For the ability to walk on two legs, the human race pays with pain in the back. If your back periodically hurts in the lumbar region, it may be a sign of severe fatigue or the result of a long stay in an uncomfortable position during work or sleep. But the reasons may 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 depend on the disease. And he worries in different ways: after sleep, exercise, overwork. For example, renal colic is accompanied by pain in the lower back constantly. And here the type of activity of the patient does not matter.
- Most often it hurts in the lumbar region due to osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. Moderate pain in its intensity in a sleep state, aggravated by physical exertion. Constantly tormented by a feeling of fatigue. The feeling of heaviness causes the desire to lie down. But relief doesn't always follow.
- If there is a herniated disc, severe pain occurs after sudden movements, heavy lifting, falls.
- If the hernia is compressed, there is a sharp pain, characterized as low back pain. Movement in the lumbar region is markedly limited. Nerve root damage signals pain in the leg.
- In old age, stenosis of the intervertebral canal often occurs. A sign of this is lameness, numbness in the legs, especially after a long walk.
- Stiffness that occurs in the morning in the spinal region indicates the beginning of the development of Bechterew's disease. Initially, acute pain sensations appear in the sacral region, then they spread to the lumbar region. The feeling after sleep is not one of rest, but of tiredness, which disappears with the onset of motor activity. Young men are the most affected by the disease. The disease is inherited. Basically, the lower back hurts in the supine position.
- 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.
- Often in older men, such a disease as an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta develops. Aching, stabbing 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, and then bubbles.
- Another widespread disease that many consider harmless is flat feet. A deformed foot increases the load on the spine when walking. During sleep, the pain is relieved.
- If there are congenital changes in the vertebrae - an irregular shape or a change in the cleft, sooner or later they will make themselves felt.
- Autoimmune pathologies, in particular multiple sclerosis, cause pain in various locations. Including lower back pain.
There are other reasons why it hurts a lot in the lower back. This may be osteoporosis, infections of the genitourinary system, hemorrhoids, tumor diseases, complications after viral or bacterial infections. And even physiological changes that affect women and that occur during pregnancy and childbirth.
Pain caused by diseases of the internal organs.
Wondering why the back hurts in the lumbar region, it is sometimes difficult to believe that the reasons may lie within the organs. The fact is that in some cases, pain sensations from internal organs "radiate" to the lumbar region.
- Right-sided pleurisy, pneumonia: the 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 are aggravated by bending over in the supine position during sleep.
- Cholelithiasis also localizes sharp pains on the right side, just above the waist, and is accompanied by belching, nausea. They have a penetrating character.
- Waist pain in the lower back occurs due to pancreatitis. Its companions are nausea and vomiting.
- Severe pain under the left shoulder blade is usually the result of a myocardial infarction.
- For men, prostate pathology gives pain in the area below the waist, with a transition to the sacrum. Women have cystitis.
- Diseases of the distal digestive tube: the causes of pain below the waist.
pain triggers
Pain can also be caused by factors such as:
- Body hypothermia.
- Intense physical activity.
- Certain sports (bodybuilding, bodybuilding, weightlifting, bodybuilding).
- Stiff neck.
- Fracture.
- The menstrual cycle in women.
- Wrong nutrition.
- Stress.
- Uncomfortable posture when sleeping.
Back pain in the lumbar region in children.
New technologies have not only brought benefits to our world, but also harm. Why? Because the love of a computer from an early age deprives children of full physical activity, it forms an incorrect posture.
Important: If you choose the right chair and table for your child, curvature of the spine can be avoided!
Scoliosis can develop from carrying a heavy backpack, flat feet, uncomfortable shoes. Be sure to treat it! Children are contraindicated in excessive physical activity, lifting weights. When exercising in the sports section, you should be especially sensitive to the child's complaints about back pain after training. We can talk about a hernia of the spine. Timely treatment will allow the child to live a full life.
types of pain
The nature of pain is divided into the following types:
- Spasms in the long muscles of the back cause acute pain. This happens due to stretching. The problem is familiar to athletes and people whose specific professions are associated with stress on the back muscles. In the supine position, the pain decreases somewhat. The place of the main localization is the lower back.
- A spinal injury, that is, a fracture, is very dangerous. It can occur from an unsuccessful fall or become a consequence of osteoporosis, Paget's disease, hyperparathyroidism.
- The displacement of the intervertebral discs causes pain as a result of the compression of the nerve roots. For this reason, the patient's mobility is limited, sensitivity is impaired, and the patellar reflex is reduced. The danger of this disease is also that healthy vertebrae begin to ache, and this leads to disturbances in the functioning of internal organs and is the cause of restless sleep.
- Facet joint syndrome in 31% of cases causes pain in the back. This degenerative process captures the capsule of the intervertebral joints and causes pain not only in the lower back, but also in the legs. The lower back hurts in a sitting position, with lateral bending or bending the back, with long standing.
- 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
Seeing a doctor right away when you have back pain is the key to successful treatment. Even if the pain only bothers you at night or after sleeping, there is a reason to visit a specialist.
After analyzing the causes, the doctor will give recommendations on how to treat and not get sick. The treatment will be complex, with the use of ointments, tablets, injections, massages and physiotherapy exercises.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs occupy the first place in the treatment of low back pain:
- At the initial stage, literally in the first 3-5 days, treatment is carried out with injections to relieve pain and inflammation. They act quickly, effectively relieving acute pain by directly injecting the drug into the blood or muscle.
- Then anti-inflammatory and analgesic tablets, chondroprotectors, irritant drugs are used (in each case separately).
- In addition, an ointment treatment is applied. Properly selected ointment helps to relieve inflammation in the affected area, and also warms (if necessary).
The tension of the reflex muscles is eliminated with the help of muscle relaxants. With its help, pain syndrome is treated and mobility is restored. Apply from 3 to 7 days.
Preparations of vitamins of group B are a necessary addition to the main therapy.
In some cases, drug blockade is necessary. The anesthetic is administered epidurally or paravertebrally. It is used for degenerative changes in the spine.
Physiotherapy treatment:
- ultrahigh frequency;
- electrophoresis;
- Magnet therapy.
Massage relieves acute pain by improving blood circulation. Kneading the muscles has a beneficial effect on the elasticity and flexibility of the ligaments. In order 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't get hot during the infectious process!
Pain during pregnancy can be relieved by using a special bandage.
The use of orthopedic insoles is mandatory for patients with flat feet.
Physiotherapy
Physical exercise is also a cure. They strengthen the back muscles, improve posture, increase muscle tone and increase blood circulation. They are used not only in the complex of therapeutic therapy, but also for the prevention of pain in the lumbar region. As in the case of drug therapy, therapeutic exercises are prescribed in each case individually, analyzing the main causes of the disease. But there are several general exercises, each of which is performed 5-10 times, preferably in the morning, avoiding overwork.
- In a standing position, tilt the body alternately to the right, forward, back, left.
- Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, turn your body sideways.
- In a position on all fours, make a "kitten" - arch your back in the lower back.
- Lying on your back, bend your legs at the knees, arms alongside your body. Raise and lower your pelvis, gradually increasing your range of motion.
- Lying on your back, legs stretched out, arms along the body. Alternately bend your legs at the knees, and then pull up to your chest.
- Standing on all fours, swing your legs alternately.
Whatever the reasons, only a specialist can determine why the back hurts, identify 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.