Back pain is one of the most common health problems.The causes of pain are different: from simple physical overload, after an uncomfortable position of the body, to severe disorders in the human body.
Types of painful sensations
The lower back is the lower part of the back that starts at the ribs and ends at the tailbone.Low back pain can manifest itself in different ways: it can be sharp or aching, aching or burning, it can be concentrated in one place or spread over the entire back.
According to the duration, back pain is divided into:
- periodic, related to physical activity, excessive load, body characteristics or internal diseases;
- Permanent or chronic, caused by irreversible pathology in diseases of the musculoskeletal system or diseases of the blood vessels of the legs.
The latter type is often accompanied by inflammatory or degenerative processes in the bone or cartilage tissue, which are not completely curable, they can be reduced or stopped only for a short time.
Why does discomfort occur?
Pain in the lower back is the result of a person walking upright, during which a large load falls on the lumbar spine.The base of the spine consists of bony tissue, surrounded by nerve roots that send pain signals.
If a person sits in one position for a long time, then when he stands up, "lumbago" appears, which does not allow him to straighten.This can be caused by stretching of nerve endings near the spine, swelling of muscles, intervertebral discs or ligaments.
To diagnose the problem, an external examination of the spine by a doctor and additional examinations are required:
- X-ray examination;
- Computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The main reasons
Back pain is divided into 2 groups according to origin:
- primary, caused by the development of pathologies in the spine, functional changes in muscles, joints, discs, ligaments and tendons;
- Secondary, related to spinal injuries, as well as various infections and diseases of the internal organs located in the pelvis.
The most common causes of pain in the lower back are the following diseases:
- Lumbago.It is manifested by sudden acute pain in the lumbar region, due to pathological changes in the vertebrae.
- Osteochondrosis.It includes a number of diseases of an inflammatory or dystrophic nature, which are manifested by a decrease in the elasticity and strength of the intervertebral discs, loosening of the surface of bone and cartilage tissue, and damage to the nerves.Protrusion of the intervertebral disc refers to one of the stages of osteochondrosis, during which the cartilage falls out.
- sciatica.occurs when the sciatic nerve is inflamed or compressed;The pain starts in the lower back and spreads to the back of one leg.
- Lumbar sciatica.This can occur when bending, sneezing or laughing, it is caused by inflammation of the nerve endings and can lead to decreased sensitivity and loss of movement.
- Scoliosis is a one-sided curvature of the spine, manifested by asymmetry of shoulder height, poor posture and hunching.The cause of the disease is a decrease in the functions of skeletal muscles and bones.
- Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic disease accompanied by loss of joint mobility in the lumbar region and other areas due to the growth of connective tissue.
- Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammation of the joints, including the hip.
People who spend long periods of time in uncomfortable body positions (sitting at the computer or hunched over garden beds), which cause muscle strain and muscle spasm, are prone to spine diseases.
Diseases of internal organs can also cause back pain:
- Most often, pain occurs in the kidneys (pyelonephritis, kidney failure, stones, colic);
- Diseases of the digestive system and gastrointestinal tract (cholecystitis, pancreatitis, appendicitis, adhesions after surgery) - painful pain in the lower back is often manifested;
- If the lungs are damaged (pneumonia), there may be pain in the lower back, especially when coughing;
- Bone tuberculosis and other infections;
- Growing tumors, benign or malignant, that grow in the direction of spinal nerve fibers.
in men
Periodic back pain can occur in men during heavy physical exertion, when working in the cold or during a strong scratch.
In addition, pain is characteristic of some male diseases:
- In prostatitis, they sometimes appear and radiate to the back, accompanied by general weakness and fever;
- With epididymitis (inflammatory process in the epididymis) is localized in the groin area, with a return.
in women
In women, pain in the lower back may occur against the background of gynecological diseases or be accompanied by certain physiological processes in the body:
- with inflammation of the appendages (adnexitis), they begin in the lower part of the abdomen and then radiate to the back;
- During childbirth, it can be painful in the lower back and radiate to the spine under the pressure of the growing fetus (from the 5th month of pregnancy), if there is a risk of miscarriage, they appear as contractions;
- During menopause, the pain changes localization, moves from the head to the chest or back;They are caused by fluctuations in the level of estrogen in the blood and poor circulation in the pelvic organs.
Women experience back pain and increased self-doubt.Those related to nervous stress are treated with psychological adjustment.
Methods of pain relief
In the case of lower back pain, after finding out the cause and diagnosing the main disease, the neurologist prescribes painkillers in the form of ointments, tablets or injections.Their use allows the patient to feel better, to get rid of negative feelings and lead a normal life.
Main groups of painkillers:
- Analgesics;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of tablets;
- steroid hormonal preparations;
- injections to relieve spasms and inflammation;
- muscle relaxants that help reduce skeletal muscle tone;
- chondroprotectors are used for spinal hernia;
- ointments, gels and suppositories;
- Healing patches and stickers.
Medicines help not only to relieve pain, but also to normalize blood circulation and restore nerve tissue.
All drugs have side effects and contraindications, so they are used only after consulting a doctor.
In particularly severe cases, narcotics are used that reduce pain by acting on the nervous system.However, when taken for a long time, they can become addictive.
treatment
After determining the cause of back pain, complex therapy of the main disease is carried out.
With the permission of the attending physician, it is possible to use alternative methods:
- therapeutic massage course;
- manual therapy, which should be performed exclusively by highly qualified specialists to avoid complications;
- Acupuncture (helps relieve muscle tension and pain);
- Physiotherapy and yoga.
Folk recipes are also used to get rid of back pain:
- Tea made from birch leaves and lingonberry.The dry mixture is boiled in boiling water and drunk in small portions throughout the day.
- Ointment made from butter with the addition of chopped garlic cloves and ginger root.It should be applied to the painful area.
Prevention
To avoid unpleasant pain in the lower back, the basic rules of prevention should be followed:
- sleep on a semi-hard mattress, taking the correct physiological position;
- Do not get up suddenly when sitting in one position for a long time;Need a break, warm-up or exercise;
- Avoid sudden movements and bending;
- Perform a daily set of special exercises to prepare all parts of the spine (only with the permission of the doctor).