Back pain is very common. From time to time it appears in 90% of the population and it is not always possible to identify the true causes. Most often, lower back pain occurs after intense physical activity and may indicate back problems or diseases of internal organs. The diagnosis determines what treatment will be - conservative or surgical.
Causes and nature of pain
Pain in the lower back can be acute, sudden, occur after physical exertion and lead to a forced body position. Pain in the lower part of the spine is constant, aching or pulling, accompanied by stiffness, numbness and tingling.
The intensity of pain in the lumbar region also varies: from mild, which does not interfere with daily life, to unbearable, which forces you to take painkillers and lie in bed. Sometimes the pain spreads beyond the back, affecting the buttocks, thighs and even legs.
The pain may go away on its own, but at worst it gets worse, causes discomfort and leads to limited movement. In order not to live with pain, you need to find out the reason why your lower back hurts. More often, a preliminary diagnosis can be made based on the nature of the pain.
shingles
Such lower back pain is not limited to the lumbar region. They spread throughout the back, along the torso and can radiate to the lower abdomen, gluteal region and legs.
The most common cause of lumbar pain in the lower back is osteochondrosis. This is a chronic disease of the spine that leads to entrapment of nerve endings and pain. Symptoms are complemented by sensory disturbances, numbness and disorders of internal organs.
The source of low back pain may be located above the lumbar level and not be associated with spinal disease. In this case, the patient simply feels pain in the lower back, but the pain itself is localized in the chest area.
The cause of herpes pain in the lower back can be diseases of internal organs, especially the heart, lungs and gastrointestinal tract. For example, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, stomach or duodenal ulcer, pleurisy, pneumonia, heart attack.
The pain is caused by the irritation of the nerve fibers of the organs.
Pain below the level of the waist in the coccygeal region is a sign of diseases of the kidneys and reproductive organs.
While walking
The lumbar region is represented by 5 vertebrae, intervertebral discs and ligaments. Many nerve endings involved in walking leave it. With any back disease, the nerves can be compressed during movement, which leads to pain in the lower back.
The intensity and nature of the pain depends on the degree of the lesion. If it hurts to move, then this is a sign of osteochondrosis or herniated intervertebral discs. In the latter case, terrible pain appears in the lower back while walking. It lowers slightly when a person is in a sitting position.
The cause of back pain while walking can be excessive physical activity the day before. Appears only at the moment of movement and disappears at rest, there are no accompanying manifestations.
Acute pain
Acute pain in the lower back is also called lumbago or lumbago. It immobilizes you and forces you into a forced position. An attack of terrible back pain can last only a few minutes and sometimes lasts for several days.
One of the common causes of back pain in the lumbar region is excessive physical activity, which leads to sprains, strains or muscle spasms. This can happen due to sudden movement, lifting weights, poor body rotation or awkward posture. Muscle inflammation is provoked by hypothermia or being in a draft.
If you strain or strain when moving, your lower back hurts even more.
The cause of severe back pain can be lumbosacral radiculitis or disc herniation. In this case, when you stand up, bend over or walk, your lower back hurts even more.
The cause of acute lower back pain can be other diseases of the musculoskeletal system:
- osteochondrosis;
- arthrosis of facial joints;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- osteoporosis;
- spondylosis;
- spondylolisthesis;
- spinal cord injuries;
- extension;
- infectious diseases of the spine (tuberculosis, epidural abscess, osteomyelitis);
- spinal canal stenosis;
- rachiocampsis;
- tumors;
- Bekhterev's disease.
The reason why the lower back and tail hurts can be diseases of internal organs. Acute pain syndrome occurs with cholecystitis, pancreatitis, inflammatory diseases of the reproductive system, pyelonephritis, renal colic and abdominal artery aneurysm.
Constant pain
Persistent lower back pain is often aching in nature. The intensity of pain can increase with hypothermia, physical activity, injury or unsuccessful movement. A common accompanying symptom of regular back pain is stiffness of movement. It manifests itself especially after rest.
The cause of constant pain in the lumbar region is vascular pathologies, which lead to poor circulation. For example, vascular atherosclerosis, phlebothrombosis, thrombophlebitis.
The lower back can also suffer due to inflammatory and degenerative processes of the musculoskeletal system.
It's a dull ache
Painful pain in the lower back often indicates diseases of the internal organs. If your back hurts in the back, this can be a symptom of the following diseases:
- pyelonephritis;
- kidney stone disease;
- endometriosis;
- inflammation of the uterus or appendages;
- ectopic pregnancy.
The peculiarity of all these diseases is that back pain occurs against the background of a general deterioration of well-being.
If the spine hurts in the middle, then this indicates pancreatitis or cholecystitis.
When you are sitting
If the lower back hurts when you are sitting, this indicates excessive physical activity or serious pathology of the spine. In this case, the pain in the lower back is sharp or burning. Dull pain, on the other hand, can be caused by a sedentary lifestyle.
The reason why the lower back hurts after sitting is due to tight intervertebral discs.
If the cause is radiculitis, hernia, tumor, protrusion, then when standing, the lower back hurts even more.
Pain can occur with diseases of the pelvic organs and kidneys.
When you are standing
If your lower back hurts a lot when you stand, it could be radiculitis. To reduce the pain, you need to change your position. The lumbar spine can hurt in an upright position due to a hernia.
Which doctor treats low back pain?
If your lower back hurts, you should contact the following specialists for treatment:
- orthopedist;
- neurologist;
- vertebrologist doctor
An osteopath, reflexologist or chiropractor may participate in the therapy. Sometimes the help of a surgeon, gastroenterologist, gynecologist, urologist, nephrologist and oncologist is required.
Going to the hospital should be mandatory in the following cases:
- pain caused by injury;
- the pain extends beyond the back, accompanied by other symptoms (numbness, urinary or fecal incontinence);
- lasts more than 3 days or reappears after some time.
Diagnosing
To understand why there may be pain in the lumbar region, the doctor performs a visual examination and listens to the patient's complaints. Based on what he saw and heard, he draws up a clinical picture and can make a diagnosis or prescribe additional examination.
During the examination, it is important to determine the cause-and-effect relationship.
The diagnosis of pain in the lumbar region may include the following examination methods:
- blood and urine tests;
- X-ray of the spine;
- CT or MRI;
- Ultrasound of abdominal organs;
- X-ray of the chest;
- ECG;
- fibrogastroduodenoscopy.
Treatment
If back pain occurs, the treatment depends directly on what caused it. Immediately after the onset of a painful attack, it is worth limiting physical activity for 2-3 days, but bed rest is also not recommended. It is best to sleep in the fetal position with a pillow between the knees. In this way the back is unloaded.
In case of severe pain, you can take a pain reliever. If the pain appears as a result of an injury, you should apply cold to the injured area.
For stenosis of the spinal canal, injection blockade with steroid and analgesic drugs is used.
Remember that long-term use of painkillers is not an option. Tablets only mask the problem and do not get rid of it.
Pain is most often treated with medications (NSAIDs, chondroprotectors, muscle relaxants, vitamin complexes), massage, manual therapy, exercise therapy (Bubnovsky complex) and physiotherapeutic procedures. Acupuncture is becoming increasingly popular to relieve muscle tension.
Most often, the pain can be relieved within 4-6 weeks.
If conservative therapy is ineffective (mainly in the case of a hernia), surgical intervention is performed. During the operation, the hernia is removed. The patient immediately feels significant relief.
What can't you do?
You should not self-medicate or use painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs for a long time. If the pain does not go away within 3 days, you should see a doctor.
You cannot perform a set of exercises on your own. To prevent the pain from worsening, the training program should be prescribed by a specialist. In case of exacerbation of spinal diseases, massage and physical exercises are generally contraindicated until relief occurs.
In case of injury, you cannot fix the vertebrae yourself or heat the affected area.
Preventing
Preventive measures:
- do not lift weights;
- do not make sudden movements, avoid excessive physical exertion;
- sleep on a firm mattress;
- observe a rest regime;
- lead an active lifestyle, walk at least 1 hour a day;
- for sedentary work, do it every 40-50 minutes. warm-up break;
- do exercises every day, hanging on the horizontal bar is useful;
- don't get too cold;
- Healthy food;
- take vitamin complexes containing calcium.
To prevent back pain, you should not overload your back. We must not forget that the functioning of the internal organs depends on the health of the spine.
If your back hurts, you should not hesitate; you should seek help from a doctor. They will determine the real cause and help to avoid serious health problems.