back, hips, legs and feet or is accompanied by loss of sensitivity in these areas.A good reason to visit a doctor is also the trauma suffered: not only serious car accidents, but also seemingly trivial falls on the back in icy conditions.In any case, if severe lower back pain does not go away for 2-3 days in a row, postponing a visit to the doctor becomes dangerous for your health.
In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to other alarming symptoms that indicate secondary causes of low back pain associated with pathologies of internal organs:
- Rapid and causeless weight loss, without diets or intense exercise.In combination with frequent back pain, a sharp decrease in body weight raises the suspicion that the patient has a malignant tumor.
- Recent infectious diseases of the bladder and kidneys.Discomfort in the lumbar region in these patients may indicate the development of pyelonephritis.
- Increased pain after rest or in the morning.Considered one of the signs of ankylosing spondylitis.
- Increased body temperature, fever.
- Decreased skin sensitivity, as well as problems urinating and defecating, which may result from damage to the spinal cord.
Consultation with a doctor for pain and discomfort in the lower back is mandatory for patients over 50 years of age due to the high risk of developing osteoporosis at this age, especially in women during menopause and under 20 years of age.Furthermore, any back discomfort after an injury cannot be ignored, no matter how long it has occurred, if there are significant changes in blood tests, and if the traditional treatment used in these cases has proven ineffective.
Who can help?
There are so many reasons that can cause a person to experience discomfort and pain in the lower back region that it can be quite difficult to determine which specialist it is best to turn to for help.First of all, it is necessary to visit a therapist, but if the pain appears after a fall or blow, the patient should also consult a traumatologist.The therapist, after performing an initial examination and collecting a history, usually refers the patient to a neurologist or rheumatologist to prescribe further tests and examinations necessary to make a diagnosis.
If there are accompanying symptoms, the patient may be referred for further consultation to specialists.For example, a man with pain that radiates not only to the lower back, but also to the groin, should be examined by a urologist to make a final diagnosis, and a woman with suspected vaginal infection should definitely visit a gynecologist.
Diagnostic and treatment methods.
Only a qualified specialist can determine exactly how to treat low back pain, making a final diagnosis after tests and examinations.The most commonly used diagnostic methods in this case are x-ray, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.With the help of an x-ray, violations of the structures of the spine can be detected, signs of inflammation and compressed nerve endings can be seen.Computed tomography provides a more detailed picture, allowing you to practically look deeply into the spine and study existing pathologies in detail, and with the help of MRI you can evaluate the condition of the spinal cord, blood vessels, muscles and identify possible intervertebral hernias.
In addition, the patient may be referred for a general blood test, which allows determining the level of leukocytes to identify inflammation or infection and, based on severe anemia, it may be assumed that the patient has benign or cancerous tumors.Furthermore, in case of lower back pain, a urinalysis is often necessary to rule out possible kidney diseases.
Having received all the necessary results, the doctor selects the optimal treatment option, which can be conservative or surgical.Surgical intervention is used only as a last resort, so treatment is usually reduced to drug therapy, special gymnastics, massage, physiotherapy and, if desired, the use of traditional medicine recipes to improve the patient's condition without the risk of serious side effects.
First of all, emphasis is placed on pain relief to alleviate the patient's condition and move on to exercise therapy and physiotherapeutic procedures.In most cases, pain in the lower back is effectively treated with conventional pain relievers, but if necessary, patients are also prescribed narcotics to cope with acute attacks.
In addition to tablets, to eliminate pain and discomfort in the back, injections and topical preparations are also used - gels and ointments that not only relieve discomfort, but also relieve inflammation and improve blood circulation in the affected area.In severe cases, the patient may be prescribed blocks - injections of painkillers that are injected directly into deep tissues.
The next stage of treatment is to reduce inflammation, for which non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used.If necessary, muscle relaxants are prescribed in parallel, which relieve both pain and muscle spasms, chondroprotectors, which restore damaged cartilage tissue, and vitamins of group B, which strengthen the protective functions of the body.Furthermore, if back pain is not associated with spinal pathologies, but is caused by infections that affect, for example, the kidneys or genitals, it is necessary to take antibiotics.
Specially designed sets of physical exercises are another mandatory component of low back pain treatment.When performed regularly, it can not only eliminate discomfort and muscle tension in the back, but also slow down the inflammatory process by improving blood supply to the affected area.
A professional massage course, which is necessarily prescribed to patients after relieving pain, helps to warm up the muscles and relieve spasms, activate blood circulation and improve the patient's condition as a whole.In addition, physical procedures also effectively cope with pain: electrophoresis, UHF therapy, ultrasound treatment, laser therapy, mud baths and acupuncture.In parallel, you can also use remedies based on traditional medicine recipes: they serve as an excellent addition to drug treatment, effectively relieving pain, muscle tension and swelling without the risk of adverse consequences.
Preventing back pain also plays an important role, allowing you to avoid many health problems.Regular physical exercise, including in the form of regular morning exercises that tone and strengthen muscles, compliance with a drinking regimen, a balanced diet that provides the body with all the necessary vitamins, minerals and microelements and, of course, periodic examinations by specialists who will help identify and eliminate possible problems without waiting for them to begin to pose a serious threat to a person can protect the lower back from discomfort and unpleasant sensations.