Every second person on the planet is familiar with back pain – this is confirmed by official statistics.And in fact, everyone experiences pain in the spine of varying intensity, and it's not even worth talking about attacks in the lower back - they lift something incorrectly, bend down too hard, sleep in an uncomfortable position, and pain will certainly appear.
Lower back pain can be of completely different nature: aching and pulling, acute and constant, paroxysmal and cutting, shooting and localized.Even the intensity of the syndrome in question can vary - the pain can appear suddenly without a clear antecedent, but it can develop continuously “more and more”.
A person can endure back pain relatively easily or it can cause immobility - it all depends on the individual's ability to tolerate the syndrome and the patient's psycho-emotional state.
Causes of lower back pain in men
Men, more often than women, work in harsh conditions - for example, at often low air temperatures, in conditions of high humidity, it is necessary to lift heavy objects, etc.It is not surprising that physiological factors are at the top of the causes of low back pain.
Lumbar spine pain in men can occur due to prostatitis - an inflammatory process in the prostate.Please note: prostatitis is manifested not only by pain in the lumbar region during irradiation of the rectum, but also by disorders in the process of urination, persistent discomfort in the groin and perineum, hyperthermia (increased temperature).
If a man has inflammation of the testicles (epididymitis), then pain in the lower back, along with an increase in the size of the testicles and their tumors, may be the main reason for a comprehensive examination by an endocrinologist.
Causes of lower back pain in women
For female patients, lower back pain is typical of a number of gynecological diseases/conditions:
- Inflammation of the adnexa.Ovarian inflammation causes the development of increasing pain in the lower back.It can be unilateral or bilateral - it all depends on the location of the inflammatory process.Low back pain due to adnexitis is accompanied by increased body temperature, changes in vaginal secretions, general weakness and increased pain during sexual intercourse.
- Pregnant.This is a physiological condition that is accompanied by excessive load on all organs and systems - the pregnancy of a child a priori implies “wear and tear” of the body's activity.Another factor leading to lower back pain during pregnancy is the risk of miscarriage/spontaneous abortion.
- Climax.During this period, a woman's body undergoes drastic changes, including hormonal balance.The level of estrogen in the blood becomes unstable, causing nerve endings to react - lower back pain can be explained by this factor.
Please note: women are characterized by idiopathic low back pain - their appearance is not obvious;Doctors associate pain with the woman's psycho-emotional state and her resistance to minimal stress.
Common causes of lower back pain
This classification includes pain in the lumbar spine, which can occur due to internal pathologies in both men and women.The most frequently noted factors and reasons:
- An attack of acute or chronic appendicitis.Of course, this pathology is characterized by pain in the right hypochondrium, but in some cases (depending on the physiological characteristics of the body and the intensity of the inflammatory process) pain can appear in the right lower back.
- Chronic cholecystitis (cholecystitis).The pain syndrome in this case will be localized in the right hypochondrium with strong radiation to the lower back - this means that the fibers of the spinal nerves are involved in the pathological process.
- Inflammatory/infectious process in the kidneys.For them, lower back pain is considered the main symptom, accompanied by hyperthermia (continuously increased body temperature), facial swelling in the morning and high blood pressure.
- Diseases of the small intestine.They are characterized by common digestive disorders (stool problems, increased gas formation, abdominal pain) along with lower back pain.
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).The pain in this pathology is of a dense nature and is accompanied by nausea and vomiting.Please note: if lower back pain is caused by pancreatitis, then when palpating the spine there will be no change in the intensity of sensations.
- Infectious diseases.Not all infectious diseases cause low back pain - this syndrome is characteristic only in cases where pathological damage to bone tissue occurs.And the lower back most often hurts because this particular part of the spine is subjected to heavy loads.
Doctors consider an inflammatory process in the muscles – myositis – to be the main cause of lower back pain in both men and women.They are characterized by aching, constant pain of increasing intensity - based on this symptom and in the absence of other signs, a preliminary diagnosis can be made.
In addition, the mentioned syndrome can appear in patients diagnosed with stage 4 obesity - the load on the muscles and bones is so great that the pain in the lower back will be constant, intense and spread to the legs.
Please note: lumbar spine pain can be caused by the development of malignant or benign tumors.But in this case there will be no problems with diagnosis - this syndrome does not appear in the early stages of cancer.
The disease is always accompanied by back pain
There are a number of medical conditions in which lower back pain is the main symptom:
- Low back pain.It is characterized by acute, aching pain, is most often diagnosed in male patients, and can result from compression of the sciatic nerve or displacement of certain vertebrae.
- Scoliosis.Curvature of the vertebrae can be congenital or acquired.The pathological process can affect any part of the spine;The following disease classification is typical for the lower back:
- habitual scoliosis, which develops in childhood and is a consequence of the child's incorrect posture;
- rachitic appearance - the final stage of metabolic disorders in childhood;
- rheumatism – often diagnosed in adult patients, always as a consequence of serious pathologies of the joints;
- Paralyzing scoliosis.
- Osteonecrosis is intervertebral in nature.
- Lumbar spinal herniation.
- Rheumatoid arthritis.It is often diagnosed in postmenopausal women.
- Osteoporosis.This is a condition in which bone tissue thins, and the cause is only related to age.In addition to lumbar spine pain, the patient was also diagnosed with hernia, vertebral joint deformity and cartilage problems.
- Venous thrombosis.This is not an inflammatory process in the vessels, but their blockage - this disease is more common in older people.It is typical that with venous thromboembolism, low back pain occurs only when walking long distances.
In addition, lower back pain can be caused by atherosclerosis of grade 3-4, blockage of blood flow through inflamed vessels (various phlebitis), ankylosing spondylitis and other factors and causes.
You definitely need to call a doctor and have a complete examination - the cause of the syndrome may be the development of serious pathology in the body.
Lower back pain – what to do?
To help yourself with lower back pain, you need to remember some recommendations from specialists:
- When the syndrome first occurs, take a comfortable position and monitor the nature of the pain:
- at what time it arises, strengthens or subsides;
- accompanied by nausea, headache, changes in physiological processes (urination, defecation);
- Is there an increase in temperature and a strange taste in the oral cavity?
- If the cause of lower back pain is due to bruises, sprains or injuries, you need to do the following:
- taking drugs belonging to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- take diuretics - this will help to quickly get rid of swelling and accelerate the process of eliminating inflammation;
- tighten the lower back with any immobilizing material - special orthopedic belts, towels, scarves, elastic bandages.
In any case, you will need to consult a doctor and have a comprehensive examination - even the simplest injury to the spine and short-term pain in the lower back can be caused by a serious pathological process.
Contraindicated actions for lower back pain
The following operations are strictly prohibited:
- heating the area where the pain syndrome occurs without first determining the cause of its appearance - this can cause a strong progression of the inflammatory process;
- take painkillers if the cause of pain in the lumbar spine is still unclear;
- realignment of the vertebrae - many patients overlook this point and believe that professional chiropractors will do no harm.In fact, displacement of the vertebrae can be caused not only by strong physical stress, but also by various degenerative processes in cartilage and ligaments.The result of forced repositioning of vertebrae into the correct position due to connective tissue or cartilage dystrophy can be complete destruction of the posterior vertebrae and immobility.
Treatment of lower back pain
Professional treatment of the pain syndrome in question is carried out only in a hospital.As a rule, after examination (X-ray, CT scan, laboratory blood/urine tests, etc.), the patient is prescribed drugs that can quickly and permanently relieve pain.Then, depending on the general state of health, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed, the doctor chooses rehabilitation therapy, and the patient undergoes a course of physiotherapy and massage.
Please note: you need to learn how to rest properly after heavy physical activity: lie on your back, bend your legs low.If your lower back hurts after sleeping, you will need an orthopedic mattress, and if the pain becomes frequent and severe then doctors may perform a blockade.But this does not mean that after this syndrome disappears, you can calm down and not proceed with treatment - the attacks will recur more and more often.
Treat lower back pain with folk remedies
Any means belonging to the category of traditional medicine aimed at restoring the function of the spine and getting rid of lower back pain, can be used only if the cause of the problem is clarified!Only in this case are they truly effective and absolutely safe.
Some treatments for lower back pain:
- For osteoarthritis, you need to take wax, melt it and apply hot compresses to the lower back (at the painful location).You need to put a warm scarf or handkerchief on top to make the warming process more effective.Please note: the skin area to which molten wax is applied must not have any lesions or pathologies visible to the dermatological field.
- With frequent stress, nervous breakdown and lower back pain due to psycho-emotional disorders, St.John's wort can be used for treatment.Take 2 spoons of St.St. John's wort dry, pour 400 ml of boiling water and leave overnight.Then filter the infusion and drink 100 ml at least 4 times a day.The course of treatment is a week, even if the pain disappears on the second or third day, the infusion of St. John's wort should not be interrupted.John's wort.
- When diagnosing habitually compressed nerves (for example, sciatic nerve), a tincture of red pepper and fir oil is used.It is necessary to apply these components to the lower back, exactly in the area where the pain syndrome occurs, twice a day for a week.Please note: first, hot pepper tincture is rubbed into the skin, then fir oil.The number of procedures depends on the intensity of the pain syndrome - as soon as the condition returns to normal, treatment is stopped.
Regular massage helps a lot with frequent back pain.Doing this yourself is a problem, but our ancestors used the following method: you need to take a nylon/nylon sock and tie three knots at the same distance.You need to rub your back with this sock every day - you can do it yourself.
Lower back pain can be the result of many different medical conditions.Many people have the habit of "ignoring" this syndrome, thinking that everything is due to excessive stress or nerves.But doctors warn: even severe, non-periodic pain in the lumbar spine can indicate the development of internal pathology.