Unfortunately, there are no absolutely healthy people in the world. Each of us periodically worries about something in the state of his own organism. Probably that is why we most often wish each other health, well-being, complemented by a good mood.
Low back pain is one of the most common complaints. And if in childhood it seemed to us that this concerns only the elderly, then after maturing, came the realization of the wrong opinion. We are not insured against back pain by age, social status or type of activity. And this is due, above all, to the variety of causes of pain in the lumbar spine, as well as its various manifestations.
Diseases that cause low back pain
Often the pain in the lower back is caused by a specific disease and is a consequence - a symptom whose nature allows for targeted diagnosis, proper diagnosis and delineation of ways, methods, methods and tactics for treatment of the disease.
Lumbar pain is primary or secondary.
Primary is directly related to spinal diseases:
- osteochondrosis or degenerative disorders of articular cartilage (one third of the total number of patient visits);
- 'protrusion' of the intervertebral disc outside the vertebral column (bulge), displacement of the disc nucleus, in which the annular fibrosis breaks (intervertebral hernia);
- displacement of one or more vertebrae: forward, backward;
- accelerated aging and destruction of the cartilage of the intervertebral joints (spondyloarthritis);
- growth of bone tissue at the ends of the spine in the form of spines (spondylosis).
Secondary pain is provoked by diseases of other organs:
- vertebral fractures due to trauma or osteoporosis (increased bone fragility);
- the appearance of a tumor in one of the parts (lumens) of the spinal canal;
- muscle load;
- congenital insufficient width of the spinal canal;
- all types of curvature of the spine and their combination, including deformation leading to the appearance of a "hump" in the thoracic spine;
- different types of arthritis / joint diseases (psoriatic, rheumatic and others);
- vertebral tuberculosis and other inflammatory processes affecting the intervertebral discs;
- kidney / urinary stones, pyelonephritis (kidney damage);
- ovarian cysts, including cancer;
- Spinal pain is also possible as a complication of pregnancy in women.
What can the nature of low back pain indicate?
Of course, it is impossible to diagnose the degree, level and type of back pain on your own. However, when our back hurts, some specific symptoms show us this or that disease.
Severe pain
When the pain in the lumbar spine is severe, the patient most likely has osteochondrosis or sciatica in the lumbar region. In addition, in the first case, this manifests itself in the process of walking, when a person sits for a long time, lifts weights, and also when coughing or sneezing. In some cases, there may be complaints that the back hurts and this pain radiates to the legs.
If we talk about radiculitis, the patient describes the pain as sharp or dull, painful, often - it is unilateral and "reacts" in the thigh, lower leg, buttocks. 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;
- prolonged operation in an awkward position for the trunk;
- back pain after sleep due to again uncomfortable position of the body and stay 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 current;
- also has the possibility of lumbago (so-called lumbago), which suffers from patients involved in heavy physical labor. In this case, the pain in the lower back may disappear 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 appear in the lumbar region - often occur 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 actionsor as a result of surgery aimed at the spine.
The pain nature of pain: what is it talking about?
Pain in pain (the patient can formulate its description as "low back pain" or "pulling the lower back") - very often manifested in the inflammatory process of the lumbar muscles.
This disease occurs as a result of hypothermia or sudden muscle tension / overexertion. In this case, the patient defines the pain as that which binds the lumbar spine and is accompanied by sharp pain during movement.
Chronic, persistent low back pain
If the lower back hurts and even the patient can define it as chronic, then the diagnosis will most likely be:
- deformed spondylosis - an increase in the amount of bone tissue in the spine due to the appearance of vertebral growths on the edge of the vertebrae (expressed in severe back pain, especially in the lumbar region, which can combine tingling and / or weaknessin the legs);
- disease of the spinal joints - most often has a chronic systemic nature;
- diseases from a number of oncological;
- metabolic disorder.
Pain without permanent localization, moving
One of the most difficult cases to identify the causes of the disease is the pain that moves from time to time. At the same time, one can be sure that his lower back hurts, even though the body is actually "misleading" 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 can also occur due to painful changes in bone tissue and tumors of various natures.
Sometimes the painful condition of the lower back is confused with the pain that occurs in the shoulder blades. However, these are still different types of pain and they are mostly related to different diseases. So, shoulder pain, for example, indicates a stomach ulcer, myocardial infarction, intercostal neuralgia and even psychological problems in a person.
If you find it difficult to determine the area where the pain occurs, and at the same time they are regular or acute, then you should consult a doctor immediately!
Injuries that lead to low back pain
Strange as it may seem, the cause of lumbar pain is often caused by an injury received by a person - for example, a bruise on the back muscles or a sprain. A timely visit to the doctor is a guarantee for the correct diagnosis and the effectiveness of the treatment.In advanced cases, there is a high probability of a complication that does not preclude serious curvature of the spine.
Features of back pain in women
“What are the specific causes of low back pain in women? "- you ask. And we will answer that they are not so few. And people in general could thank the Creator for the fact that they just can't have those reasons.
Among the "provokers" of lumbar pain in women are:
- menstruation / periods;
- pregnancy;
- climax.
In each of these cases, the pain may be of a different nature. Depending on the immediate cause, the characteristics of the female body, the degree of stress in the lower back during pregnancy, the woman's age, her employment, the type of professional activity - the pain manifests itself in different ways.
But what about men?
In men, the disease of the lower back, unfortunately, is quite common.
And there are enough reasons for it without the female component:
- stretching (muscle accompanied by sharp pain);
- fracture of the spine (after a person has fallen on his leg or when a person has been hit in the lower back), very often men get such injuries in car accidents;
- bulging / bulging of the intervertebral disc or displacement of several intervertebral discs when it begins to put pressure on the nerve roots, usually this pathology occurs and is diagnosed by an excessive degree of physical activity;
- increase in genital cancer metastases 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 bone tissue and is so strong that it can be stopped only by taking special narcotic drugs, analgesics;
- spondyloarthritis (when one nerve root or several roots in the area of the intervertebral canal are damaged);
- in the case when the painful manifestations radiate, they indicate the presence and development of diseases of the prostate gland, liver or kidney problems.
Risk factors: what can provoke low back pain?
Unfortunately, we cannot insure against this or that disease. But we can study the risk factors - the most common causes 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 heavy physical activity (fitness), especially on the spine and its lumbar spine;
- sudden awkward movement;
- staying in the same position for a significant period of time (for example, people whose activities involve driving a car, working on a computer and even work where a person is forced to stay for a long time - shop consultants, pharmacists)in pharmacies, foremen of machines in factories, etc. );
- in the morning, the lower back may also hurt, which "says" that the mattress or pillow is not suitable for you, but they do not rule out the inflammatory process, which thus manifests itself symptomatically;
- 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 lower back pain;
- High weight and lower back pain are also closely related, as the force of pressure on a person's internal organs and spine depends on total body weight.
When do you need medical help?
Just as we hate getting sick, we hate seeing 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 case of back pain you still want to differentiate yourself in some way: here you can lie down, treat yourself, but here - without the help of a doctor, sometimes urgently! - It's just not enough.
We can say unequivocally 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, watch the body, give it a chance to rest, do not overload.
If the pain does not persist and does not recur, then you have correctly identified the cause and can cope without medical intervention.
For low back pain:
- are repeated systematically;
- switching and resuming;
- are amplified;
- the pain lasts more than three days;
- are repeated in the morning;
- you are injured and you associate the appearance of lower back pain with it;
- feel pain in the lower back and legs (foot and lower leg) at once;
- or - the pain in the lower back is combined and with it sit the buttocks and legs (thigh, lower leg, foot) and even the groin area - this is a serious reason for an urgent visit to the doctor!
In each of the above cases, you do not have to guess, look for the causes of the pain yourself, wondering why your lower back hurts, but you should contact a medical institution immediately. Without medical help, the situation can worsen and treatment will take much more time and effort.
Remember that back pain, low back pain is not a case where you can joke or hope "randomly" (deformities or dislocations of the intervertebral discs, for example, have never been corrected yourself)
The inability to diagnose pain in a person in a timely manner, as well as proper treatment, can lead to serious, complex diseases, lumbar surgery, and even lower body paralysis and injury.