Pain in the lower back is an accompaniment of about a quarter of the country's population, manifests once, or becomes a common phenomenon and accompanies a person for almost a lifetime. Often, low back pain affects men and women over 35-45 years old.
In recent years, due to physical inactivity, malnutrition, overweight, constant stress, low back pain syndrome is becoming more common in adolescents and children. Therefore, many people are increasingly concerned about the question of what to do if their lower back hurts.
Backache
Back pain in the lower back can be dull, pain, shooting and pain in the girdle may also occur. They can appear on the left or right side of the body, disappear without a trace or turn constantly, impairing a person’s quality of life and physical activity. Patients complain of severe pain in the lower back. It is important for the doctor to determine why the lower back pain hurts, and for the patient to receive a quality treatment.
Causes of low back pain
Sometimes severe back pain can be caused by excessive physical exertion. Working on the spot, over-exercising in the gym, carrying big weights, a sedentary lifestyle provokes the process when back pain hurts. However, the pain usually disappears 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 various 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 number of facts that explain why back pain in the lumbar region. There are the following causes of pain:
- Acute or chronic spasm of the back muscles.
- Exit (extension of the intervertebral disc) and intervertebral disc herniation.
- Osteochondrosis (degenerative damage to joints or intervertebral discs), spondylosis (deformity, proliferation of vertebral bone tissue), 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 spinal cord roots, and severe pain in the lumbar spine.
One of the well-known syndromes is lumbago - lumbago, in which the lower back or sacrum is very painful.
In the lumbar region, the pains often pulsate, tear in nature, they last for several minutes, but sometimes for several hours or days, and disappear suddenly.
Dull ache, pain, radiation under the ribs, accompanied by stretching of the renal 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 urethra by calculi (stones).
Back pain develops with persistent allergic syndrome, hormonal imbalance, tuberculosis. In this case, the destruction of the beads occurs.
Pain in the lower back, radiating to the right, may be symptoms of diseases of the pancreas, duodenum, stomach ulcers, aneurysm (enlargement) 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 radiating to the right side of the lower back.
Rubbing pain in the lower back can be caused by different types of herpes. Often the virus manifests itself not in redness, but in pain, severe pain. To find out which medications and how to treat the pain, you should contact an infectious disease specialist to advise taking antiviral medications. Neck pain in the lower back also accompanies inflammation of the peritoneum, osteochondrosis, sciatica and myositis.
Among women
Low back pain in women is caused by various reasons. The main ones are pregnancy, menopause, kidney diseases, digestive system disorders, osteochondrosis or spinal hernia. Such pains in the lower back not only cause discomfort but can also disrupt the menstrual cycle and lead to infertility.
Attractive back pain occurs with gynecological problems. These can be inflammatory diseases of the female genitals, endometriosis (abnormal proliferation of the uterine epithelium), ovarian cysts, polyps, fibroids or other formations in the uterine cavity.
Only a specialist is able to determine what causes a woman’s low back pain. Therefore, you do not need to decide for yourself what to do if your back hurts. First of all, you should visit a gynecologist.
Often women have back pain during critical days. The reasons are a temporary change in the hormonal background, an increase in the amount of estrogen that increase the body's sensitivity, water retention, an increase in the load on the spine, physiological contractions of the uterine walls.
Low back pain during pregnancy occurs in almost every woman, but often does not require treatment. Low back pain is accompanied by an increase in a pregnant woman's body weight and pressure on the back, hormonal changes in the body, a slight shift in the center of gravity, and a weakening of the muscular-ligament system of the lower abdomen.
Sometimes women complain of back pain after giving birth. Experts say that the causes of postpartum back pain appear after microtraumas of the musculo-ligament apparatus and spinal joints.
Spinal instability is another problem for women of all ages, even with a slight degree of overweight. Another common cause is damage to the discs or intervertebral joints.
Physical activity, prolonged standing in a vertical position causes pain in the spine, pain in the lower back, difficult elongation of the body, desire to lie down and rest as soon as possible. In the postmenopausal period, osteoporosis can develop.
To men
Occupational activities associated with excessive physical exertion, uncomfortable postures, and cold work can lead to recurrent back pain in men. The culprit for the pain radiating to the lumbar or groin region may be epididymitis - inflammation of the testicles, manifested by swelling of the scrotum and fever. With prostatitis, inflammation of the bladder, a man worries about dull pain in the left side of the back.
Lower back pain in men over 40 is often caused by a disc herniation. It is characterized by back pain when coughing, sneezing, difficulty in bending and elongation of the back. Lumbar pain worsens with an upright position, so these patients tend to stretch faster. A neglected hernia and pain sometimes require surgery.
The specific diseases listed in men and other pathologies, in which low back pain constantly aches, should not be treated without the supervision of a doctor. Self-medication can lead to deterioration and complication of the pathological process and result in disability. Lumbar spine treatment can only be performed by certified specialists.
Diagnosis of diseases
If the exact cause of the pain is still unknown, then diagnostic measures should begin with a visit to a therapist. Treatment of low back pain should begin after an accurate diagnosis is made, which is performed after a thorough examination. The survey includes:
- anamnesis study (questioning the patient about the disease);
- visual inspection of painful points;
- 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 should be examined by a neurologist, vertebrologist, therapist and nephrologist. For women, if they have pain in the lower back, it is necessary to be examined by a gynecologist, and men should visit a urologist.
Treatment of low back pain
After accurate 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 answers to the question of how to relieve back pain from neighbors, acquaintances, online. 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 remove the pain.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to relieve low back pain. These drugs have a negative effect on stomach lining, so they should be taken along with medications that reduce acidity and protect the stomach wall from damage. For pain, as instructed by a doctor, you can use the right oils or gels.
Since pain in the back and lower back is caused by various reasons, only specialists can prescribe the right treatment for the lower back. Therefore, as soon as possible, you should see a doctor, and not self-medicate. Only a doctor can determine why the lower back hurts and how to get rid of low back pain.
At home, the treatment of back pain can be performed only after examination and medical examination, otherwise incurable complications may occur.
If lower back pain hurts, then the treatment can be complex, meaning you can use both traditional and popular methods.
Prophylaxis
It is better to prevent back pain, then you should not look for an answer to the question of how to treat back pain. 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 health condition, timely access to a doctor allows you to identify an initial pathology, diagnose why back pain in the lumbar region, why lumbar retraction.
Morning exercises, brisk running, brisk walking, fitness exercises, swimming are the main physical activities needed for the back and back muscles. 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. Overweight, physical inactivity are the enemies of the spine.
To properly reduce body weight, you can not get enough of the diets found online. It is best to consult a dietitian or physician for advice on nutrition and maintaining a water-salt balance.
Routine medical examinations are important to prevent back pain in the lumbar region. Women should visit a gynecologist every year, men - a urologist. Many spinal diseases begin in childhood.
Parents should closely monitor the child's health, teach him to exercise, active children's games and correct behavior. School-age children must undergo a routine medical examination each year before the start of the school year.
If lower back pain hurts, a positive attitude, confidence in success, compliance with all prescriptions of specialists makes it possible to reduce or completely eliminate the pain, leading a complete lifestyle.