Back pain in the lumbar region may indicate various diseases of the spine, disruptions in the connections of nerve structures, injuries to internal organs, soft tissues and oncological tumors. Pain syndrome can have varying intensity and nature of manifestation. Depending on the type of pain that occurs, a pathology can be identified, but to obtain an accurate diagnosis, an examination is carried out, including instrumental diagnosis. This allows you to find out why the pain is occurring. Based on the results of the examination, the doctor selects treatment.
Types of pain
Back pain in the lumbar region can indicate the development of serious pathologies. But in most cases, the discomfort is mild and is associated with the influence of various external factors:
- hypothermia;
- stay in an uncomfortable position for a long time;
- compression of blood vessels;
- soft tissue damage due to trauma.
When diagnosing back pain, the doctor pays attention to the nature of its manifestation and its duration. If the pain is due to a cold or simple hypothermia, it will completely disappear 2 weeks after using ointments containing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory components. They will not help cure the disease, but after them it will not hurt to move.
If the pain in the spine does not go away, despite the use of local medications, and sometimes intensifies, a comprehensive examination is necessary. In some cases, such a symptom is an alarming sign indicating the development of dangerous diseases. In diseases of the spine, during an attack, pain can radiate to various areas of the body: leg, arm, groin. Often, such an attack is accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the body: feeling of numbness, tingling, goosebumps, burning.
In most cases, pain in the lumbar region occurs suddenly, is sharp and resembles lumbago (lumbago). Patients themselves describe the pain as throbbing, sharp, sometimes constricting and less intense. At the time of a seizure, a person's movements are constrained and it is only possible to straighten the lower back through pain. Movements do not bring relief and sometimes cause increased pain. The acute illness may last only a few minutes, but sometimes it persists for a day or more.
Women and men over the age of 50, as well as people who have suffered serious injuries, suffer from chronic lower back pain. In this case, it is constant, but tolerable; patients note only slight discomfort, mobility stiffness in the morning and pain at night. Chronic pain attacks can be triggered by stress, heavy lifting, or hypothermia. The rest of the time there is no pain, there is stiffness and discomfort.
Lower back pain in pregnant women
Women often experience lower back pain during pregnancy. Its appearance is associated with natural changes. As the fetus grows, around the second trimester of pregnancy, a change in the center of gravity occurs, causing posture deformation with deviation of the lumbar region. This change is not dangerous, it occurs suddenly in more than 70% of women, but it must be monitored because it can lead to serious health problems in the future.
During pregnancy, no special treatment is carried out. To reduce the intensity of painful attacks, the doctor may recommend that the woman take NSAIDs topically. In some cases, it is recommended to wear support structures to ensure proper distribution of the load on the spine.
Also, future mothers should not neglect the general rules: they must rest regularly and avoid wearing high-heeled shoes. Be careful when bending down to pick something up. Straighten your back and stand up straight, then you should get up as slowly as possible. You should also pay attention to the choice of a bed at home: it should be comfortable.
Pain at night and in the morning
If severe discomfort bothers a person mainly at night and occurs in the morning immediately after waking up, the problem should be looked for in the quality of night sleep. The manifestation of extremely painful sensations is associated with poor body position at night during the rest period. The first thing you need to do at home is to replace the mattress, bed and pillow. It would be nice if the bed was orthopedic.
If the pain is observed only in the morning, it is worth considering the possibility of performing sharp movements after waking up. It is best to wake up earlier and do a light warm-up of your muscles and joints while lying down. When you regularly perform such exercises, you can forget about the manifestation of pain. It will be much easier to bend over and the feeling of stiffness in your back will disappear. It will be easier to get up after warming up.
It is also worth considering that the spine and lower back suffer from excess weight. The problem of back pain occurs more often in obese people, as well as in patients leading a sedentary lifestyle. After normalizing behavior and improving the quality of night's rest, periodic pain disappears if it is not associated with any diseases.
Lower back pain radiates down the leg
Pain that occurs in the back can radiate throughout the body. Most often it radiates up to the leg, and can affect part of the foot and reach the heel. The cause of the pain is sciatica, lumbago or radiculitis, that is, pathologies associated with damage to the nervous tissue. Due to changes in the structure of cartilaginous tissue, leading to deformation of the vertebrae and the formation of osteophytes, pinching of the nerve endings occurs, against the background of which attacks of acute pain radiating to the leg appear.
Acute pain
The duration of acute pain attacks varies. They can last from a few minutes to several weeks. Chronic pain can manifest itself unnoticed and suddenly for a person, the patient gets used to it and may not feel it when the attack passes.
Sharp, unbearable attacks of pain in the lumbar region are characteristic of various diseases:
- scoliosis;
- myositis;
- arthritis;
- osteoarthritis;
- neurological damage;
- tumor processes;
- osteomyelitis;
- spondyloarthritis
If the pain is throbbing, this means that the roots of the spinal cord are involved in the pathological inflammatory process. If the pain seems monotonous, dull and spreads to the abdominal cavity, inflammation of the liver should be suspected. Severe attacks that disrupt consciousness and cause its loss may signal urolithiasis or pyelonephritis.
Causes of lower back pain
Back pain in the lumbar region can have different causes. Many of them lead to the development of pathologies that significantly reduce the quality of life, in which pain becomes a constant companion. Trying to solve the problem on your own is practically useless and difficult: an accurate diagnosis and the selection of competent treatment can only be carried out based on the results of instrumental diagnostics.
The most common causes of back pain:
- intervertebral hernial protrusions;
- osteochondrosis;
- disorders in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
- curvature of the spine;
- tumors;
- damage to muscles and ligaments;
- soft tissue infections.
The cause of the pain is often simple hypothermia, which affects the largest nerve in the human body, the sciatic nerve. Also, against the background of hypothermia, it can be pinched, which causes sharp pain. Other factors can trigger attacks:
- physical inactivity;
- excessive nervous tension;
- heavy physical labor;
- damage and injury.
Lower back pain can occur with urolithiasis; they accompany a crisis. They are also characteristic of many sexually transmitted diseases. Pain in the lumbar region in women is not always pathological. This is a physiological norm if it occurs before menstrual bleeding or at the onset of menopause. In these cases, the conditions are not dangerous and can be controlled through the use of painkillers. With all of the listed pathologies, it is problematic to move, bend or perform work around the house.
Spinal diseases
The main cause of lower back pain is various diseases, deformities and injuries of the spine. The pain can be of a completely different nature. The intensity of their manifestation depends on many factors and varies significantly depending on the affected part of the spine. The most frequently observed types of pain are:
- periodic;
- local or local;
- pull or squeeze;
- burn and cut;
- filming.
The intensity of symptomatic manifestations may depend on stress, uncomfortable sitting position in a chair, sports and physical activity. Discomfort increases when you stand or sit awkwardly. In case of spasm of muscle fibers, lumbago is observed and the entire area hurts. With such pain, stiffness of movements occurs, the symptom spreads to the back of the thigh and can reach the calves and even the feet. It all depends on the type of disease and its nature. The pathology must be treated by a specialist.
Intervertebral hernia
Intervertebral hernias of the lumbar region are often formed with osteochondrosis in later stages of development. They usually mainly cover the lumbar region, the lower back and are formed between the 4th and 5th vertebra, as well as in the sacral area. Pain syndrome in this case is unpleasant, intrusive, it is associated with damage to the nerve roots and poor blood circulation occurs. The pain is similar to that which occurs with radiculitis and intensifies when you get up or sit on an uncomfortable stool. If the hernia formation is large, it compresses the spinal cord, the person experiences loss of sensitivity, and in complicated cases paralysis is possible due to the herniation inserting between the intervertebral discs.
You can understand what bothers you about intervertebral hernia by the appearance of the following episodes:
- it is impossible to stand without support on a chair or other surface, this is due to increased loads on the intervertebral discs;
- lying on your stomach is extremely uncomfortable;
- a feeling of stiffness in the back;
- it is difficult to lean forward;
- arching the back is impossible due to pain that hinders movement.
Hernia treatment is provided conservatively and surgically. The appropriate method is determined based on the patient's condition. Treating the disease conservatively in advanced cases is ineffective.
Rachiocampsis
With minor bends, pain does not appear. Feelings of fatigue may occur; a person wants to spend more time lying down, because the pain becomes worse when standing or sitting. Various neurological disorders occur with second degree malformations. At this stage, pain occurs, which can manifest itself moderately and moderately intense, present on the left and right. As the disease progresses, the discomfort intensifies during the day, in advanced forms it becomes unbearable, and is not relieved by local and systemic analgesics. It is difficult to completely get rid of the manifestation, the curvature can be cured quickly.
Osteoporosis
This disease often occurs in men and women over 50 years old. The pathology is characterized by rapid loss of bone tissue. Due to such a loss, fragility appears, the vertebrae become less strong, and damage is possible even with minor injuries, physical exertion or heavy lifting. Patients bend over only out of discomfort and return from a hunched position with severe pain. For a person to pick up something from the floor, it is best to sit down and straighten your back, then stand up again. If you sit down first, the health risks of osteoporosis will be reduced.
Osteoporosis pain is not just caused by fractures. The disease is dangerous, it can be used to register a group of disabled people.
Spinal Injuries
The most common injury is a bruise. If it is mild, there is moderate discomfort. It tends to intensify during the day with movement, causing local swelling with bruising and hemorrhage. The symptom always increases with movement and exercise. In severe cases, the problem is not only painful, it can be accompanied by neurological disorders, especially if nerve endings are involved in the process. It is impossible to completely get rid of the problem, and it is not always possible to cure the consequences of injuries even surgically.
Soft tissue and kidney injuries
With bruises of soft tissues, slight pain appears, which subsides after local use of anti-inflammatory compounds. The pain is always local, the bruised area is swollen and bleeding is possible.
If, in combination with the described symptoms, pain in the left lumbar region is accompanied by the appearance of blood in the urine, this means that there is damage to the kidney. The discomfort will be more intense: in case of serious injuries to the organs of the excretory system, urination is impaired or becomes impossible. Hematomas can occur in the lower back. The development of shock conditions and life-threatening conditions is not excluded.
Spinal infections
Infectious lesions of the spine are more dangerous. Osteomyelitis can be:
- postoperative;
- Posttraumatic;
- contact;
- hematogenous.
In acute cases, the disease progresses at lightning speed. It is characterized by increasing painful manifestations that intensify during the day, accompanied by high body temperature and a very sharp deterioration in general condition. The nature of the discomfort can be different: contractions, pressure, bursting. The attacks are severe, hinder movement and force you to freeze in one position because it hurts to move. In chronic pathologies, fistulas may appear with the formation of purulent discharge.
Spinal tuberculosis is a rare but dangerous disease of the spine. Already at the initial stage of development, it causes deep and very strong pain below, which reaches its peak after exercise. The gait of men and women becomes stiff. As bone structures are destroyed, nerve roots are compressed, the pain becomes burning and spreads to the lower part of the body.
With a spinal epidural abscess, the pain is quite deep, very strong, accompanied by chills and muscle tension. Against the background of progress, radicular syndrome intensifies, paresis appears, and the functioning of the pelvic organs is disrupted.
Muscle damage
Painful discomfort in the lower lumbar region may occur after physical activity, lifting weights, or strenuous workouts. It also manifests itself during a prolonged stay in a static position with tension in the lumbar and gluteal muscles.
With such a lesion, the discomfort manifests itself less intensely at rest and after rest, after applying a warming ointment. Muscle damage or myositis does not only occur in the context of infections. It can be provoked by stress and hypothermia of the body, severe intoxication and metabolic disorders. The disease is most often accompanied by aching pain.
Myofascial syndrome
Myofascial syndrome is classified as a painful condition in which lower back discomfort is associated with painful muscle tension. During an attack, trigger points appear on the affected area. The sources of pain are muscles and fascia, connective tissues. To treat this pathology, specialists prescribe analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and sedatives.
In some cases, it is indicated to treat the disease with centrally acting muscle relaxants. Such remedies are designed to reduce tonic tension, reduce excitement and cause relaxation of the muscles involved in the spasm, so that the person can bend over. In some cases, specialists resort to blocking points by administering anesthetics.
Spinal and kidney tumors
Tumors of the spine and spinal cord are quite rare. The frequency of detection of these diseases does not exceed 0. 5% of the total number of diagnosed cancer pathologies. Neoplasms can be benign or malignant. Depending on this, the prognosis varies considerably.
In this pathology, the distinctive symptom is pain in the lumbar region. In case of benign etiology, discomfort is relieved through the use of medications. If the formation is malignant, the treatment must be complex, often reducing to surgery.
Also, lower back pain on the left can be attributed to kidney cancer. It will have a pronounced character, it may be painful, pressing, bursting. Discomfort increases over time and urination disorders develop. Do not spray or apply heat to the affected area. Normalization of the condition is possible after removing the training.
What to do after acute back pain
If acute back pain appears momentarily, the situation can be controlled by yourself. If possible, you should consult a specialist and undergo an examination to reduce the risk of a recurrent attack.
It is necessary to contact a specialist urgently if the following symptoms appear:
- lower back pain of any kind persists for a week;
- against the background of pain, body temperature rises;
- discomfort has arisen at the site of previous injuries and damage;
- the pain spreads throughout the body;
- Sensitivity in certain areas is lost.
In these cases, the pain cannot be ignored. It is important to see a doctor as soon as possible and start treatment, otherwise the disease will progress.
Which doctor should I contact?
If you suspect the development of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, you should consult a traumatologist or neurologist. Specialists will conduct a survey, physical examination and prescribe the necessary instrumental examination. If you suddenly have back pain, you can call an ambulance. You can use pain relief gels at home.
If you suspect that pain in the lumbar region is due to kidney damage, you should consult a urologist or nephrologist. You can also see a therapist. Any of the specialists will tell you what to do in case of lower back pain that manifests itself against the background of kidney disease, and will also prescribe an additional examination. Laboratory tests of the patient's blood and urine are necessary; they are necessary to confirm or deny the disease.
If lower back pain occurs sporadically in women and is associated with menstruation or menopause, this issue should be raised with a gynecologist. A specialist will help you choose a treatment that will eliminate discomfort. In cases where you need to clarify the origin of the pain syndrome, you should consult a therapist, family doctor or general practitioner. The doctor will conduct an examination and determine the preliminary cause of the violation.
Diagnostic
Many factors can cause pain in the lumbar region, so even an experienced doctor cannot make an accurate diagnosis without an examination. The following methods are used as part of the diagnosis:
- Radiological examination of the painful area;
- MRI;
- Ultrasound of the pelvic and abdominal organs;
- general analysis of urine and blood;
- electroneuromyography.
If the pain occurs against the background of pathologies of the genitourinary system or gastrointestinal tract, an endoscopic examination of the intestine may be necessary. If the development of neoplasms in the body is suspected, a biochemical blood test is carried out.
Treatment
The intervention scheme necessary for the treatment of back pain is chosen individually. The main rule is that treatment should be comprehensive, including symptomatic treatment and lifestyle changes. Treatment is chosen after the doctor determines the cause of the pain.
Regardless of the cause of back pain, all patients should follow these rules:
- do not lift heavy objects;
- bend over and straighten your back when sitting;
- give up intense sports;
- if you are obese, you should lose weight;
- change the place to sleep, make it comfortable;
- Regularly carry out minutes of physical education while sitting directly in a chair or armchair;
- light sports;
- do not take a steam bath, do not visit the sauna, do not take a hot bath;
- wear a support bandage (as prescribed by a doctor).
For diagnosed spinal pathologies, the therapeutic package also includes the following recommendations:
- Medicinal influence. The use of analgesics, anti-inflammatories and decongestants is indicated. Medications can be prescribed for oral administration and topical use in the form of a pain-relieving cream, gel, or ointment.
- Blockade of the lumbar region.
- Physiotherapy. Patients are prescribed physical therapy, massage, magnetic therapy and electrophoresis.
- Acupuncture, manual therapy, osteopathy.
In severe cases, when conservative intervention for spinal pathologies does not give results, surgical intervention is performed.
The information contained in the article should not become the basis for self-diagnosis and treatment, it is provided for informational purposes only. You should not take any medication without consulting a specialist.
Trying to figure out how to get rid of lower back pain and why your back hurts is almost pointless. It can have a different nature, depending on the chosen method of effective influence. Self-medication for many pathologies is ineffective and dangerous, as it leads to a worsening of the condition.