Many patients, barely crossing the threshold of the doctor's office, holding their lower back, ask: "Why does the lower back hurt and what medicines will help with this pain? "
Unfortunately, everything is not so simple, and you can choose the right treatment method only after determining the causes that caused the pain.
Many people go through life with mild to moderate low back pain and accept it as normal. But even if you suffer from constant mild or severe tingling in your lower back for a significant amount of time, you should see a therapist to diagnose the problem. After all, if you do not take measures in time, the condition will worsen.
Although back pain is not the most serious disease, over time it will cause great pain and great discomfort.
Primary and secondary pain syndrome
The causes of pain in the lower back can be very different, and only after you thoroughly understand what caused them, you can start dealing with this disease.
According to the medical classification of the disease, primary and secondary pain syndromes that occur in the lumbar region are distinguished.
The primary pain syndrome arises against the background of degenerative-dystrophic pathologies of the spine. These include osteochondrosis, in which cartilage and bone tissue are damaged, as well as spondylarthrosis, which affects the intervertebral or synovial joints.
Secondary pain syndrome can occur for various reasons. First of all, the lower back constantly hurts with curvature of the spine (scoliosis). Also, this condition can be observed due to metabolic disorders of bone tissue (osteoporosis or osteomalacia).
Very often, the cause of pain in the lumbar region is inflammation of a non-infectious nature (ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. ).
A rather dangerous cause of pain in the lower back is a fracture of the vertebral column.
The pain syndrome can be a consequence of various infectious diseases that lead to damage to the vertebrae and intervertebral discs (brucellosis, tuberculosis, epidural abscess).
The lower back hurts in acute disorders of the spinal circulation (stroke), as well as in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (obstruction, atypical acute appendicitis).
Back pain is reflected in some pathologies. This happens when organs located in the pelvic area are affected (gynecological pathologies, sexually transmitted diseases, renal colic).
Pain often occurs when stretching the lumbar muscles. The lower back hurts a lot when the intervertebral discs of the lumbar region are displaced. At the same time, due to severe pain, the patient takes a forced position of the body, and his mobility when walking is also very limited.
Coxarthrosis (arthrosis of the hip joint) is also often the cause of secondary pain.
Other causes of back pain
Often, acute lumbar pain occurs due to unsuccessful movement, long-term work in an uncomfortable position, improper lifting or carrying of weights, fall or impact, sharp straightening with simultaneous turning, as well as long-term hypothermia or exposure to drafts. All these "accidents" can cause spasm and inflammation of the deep muscles of the back.
Many patients notice that the lower back often hurts after sleeping. And there are reasons for that. The simplest of them is the uncomfortable position of the body in sleep. For those who like to sleep on their stomach, the muscles of the lumbar part of the back are in constant tension, which causes pain. Sometimes such a painful condition is due to the fact that the bed itself or the pillow does not fit the person. That's why experts recommend sleeping on an orthopedic mattress to completely relax your back.
Also, morning lumbar pain can be a symptom of diseases of internal organs. So, pathologies of the circulatory, digestive and genitourinary systems are accompanied by back pain.
Pain in the lower back as a cause of negative emotions
Few patients realize that the lower back is one of the most psychosomatic parts of the body, and therefore reacts very strongly to strong stress and excitement.
Anger, anger, irritability or intense fear contribute to the release of significant doses of adrenaline into the blood. As a result - an increase in the tone of the back muscles. And in the event that there is not enough discharge, the muscles that are in increased tone begin to tighten gradually. And then - spasm and pain syndrome. It should be noted that spine disorders very often develop in people with an unstable psyche, and for such patients psychotherapy is the best method of treatment.
Lower back pain during pregnancy
Many pregnant women worry about the causes of lower back pain. In early pregnancy, it may be due to kidney or urinary tract disease. Also during this period, the production of progesterone increases, which causes a slight softening of the ligaments, which can cause lumbar pain.
In the second trimester of pregnancy, when the abdomen increases significantly, the load on the spine increases greatly, and thus the pain in the lumbar part of the back.
Severe pain in the lower back during pregnancy can sometimes be the cause of neurological diseases (herniated disc or sciatica).
What to do if your back hurts
First of all, if the back pain does not disappear within three days, a consultation with a neurologist is necessary. Only a specialist can develop the correct treatment strategy, which will depend on the severity of the patient's condition.
As a rule, most pain in the lower back requires conservative treatment, however, sometimes there are cases when it is impossible to do without surgical intervention.
There are three main goals when prescribing conservative treatment:
- Relieve the patient from pain.
- Developing a program of therapeutic and preventive measures to slow down degenerative-dystrophic processes in the spine.
- Quick return of the patient to normal life.
First of all, we all need to learn how to properly relax after physical exertion. To do this, you need to take a horizontal position on a hard surface, and for the best relaxation, put a pillow under your knees.
Patients with impaired motor activity are advised not to stay in bed for more than 2-3 days, even if they have pain (of course, not very strong), because this significantly weakens the paravertebral muscles. In the case of persistent pain syndrome with recurring pain in the leg, a consultation with an orthopedist is necessary.
In the case when osteochondrosis is diagnosed, complex drug treatment is prescribed with the help of drugs that reduce pain, improve blood circulation and restore nerve tissue.
Paravertebral blocks have proven to be effective in relieving back pain. Such injections help relieve inflammation and muscle spasm, which relieves pain.
When a herniated disc is detected, the question of surgery arises. This technique involves removing the hernia that compresses the root and creating conditions for its recovery.