To be able to walk on two legs, humanity has to pay the price with pain in the back. If your back regularly hurts in the lower back, it could be a sign of severe fatigue or the result of being in an uncomfortable position while working or sleeping. But the reasons could be more serious.
Cause of pain
The lower back is one of the most painful areas. There are reasons for this:
- Bone tumor;
- Scoliosis;
- Disc;
- tumor;
- tissue infection.
The nature and intensity of the pain depends on the disease. And she worries in different ways: after sleep, exercise, overwork. For example, renal colic is accompanied by constant low back pain. And the type of patient activity is not important here.
- Usually it hurts in the lumbar region due to osteonecrosis of the lumbar spine. Pain of moderate intensity during sleep, aggravated with exertion. Constantly tormented by a feeling of fatigue. The heaviness makes you want to lie down. But relief does not always follow.
- If you have a herniated disc, severe pain occurs after sudden movement, lifting heavy objects, or falling.
- If the hernia is compressed, there will be a sharp pain, characteristic of hemiplegia. Movement in the lumbar region is significantly limited. Damage to the nerve roots for pain signals in the legs.
- In old age, disc stenosis often occurs. The telltale sign is limping, numbness in the legs, especially after a long walk.
- Morning stiffness in the spine indicates the beginning of the development of Bechterew's disease. Initially, the sharp pain appears in the sacral region, then spreads to the lumbar region. The feeling after sleep is not rest, but fatigue, which disappears when motor activity begins. Young men are the most affected. The disease is hereditary. Basically, the lower back hurts in the supine position.
- Acute pain in the lower back also occurs with pyelonephritis (an inflammatory process in the kidneys). They are accompanied by an increase in body temperature, swelling in the morning after sleeping.
- Often in older men, a disease such as an abdominal aortic aneurysm develops. The aches and pains in the abdomen are the result of aortic pressure on nearby organs.
- Lower back pain, fever, and burning along the nerve are signs of shingles. This viral disease affects the cells of the spinal cord. A pink rash appears on the body, followed by bubbles.
- Another common disease that many consider harmless is flat feet. Deformed feet increase the load on the spine when walking. During sleep, the pain is relieved.
- If there are congenital changes in the vertebrae: irregular shapes or changes in the cleft, they will sooner or later feel it themselves.
- Autoimmune diseases, especially multiple sclerosis, cause pain in many different areas. Including lower back pain.
There are other reasons why you have a lot of pain in the lower back. This could be osteoporosis, an infection of the genitourinary system, hemorrhoids, tumor disease, complications after a viral or bacterial infection. And even physiological changes affect women and occur during pregnancy and childbirth.
Pain due to diseases of internal organs
When you wonder why your back hurts, it's sometimes hard to believe that the cause may lie within the organs. The fact is that in some cases pain sensations from the internal organs are "radiated" to the lumbar region.
- Right pleurisy, pneumonia - causes of pain in the right lumbar region. Accompanying symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, fever. Left pleurisy sends pain signals to the left side of the lower back, which is aggravated by bending over, in the supine position during sleep.
- Gallstone disease also causes sharp pain on the right side, just above the waist, and they are accompanied by belching and nausea. They have a transverse character.
- Abdominal pain in the lower back occurs due to pancreatitis. Her companions are nausea and vomiting.
- Severe pain below the left shoulder blade is often the result of a heart attack.
- In men, pathology of the prostate causes pain in the lower back, which moves to the sacrum. Women with cystitis.
- Diseases of the distal gastrointestinal tract - the cause of pain below the waist.
Painful provocateur
Pain can also be caused by factors such as:
- Lower body temperature.
- Intense physical activity.
- Certain sports (bodybuilding, bodybuilding, weightlifting, weight training).
- Trouble.
- Fracture.
- Menstrual cycle in women.
- Wrong diet.
- Stress.
- Uncomfortable sleeping position.
Low back pain in children
New technologies not only benefit our world, but also harm. Why? Because the love for computers from an early age causes children to lose full physical activity, form incorrect posture.
The important thing: if you choose the right table and chair for your child, scoliosis can be avoided!
Scoliosis can develop from wearing heavy backpacks, flat feet, or uncomfortable shoes. Be sure to treat him! Children are contraindicated in strenuous physical activities, lifting weights. When exercising in the sports section, you should be especially sensitive to children's complaints of back discomfort after a workout. We can talk about spinal hernia. Timely treatment will allow the child to live a full life.
Types of pain
The nature of pain is divided into the following categories:
- Spasms in the long muscles of the back cause acute pain. This happens due to stretching. A problem familiar to athletes and people with specific professions involves stress on the back muscles. In the supine position, the pain is slightly reduced. The main place of localization is the lower back.
- Spinal injuries, specifically fractures, are very dangerous. It can occur from an unsuccessful fall or become the result of osteoporosis, Paget's disease, or hyperparathyroidism.
- The displacement of the discs causes pain by compressing the nerve roots. For this reason, the patient's mobility is limited, sensitivity is reduced, and knee jerks are reduced. The danger of this disease is that the healthy vertebrae begin to be damaged, which leads to the dysfunction of internal organs and is the cause of restless sleep.
- Pronation syndrome in 31% of cases causes back pain. This degenerative process captures the joint capsule of the disc and causes pain not only in the lower back but also in the legs. Lower back pain when sitting, bending or leaning back, when standing for a long time.
- The infectious inflammatory process in the epidural space is a very serious and dangerous disease. It can be fatal if not treated promptly.
The treatment
Seeing a doctor immediately when you have back pain is key to successful treatment. Even if the pain only bothers you at night or after sleep, you should see a specialist.
After analyzing the causes, the doctor will make recommendations on how to treat and not let the disease go away. The treatment will be complex, with the use of ointments, pills, injections, massage and physical therapy exercises.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the first-line treatment for low back pain:
- In the early stages, that is, for the first 3-5 days, treatment is carried out with the help of injections to relieve pain and inflammation. They provide quick, effective relief of acute pain by direct injection of the drug into the bloodstream or muscle.
- Then anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, chondroprotectors, stimulants are used (in each case separately).
- In addition, treatment with ointments is applied. Properly selected ointment helps to reduce inflammation in the affected area and also warms it up (if necessary).
The reflex muscle tension is eliminated with the help of muscle relaxants. With their help, pain syndrome is treated and mobility is restored. Apply from 3 to 7 days.
Vitamin B preparations are essential additions to the main therapy.
In some cases, drug blockade is necessary. Anesthesia is administered epidural or vertebral. It is used for degenerative changes in the spine.
Physiotherapy treatment:
- UHF;
- electrophoresis;
- Magnetic therapy.
Massage relieves acute pain by improving blood circulation. Kneading has a beneficial effect on the elasticity and flexibility of the ligaments. To improve the overall tone of the body and only with the permission of the attending physician, massage is combined with a bath or sauna. You can't warm up during the infection!
Pain during pregnancy can be alleviated by wearing a special bandage.
Wearing orthopedic insoles is mandatory for patients with flat feet.
Physical therapy
Exercise is also a cure. They strengthen the muscles in the back, improve posture, increase muscle tone, and increase blood circulation. They are used not only in complex therapy, but also used to prevent pain in the lower back. As in the case of drug therapy, therapeutic exercises are assigned to each case individually, analyzing the main causes of the disease. But there are some compound exercises, each exercise from 5-10 times, preferably in the morning, avoiding overwork.
- In a standing position, tilt your body alternately to the right, forward, backward, and left.
- In a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, twisting to the sides.
- In a four-legged position, do the "kitten" move: arch your lower back.
- Lie on your back, legs bent at the knees, arms along the body. Raise and lower the pelvis, gradually increasing range of motion.
- Lie on your back, legs straight, arms along the body. Alternately bend the leg at the knee, then pull up to the chest.
- Stand on all fours, swinging your legs alternately.
Whatever the reason, only a specialist can determine why your back hurts, identify the "culprit" of the disease, and prescribe the correct, effective treatment. As with any other disease, self-medication is not worth it! Any medicine can not only heal the disease but also cause harm if chosen incorrectly.