Pain in the lower back is a companion of about a quarter of the country's population, appears once, or becomes a common occurrence and accompanies a person almost throughout his life.Pain in the lower back often bothers men and women over 35-45 years old.
In recent years, due to physical inactivity, poor nutrition, excess weight and constant stress, back pain syndrome is appearing more and more among teenagers and children.Therefore, many people are increasingly concerned about the question of what to do if their lower back hurts.
Pain in the lower back
Pain in the spine in the lower back can be dull, aching, shooting, and there can also be pain in the girdle in the lower back.They can appear on the left or right side of the body, disappear without leaving a trace or return repeatedly, worsening the quality of life and physical activity of a person.Patients complain that their lower back hurts a lot.It is important for the doctor to determine why the lower back hurts and for the patient to receive quality treatment.
Causes of back pain
Sometimes severe back pain can be caused by excessive physical activity.Work in the countryside, excessive exertion in the gym, carrying heavy loads and a sedentary lifestyle provoke the process when the lower back hurts.However, the pain usually disappears after a few days.But if there is no relief, you should definitely consult a doctor to find out the causes of back pain.
The usual reasons
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 and infectious processes.Doctors have a sufficient number of facts that explain why the back hurts in the lumbar region.The following causes of pain have been identified:
- Acute or chronic back muscle spasm.
- Prolapse (bulging of the intervertebral disc) and herniated discs.
- Osteochondrosis (dystrophic damage to the joints or intervertebral discs), spondylosis (deformation, increased bone tissue of the vertebrae), arthrosis (joint damage caused by metabolic disorders).
- Ankylosing spondylitis (a chronic disease that leads to immobilization of the spine).
In men and women, the most common pathology is osteochondrosis, which causes curvature of the spine, compression of the roots of the spinal cord and severe pain in the spine.
One of the well-known syndromes is lumbago - a lumbago, in which the lower back or sacrum hurts a lot.
In the lumbar region, the pain is often throbbing, tearing, lasts a few minutes, but sometimes a few hours or days and disappears suddenly.
Dull, aching pain radiating under the ribs, accompanied by stretching of the renal capsule, 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 with stones (stones).
Annoying pain in the lower back develops with persistent allergic syndrome, hormonal imbalance and tuberculosis.In this case, the destruction of the vertebrae occurs.
Pain in the lower back, radiating to the right, can be a symptom of diseases of the pancreas, duodenum, stomach ulcer, aneurysm (expansion) of the abdominal aorta.With phlebitis (inflammation of the walls of venous vessels), proctitis (inflammation of the rectum), the lower back also hurts.Appendicitis or cholecystitis is characterized by pain that radiates to the right side of the lower back.
Herpes in the lumbar region can be caused by different types of herpes.Often the virus does not manifest itself as a rash, but rather as aches and pains.To find out what medications and how to treat the pain, you should contact an infectious disease specialist to advise you on taking antiviral drugs.Belt pain in the lower back also accompanies inflammation of the peritoneum, osteochondrosis, radiculitis and myositis.
In women
Back pain in women is caused by various reasons.The main ones are pregnancy, menopause, kidney diseases, disorders of the digestive system, osteochondrosis or spinal hernia.Such pain in the lower back not only causes discomfort, but can also disrupt the monthly cycle and lead to infertility.
Annoying pain in the lower back occurs with gynecological problems.These can be inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs, endometriosis (pathological growth of the uterine epithelium), ovarian cysts, polyps, fibroids or other formations in the uterine cavity.
Only a specialist can determine what may be causing a woman's back pain.Therefore, you do not need to decide for yourself what to do if your lower back hurts.First of all, you should visit a gynecologist.
Often women have lower back pain during menstrual periods.The reasons are a temporary change in hormonal levels, an increase in the amount of estrogens that increase the sensitivity of the body, water retention, an increase in the load on the spine and physiological contractions of the uterine walls.
Low back pain during pregnancy occurs in almost every woman, but often does not require treatment.Pain in the lumbar region is associated with an increase in the pregnant woman's body weight and pressure on the spine, hormonal changes in the body, a slight shift in the center of gravity and a weakening of the muscular-ligamentous system of the lower abdomen.
Sometimes women complain that their back hurts even after giving birth.Experts say that the causes of back pain after birth appear after microtraumas of the musculo-ligamentous apparatus and joints of the spine.
Spinal instability is another problem for women of all ages, even those with mild obesity.Other common causes are damage to the intervertebral discs or joints.
Physical activity and long standing in an upright position cause pain in the spine, pain in the lower back, difficulty in directing the body and the desire to lie down and rest.Osteoporosis can develop during the postmenopausal period.
In men
The appearance of periodic back pain in men can be caused by professional activities related to excessive physical activity, uncomfortable body postures and work in the cold.The culprit of pain radiating to the waist or groin may be epididymitis - inflammation of the testicles, manifested by swelling of the scrotum and fever.With prostatitis, inflammation of the bladder, a man is bothered by dull pain on the left side of his back.
Back pain in men over 40 is often caused by herniated intervertebral discs.It is characterized by back pain during coughing, sneezing, difficulty in bending and straightening the back.Pain in the lower back is intensified when standing, so such patients tend to lie down more quickly.An advanced hernia and lower back pain sometimes require surgery.
The specific male diseases listed and other pathologies in which the lower back hurts constantly and severely 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 not yet known, then diagnostic measures should begin with a visit to the therapist.Treatment of back pain should begin after an accurate diagnosis has been made, which is carried out after a complete examination.The examination 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 causes, but also by somatic causes, the patient should be examined by a neurologist, vertebrologist, therapist and nephrologist.If women have pain in the lower back, they should definitely be checked by a gynecologist, while men should visit a urologist.
Back pain treatment
After an accurate diagnosis of back pain is made, 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 the answer to the question of how to relieve back pain from neighbors, acquaintances or the Internet.Pain in the lower back has different causes, so the treatment for each disease is individual.Only a doctor knows how to heal a patient and how to relieve pain.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to relieve back pain.These medications have a negative effect on the stomach mucosa, so they must be taken simultaneously with medications that reduce acidity and protect the stomach walls from damage.For pain, you can use suitable ointments or gels as prescribed by your doctor.
Since pain in the back and lower back is caused by different reasons, only specialists can prescribe the right treatment for the lower back.Therefore, in the first case you should consult a doctor and not self-medicate.Only a doctor can determine why the lower back hurts and how to get rid of back pain.
At home, the treatment of back pain can be carried out only after examination and medical examination, otherwise incurable complications may appear.
If your lower back hurts, then the treatment can be complex, that is, you can use traditional and popular methods.
Preventing
It is better to prevent back pain, then you will not have to look for the answer to the question of how to treat back pain.The rules of prevention are simple, but effective.The main thing is not to forget to fulfill them.
According to statistics, more than 25-30% of people have experienced this condition when their back hurt.Planned preventive monitoring of the state of health and timely consultation with a doctor allows you to identify the initial pathology, diagnose why the spine hurts in the lumbar region, why the lower back is pulled.
Morning exercises, running, brisk walks, gym classes, swimming are the main physical activities necessary for the muscles of the spine and back.At least 20-30 minutes a day, without strong tension or overload, will help strengthen muscle tissue.
To reduce the load on the spine, you need to adjust your body weight.Excess weight and physical inactivity are enemies of the spine.
In order to properly reduce body weight, you should not be attracted by diets found on the Internet.It is better to consult a nutritionist or your doctor to get competent recommendations for nutrition and maintaining the water-salt balance.
Routine medical examinations are important to prevent low back pain.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, active children's games and proper posture.School-aged children should undergo a routine medical check-up every year before the start of the school year.
If your lower back hurts, a positive attitude, faith in success, compliance with all the instructions of specialists allows you to reduce or completely remove the pain and lead a full life.