Unfortunately, there are no absolutely healthy people in the world. Each of us periodically worries about something in the state of our own organism. This is probably why most often we wish each other health, well-being, complemented by good spirits.
Low back pain is among the most common complaints. And, if in childhood it seemed to us that it only concerns the elderly, then, having matured, the realization of the erroneous opinion came. We are not insured against back pain by age, social status or type of activity. And this is due, first of all, to the variety of causes of pain in the lumbar region of the spine, as well as its various manifestations.
Diseases that cause low back pain
Often, soreness in the lower back is caused by a specific disease and is a consequence - a symptom, the nature of which makes it possible to carry out targeted diagnostics, make a correct diagnosis and outline the ways, methods, methods, and, in general, the tactics of treating the disease.
Pain in the lumbar region is either primary or secondary.
Primary has a direct connection with diseases of the spine:
- osteochondrosis or degenerative disorders of articular cartilage (one third of the total number of patients' visits);
- "bulging" of the intervertebral disc outside the boundaries of the spine (protrusion), displacement of the disc nucleus, in which the annulus fibrosus breaks (intervertebral hernia);
- displacement of one or more vertebrae: forward, backward;
- accelerated aging and destruction of the cartilage of the intervertebral joints (spondyloarthrosis);
- growth of bone tissue along the edges of the spine in the form of thorns (spondylosis).
Secondary pain is provoked by diseases of other organs:
- vertebral fractures due to trauma or osteoporosis (increased fragility of bones);
- the appearance of a tumor in one of the parts (lumen) of the spinal canal;
- muscle strain;
- congenital insufficient width of the spinal canal;
- all kinds of curvature of the spine and their combination, including deformity leading to the appearance of a "hump" in the thoracic spine;
- various types of arthritis / joint diseases (psoriatic, rheumatic and others);
- vertebral tuberculosis, and other inflammatory processes affecting the intervertebral discs;
- kidney / urinary tract stones, pyelonephritis (kidney damage);
- ovarian cysts, including cancers;
- spinal pain is also possible as a complication of pregnancy in women.
What can the character of low back pain indicate?
Of course, it is impossible to independently diagnose the degree, level, type of back pain. But nevertheless, when back hurts, some specific symptoms indicate to us this or that disease.
Severe pains
When the pain in the lumbar spine is severe, it is most likely that the patient has osteochondrosis or sciatica lumbar. Moreover, in the first case, it manifests itself in the process of walking, when a person sits for a long time, lifts weights, and also when he coughs or sneezes. In some cases, there may be complaints that the back hurts and this pain radiates to the leg.
If we are talking about radiculitis, the patient describes the pain as acute or dull, aching, often - it is one-sided, and "responds" in the thigh, lower leg, buttock. It can increase with walking, with a change in the position of the human body, with a cough.
What can acute lumbar pain indicate?
In cases where the pain is acute, you should talk about:
- muscle stretching;
- long-term work in an uncomfortable position for the trunk;
- back pain after sleep due to, again, an uncomfortable position of the body and staying in it for a significant period of time;
- pain arising in the process of lifting or carrying weights, in the event of a fall, impact, or sudden movement;
- hypothermia or prolonged exposure to a draft;
- also has the likelihood of lumbago (so-called lumbago), which suffers from patients involved in heavy physical labor. In this case, lower back pain can go away in a few days, but it also happens that it drags on and accompanies a person for two or more weeks;
- displacement of the intervertebral discs that occur in the lumbar part - often appear in connection with a fracture of the spine, with osteochondrosis, interaction with heavy objects (in particular, lifting them), in the process of performing heavy physical actions, or as a result of surgical intervention aimed atspine.
The aching nature of the pain: what is he talking about?
Aching pain (the patient can formulate its description as "the lower back aches", or "pulls the lower back") - very often manifests itself in the inflammatory process of the lumbar muscles.
This disease appears as a result of hypothermia, or sudden muscle tension / overexertion. In this case, the patient defines the pain as one that fetters the lumbar spine, and is accompanied by sharp pain during movement.
Chronic, persistent lower back pain
If the lower back hurts and even the patient himself can describe it as chronic, then most likely the diagnosis will be:
- spondylosis deformans - an increase in the amount of bone tissue of the spine due to the appearance of spine-like growths along the edge of the vertebrae (manifests itself in severe back pain, especially in the lumbar region, which can combine numbness and / or weakness in the legs);
- disease of the vertebral joints - most often it has a chronic systemic character;
- diseases from a number of oncological;
- metabolic disorder.
Pains without constant localization, moving
One of the most difficult cases of identifying causative diseases is pain that moves from time to time. At the same time, a person can be sure that his lower back hurts, although in fact the body "deceives" him, and the disease has crept into other organs.
These pains are often caused by diseases of the pelvic organs. The inflammatory process in the kidneys, diseases of the pancreas, colon can contribute to the appearance of pain in the lumbar spine, and it can also occur due to painful changes in bone tissue and tumors of a different nature.
Sometimes the painful condition of the lower back is confused with the pain that occurs in the area of the shoulder blades. However, these are still different types of pain, and they are mostly associated with different diseases. So, pain in the shoulder blades, for example, indicates a stomach ulcer, myocardial infarction, intercostal neuralgia, and even a person's psychological problems.
If you find it difficult to independently determine the area in which pain occurs, and at the same time they are regular or acute, then you should immediately consult a doctor!
Injuries that lead to lower back pain
Oddly enough, but very often the cause of pain in the lumbar region is an injury received by a person - for example, with a bruise of the back muscles, or a sprain. A timely visit to a doctor is a guarantee of the correct diagnosis and the effectiveness of treatment.
In advanced cases, there is a high probability of a complication, not excluding a serious curvature of the spine.
Peculiarities of back pain in women
"What are the specific causes of low back pain in women? "- you ask. And we will answer that there are not so few of them. And men, in general, could thank the Creator for the fact that they just cannot have these reasons.
Among the "provocateurs" of lumbar pain in women are:
- menses / periods;
- pregnancy;
- climax.
In each of these cases, the pain can be of a different nature. Depending on the immediate cause, the characteristics of the female body, the degree of stress on the lower back during pregnancy, the woman's age, her employment, the type of professional activity - pain manifests itself in different ways.
But what about men?
In men, painful lower back syndrome, unfortunately, is quite common.
And there are enough reasons for him without the female component:
- stretching (muscle, accompanied by sharp pain);
- spinal fracture (after a person fell to his feet, or when a man was hit in the lower back), very often men receive such injuries in car accidents;
- protrusion / bulging of the intervertebral disc or displacement of several intervertebral discs, when it begins to put pressure on the nerve roots, usually this pathology arises and is diagnosed through an excessive degree of physical activity;
- growth of metastases of cancers of the genital organs in men, most often occurs after the age of 50; at the same time, the pain develops with a change in the degree of damage to the bone tissue, and it is so strong that it can only be stopped by taking special narcotic drugs, analgesics;
- spondyloarthrosis (when one nerve root or several roots is impaired in the area of the intervertebral canal);
- in the case when the painful manifestations are radiating, they indicate the presence and development of diseases of the prostate gland, problems in the liver, or kidneys.
Risk factors: what can provoke low back pain?
Unfortunately, we cannot insure ourselves against this or that disease. But in our power to study the risk factors - the most common causes of the onset of the disease, and take measures to eliminate them (if possible) or at least partially neutralize their effect on the body.
The most common, pronounced risk factors for lower back pain include:
- conducting intensive training with great physical exertion (gym), especially on the spine and its lumbar spine;
- sudden awkward movement;
- staying for a significant period of time in the same position (for example, people whose activities are related to driving a car, working at a computer, and even work in which a person is forced to stand for a long time - consultants in stores, pharmacists)in pharmacies, foremen at machines in factories, etc. );
- in the morning, the lower back may also ache, which “speaks” that the mattress or pillow is not suitable for you, but they do not exclude the inflammatory process, which thus symptomatically manifests itself;
- work, which is based on great physical or psychological stress, stress can also manifest itself in lower back pain;
- As mentioned earlier, pregnancy and childbirth also increase the likelihood of low back pain;
- large weight and pain in the lower back are also closely related, since the force of pressure on the internal organs and the spine of a person depends on the total body weight.
When do you need medical attention?
Just as we hate getting sick, we hate going to doctors for help. There are many ways to independently identify the causes of diseases and their treatment. Of course, there are reasons for this belief.
But in the case of back pain, you still want to somehow differentiate: here you can lie down, get medical treatment on your own, but here - without the help of a doctor, sometimes urgent! - just not enough.
We can unequivocally say that if the pain is one-time in nature, or the cause of the pain is one of the reasons for the female line, then, in principle, you can not panic, but wait, observe the body, give it the opportunity to be at rest, do not overload.
If the pain does not linger and does not recur, then you have established the cause correctly and you can do without medical intervention.
For lower back pain:
- are repeated systematically;
- pass and resume;
- are amplified;
- pain persists for more than three days;
- are repeated in the morning;
- you are injured and you associate the occurrence of pain in the lower back with it;
- feel pain in the lower back and leg (foot and lower leg) at once;
- or - pain in the lower back is combined and along with it the buttock and leg (thigh, lower leg, foot) and even the groin area go numb - this is a serious reason for an urgent visit to the doctor!
In any of the above cases, you do not need to guess, look for the causes of pain on your own, wondering why your lower back hurts, but you should immediately contact a medical institution. Without medical assistance, the situation can worsen and treatment will take much more time and effort.
Remember that back pain, lower back pain is not a case when you can joke or hope "at random" (deformities or displacements of intervertebral discs, for example, have never been corrected by themselves).
Failure to timely diagnose pain in a person, as well as correct treatment, can lead to serious, complicated diseases, lumbar surgery and even paralysis of the lower body and disability.