Lower back pain is very common. It occurs from time to time in 90% of the population and it is not always possible to identify the true causes. Most often, lower back pain occurs after intense physical activity and may indicate back problems or diseases of internal organs. The diagnosis determines what the treatment will be: conservative or surgical.
Causes and nature of pain
Lower back pain can be acute, sudden, appear after physical effort and lead to a forced body position. Pain in the lower spine is constant, aching, or pulling, accompanied by stiffness, numbness, and tingling.
The intensity of pain in the lumbar region also varies: from mild, which does not interfere with everyday life, to unbearable, which forces you to take painkillers and lie down in bed. Sometimes the pain extends beyond the back, affecting the buttocks, thighs and even legs.
The pain may go away on its own, but at worst it gets worse, causes discomfort and leads to limited mobility. In order not to live with the pain, you need to find out why your lower back hurts. Very often it is possible to make a preliminary diagnosis based on the nature of the pain.
Shingles
Such lower back pain is not limited to the lumbar region. They spread across the entire back, along the torso and can radiate to the lower abdomen, buttock region and legs.
The most common cause of lumbar pain in the lower back is osteochondrosis. This is a chronic disease of the spine that leads to pinching of the nerve endings and pain. Symptoms are accompanied by sensory disturbances, numbness and disorders of internal organs.
The source of belt pain may be located above the lumbar level and not be associated with spinal diseases. In this case, the patient simply feels pain in the lower back, but the pain itself is localized in the chest area.
The cause of shingles pain in the lower back can be a disease of the internal organs, in particular the heart, lungs and gastrointestinal tract. For example, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, gastric or duodenal ulcer, pleurisy, pneumonia, heart attack.
The pain is caused by irritation of the nerve fibers of the organs.
Pain below the lumbar level in the coccygeal region is a sign of diseases of the kidneys and reproductive organs.
When walking
The lumbar region is represented by 5 vertebrae, intervertebral discs and ligaments. Many nerve endings involved during walking start from it. With any lower back disease, the nerves can be pinched during movement, which leads to lower back pain.
The intensity and nature of the pain depends on the extent of the injury. If it hurts to move, this is a sign of osteochondrosis or intervertebral disc herniation. In the latter case, terrible pain occurs in the lower back when walking. It dims slightly when a person is in a sitting position.
The cause of back pain when walking can be excessive physical activity the day before. It appears only at the moment of movement and disappears at rest, there are no concomitant manifestations.
Sharp pain
Sharp pain in the lower back is also called lumbago or lumbago. It immobilizes you and forces you into a forced position. A bout of terrible back pain may last only a few minutes and sometimes lasts several days.
One of the most common causes of back pain in the lumbar region is excessive physical activity, which leads to sprains, strains or muscle spasms. This can happen due to sudden movements, heavy lifting, poor body rotation, or awkward posture. Muscle inflammation is caused by hypothermia or draft.
If you strain or strain during the movement, your lower back hurts even more.
The cause of severe lower back pain may be lumbosacral radiculitis or herniated disc. In this case, when you stand, bend or walk, the lower back hurts even more.
The cause of acute lower back pain may be other diseases of the musculoskeletal system:
- osteochondrosis;
- arthrosis of the facet joints;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- osteoporosis;
- spondylosis;
- spondylolisthesis;
- spinal injuries;
- protrusion;
- infectious diseases of the spine (tuberculosis, epidural abscess, osteomyelitis);
- spinal canal stenosis;
- rachiocampus;
- tumors;
- Bekhterev's disease.
The reason why the lower back and tailbone hurt may be diseases of the internal organs. Acute pain syndrome is manifested by cholecystitis, pancreatitis, inflammatory diseases of the reproductive system, pyelonephritis, renal colic and abdominal artery aneurysm.
Constant pain
Constant pain in the lower back is often aching in nature. The intensity of pain may increase in case of hypothermia, physical activity, injury or unsuccessful movement. A common accompanying symptom of regular lower back pain is stiffness of movement. It occurs especially after rest.
The cause of constant pain in the lumbar region is vascular pathologies, which lead to poor circulation. For example, vascular atherosclerosis, phlebothrombosis, thrombophlebitis.
The lower back can also hurt due to inflammatory and degenerative processes of the musculoskeletal system.
It's a dull pain
Aching pain in the lower back often indicates diseases of the internal organs. If your back hurts, this may be a symptom of the following diseases:
- pyelonephritis;
- kidney stone disease;
- endometriosis;
- inflammation of the uterus or appendages;
- ectopic pregnancy.
The peculiarity of all these diseases is that low back pain occurs against the background of a general deterioration in well-being.
If the spine hurts in the center, this indicates pancreatitis or cholecystitis.
When you are sitting
If the lower back hurts while sitting, this indicates excessive physical activity or serious pathologies of the spine. In this case, the pain in the lower back is sharp or burning. Dull, aching pain, on the other hand, can be caused by a sedentary lifestyle.
The reason why the lower back hurts after sitting is pinching of the intervertebral discs.
If the cause is radiculitis, hernia, tumor, protrusion, then when standing the lower back hurts even more.
Pain can occur with diseases of the pelvic organs and kidneys.
When you're standing
If your lower back hurts a lot when you stand, it could be radiculitis. To reduce pain, you should change your position. The lumbar spine can hurt when standing due to a hernia.
Which doctor treats low back pain?
If your lower back hurts, you should contact the following specialists for treatment:
- orthopedic;
- neurologist;
- vertebrologist
An osteopath, a reflexologist or a chiropractor can participate in the therapy. Sometimes the help of a surgeon, gastroenterologist, gynecologist, urologist, nephrologist and oncologist is needed.
Hospitalization should be mandatory in the following cases:
- pain caused by injury;
- the pain extends beyond the back, accompanied by other symptoms (numbness, urinary or fecal incontinence);
- lasts more than 3 days or reappears after some time.
Diagnostics
To understand why there may be pain in the lumbar region, the doctor conducts a visual examination and listens to the patient's complaints. Based on what you have seen and heard, it draws up a clinical picture and can make a diagnosis or order further tests.
During the examination, it is important to determine the cause-effect relationship.
Diagnosis of pain in the lumbar region may include the following examination methods:
- blood and urine tests;
- X-ray of the spine;
- CT or MRI;
- Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
- chest x-ray;
- ECG;
- fibrogastroduodenoscopy.
Treatment
If lower back pain occurs, treatment directly depends on what caused it. Immediately after the onset of a painful attack, it is worth limiting physical activity for 2-3 days, but bed rest is also not recommended. It is best to sleep in the fetal position with a pillow between your knees. In this way the back is unloaded.
In case of severe pain, you can take a painkiller. If the pain occurs due to an injury, you should apply cold to the sore spot.
For spinal canal stenosis, injection blockade with steroid and analgesic drugs is used.
Don't forget that long-term use of painkillers is not an option. The tablets only mask the problem and do not eliminate it.
Pain is often treated with drugs (NSAIDs, chondroprotectors, muscle relaxants, vitamin complexes), massage, manual therapy, physical therapy (Bubnovsky complex) and physiotherapeutic procedures. Acupuncture is becoming increasingly popular for relieving muscle tension.
Most often, the pain can be relieved within 4-6 weeks.
If conservative therapy is ineffective (especially in case of hernia), surgery is performed. During the operation, the hernia is removed. The patient immediately feels significant relief.
What can't you do?
You should not self-medicate or use painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs for a long time. If the pain does not subside within 3 days, you should visit a doctor.
You cannot perform a set of exercises alone. To prevent the pain from worsening, the training program should be prescribed by a specialist. In case of exacerbation of diseases of the spine, massage and exercise are generally contraindicated until relief.
In the event of an injury, it is not possible to adjust the vertebrae yourself or warm the affected area.
Prevention
Preventive measures:
- do not lift weights;
- do not make sudden movements, avoid excessive physical effort;
- sleep on a hard mattress;
- observe a rest regime;
- lead an active lifestyle, walk at least 1 hour a day;
- for sedentary work do it every 40-50 minutes. warm-up break;
- do exercises every day, it is useful to hang on the horizontal bar;
- do not overcool;
- Healthy food;
- take vitamin complexes containing calcium.
To prevent back pain, you should not overload your back. We must not forget that the functioning of internal organs depends on the health of the spine.
If your back hurts, you shouldn't hesitate; you need to seek help from a doctor. They will determine the true cause and help avoid serious health problems.