Official statistics prove that every second person on earth experiences back pain.And in fact, everyone has experienced pain in the spine of varying intensity, and it's not even worth talking about attacks in the lower back - they lifted something incorrectly, bent too much, slept in an uncomfortable position and there will definitely be pain.
Pain in the lower back can be of a very different nature: aching and pulling, acute and persistent, paroxysmal and cutting, stabbing and local.The intensity of the respective syndrome is also variable - pain can appear suddenly without any visible prerequisites, but can also develop constantly and "increasingly".
Lower back pain can be relatively easily tolerated by a person or cause immobility - it all depends on the individual tolerance of the syndrome and the psycho-emotional state of the patient.
Causes of lower back pain in men
Men are more likely than women to work in extreme conditions - for example, with regularly low air temperatures, with high humidity, with the need to lift heavy objects, etc. It is not surprising that physiological factors are at the forefront of the causes of lower back pain.
Pain in the lumbar spine in men can occur with prostatitis - an inflammatory process in the prostate gland.Please note: prostatitis is manifested not only by pain in the lower back with irradiation of the rectum, there are also disorders in urination, excruciating discomfort in the groin and perineum, and hyperthermia (increase in temperature).
If testicular inflammation (epididymitis) occurs in a man, pain in the lower back, coupled with enlargement of the testicles and their tumor, may be the main reason for a comprehensive examination by an andrologist.
Causes of lower back pain in women
For the female patient group, pain in the lower back area is typical of certain gynecological diseases/discomforts:
- Adnexitis.Inflammation of the ovaries leads to the development of constantly increasing pain in the lower back.It can be unilateral or bilateral - it all depends on the location of the inflammatory process.Lower back pain with adnexitis is accompanied by increased body temperature, changes in vaginal discharge, general weakness and increased pain during intimate relationships.
- Pregnancy.This is a physiological condition that is accompanied by an excessive load on all organs and systems - the birth of a child means a priori that the body functions “worn out”.Another factor in the occurrence of lower back pain during pregnancy is the risk of miscarriage/spontaneous abortion.
- climax.During this time, a woman's body undergoes major changes, including in the hormonal balance.The level of estrogen in the blood becomes unstable, to which the nerve endings react - pain in the lower back can be explained by this factor.
Please note: Women are characterized by idiopathic low back pain – its occurrence is unclear;Doctors associate the pain with the woman's psychoemotional state and her low resistance to 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 recorded 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 in the lower back may occur on the right side.
- Chronic cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder).The pain syndrome in this case will be localized in the right hypochondrium with strong irradiation of the lower back - this means that the fibers of the spinal nerves are involved in the pathological process.
- Inflammatory/infectious processes in the kidneys.For them, lower back pain is the main symptom, along with hyperthermia (persistent increase in body temperature), morning facial swelling and high blood pressure.
- Diseases of the small intestine.They are characterized by typical digestive disorders (stool problems, increased gas formation, intestinal colic) coupled with pain in the lower back area.
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).The pain in this pathology is belt-like in nature and is accompanied by nausea and vomiting.Please note: if pain in the lower back is caused precisely by pancreatitis, there will be no changes in the intensity of sensations when palpating the spine.
- Infectious pathologies.Not all infectious diseases cause pain in the lower back - this syndrome is characteristic only when pathological damage to bone tissue occurs.And the lower back hurts most often due to the strong load on this particular part of the spine.
Doctors consider inflammatory processes in the muscles - myositis - to be the main cause of lower back pain in men and women.They are characterized by aching, constant pain with a gradual increase in intensity - based on this symptom and in the absence of other signs, a preliminary diagnosis can be made.
In addition, the syndrome in question can occur in patients diagnosed with stage 4 obesity - the load on the muscles and bones is too great, so the pain in the lower back is constant, intensifies and radiates to the legs.
Please note: Lumbar pain can be caused by the growth of malignant or benign tumors.But in this case there will be no problems with the diagnosis - this syndrome does not occur at the first stage of cancer.
Illnesses are always accompanied by pain in the lower back
There are a number of pathological diseases in which lower back pain is the main symptom:
- Lumbago.It is characterized by acute, stabbing pain that is most commonly diagnosed in male patients and may be the result of a pinched sciatic nerve or displacement of multiple vertebrae.
- Scoliosis.Curvature of the vertebrae, which may be congenital or acquired.The pathological process can affect any part of the spine;The following classification of the disease 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;
- rheumatic – diagnosed more often in adult patients, always a consequence of serious joint diseases;
- paralytic scoliosis.
- Osteochondrosis of an intervertebral nature.
- Hernia of the lumbar spine.
- Arthritis of rheumatoid type. It is diagnosed more often in women during menopause.
- Osteoporosis.This is a thinning of the bone tissue, the causes of which are exclusively age-related.In addition to pain in the lumbar spine, the patient is diagnosed with hernias, deformation of the vertebral joints and problems with the cartilage.
- Phlebothrombosis.This is not an inflammatory process in the vessels, but rather their blockage - the disease occurs more often in older people.It is typical that with phlebothrombosis, pain in the lower back only occurs during a long walk.
In addition, lower back pain can be caused by atherosclerosis grade 3-4, obstructed blood flow due to inflamed vessels (various phlebitis), ankylosing spondylitis and other factors and causes.
You must definitely call a doctor and undergo a full examination - the cause of the syndrome may be the development of a serious pathology in the body.
Lower back pain – what to do?
To help yourself with lower back pain, you need to follow some recommendations from specialists:
- When the syndrome first appears, take a comfortable position and observe the nature of the pain:
- at what point it arises, strengthens or diminishes;
- Is it accompanied by nausea, headaches, changes in physiological processes (urination, bowel movements)?
- Is there an increase in temperature and foreign taste in the oral cavity?
- If the cause of lower back pain is a bruise, sprain or injury, you need to do the following:
- take a drug from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Take a diuretic - this will help to quickly eliminate swelling and speed up the process of eliminating inflammation;
- Tighten the lower back with any fastening material - a special orthopedic belt, a towel, a scarf or an elastic bandage.
In any case, you need to see a doctor and undergo 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.
Measures that are contraindicated for lower back pain
The following manipulations are strictly prohibited:
- Heat the area where the pain syndrome is localized without first identifying the cause of its occurrence.This can lead to a sharp progression of the inflammatory process.
- Take painkillers if the cause of lumbar pain remains unclear;
- Realign the vertebrae - many patients overlook this point and believe that professional chiropractors will not cause any harm.In fact, displacement of the vertebrae can be caused not only by severe physical stress, but also by various degenerative processes in cartilage and ligaments.Forcible repositioning of a vertebra due to connective tissue or cartilaginous dystrophy can lead to complete destruction of the latter and immobilization.
Treating lower back pain
Professional treatment for the respective pain syndrome only takes place in hospital.As a rule, after an examination (X-rays, computer tomography, laboratory tests of blood/urine, etc.), patients are prescribed medication that can quickly and sustainably relieve an attack of pain.Then, depending on the general state of health, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed, the doctor selects restorative therapy, and the patient undergoes physiotherapy and massages.
Please note: you need to learn to rest properly after heavy physical exertion: lying on your back with your legs raised low.If your lower back hurts after sleeping, you need an orthopedic mattress.If the pain becomes regular and severe, doctors may order a blockage.However, this does not mean that after the syndrome in question disappears, you can calm down and not carry out treatment - the attacks will become more and more frequent.
Treating back pain with folk remedies
All means from the category of conventional medicine, designed to restore the function of the spine and eliminate pain in the lower back, can only be used if the etiology of the problem is clarified!Only in this case are they really effective and absolutely safe.
Some treatments for lower back pain:
- With osteochondrosis, you need to take wax, melt it and apply it hot to the lower back (at the site of pain).In order for the warming process to have a greater effect, you need to put a scarf or a warm handkerchief on top.Please note: The skin in the area where the melted wax is applied must not show any damage or visible pathologies from the field of dermatology.
- With regular stress, nervous breakdowns and pain in the lower back against the background of psycho-emotional disorders, St. John's wort can be used for treatment.Take 2 tablespoons of dry St. John's wort, pour 400 ml of boiling water and leave overnight.Then strain the infusion and take 100 ml at least 4 times a day.The duration of treatment is one week.Even if the pain has disappeared on the second or third day, stopping taking St. John's wort infusion is not recommended.
- When diagnosing habitually pinched nerves (for example, the sciatic nerve), tinctures of hot red pepper and fir oil are used.It is necessary to apply these components to the lower back twice a day for a week, exactly in the area where the pain syndrome is located.Please note: first the tincture of hot pepper is rubbed into the skin, and then fir oil.The number of procedures depends on the intensity of the pain syndrome - as soon as the condition returns to normal, the treatment is stopped.
For habitual lower back pain, regular massage helps a lot.It is problematic to do it yourself, but our ancestors used the following method: they had to take a nylon/nylon stocking and tie three knots at the same distance.With this stocking you have to rub your back every day - you can do it yourself quite well.
Lower back pain can be a consequence of various pathological conditions.Many people usually ignore this syndrome and attribute it all to excessive tension or nervousness.However, doctors warn: even periodic, not severe pain in the lumbar spine can indicate the development of internal pathology.