For the ability to walk on two legs, the human race pays with back pain. If your back hurts from time to time in the lumbar region, it can be a sign of severe fatigue or the result of being in an uncomfortable position for a long time during work or sleep. But the reasons can be more serious.
Causes of pain
The lower back is one of the most painful areas. There are reasons for this:
- Osteochondrosis;
- Scoliosis;
- herniated discs;
- tumors;
- tissue infections.
The nature and intensity of pain depends on the disease. And he is restless in different ways: after sleep, sports, overwork. For example, renal colic is constantly accompanied by pain in the lower back. And here the type of activity of the patient is not important.
- Most often, it hurts in the lumbar region due to osteochondrosis of the lumbar region. In the state of sleep, pain of moderate intensity is aggravated by physical exertion. He suffers from constant fatigue. The feeling of heaviness makes you want to lie down. But relief does not always follow.
- If there is a herniated disc, severe pain occurs after sudden movements, heavy lifting, and falls.
- If the hernia is compressed, there is a sharp pain characterized as lumbago. Movement in the lumbar region is noticeably limited. Damage to the nerve root signals pain in the leg.
- In old age, stenosis of the intervertebral canal often occurs. A sign of this is lameness, numbness of the legs, especially after a long walk.
- Stiffness in the spine in the morning indicates the beginning of the development of Bechterew's disease. At first, sharp pain sensations appear in the sacral region, then spread to the lumbar region. The feeling after sleep is not rest, but fatigue that disappears with the onset of motor activity. The disease mostly affects young men. The disease is hereditary. Basically, the lower back hurts when lying on the back.
- Acute pain in the lumbar region also occurs with pyelonephritis (an inflammatory process in the kidneys). They are accompanied by an increase in body temperature, swelling in the morning after sleep.
- Elderly men often develop a disease such as an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta. Abdominal pain and cramping are the result of aortic pressure on nearby organs.
- Back pain, fever, burning along the nerve are symptoms of shingles. This viral disease affects the cells of the spinal cord. A pink rash appears on the body, then bubbles appear.
- Another common ailment that many consider harmless is flat feet. A deformed leg increases the load on the spine during walking. Pain stops during sleep.
- If there are congenital changes in the vertebrae: an irregular shape or a change in the slit, they will make themselves felt sooner or later.
- Autoimmune pathologies, especially multiple sclerosis, are provocateurs of pain of various localization. Including lower back pain.
There are other reasons for a lot of pain in the lumbar region. These can be complications after osteoporosis, infections of the genitourinary system, hemorrhoids, tumor diseases, viral or bacterial infections. And even the physiological changes that affect women and occur during pregnancy and childbirth.
Pain caused by diseases of internal organs
When wondering why back pain in the lumbar region, sometimes it is difficult to believe that the causes can be inside the organs. The fact is that in some cases pain sensations from internal organs "radiate" to the lumbar region.
- Right-sided pleurisy, pneumonia - causes of pain in the lumbar region on the right. Associated symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, fever. Left-sided pleurisy sends pain signals to the left side of the lower back, which is aggravated by bending over while sleeping.
- Cholelithiasis also localizes sharp pains on the right, above the waist, and they are accompanied by belching and nausea. They have a piercing character.
- Girdle pain in the lower back occurs due to pancreatitis. Its companions are nausea and vomiting.
- Severe pain under the left shoulder blade is often the result of a myocardial infarction.
- For men, the pathology of the prostate gland causes pain in the region below the waist with a transition to the sacrum. Women have cystitis.
- Diseases of the distal alimentary canal - causes of lower back pain.
Pain provocateurs
The cause of pain can be the following factors:
- Hypothermia of the body.
- Vigorous physical activity.
- Certain sports (bodybuilding, bodybuilding, weightlifting, weight training).
- Crick.
- Broken.
- Menstrual cycle in women.
- Improper nutrition.
- Stress.
- Disturbed posture while sleeping.
Low back pain in children
New technologies have brought not only benefit but also harm to our world. Why? Because love for computers from a young age deprives children of full physical activity and forms incorrect posture.
Important: if you choose the right chair and table for your child, curvature of the spine can be prevented!
Scoliosis can develop from wearing a heavy backpack, flat feet, uncomfortable shoes. Be sure to treat him! Children are contraindicated in excessive physical activity, weight lifting. When training in the sports section, you should be especially sensitive to the child's complaints about discomfort in the back after training. We can talk about the hernia of the spine. Timely treatment will allow the child to live a full life.
Types of pain
According to the nature of the pain, it is divided into the following types:
- Spasms in the long muscles of the back cause sharp pain. This happens due to stretching. The problem is familiar to athletes and people whose special professions involve stress on the back muscles. The pain is slightly reduced when lying down. The main location is the lower back.
- A spinal cord injury, that is, a fracture, is very dangerous. It can occur as a result of a failed fall, or it can be the result of osteoporosis, Paget's disease, hyperparathyroidism.
- Displacement of intervertebral discs causes pain due to compression of nerve roots. For this reason, the patient's mobility is limited, the sensitivity is impaired, the knee cap is reduced. The danger of this disease is that healthy spines begin to be damaged, which causes disturbances in the work of internal organs and leads to restless sleep.
- Facet joint syndrome causes back pain in 31% of cases. This degenerative process affects the capsule of the intervertebral joints and causes pain not only in the lower back, but also in the legs. The lower back hurts when sitting, bending sideways or leaning back, standing for a long time.
- The inflammatory process of an infectious nature in the epidural space is a very serious and dangerous disease. It can be fatal if not treated in time.
Treatment
In the case of back pain, immediate medical attention is the key to successful treatment. Even if the pain bothers you only at night or after sleep, there is a reason to consult a specialist.
After analyzing the causes, the doctor will give recommendations on how to treat and avoid getting sick. The treatment will be complex using ointments, tablets, injections, massages and physiotherapy exercises.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are first in the treatment of back pain:
- In the initial stage, literally the first 3-5 days, treatment is carried out with the help of injections to relieve pain and inflammation. By injecting the drug directly into the blood or muscle, they act quickly, effectively relieving acute pain.
- Then, anti-inflammatory and analgesic tablets, chondroprotectors, irritant drugs are used (separately in each case).
- In addition, ointment treatment is applied. Correctly selected ointment helps to relieve inflammation in the affected area, and also warms (if necessary).
Reflex muscle tension is eliminated with the help of muscle relaxants. With their help, pain syndrome is treated, mobility is restored. Apply for 3 to 7 days.
B group vitamin preparations are a necessary addition to the main therapy.
In some cases, drug blockade is necessary. Anesthesia is given epidurally or paravertebrally. It is used for degenerative changes in the spine.
Physiotherapy treatment:
- UHF;
- electrophoresis;
- Magnetotherapy.
Massage improves blood circulation and relieves acute pain. Kneading the muscles has a beneficial effect on the elasticity and flexibility of the ligaments. To improve the general tone of the body and only with the permission of the attending physician, massage is combined with a bath or sauna. You can not warm up during the infectious process!
Pain during pregnancy can be relieved by wearing a special bandage.
Orthopedic insoles are mandatory for patients with flat feet.
Physiotherapy
Physical exercise is also therapeutic. They strengthen the back muscles, improve posture, increase muscle tone and increase blood circulation. They are used not only in the therapeutic therapy complex, but also to prevent back pain. As in the case of drug therapy, therapeutic exercises are prescribed individually in each case, analyzing the main causes of the disease. But there are several common exercises, each of which is performed 5-10 times, preferably in the morning, avoiding overwork.
- While standing, bend the body alternately to the right, forward, backward, left.
- In a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, turn the body to the sides.
- In a position on all fours, do a "cat": bend the lower back.
- Lying on your back, bend your legs at the knees, arms along the body. Raise and lower the pelvis, gradually increasing the range of motion.
- Lying on the back, legs straightened, arms along the body. Alternatively, bend the legs at the knees, then pull them up to the chest.
- Stand on all fours, alternately swing your legs.
Regardless of the reasons, only a specialist can determine why the back hurts, determine the "culprit" of the disease and prescribe the correct and effective treatment. As with any other disease, self-medication is not worth it! Any medicine can not only heal, but also harm if it is chosen incorrectly.