Low back pain is very common. It happens to 90% of the population from time to time and it is not always possible to determine the real reasons. More often, back pain occurs after intense physical activity and may indicate back problems or diseases of internal organs. The diagnosis determines what the treatment will be - conservative or surgical.
Causes and nature of pain
Back pain can be sharp, sudden, occur after physical exertion and can 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 lower back also varies: from mild, does not interfere with daily life, to unbearable pain that forces you to take painkillers and lie in bed. Sometimes the pain spreads beyond the back, affecting the hips, thighs and even the legs.
The pain may go away on its own, but at worst it worsens, causing discomfort and limiting mobility. In order not to live with pain, you need to find out why your back hurts. A preliminary diagnosis can often be made based on the nature of the pain.
Stripes
Such lower back pain is not limited to the lower back. They spread along the back, along the trunk and can spread to the lower abdomen, gluteal region and legs.
The most common cause of back pain in the lower back is osteochondrosis. It is a chronic disease of the spine that causes compression of nerve endings and pain. Symptoms are complemented by sensory disturbances, numbness and disorders of internal organs.
The source of lumbar pain may be located above the waist level and may not be related to diseases of the spine. In this case, the patient only feels pain in the lumbar region, but the pain itself is localized in the chest region.
The cause of shingles pain in the lower back can be diseases of the internal organs, especially the heart, lungs and gastrointestinal tract. For example, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, stomach or duodenal ulcer, pleurisy, pneumonia, heart attack.
Pain is caused by irritation of the nerve fibers of the organs.
Pain in the coccyx region below the waist level 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 are separated from it. With any back disease, nerves can be compressed during movement, which causes back pain.
The intensity and nature of the pain depends on the extent of the lesion. If it hurts to move, this is a sign of osteochondrosis or ruptured intervertebral discs. In the latter case, terrible pain occurs in the lower back when walking. It decreases a little when a person is in a sitting position.
Back pain while walking can be caused by excessive physical activity the day before. It appears only at the moment of movement and disappears at rest, there are no accompanying manifestations.
Sharp pain
Acute pain in the lower back is also called lumbago or lumbago. It immobilizes and forces you into a forced position. A terrible back pain attack can last only a few minutes, and sometimes it lasts for several days.
One of the common causes of lower back pain is excessive physical activity that causes sprains, strains, or muscle spasms. This can happen due to sudden movement, heavy lifting, poor body rotation, or awkward posture. Muscle inflammation is provoked by hypothermia or draft.
If you contract or strain while moving, the back hurts even more.
Lumbosacral radiculitis or a herniated disc may be the cause of severe back pain. In this condition, your back hurts more when you stand up, bend over, or walk.
Acute back pain can be caused by other diseases of the musculoskeletal system:
- osteochondrosis;
- arthrosis of facet joints;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- osteoporosis;
- spondylosis;
- spondylolisthesis;
- spinal injuries;
- ledge;
- infectious diseases of the spine (tuberculosis, epidural abscess, osteomyelitis);
- spinal canal stenosis;
- rachiocampis;
- tumors;
- Bekhterev's disease.
The cause of damage to the lower back and tailbone can be diseases of internal organs. Acute pain syndrome occurs with cholecystitis, pancreatitis, inflammatory diseases of the reproductive system, pyelonephritis, renal colic and aneurysm of the abdominal artery.
Constant pain
Constant pain in the lower back is often painful in nature. The intensity of pain can increase with hypothermia, physical activity, injury or unsuccessful movements. 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 that cause the deterioration of blood circulation. For example, vascular atherosclerosis, phlebothrombosis, thrombophlebitis.
The lower back can also be damaged due to inflammatory and degenerative processes of the musculoskeletal system.
It's a dull ache
Pain in the lower back often indicates diseases of the internal organs. If your lower back hurts, it may be a sign 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 general deterioration of well-being.
If the spine hurts in the middle, it indicates pancreatitis or cholecystitis.
When you sit down
If the back hurts while sitting, it indicates excessive physical activity or serious pathologies of the spine. In this case, the pain in the lower back is sharp or burning. Aching dull pain, on the other hand, can lead to a sedentary lifestyle.
The cause of lower back pain after sitting is compressed intervertebral discs.
If the reason is radiculitis, hernia, swelling, protrusion, the back hurts more when standing up.
Pain can occur with diseases of the pelvic organs and kidneys.
When you stop
If your back hurts a lot when you stand, it could be radiculitis. You need to change your position to reduce the pain. The back may ache in an upright position due to a herniated disc.
Which doctor treats back pain?
If your back hurts, you should contact the following specialists for treatment:
- orthopedist;
- neurologist;
- Vertebrologist
Osteopathy, reflexology or chiropractic may be involved 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;
- pain goes beyond the back, accompanied by other symptoms (numbness, urinary or stool incontinence);
- Lasts more than 3 days or reappears after a while.
Diagnostics
To understand why there may be pain in the lumbar region, the doctor conducts a visual examination and listens to the patient's complaints. Based on what he sees and hears, he draws up the clinical picture and can make a diagnosis or prescribe additional examination.
It is important to determine the cause-and-effect relationship during the examination.
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;
- chest x-ray;
- ECG;
- fibrogastroduodenoscopy.
Treatment
If back pain occurs, the treatment depends directly on the cause. 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 your knees. In this way, the back is emptied.
In case of severe pain, you can take painkillers. If pain occurs as a result of an injury, you should apply cold to the painful area.
For stenosis of the spinal canal, injection blockade with steroid drugs and analgesics is used.
Remember that long-term use of painkillers is not an option. Tablets only hide the problem and do not get rid of it.
Pain is most often treated with drugs (NSAIDs, chondroprotectors, muscle relaxants, vitamin complexes), massage, manual therapy, exercise therapy (Bubnovsky complex) and physiotherapeutic procedures. Acupuncture is becoming increasingly popular for relieving muscle tension.
Often the pain can be relieved within 4-6 weeks.
If conservative therapy is ineffective (mainly in the case of hernia), surgical intervention is performed. During the operation, the hernia is removed. The patient immediately feels a significant relief.
What can't you do?
You should not self-medicate for a long time, or use painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs. If the pain does not subside within 3 days, you should consult a doctor.
You cannot do a series of exercises on your own. To prevent the pain from intensifying, the training program should be prescribed by a specialist. In case of exacerbation of spine diseases, massage and physical exercises are generally contraindicated until relief occurs.
In case of injury, you cannot adjust the vertebra yourself or heat the affected area.
Prevention
Preventive measures:
- do not lift weights;
- do not make sudden movements, avoid excessive physical force;
- sleeping on a hard mattress;
- to observe a rest regime;
- lead an active lifestyle, walk at least 1 hour a day;
- for sedentary work, do this every 40-50 minutes. warm-up break;
- do exercises every day, it is useful to hang on a horizontal bar;
- do not overcool;
- Healthy food;
- take vitamin complexes containing calcium.
In order to avoid back pain, you should not put too much strain on your back. We must not forget that the functioning of 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.