For the ability to walk on two legs, the human race pays with back pain. If your back hurts periodically in the lumbar region, it can be a sign of severe fatigue or the result of a long stay in an uncomfortable position during work or sleep. But the reasons can be more serious.
Causes of pain
The lower back is one of the most painful areas. There are reasons for this:
- Osteochondrosis;
- Scoliosis;
- Disc herniation;
- tumors;
- tissue infections.
The nature and intensity of the pain depends on the disease. And she worries in different ways: after sleep, exercise, overwork. For example, renal abdominal pain is accompanied by pain in the lower back constantly. And the type of activity of the patient does not matter here.
- Most often it hurts in the lumbar region due to osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. Moderate pain in its intensity during sleep, aggravated by physical exertion. Constantly tormented by a feeling of fatigue. The feeling of heaviness causes the desire to lie down. But relief does not always come.
- If there is a disc herniation, severe pain appears after sudden movements, heavy lifting, falling.
- If the hernia is compressed, there is a sharp pain, characterized as lumbago. Movement in the lumbar region is significantly limited. Damage to the nerve root gives a pain signal in the leg.
- In old age, stenosis of the intervertebral canal often occurs. Its sign is limping, numbness of the legs, especially after a long walk.
- The stiffness that appears in the morning in the region of the spine indicates the beginning of the development of Bechterew's disease. Initially, sharp pain sensations appear in the sacral region, then spread to the lumbar region. The feeling after sleep is not rest, but fatigue, which disappears with the start of motor activity. Young people are more affected by this disease. The disease is hereditary. Basically, the lower back hurts in the lying position.
- Acute pain in the lumbar region also occurs with pyelonephritis (an inflammatory process in the kidneys). They are accompanied by increased body temperature, swelling in the morning after sleep.
- A disease such as abdominal aortic aneurysm often develops in elderly men. Painful pains and throbbing in the abdomen are the result of pressure of the aorta on nearby organs.
- Pain in the lower back, fever, burning along the nerve are signs of herpes. This viral disease affects the cells of the spinal cord. A pink rash appears on the body, and later blisters.
- Another common ailment 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 cracks, then sooner or later they will be felt.
- Autoimmune pathologies, in particular multiple sclerosis, are provocateurs of pain of different localization. Including back pain.
There are other reasons why it hurts a lot in the middle region. This can be osteoporosis, infections of the genitourinary system, hemorrhoids, tumor diseases, complications after viral or bacterial infections. Even the physiological changes that affect women and occur during pregnancy and childbirth.
Pain caused by diseases of internal organs
When you wonder why your back hurts in the lumbar region, sometimes it's hard to believe that the reasons may be inside the organs. The fact is that in some cases, pain sensations from the internal organs "radiate" to the lumbar region.
- Pleurisy of the right side, pneumonia - the causes of pain in the lumbar region on the right. Accompanying 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, just above the waist, accompanied by shortness of breath, vomiting. They have a piercing character.
- Girdle pain in the lower back occurs due to pancreatitis. Its companions are nausea and vomiting.
- Severe pain under the left shoulder is often the result of a myocardial infarction.
- In men, prostate pathology gives pain in the area below the waist, passing to the sacrum. Women have cystitis.
- Diseases of the distal alimentary canal - causes of pain below the waist.
Pain triggers
Pain can also be caused by factors such as:
- Hypothermia of the body.
- Intense physical activity.
- Some sports (bodybuilding, bodybuilding, weightlifting, weight training).
- Jack.
- Fracture.
- Menstrual cycle in women.
- The wrong food.
- Stress.
- Uncomfortable posture during sleep.
Back pain in the lumbar region in children
New technologies have brought not only benefits to our world, but also harm. Why? Because the love for the computer from an early age deprives children of full physical activity, forms an incorrect attitude.
Important: if you choose the right chair and table for your child, then curvature of the spine can be avoided!
Scoliosis can develop from wearing 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 of back discomfort after exercise. 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 known to athletes and people whose specific occupations are associated with stress on the back muscles. In the lying position, the pain decreases a little. The main location is the lower back.
- An injury to the spine, namely a fracture, is very dangerous. It can occur from an unsuccessful fall or become a consequence of osteoporosis, Paget's disease, hyperparathyroidism.
- Displacement of the intervertebral discs provokes pain as a result of compression of the nerve roots. For this reason, the patient's mobility is limited, sensitivity is impaired, and knee flexion is reduced. The risk of this disease is also that healthy vertebrae begin to be injured, and this brings disturbances in the functioning of the internal organs and is the cause of restless sleep.
- Facet joint syndrome causes back pain in 31% of cases. 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 when sitting, bending to the side or leaning back, standing for a long time.
- 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 sleep, 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 are first in the treatment of low back pain:
- In the initial stage, literally in the first 3-5 days, the treatment is carried out with the help of injections to relieve pain and inflammation. They act quickly, effectively relieving acute pain by injecting the drug directly into the blood or muscles.
- Then, anti-inflammatory and analgesic tablets, chondroprotectors, irritant drugs are used (in each case separately).
- In addition, ointment treatment is applied. Properly selected ointment helps relieve inflammation in the affected area, and also warms (if necessary).
Reflex muscle tension is removed with the help of muscle relaxants. With their help, the pain syndrome is treated and mobility is restored. Apply from 3 to 7 days.
Preparations of group B vitamins are a necessary addition to the main therapy.
In some cases, blocking the drug is necessary. The anesthetic is administered epidurally or paravertebrally. It is used for degenerative changes in the spine.
Physiotherapy treatment:
- UHF;
- electrophoresis;
- Magnetotherapy.
Massage relieves acute pain by improving blood circulation. Boiling the muscles has a beneficial effect on the elasticity and flexibility of the ligaments. To improve the general tone of the body and only with the permission of the attending physician, the massage is combined with a bath or sauna. You can not warm up during the infectious process!
Pain during pregnancy can be eased by placing a special bandage.
Wearing orthopedic insoles is mandatory for patients with flat feet.
Physiotherapy
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 some general exercises, each of which is performed 5-10 times, preferably in the morning, avoiding excessive work.
- In a standing position, tilt the body alternately to the right, forward, backward, left.
- In a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, turn your body to the sides.
- In a position on all fours, do a "kitten": arching the back in the lower back.
- Lying on your back, bend your legs at the knees, arms along the body. Raise and lower the pelvis, gradually increasing the range of motion.
- Lying on your back, legs straight, arms along the body. Bend the legs alternately at the knees, followed by pulling up to the chest.
- Standing on all fours, move your legs alternately.
Whatever the reason, only a specialist can determine why the back hurts, identify the "culprit" of the disease and prescribe the appropriate and effective treatment. As with any other disease, self-medication is not worth it! Any medicine can not only heal, but also harm if chosen incorrectly.