80% of people in the world have experienced pain in the lumbar spine at least once. Their causes can vary from the so-called psychosomatics, when aching pain in the lumbar region is provoked by stress, to a much more terrible and difficult to treat cancer diagnosis.
How to understand when discomfort and backache speak of a sick spine, and when they signal an unhealthy condition in other organs? And how not to miss the right moment to see a doctor for pain in the spine in the lumbar region?
Causes of back pain in the lumbar region
In the lumbar region there are several organs and systems at once - these are the digestive, urinary, reproductive, and musculoskeletal systems, and a number of glands that affect a person's well-being. Fortunately, most pathologies that make themselves felt with aching pain in the lumbar and lower back are treatable and not life-threatening. Only every 20th case of pain in the lumbar region requires surgical intervention or complex therapeutic measures.
Consider the causes of pain in the spine in the lumbar region in more detail. These include:
- overstrain of the back muscles, in particular, the lumbosacral region;
- spasms of muscles and internal organs;
- the presence of inflammation or abscess;
- hormonal disorders;
- heart diseases;
- diseases of the stomach or intestines (gastritis, peptic ulcer, and others);
- posture disorders;
- neuralgia, incl. psychogenic character;
- osteochondrosis, stenosis of the spinal canal, spinal hernia and other pathologies of the spine;
- diseases of the kidneys or internal genital organs;
- obesity;
- pregnancy;
- neoplasm metastases.
The nature of pain in osteochondrosis of the lumbar
It is necessary to distinguish between primary pain in the lumbar vertebra (associated with degenerative-dystrophic, inflammatory processes and spinal injuries) and secondary, "reflected" pain that occurs due to functional disorders in the muscles and internal organs. Primary aching pains in the lumbar region appear as if by themselves and are rarely accompanied by additional symptoms (usually already in the later stages, for example, with advanced protrusions of the intervertebral discs). Secondary pains are almost always accompanied by bloating, changes in urination and defecation (they are rare, frequent, painful or have other uncharacteristic features), nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and fever. The type of pain in the lumbar can also tell a lot about the problem:
- paroxysmal ("grabs the insides") - diseases of the kidneys and pelvic organs;
- increasing every day - an inflammatory process (for example, in the epithelial coccygeal passage), abscess, cyst;
- sharp stabbing (especially after an injury) - rupture of an internal organ (liver, spleen, kidney, bladder, etc. ) or vessel, internal bleeding, stomach or intestinal ulcer, blockage of the vessel by a detached thrombus (immediately consult a doctor for such pain! );
- periodic shooting - characteristic of squeezing the spinal roots (radicular syndrome), may be accompanied by spasms;
- dull continuous - indicates a disease of the liver, kidneys, spleen, some endocrine glands;
- pulling, aggravated by movement - injuries of the spine and adjacent tissues.
Localization of lumbar pain
- Pain in the lumbar region and above the sacrum can occur due to trauma, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and the cardiovascular system, as well as injuries, oncology, or simple overexertion. Often this zone manifests itself after unsuccessful sports activities, especially with poorly delivered strikes, an unworked fall, and non-observance of the exercise technique.
- Below the waist (above the coccyx) it often hurts due to overexertion when lifting loads, standing or walking for a long time, with bruises on ice and other hard surfaces. Sometimes the cause of aching pain in the lumbar region can be an infection or hypothermia. The most common pain is due to working or resting in an uncomfortable, non-physiological posture - for example, due to spending time at the computer or driving in a half-bent "banana" position. Pain is less common due to disturbances in the functioning of the intestines and the genitourinary system (constipation, cystitis, pyelonephritis, prostatitis, dysmenorrhea). "Low" localization of pain can also indicate problems with the hip joint, especially in older people or athletes.
- If it hurts to the left of the spine, this does not exclude problems with it - for example, scoliosis and / or osteochondrosis, impaired blood circulation, and even infection of the spinal canal.
- Especially characteristic of infections and osteochondrosis is persistent aching pain, which intensifies with the slightest physical exertion.
- If the pain syndrome periodically subsides and still gives the patient a break, it may be a displacement of the intervertebral disc, a pinched nerve root, or sciatica. Also, pain in the lumbar region can cause diabetes or hypothermia.
- If the patient often feels that he has "stayed up" and feels pain after several hours of sedentary activities, the pain may indicate an incorrect lifestyle that has not yet developed into a pathology, but requires urgent changes - not just pain relief in lumbar osteochondrosis, butcomplex therapy.
Please note that pain can be given to the lower back in case of serious pathologies of the heart and digestive organs. If it simultaneously hurts under the left shoulder blade and in the side, it is important to urgently exclude a heart attack. If, however, attacks of sharp pain are tormented - "as if they are being cut alive" - an ulcer of the stomach or intestines.
Low back pain - diagnoses
Doctors identify more than 120 causes that can cause acute and chronic back pain. The most common of these are.
- Diseases resulting from degenerative-dystrophic and other lesions of the vertebral and hip joints. For example, osteochondrosis, osteoarthritis, spondylosis, vertebral hernia, spinal stenosis, kyphosis, scoliosis, protrusion, facet syndrome, sciatica, lumbago, neurogenic lameness, hormonal spondylopathy.
- Autoimmune diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis, Bechterew's disease.
- Inflammatory diseases. Spondyloarthropathies, incl. psoriatic and reactive arthritis.
- Traumatic defeat. Spondylolisthesis, damage to muscles and ligaments, bruises, dislocations, subluxations and fractures of the vertebrae.
Less commonly, neoplasms and metastases in the spine, osteomyelitis, angina pectoris, cholecystitis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, myocardial infarction, duodenal ulcer and other diseases can become the cause of lumbar pain.
Pain in the lumbar spine in women
In women, acute and subacute (periodic or lasting up to 12 weeks) back pain may indicate minor hormonal disorders or natural physiological processes - during menstruation, pregnancy or menopause. But more often than not, he declares himself in this way:
- osteochondrosis of the lumbar - women who stay on heels for a long time, regularly carry loads of more than 5 kg, are forced to be in a bowed position for a long time when performing professional or household work;
- arthritis is an inflammatory disease to which young women are vulnerable. It can be provoked by a lower back injury, a genitourinary infection, hypothermia due to insufficiently warm but fashionable clothes, as well as heredity (for example, the presence of rheumatoid arthritis in relatives);
- arthrosis is a predominantly age-related disease that often occurs after 40 years as a reaction to hormonal changes in the body;
- inflammation of the appendages (adnexitis);
- cervical or ovarian cancer;
- torsion of an ovarian cyst;
- endometriosis.
Seek immediate medical attention if symptoms of low back pain:
- appeared after an injury;
- occur in the patient's medical history with oncological and precancerous (eg, cervical dysplasia) conditions;
- accompanied by an increase in temperature;
- accompanied by unexplained weight loss;
- cause difficulty in urination and defecation;
- accompany spotting;
- associated with a feeling of numbness or stiffness in the legs, a change in gait.
Pain in the lumbar spine in men
Men suffer from lower back pain less frequently than women. Most often, like in women, their cause lies in osteochondrosis or kidney disease. Among the gender-specific diseases that provoke pain in the spine in the lumbar region, we can name:
- epididymitis (inflammation of the seminal appendage);
- prostatitis;
- orchitis (swelling of the testicles);
- testicular and other oncological diseases of the genital organs;
- prostate cancer.
Often, lower back pain in the strong half occurs due to a vertebral or inguinal hernia. These diseases are especially predisposed to men over 40 years of age who are actively engaged in physical labor or work in an uncomfortable position. In women, this pathology is less common.
Treatment of back pain
The treatment of back pain (lumbar) requires a therapeutic effect on the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, nerve fibers and muscles. Along with relieving pain in the lumbar spine, it is necessary to slow down degenerative processes in the spine, if any, relieve inflammation, restore blood microcirculation and conduction of nerve impulses. Treatment is prescribed exclusively by a doctor or immediately by a group of specialists - a neurologist, traumatologist, gynecologist, orthopedist, rheumatologist and other doctors, depending on the main and concomitant diagnoses.
In more than 98% of cases associated with diseases of the spine, treatment is carried out conservatively - surgery can be dispensed with even in the case of a hernia.
Medical approach
With the help of medicines, pain can be completely eliminated within a few months (for example, pain in the spine in the lumbar region is treated for 3-4 months with compression of the roots, hernias). Then, depending on the diagnosis, therapy is completed or carried out periodically, in courses - to maintain remission.
In the treatment of back pain (lumbar) help:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of tablets, ointments, injections.
- Hormonal preparations (in the form of blockades and droppers).
- Analgesics for pain relief.
- Chondroprotectors.
- Warming preparations, for example, ointments based on bee and snake venom, mustard plasters.
- Venotonics and angioprotectors.
- Anticonvulsants, anxiolytics and antidepressants.
Physiotherapy for back pain
Used to treat low back pain:
- massage (classical, cupping, hydromassage);
- phonophoresis;
- electrophoresis;
- magnetotherapy;
- laser therapy;
- diadynamic therapy;
- electrical neuromyostimulation;
- manual therapy;
- acupuncture;
- balneological procedures and mud therapy;
- kinesitherapy.
Exercise therapy for pain in the lumbar
A set of exercises for pain in the lumbar region is performed daily and only upon reaching remission! With an exacerbation of the disease, any load can only aggravate the situation. Before doing the exercises, you should consult with an exercise therapy instructor.
- Get on your knees and put your right leg forward (foot on the floor, knee bent at a right angle). Maintaining balance, pull your left foot to the buttock with your left hand and feel the tension in the muscles. 10 times on each side.
- Get on all fours, look straight ahead. Bend and arch your back - exercise "cat".
- Lie on your back and, keeping your legs under your knees, pull your knees up to your chest and lock in this position for a couple of seconds. 10 times.
- The starting position is the same. Cross your legs (on the weight) and stretch the muscles well, supporting the lower leg under the knee with both hands.
- Standing on all fours, raise your left arm and right leg perpendicular to the floor. Repeat for the other side. 10 times.
A set of exercises for pain in the lumbar region with a massage roller is also recommended. For example: put the roller under the sacrum and pull the knee to the chest while the other leg is on the floor. Repeat 10 times for each leg. If the tension is not enough, put your hand behind your head and/or move your bent knee slightly to the side.
How to take care of your back - recommendations of doctors
We recommend you 10 simple tips to protect your lower back.
- To keep your back healthy, it is important to avoid serious physical (as well as mental and emotional) overwork and hypothermia. If you are forced to work for a long time in the cold or in rooms with sudden temperature changes, get high-quality thermal underwear.
- Carry out timely treatment of pain in the spine in the lumbar region.
- If you have already been diagnosed with the initial stage of osteochondrosis, have congenital or acquired deformities of the musculoskeletal system, use orthoses - special bandages and corsets that help relieve your back. If you carry a heavy backpack, get one designed to protect your back from the symptoms of low back pain.
- Also, do not forget to take chondroprotectors for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes for at least 3-6 months a year.
- Balance your diet so that your body gets enough vitamins and minerals, as well as proteins.
- Properly equip a place to sleep. The mattress should not be too soft or too hard, the length of the bed should be slightly larger than your height. The height of the pillow is also important for relieving pain in lumbar osteochondrosis - it is best to purchase an orthopedic one. If pets force you into an uncomfortable sleeping position, do not let them on the bed.
- During seated work, make sure that your elbows are on the table top, at a comfortable height, and the seat of the chair allows you to keep your shins perpendicular to the floor.
- If you have already been diagnosed with a disease of the spine, take care of rational employment, which will reduce professional stress on the lower back.
- Try not to abuse alcohol, coffee and cigarettes.
- Maintain a normal level of physical activity (at least in the form of 15-minute exercises for lumbar pain 3-4 times a day).
Health to your back!