Pain in the lower back accompanies about a quarter of the country's population, manifests itself once or becomes a common phenomenon and accompanies a person for almost a lifetime. Low back pain often worries men and women over the age of 35 to 45.
In recent years, due to physical inactivity, malnutrition, excess weight, constant stress, low back pain syndrome is more and more common in adolescents and children. Therefore, many people are increasingly concerned with the question of what to do if their lower back hurts.
Back pain
Back pain in the lower back can be dull, painful, stabbing, and lower back pain can also appear. They can appear on the left or right side of the body, disappear without a trace, or constantly return, impairing a person's quality of life and physical activity. Patients complain of severe pain in the lower back. It is important that the doctor establishes why the lower back hurts and that the patient receives quality treatment.
Causes of low back pain
Sometimes severe low back pain can be caused by excessive physical exertion. Working in the field, overexertion in the gym, carrying heavy weights, a sedentary lifestyle provoke the process when the lower back hurts. However, the pain usually goes away after a few days. But if relief does not come, you should definitely see a doctor to find out the causes of low back pain.
Common causes
Back pain in the lumbar region can have several causes. Pain can be caused by congenital diseases of the spine, malignant or benign tumors of the pelvic organs, infectious processes. Doctors have a sufficient amount of data that explains why the back hurts in the lumbar region. There are the following causes of pain:
- Acute or chronic spasm of the back muscles.
- Bulging (protrusion of the intervertebral disc) and herniated intervertebral discs.
- Osteochondrosis (degenerative damage to the joints or intervertebral discs), spondylosis (deformation, proliferation of the bone tissue of the vertebrae), osteoarthritis (joint damage caused by metabolic disorders).
- Ankylosing spondylitis (a chronic disease that immobilizes the spine).
In men and women, the most common pathology is osteochondrosis, in which there is a curvature of the spine, compression of the roots of the spinal cord, and severe pain in the lumbar spine.
One of the best known syndromes is lumbago - lumbago, in which the lower back or sacrum is very painful.
In the lower back, the pains are often throbbing, tearing in nature, last for several minutes, but sometimes several hours or days, and disappear suddenly.
Dull, aching pain, radiating below the ribs, associated with stretching of the kidney capsule, pain is characteristic of kidney disease. This can be acute pyelonephritis (an inflammatory process that affects the tubular system of the kidneys) or blockage of the ureter by stones (stones).
Back pain develops with constant allergic syndrome, hormonal imbalance, tuberculosis. In this case, the destruction of the vertebrae occurs.
Pain in the lower back, radiating to the right, can be symptoms of diseases of the pancreas, duodenum, stomach ulcers, aneurysm (expansion) of the abdominal aorta. With phlebitis (inflammation of the walls of the venous vessels), proctitis (inflammation of the rectum), it also hurts in the lower back. Appendicitis or cholecystitis is characterized by pain that radiates to the right side of the lower back.
Low back pain can be caused by various types of herpes. Often the virus manifests itself not in a rash, but in aches, severe pain. To find out what medications and how to treat pain, you should contact an infectious disease specialist for advice on taking antiviral medications. Waist pain in the lower back also accompanies inflammation of the peritoneum, osteochondrosis, sciatica, and myositis.
Between women
Low back pain in women is caused by various reasons. The main ones are pregnancy, menopause, kidney diseases, disorders of the digestive system, osteochondrosis or hernia of the spine. Such lower back pains not only cause discomfort, but can also interrupt the monthly cycle and lead to infertility.
Back pain occurs with gynecological problems. These can be inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs, endometriosis (abnormal proliferation of the uterine epithelium), cysts in the ovaries, polyps, fibroids or other formations in the uterine cavity.
Only a specialist can determine what causes a woman's low back pain. Therefore, you do not need to decide yourself what to do if her lower back hurts. First of all, you need to visit a gynecologist.
Women often have low back pain during critical days. The reasons are a temporary change in the hormonal background, an increase in the amount of estrogens that increase the sensitivity of the body, water retention, an increased load on the spine, physiological contractions of the walls of the uterus.
Low back pain during pregnancy occurs in almost all women, but often does not require treatment. Pain in the lumbar spine is associated with an increase in the body weight of a pregnant woman and pressure on the spine, hormonal changes in the body, a slight change in the center of gravity and a weakening of the muscular-ligamentous system of the lower abdomen .
Sometimes women complain that their back hurts after giving birth. Experts say that postpartum causes of back pain appear after microtrauma of the musculo-ligamentous apparatus and the joints of the spine.
Spinal instability is another problem for women of any age, even with a slight degree of obesity. Another common cause is damage to the discs or intervertebral joints.
Physical activity, prolonged standing in an upright position cause pain in the spine, pain in the lower back, difficulty in stretching the body, desire to lie down and rest as soon as possible. In the postmenopausal period, osteoporosis can develop.
In men
Occupational activities associated with excessive physical exertion, uncomfortable body postures, and working in the cold can lead to periodic back pain in men. The culprit for pain that radiates to the lower back or groin may be epididymitis, an inflammation of the testicles manifested by swelling of the scrotum and fever. With prostatitis, inflammation of the bladder, a man is worried about a dull pain in the left side of his back.
Low back pain in men over 40 is often caused by herniated discs. It is characterized by back pain when coughing, sneezing, difficulty bending over and extending the back. Low back pain worsens with the upright position, so these patients tend to lie down more quickly. A neglected hernia and lower back pain sometimes require surgery.
The listed specific male diseases and other pathologies, in which the lower back hurts constantly, should not be treated without the supervision of a doctor. Self-medication can aggravate and complicate the disease process and lead to disability. Lumbar spine treatment can only be performed by certified specialists.
Disease diagnosis
If the exact cause of the pain is still unknown, diagnostic measures should begin with a visit to a therapist. Treatment of low back pain should be started after making an accurate diagnosis, which is carried out after a full examination. The survey includes:
- study of the anamnesis (questioning the patient about the disease);
- visual inspection of sore spots;
- blood and urine tests (general and biochemical);
- ultrasound examination (ultrasound);
- X-ray examination of the spine;
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
- computed tomography (CT).
Since pain in the lumbar region is caused not only by neurological, but also somatic reasons, the patient must be examined by a neurologist, vertebrologist, therapist and nephrologist. For women, if they have lower back pain, it is imperative that a gynecologist examine them, and men should visit a urologist.
Low back pain treatment
After the correct diagnosis of low back pain, the specialist prescribes a specific treatment for this pathology, which aims to eliminate the causes of the disease.
If your back hurts, you should not look for an answer to the question of how to relieve low back pain from neighbors, acquaintances, on the Internet. Low back pain has different causes, therefore, the treatment of each disease is individual. Only a doctor knows how to cure a patient and how to eliminate pain.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to relieve low back pain. These medications have a negative effect on the stomach lining, so they must be taken in conjunction with medications that reduce acidity and protect the stomach wall from damage. For pain, as directed by a doctor, you can use the appropriate ointments or gels.
Since pain in the spine and lower back is caused by different reasons, only specialists can prescribe the appropriate treatment for the lower back. Therefore, as soon as possible, you should consult a doctor and do not self-medicate. Only a doctor can determine why your lower back hurts and how to get rid of low back pain.
At home, back pain treatment can only be done after examination and medical examination; otherwise, incurable complications can occur.
If your lower back hurts, then the treatment can be complex, that is, you can use traditional and folk methods.
Prophylaxis
It is better to prevent back pain, then you don't have to look for an answer to the question of how to treat back pain. The prevention rules are simple but effective. The main thing is not to forget to perform them.
According to statistics, more than 25-30% of people have experienced this condition when their back hurts. Planned preventive monitoring of the state of health, timely access to a doctor allows you to identify an incipient pathology, diagnose why the spine hurts in the lumbar region, why lumbar pulls.
Morning exercises, jogging, brisk walking, exercising in the gym, swimming are the main physical activities necessary for the muscles of the spine and back. At least 20-30 minutes a day, without strong stress, overload, will help strengthen muscle tissue.
To reduce stress on the spine, you need to adjust your body weight. Being overweight and inactive are enemies of the spine.
In order to properly reduce body weight, you cannot get carried away with the diets found on the Internet. It is best to consult a dietitian or doctor for advice on nutrition and maintenance of the water-salt balance.
Routine medical exams are important to prevent back pain in the lower back. Women should visit a gynecologist every year, men - a urologist. Many diseases of the spine begin in childhood.
Parents should closely monitor the child's health, teach him to exercise, play active childhood games, and adopt correct posture. School-age children annually, before the start of the school year, must undergo a routine medical examination.
If your lower back hurts, a positive attitude, faith in success, compliance with all the prescriptions of specialists make it possible to reduce or completely eliminate pain, lead a full-fledged lifestyle.