Pain in the lower back is a companion of about a quarter of the country's population, it occurs once or becomes a frequent event and accompanies a person almost all his life.Lower back pain often bothers men and women between the ages of 35 and 45.
Due to physical inactivity, poor nutrition, obesity and constant stress, lower back pain has become increasingly common in adolescents and children in recent years.Many people are therefore increasingly concerned with the question of what to do if their lower back hurts.
Lower back pain
Spinal pain in the lower back can be dull, aching and stabbing, and girdle pain in the lower back can also occur.They can appear on the left or right side of the body, disappear without a trace or constantly recur, worsening a person's quality of life and physical activity.Patients complain that their lower back hurts a lot.It is important for the doctor to find out why the lower back hurts and for the patient to receive quality treatment.
Causes of lower back pain
Sometimes severe lower back pain can be caused by excessive physical activity.Working in the country, overexertion 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.However, if there is no relief, you should definitely see a doctor to find out the causes of the lower back pain.
Common 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, as well as infectious processes.Doctors have enough facts that explain why the back hurts in the lumbar region.The following causes of pain are identified:
- Acute or chronic spasm of the back muscles.
- Protrusions (bulging of the intervertebral disc) and herniated discs.
- Osteochondrosis (dystrophic damage to the joints or intervertebral discs), spondylosis (deformation, proliferation of the bone tissue of the vertebrae), arthrosis (damage to the joints due to metabolic disorders).
- Ankylosing spondylitis (a chronic disease that leads to immobilization of the spine).
In men and women, osteochondrosis is the most common pathology, causing 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 - a lumbago in which the lower back or sacrum is very painful.
In the lumbar region, the pain often pulsates, tears, lasts for several minutes, sometimes several hours or days, and suddenly disappears.
A dull, aching pain that radiates under the ribs and is accompanied by stretching of the kidney 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 by stones (stones).
With persistent allergic syndrome, hormonal imbalance and tuberculosis, excruciating pain in the lower back develops.In this case, the vertebrae are destroyed.
Pain in the lower back that radiates to the right can be symptoms of diseases of the pancreas, duodenum, stomach ulcers, and aneurysm (enlargement) of the abdominal aorta.With phlebitis (inflammation of the walls of venous vessels) and 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.
Shingles in the lumbar region can be caused by various types of herpes.Often the virus does not manifest itself as a rash, but rather as pain.To find out what medications exist and how to treat the pain, you need to contact an infectious disease specialist who will advise you on taking antiviral drugs.Belt pain in the lower back is also accompanied by inflammation of the peritoneum, osteochondrosis, radiculitis and myositis.
In women
Lower back pain in women can have various causes.The main ones are pregnancy, menopause, kidney disease, digestive system disorders, osteochondrosis or spinal hernia.Such lower back pain not only causes discomfort but can also disrupt the menstrual cycle and lead to infertility.
With gynecological problems, excruciating pain occurs in the lower back.These can be inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs, endometriosis (pathological growth of the uterine epithelium), cysts on the ovaries, polyps, fibroids or other formations in the uterine cavity.
Only a specialist can determine what can cause pain in a woman's lower back.Therefore, you don't have to decide what to do if your lower back hurts.First of all, you need to visit a gynecologist.
Women often suffer from back pain during menstruation.The reasons are a temporary change in hormone levels, an increase in the amount of estrogen, which increases the body's sensitivity, water retention, increased load on the spine and physiological contractions of the uterine walls.
Lower 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 body weight and pressure on the spine of the pregnant woman, hormonal changes in the body, a slight shift in the center of gravity and a weakening of the muscle-ligamentous system of the lower abdomen.
Sometimes women complain that their back hurts even after giving birth.Experts say that postpartum causes of lower back pain occur after microtrauma to the musculoskeletal system 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 prolonged standing in an upright position cause pain in the spine, pain in the lower back, difficulty in straightening the body and the desire to lie down and rest.Osteoporosis can develop in the period after menopause.
In men
The occurrence of periodic back pain in men can be caused by professional activities that involve excessive physical activity, uncomfortable postures, and working in the cold.The cause of pain radiating to the lumbar region or groin may be epididymitis - inflammation of the testicles, manifested by swelling of the scrotum and fever.With prostatitis, a bladder infection, a man is plagued by dull pain on the left side of his back.
Lower back pain in men over 40 is often caused by herniated discs.Characteristic features include back pain when coughing, sneezing, and difficulty bending and straightening the back.When standing upright, pain in the lower back increases, so such patients tend to lie down more quickly.An advanced hernia and lower back pain sometimes require surgery.
The listed specific men's diseases and other pathologies in which the lower back hurts constantly and severely should not be treated without medical supervision.Self-medication can lead to an exacerbation and complication of the pathological process and disability.Treatment of the lumbar spine may only be carried out by certified specialists.
Diagnosis of diseases
If the exact cause of the pain is not yet known, diagnostic measures should begin with a visit to the therapist.Treatment of lower back pain should begin after an accurate diagnosis, which is carried out after a complete examination.The exam includes:
- Study of anamnesis (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 has not only neurological but also somatic causes, the patient should be examined by a neurologist, vertebrate, therapist and nephrologist.If you have lower back pain, women should definitely be examined by a gynecologist, and men should see a urologist.
Treating lower back pain
After a correct diagnosis of lower back pain has been made, the specialist prescribes specific treatment for this pathology, aimed at eliminating 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 your neighbors, acquaintances or on the Internet.Lower back pain has different causes, so treatment is individual for each condition.Only a doctor knows how to heal a patient and relieve pain.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to relieve back pain.These drugs have a negative effect on the gastric mucosa and therefore must be taken simultaneously with drugs that reduce acidity and protect the stomach walls from damage.If you are in pain, you can use appropriate ointments or gels as prescribed by your doctor.
Since pain in the spine and lower back has different causes, only specialists can prescribe appropriate treatment for the lower back.Therefore, you must consult a doctor at the first opportunity and not self-medicate.Only a doctor can determine why the lower back hurts and how to eliminate lower back pain.
At home, treatment of lower back pain can only be carried out after examination and medical examination, otherwise incurable complications may arise.
If your lower back hurts, treatment can be complex, that is, you can use both traditional and folk methods.
Prevention
It is better to prevent pain in the spine, then you do not have to look for an answer to the question of how to treat lower 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 in which their back hurts.Preventive, planned monitoring of health status and timely consultation of a doctor allows you to identify incipient pathologies and diagnose why the spine hurts in the lumbar region and why the lower back is pulled.
Morning exercises, jogging, brisk walks, gymnastics classes and swimming are the main physical activities necessary for the spine and back muscles.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 lack of exercise are the enemies of the spine.
To properly reduce body weight, you should not get carried away with diets on the Internet.For expert recommendations on nutrition and maintaining water-salt balance, it is best to consult a nutritionist or your doctor.
In order to prevent back pain in the lumbar region, regular medical examinations are important.Women need to see a gynecologist every year, and men need to see a urologist.Many spinal diseases begin in childhood.
Parents need to closely monitor the child's health, teach him exercise, active children's games and correct posture.School-age children must undergo a routine medical examination each year before the start of the school year.
If your lower back hurts, a positive attitude, belief in success and compliance with all the instructions of specialists will allow you to reduce or eliminate the pain and lead a fulfilling life.