Low back pain, whether constant or recurring, is not only uncomfortable but can make a person's life truly unbearable.People with severe back pain are not only deprived of the opportunity to participate in sports, such as manual labor - they often find it difficult to just walk, stand or sit, which means that the most ordinary daily activities become a real challenge for them.Therefore, if a person has back pain in the lumbar region, it is extremely important to promptly understand the cause of this disease and begin appropriate treatment to avoid much more serious health problems.
Main cause of pain
Feelings of discomfort and discomfort in the lower back that occur from time to time are often not associated with specific diseases, but due to the impact of adverse factors on the human body.We are talking about:
- Sedentary work, for example, sitting behind the wheel for long periods of time or in an office in front of a computer;
- excessive physical activity;
- prolonged stress;
- Intense workouts in the gym are not suitable for a person's abilities;
- Poor diet leads to lack of vitamins and trace elements;
- poor quality mattresses and such.
In children, back discomfort is often associated with incorrect posture, wrong choice of chair and desk, as well as backpack and shoes.Excess weight can also be painful for people of all ages, especially if the extra pounds appear over a short period of time.
The main thing is that by eliminating the influence of the above factors, you can quickly get rid of lower back problems and return to your usual lifestyle.
However, if the lower back bothers you often and even more so if the intensity of the feelings increases every time, then 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 group includes problems with the musculoskeletal system, and the second group includes various pathologies of internal organs.
Lower back pain is the main symptom that manifests when:
- lumbar osteoarthritis;
- osteoporosis;
- bulging disc;
- intervertebral hernia;
- spinal degeneration;
- curvature of the spine (scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis);
- arthritis;
- tuberculosis of the spine;
- myositis;
- intercostal neuralgia;
- sciatica.
This group also includes congenital structural defects of the spine, as well as previous injuries.
If the pain in the lumbar region is reflexive, that is, associated with dysfunction of neighboring internal organs, the patient can be diagnosed with:
- urinary stones;
- pancreatitis;
- cholecystitis;
- hemorrhoids;
- chlamydia;
- colitis;
- liver disease;
- kidney disease;
- Benign or cancerous tumors of the digestive tract.
Discomfort in the lumbar region can also be a residual phenomenon after a cold, flu or severe sore throat, as well as a consequence of frequent and prolonged constipation.
In women, the lower back often hurts for completely natural reasons related to the processes taking place in their body.We are talking about persistent discomfort and pain in the premenstrual period and during menstruation, menopause or pregnancy.In the latter case, unpleasant feelings in the back often haunt the expectant mother for 9 months, becoming more intense as the fetus grows and the load on the spine increases.
Pathological causes in women are often associated with infectious processes in the vagina (candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis), inflammation of the adnexa or inner lining of the uterus (endometriosis), formation of polyps or ovarian tumors, as well as contractions of the uterus after abortion.In addition, in pregnant women, severe pain in the lower back can be a sign of risk of premature birth or miscarriage.
Pain and its causes in men, in addition to all the above diseases, can be associated with epididymitis or prostatitis.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, right back pain often spreads to the legs and buttocks.
Types of pain
The unpleasant sensations that arise in the lumbar region vary in nature, intensity and duration.The pain can be sharp or persistent and aching, barely noticeable or painful, paroxysmal or constant.Only by understanding exactly what a person feels can you understand what causes these feelings and how to eliminate their underlying cause.
For example, severe pain that haunts a person nearly 24 hours a day may be a sign of osteoarthritis.Patients with this disease not only have difficulty lifting weights and walking, but also have difficulty sitting, coughing or sneezing.Accompanied by severe pain and radiculitis, it affects not only the lower back, but also the hips, buttocks and legs.At the same time, the feeling of discomfort and discomfort is increasing, you just need to try to change your body position or walk.
Acute pain in the lower back in most cases indicates muscle strain, too sudden movements, overexertion, injury, hypothermia or prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position.In this case, the patient experiences so-called “lumbar pain”, which feels like an electric shock.Pain is primarily a characteristic of the inflammatory process in the muscle.Usually, they are accompanied by stiffness when moving, as a result of which the patient has to abandon all manifestations of activity and lie in bed for several days.
Periodic pain can be caused by abnormal physical activity, uncomfortable body position when working or sleeping, as well as pathologies of some internal organs.They disappear completely as soon as their source is identified and eliminated.If the cause of poor health is not detected in time and the disease tends to progress, the discomfort associated with it can become chronic.We are talking about inflammatory processes or degenerative changes in the bone and cartilage structure, damage to nerve fibers and circulatory disorders in the blood vessels of the legs.
There is also a difference between local pain and general pain.In the first case, you feel discomfort in a specific location in the lumbar region or just spreading to neighboring areas, such as the buttocks or thighs.In the second case, the pain syndrome covers the entire back, pelvic area and legs, including the feet and fingers.
When can you not do anything without medical help?
The first thing you need to do if you feel discomfort and back pain is just get some rest.Most likely the cause of these feelings lies in ordinary fatigue, endless stress and anxiety, or in general sitting in an uncomfortable office chair at work.But if the pain does not subside or after disappearing for a while then returns, then there is no point in delaying consultation with a specialist.Moreover, if it spreads simultaneously to the lower back, hips, legs and feet or is accompanied by loss of sensation in these areas.A good reason to see a doctor is also the injuries you've suffered - not just serious car accidents but also your seemingly trivial falls in icy conditions.In any case, if severe low back pain does not subside for 2-3 days in a row, delaying a visit to the doctor becomes dangerous for your health.
In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to other alarming symptoms that indicate a secondary cause of lower back pain related to pathology of internal organs:
- Lose weight quickly and without causes, without dieting or intense exercise.Combined with frequent back pain and a sharp decrease in body weight, aroused suspicion that the patient had a malignant tumor.
- Recent infectious diseases of the bladder and kidneys.Discomfort in the lumbar region in such patients may indicate the development of pyelonephritis.
- Pain increases after rest or in the morning.Considered one of the signs of ankylosing spondylitis.
- Increased body temperature, fever.
- Reduced skin sensitivity, as well as problems with urination and defecation, can be a consequence of spinal cord damage.
Consulting a doctor about pain and discomfort in the lower back is mandatory for patients over 50 years old because the risk of osteoporosis at this age is very high, especially in women during menopause and under 20 years old.In addition, any unpleasant sensations in the back after an injury cannot be ignored, no matter how long ago it occurred, if there are serious changes in blood tests and if traditional treatment methods used in such cases prove ineffective.
Who can help?
There are so many reasons that can cause a person to experience discomfort and pain in the lumbar region that it is quite difficult to figure out which specialist is best for help.First of all, you need to see a therapist, but if the pain occurs after a fall or collision, the patient also needs to consult a traumatologist.The therapist, after conducting an initial examination and gathering a medical history, usually refers the patient to a neurologist or rheumatologist to order further tests and examinations necessary to make a diagnosis.
If there are accompanying symptoms, the patient may be referred to specialists for further advice.For example, a man whose pain radiates not only to the lower back, but also to the groin area, should be examined by a urologist to make a final diagnosis, and a woman suspected of having a vaginal infection should definitely see a gynecologist.
Diagnosis and treatment methods
Only a qualified specialist can accurately determine how to treat lower back pain, give a final diagnosis after tests and examinations.The most common diagnostic methods used in this case are X-rays, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.Using X-rays, you can detect violations of the structure of the spine, see signs of inflammation and compressed nerve endings.CT gives a more detailed image, allowing you to look deeply into the spine and study in detail the existing pathologies, and with the help of MRI you can evaluate the condition of the spinal cord, blood vessels, muscles and determine the possibility of intervertebral hernia.
Additionally, the patient may be referred for a general blood test, which allows white blood cell levels to determine inflammation or infection, and based on severe anemia, the assumption may be made that the patient has a benign or cancerous tumor.Additionally, for lower back pain, a urine test is often necessary to rule out possible kidney problems.
After receiving all the necessary results, the doctor chooses the optimal treatment option, which can be conservative or surgical.Surgical intervention is used only as a last resort, so, as a rule, treatment will include 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, the focus is on pain relief to alleviate the patient's condition and turns to exercise therapy and physical therapy.In most cases, low back pain is effectively treated with conventional painkillers, 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, people also use injections and topical preparations - gels and ointments, which not only relieve unpleasant sensations, but also reduce inflammation, improve blood circulation in the affected area.In severe cases, the patient may be prescribed blockade - injections of painkillers injected directly into the deep tissues.
The next stage of treatment is to reduce inflammation, using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.If necessary, muscle relaxants are prescribed in parallel, helping to relieve pain and muscle spasms, chondroprotective drugs, restoring damaged cartilage tissue, and B vitamins, enhancing the body's protective functions.In addition, if back pain is not related to spinal disease but is caused by an infection, for example affecting the kidneys or genital organs, antibiotics are needed.
Specially designed physical exercise sets are another required component in the treatment of lower back pain.When done regularly, you can not only eliminate discomfort and muscle tension in your 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 the patient after pain relief, helps warm up the muscles and relieve spasms, activate blood circulation and improve the patient's overall condition.In addition, physical therapy methods also have effective pain relief effects: electrophoresis, UHF therapy, ultrasound therapy, laser therapy, mud baths, and acupuncture.In parallel, you can also use remedies based on traditional medicine recipes - they serve as an excellent complement to drug treatment, effectively relieving pain, muscle tension and swelling without the risk of adverse consequences.
Back pain prevention also plays an important role, helping you avoid many health problems.Regular exercise, even in the form of regular morning exercises to strengthen and strengthen muscles, compliance with the drinking regime, a balanced diet that provides the body with all the necessary vitamins, minerals and trace elements and of course regular examinations by specialists will help identify and eliminate possible problems without waiting until they begin to pose a serious threat to a person, can protect the lower back from discomfortand uncomfortable.