The back is a complex structure based on the spine. The lumbar spine consists of five vertebrae, starting with the twentieth from the top down. They are the largest among the rest of the vertebrae and going down, from the first to the fifth lumbar vertebra, they gradually increase in size, as this area has the greatest load. The back in the region of these vertebrae is called the lower back.
Changes to this part of the back cause pain and it is worth treating these problems with care. Pain can be caused by either congenital anomalies or acquired diseases. These can be consequences of injuries during intense physical exertion, infections, tumors, hernias, etc.
Back Pain Causes
In most cases, low back pain is caused by osteochondrosis. But it's not the only cause of lower back pain. Some people don't even know why their back is so bad. Many internal organ diseases, injuries and physiological conditions are reflected by back pain, and this list includes:
- diseases of the kidneys and pelvic organs;
- physiological pain during menstruation in women;
- spinal injury;
- injuries (sprains) of the back muscles;
- digestive system diseases;
- scoliosis;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- infections that destroy the spine and discs (tuberculosis, epidural abscess);
- tumor processes;
- Reiter's Syndrome.
Musculoskeletal System Diseases
In 90% of cases, back pain is caused by problems with the spine and back muscles. Lumbar vertebrae are affected more often than other parts of the spine. They support huge loads when walking, being the center of gravity in upright people. Also, there is a lot of pressure on the lower back when the person is sitting.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system can be asymptomatic for a long period and back pain is usually the first sign of the disease. It can be of variable intensity and duration - periodic low back pain or acute pain syndrome with pinched nerve roots.
Pathologies for which back pain include:
- osteochondrosis;
- intervertebral horizontal protrusions, vertical hernia (Schmorl) and disc protrusion;
- primary and secondary (metastatic) malignant tumors in the bones and soft tissue of the back;
- myositis of lower back muscles;
- osteomyelitis (a purulent infectious process caused by pathogenic microflora, for example, the tuberculosis bacillus or the causative agent of brucellosis);
- ankylosing spondylitis;
- radiculitis;
- sciatica (sciatic nerve damage or irritation);
- deforming spondylosis;
- rheumatoid arthritis and Reiter's syndrome;
- sacroiliac and hip joint diseases;
- epiduritis (inflammation of the spinal cord dura mater);
- rachiocampsis;
- injuries to bone structures, muscles and ligaments of the back;
- metabolic changes in bone tissue (osteoporosis, osteomalacia).
Acute low back pain is often called lumbago (back pain). Its main causes are displacement of vertebrae, intervertebral hernias and congenital spinal anomalies. Back pain can last from several hours to several days and stop abruptly if the "vertebra is in place".
Pain with kidney disease
Painful low back pain often accompanies renal pathology. It does not change with body position and increases if the person is standing for a long time. More often, it is unilateral and indicates chronic disease. You need to see a doctor if your back hurts and you have the following symptoms:
- signs of intoxication and general malaise (chills, fatigue, etc. );
- eyelid and face swelling in the morning;
- violation of the urination process (frequent, painful, etc. );
- sudden rise or fall in blood pressure;
- nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting;
- change urine parameters (very dark, cloudy, with an unpleasant odor, etc. ).
Bloody urine and severe back pain are characteristic of an attack of urolithiasis. In this case, painful sensations can be transmitted from the back along the ureter, into the groin area, genitals, and the inner surface of the thigh.
Hematuria can also indicate kidney cancer. But unlike urolithiasis, in most cases tumors grow asymptomatic for a long time and the back only hurts in the last stage of the process.
low back pain and pregnancy
During pregnancy and childbirth, a woman's lower back is under tremendous stress. If the mother-to-be has back pain, this could be a physiological phenomenon or signal the development or exacerbation of the disease.
increased load
Any physical activity can cause back pain. It may appear after summer work, weight lifting, intense strength training, etc.
Overweight
Excess weight negatively affects the condition of the spine. Each extra kilogram is an additional load on the lower back.
In obese individuals, the risk of developing osteochondrosis and intervertebral hernias increases dramatically. Obese people are also prone to the formation of kidney stones, early onset osteoporosis and other pathologies that cause back pain.
other reasons
Sometimes the back hurts for other reasons:
- Pathological. Gastrointestinal tract diseases (colitis, intestinal tumors, gallstones, etc. ); pathology of Organs pelvic organs (prostatitis, endometriosis, neoplasms, infections and inflammation); spinal circulation disorders; atherosclerosis or abdominal aortic aneurysm.
- Physiological. Prolonged static charge on the back, prolonged computer work, long hours of driving, etc.
Lumbodynia can radiate to the lower back with ectopic pregnancy and "acute abdomen".
Types of pain and its causes
When the back aches in the lower back, the person sometimes can't even move. The nature of the pain can change in a day: first a dull pain in the lower back is felt, then a sharp pain, and then it subsides again. Also, it can be constant and does not decrease. At a young age, everything is tolerated more easily than in the elderly, when the lower back constantly hurts.
Pain is usually a recognition mechanism for problems caused by an illness. Pain reveals a hidden problem and therefore plays an important role. But, of course, you cannot tolerate it. You should immediately contact a specialist who will determine the cause and prescribe treatment.
Chronic pain
Chronic low back pain is a frequent companion of spinal and internal organ disorders. It is pronounced and constant in cancer patients with metastases to the vertebrae or primary tumor lesion.
sharp pains
Acute low back pain can signal a serious problem that requires proactive tactics. The following pathologies attract her:
- spinal fracture and other acute back injuries;
- exacerbation of inflammatory processes in the joints;
- spinal epiduritis;
- intervertebral hernia;
- exacerbation of osteochondrosis;
- acute abdomen (intestinal obstruction, appendicitis, ovarian apoplexy, etc. );
- stone movement with ICD or gallstone disease;
- pinched nerves;
- acute circulatory disorders in the vessels of the back;
- pyelonephritis in the acute phase.
If a pregnant woman feels that her back is hurting, she should seek medical help immediately. With severe pain in the child's lower back, parents are forced to show the baby to the pediatrician.
Strong pain
If you're concerned about severe back pain and taking pain relievers doesn't help, see a doctor.
painful pains
It is often believed that low back pain is the result of muscle fatigue. This is a misnomer. Sometimes, the back hurts with serious pathologies of the small pelvis (prostate cancer in men and uterine cancer in women).
In addition, painful sensations of a similar nature are typical of slow infectious processes, benign growing formations, and hernias. Over time, they intensify, complemented by other signs of illness.
Displaced pain
When the back hurts and lumbodynia differs in intensity and duration, the cause may not be one condition, but several. You must make an appointment with a specialist and pass a comprehensive exam.
Which doctor should I see?
If your lower back hurts, you first need to see a therapist. The doctor will take a history, describe the back pain in detail, perform an exam, and make a diagnostic measurement plan. Depending on your results, he will prescribe the treatment or send you for a consultation to a restricted specialist:
- neurologist;
- vertebronologist;
- gastroenterologist;
- neurosurgeon.
Diagnosis
When the lower back is painful, diagnostic measures are prescribed in the complex. Laboratory exams, ultrasound exams, X-ray methods, instrumental exams and others are mandatory.
X-ray
Bone X-ray is a simple and affordable diagnostic method. With spinal pathology, all existing defects are visible on the images. Focusing on the data obtained, the physician makes a diagnosis and is determined with the other tactics of treating a patient with back pain.
Computed tomography
Computed tomography is prescribed to clarify the diagnosis and strictly according to indications. On tomograms, bone defects are clearly visible, which caused pain in the lower back.
magnetic resonance
Magnetic resonance imaging is a modern and highly informative diagnostic method. It allows you to explore any area of the body. With its help, the state of blood vessels, nerve structures, spinal cord and internal organs is assessed.
Despite its relative safety, it cannot be attributed to "all in a row" who suffer from back pain. The exam has several contraindications.
Possible complications and consequences of pain
If you don't see a doctor and don't determine the cause of your back pain, the consequences can be serious. A symptom cannot be overlooked.
When the back hurts intensely, injuries to the spine or acute processes in the abdomen can occur. Ignoring lumbodynia with pinched nerves can lead to persistent loss of sensation and motor activity. Low back pain is fraught with serious consequences, such as rupture of internal organs, bleeding, abscess, sepsis, etc.
First Aid for Acute Pain
If there is severe back pain, call a doctor or an ambulance. Before the doctor arrives, the patient needs to:
- adopt a "low-back friendly" posture;
- drink an anesthetic and, if it doesn't work, repeat the pill half an hour later (input an intramuscular injection);
- relieve the spasm with medication;
- eliminate possible swelling by drinking a diuretic or herbal tea;
- improve tissue nutrition by taking a complex vitamin and mineral preparation;
- lubricate your lower back with ointment or gel.
Sometimes they use popular methods (horseradish, pepper or nettle tincture). When your back hurts, you should follow a "relief" diet, excluding any irritating factors.
How to recover from low back pain?
There are several treatments for back pain and lower back pain. But they all relate to traditional methods (medical methods) or alternatives.
Traditional methods include:
- bed rest;
- drug treatment;
- physiotherapy;
- surgical treatment;
Alternative methods include:
- massage;
- acupuncture;
- yoga classes.
The main purpose of these methods is to alleviate suffering and the golden rule: "Do no harm".
When it hurts your back, first of all, it is necessary to consult a doctor and, based on the established diagnosis and the recommendations received, proceed with the treatment at home. Injections, electrical procedures should be obtained in a medical institution, and back massage, application of warm compresses and ointments to the lower back, and pill-taking can be taken not only in the clinic but also at home. Self-medication and improper adherence to recommendations only harm.
drug treatment
Medical treatment should be prescribed by a physician depending on the cause of the back pain. Self-administration of medications is unacceptable.
Ointments and gels
Lubrication of the back is recommended for diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The following types of ointments are differentiated:
- combined, having multiple effects (relieving inflammation, alleviating pain, healing);
- anti-inflammatory pain relievers (contain menthol, lavender, and similar ingredients);
- irritants (vegetable, animal or synthetic);
- chondroprotective (to restore and protect cartilage tissue).
If the lower back is painful but the diagnosis is unclear, you should not use external agents.
Injections
Sometimes back pain is treated with injections. The doctor injects a pain reliever into the affected area. In some situations, blockage with anesthetics is used.
Physiotherapy
When the back hurts, exercise therapy is almost always recommended. Gymnastics helps to strengthen the muscular structure of the lower back, improve tissue trophism and stretch ligaments. The exercise set is selected individually.
massage therapy
Low back pain can be effectively eliminated by therapeutic massage. You can use professionals or carry out the manipulations yourself. In case of internal organ pathology and neoplasms, it is impossible to massage the back.
Physiotherapy
If your back hurts, physical therapy is prescribed for various ailments. Physical therapy is especially effective for lumbar osteochondrosis. They use magnetotherapy, laser treatment, electrophoresis, pulse currents, hirudotherapy and other techniques.
Back Pain Prevention
If a person has a chronic condition that can cause back pain, prevention will be to avoid exacerbations. In order, in principle, not to find this symptom, one should first of all monitor the health of the spine. If your back hurts, the preventive measures are:
- active lifestyle;
- daily gymnastics;
- balanced nutrition rich in vitamins and minerals;
- proper physical activity for the back;
- exclusion of back injuries;
- lack of stress;
- treatment of outbreaks of infection.
Annual preventive exams are of great importance to timely identify existing health problems and prevent back pain.