Low back pain is a common phenomenon that occurs at all ages, but more often in adults. There can be many reasons - from physiological factors to illnesses. Sometimes the back pain appears briefly and passes quickly. However, pain in the lumbar region can be a sign of serious illness, and in these cases, an urgent need to see a doctor.
Reasons
There are many causes of acute low back pain, they are strictly individual for each patient. The most important of these are diseases and changes in the spine, which can react with irreversible consequences.
Major (most common)
The most common reasons are:
- Osteochondrosis. Awkward movement causes pressure on the roots of the nerve trunk of the spinal cord. The burning and irritation doesn't stop during the day, if you lift something heavy there is just hellish pain in your lower back.
- Herniated disk. Usually a hernia is localized in the lower back, and any sudden movement of the trunk leads to compression of the nerve roots.
- Radiculite. With lumbosacral radiculitis, throbbing pain syndrome occurs. This causes weight lifting or unsuccessful movements. A sharp pain constrains the patient's movements so much that he is unable to stand up and remains in the same position in which he was at the time of the attack.
- Displacement of the vertebrae. This problem is characterized by shooting pain in the lower back and slightly less stiffness of movement. This pathology is accompanied by disorders of urination and bowel function.
- Facet syndrome. When the facets of the intervertebral discs expand both above and below, the intervertebral foramen shrinks. In this case, unpleasant sensations arise that arise suddenly and occur more than once a month. Leaning back, the patient feels discomfort in the back.
- Epidural abscess. Accumulation of pus in the spinal cord occurs due to infectious diseases of the urinary tract. In addition to pain, fever, weakness and an increase in body temperature occur.
These are causes - consequences of diseases of the spinal trunk.
The lower back may get sick due to the difference in the length of the legs of 2-3cm It is difficult for a person to move, pain is felt in the back due to the constant curvature ofspine.
Overload and physical fatigue
In addition to serious illnesses, severe pain in the lumbar spine is also due to severe overloads and a sharp inclination of the trunk forward. In addition, this problem occurs when the effect of temperature on the body is violated. The sources of these pains are:
- Stretching the muscles. Exacerbation of stretching of the muscles of the lower back occurs due to physical overload. Compression of muscles causes pain and reduces mobility. This problem occurs in athletes and people engaged in intensive work.
- Neuralgia. Hypothermia of the back leads to neuralgia - irritation or compression of the nerves. Pathology manifests itself in different ways: sometimes in the form of convulsions, accompanied by redness of the affected area, tremors, tissue edema and severe sweating.
- Myositis. Lower back pain and discomfort begins at night, as well as with a sudden increase, with a change in weather conditions, after hypothermia and overwork.
Frequent colds, decreased immunity, spinal trauma after a blow or fall, both fresh and old, can cause an attack.
Internal organ disorders
Sometimes it hurts in the lower back area due to damage to other organs: heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, gallbladder. When inhaling, the pain syndrome of the lumbar region diverges along all the nerve channels. The causes of this pathology are often:
- Pyelonephritis. It is an infectious inflammation of the kidneys and urinary tract. Usually the pain is dull, but the attacks are accompanied by chills, weakness, nausea and vomiting, fever.
- Urolithiasis. The problem shows itself as a sudden, sharp pain which becomes unbearable with a long walk and hard work. The attack is accompanied by nausea, vomiting and blood in the urine.
- Ectopic pregnancy. If there is a ruptured fallopian tube with a miscarriage, there is a throbbing pain that radiates to the groin and rectum. Rupture is accompanied by loss of consciousness, and with a tubal miscarriage, a hematoma is formed in the peritoneal cavity.
- Pelvioperitonitis. This is a transient inflammatory process of the uterine appendages. The woman has excruciating pain in her groin and back. In addition to the existing unpleasant sensations, chills, fever and palpitations are added.
- Tumors of different origins. Cancer with metastases causes painful attacks when pressure is applied to nerve endings. Often there is no initial sign of the disease.
Injury to internal organs accompanied by episodes of severe pain in the lower back are more difficult to diagnose. Therefore, you should immediately contact a specialist or call an ambulance. In some cases, delay can lead to serious health problems and even death.
Pain in the lower back is experienced in almost all pregnant women. This is due to the restructuring of the body and an increase in the load. In addition, difficult or complicated work can be the cause.
Symptoms of potential illnesses
Pain syndrome most often appears against the background of a pinched nerve, osteochondrosis, deformation and degenerative changes of the intervertebral discs, irritation of the nerve roots. Muscle spasms can also cause back discomfort in the lumbar region. Features of symptomatology for different diseases:
- With lumbago, changes begin in the lumbar vertebrae. At first, the acute pain can be controlled with medication. However, mobility remains limited.
- With sciatica, symptoms move downward - to the upper surface of the legs and buttocks. If there is no timely treatment, the disease becomes a constant companion and can provoke other diseases.
- Osteochondrosis causes the development of other diseases of the spine. Therefore, pain can occur not only in the lower back, but also in the entire amount.
- Scoliosis is characterized by skeletal curvature, degenerative changes. The chronic form can be asymptomatic, in other cases there is pain in the bones.
- Dull, drawing pains are typical of diseases of internal organs (mainly genitourinary system and kidneys), benign and malignant tumors.
- With spondylitis, the pain is dull, aching, very weak at first. At the onset of the disease, it begins to hurt in the lower back, movements become constrained. Gradually, the state of health worsens, the inflammation becomes more pronounced, it becomes difficult to move, even minimal loads are difficult to give.
- In spinal tuberculosis, in addition to pain, the body temperature rises. A person feels tired, weak, weak, the appetite worsens. At night, there is severe sweating, frequent urge to urinate.
Views
The pain can only be localized to one place or “spread” to the abdomen, spine and lower back. Symptoms are acute, in the form of lumbago, dull and painful, encircling. It depends on the disease or the pathological process.
The pain may be intermittent. Usually this is due to physical activity, physiological characteristics, exacerbation of chronic pathologies. Constant and chronic pain occurs against the background of various diseases of internal organs, with vascular damage, deformation of the musculoskeletal system.
Sharp
Sharp, strong and searing pains cause limited mobility. In such attacks, a person freezes in one position and cannot move. Even a slight agitation increases the already unbearable pain. This syndrome is called lumbago. Such symptoms can occur after intense massage or hypothermia.
whine
Painful pains accompany chronic diseases, often appear with spondylarthrosis. Symptoms usually occur at night, immediately after waking up or after sitting for a long time in the same position.
Tug and stupid
These painful sensations can last a long time, they exhaust the person. Most often they can be tolerated. Dull, drawing pains are rare for osteochondrosis, more for pathologies of the spine or lesions of internal organs.
For example, with pyelonephritis the kidney tissue swells a lot, the capsule stretches, which causes back pain.
Shingles
Symptoms may appear in one place and radiate over the entire peritoneal region, "spreading" down the back. Belt pain affects the entire lower back. Without additional diagnosis, symptoms can be mistaken for diseases of the spine and joints. However, pain in the belt usually causes pathology of internal organs.
Localization of pain
With ankylosing spondyloarthritis, symptoms appear mainly in the lower back. Basically the pain occurs in the morning, it can start even late at night and gradually intensify, giving the lower back. In addition, discomfort in the lower back accompanies diseases of the pelvic organs, trauma to the coccyx, urological and gynecological pathologies, with the threat of miscarriage, after childbirth.
In the upper part, the symptomatology is manifested by kyphosis, trauma, muscle myositis, osteochondrosis, infectious processes or tumors. Also, the cause can be pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, gynecological, kidney and heart diseases, pneumonia, pleurisy, influenza, ARVI.
Pain in the left or right side of the lower back appears due to disorders of the central nervous system, diseases of the spine and internal organs. Symptoms will appear on the side of the affected area. The emergence of negative sensations immediately in the left and right sides accompanies pleurisy, hepatitis, pneumonia, cholecystitis, inflammation of the prostate, and in women - appendages.
Features for women and men
Some types of pain may only appear in women. For example, with gynecological diseases. Adnexitis is characterized by the appearance of discomfort in the lower abdomen. In this case, the pain sometimes radiates to the lower back. During pregnancy, the main symptomatology occurs in the groin area and radiates to the lower back due to an increased load on the spine. 
Low back pain occurs during labor, with threat of miscarriage, at the end of gestation.
Menopause can cause back pain in the lumbar region when menstruation stops. The appearance of symptoms in the lumbar region is influenced by jumps in estrogen level, circulatory disturbances, the initial stage of osteochondrosis, hernia and other diseases of the spine. Pain is also the result of stress, to which women are more exposed than men. In this case, the symptoms are periodic.
In men, back pain is more often associated with professional activities, with risks - intense physical exertion, hypothermia, working in draft. There are a number of diseases that provoke the appearance of negative symptoms in the lower back. With prostatitis, the pain first appears in the anal area, but may radiate to the back. Epididymitis is characterized by an inflammatory process. Initially, the pain appears in the groin area, then it radiates to the lower back. At the same time, this is accompanied by an increase in temperature and swelling of the scrotum.
First aid
What to do if a hellish lower back pain appears spontaneously? The following steps should be taken immediately:
- Give your back absolute rest.
- Take a comfortable position, it is best to lie down on a hard surface.
- You can put ice on the lower back, but before that put it on a cheesecloth folded in 3-4 layers. This can only be done if the cause of the pain is not an organ infection.
- Apply a relaxing analgesic gel to the affected area.
- Take pain relievers.
All of these activities will help get rid of severe back pain fast. But consultation and examination of specialists is necessary in order to identify the real cause of this attack and to prescribe adequate treatment.
What not to do
In case of sudden back pain, doctors advise against using ointments and warming gels at the same time. They stimulate blood flow to the sore spot, which contributes to increased swelling and then increased pain. Before seeing a doctor or the arrival of an ambulance, it is totally and categorically excluded:
- Perform the exercises of your choice.
- Washing in a sauna or hammam, do not use contrast showers.
- Drink alcohol for pain relief.
Only a doctor after examination and diagnosis has the right to prescribe treatment for lower back pain.
What to do next, which doctor should I see?
You must first consult a therapist. He conducts an initial examination, prescribes the necessary tests and, with the results obtained, sends him to a narrow specialist - a traumatologist, a surgeon, a neurologist. If the pain is associated with malignant formation, consultation of an oncologist is necessary. When pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract become the cause - a gastroenterologist, with female diseases - a gynecologist, a man - a urologist or a proctologist.
Inspection and inspection
To find out why the lower back hurts, a first visual examination is performed first, followed by a palpation. With its help, you can determine the localization of the symptom. The patient describes the nature of the pain, the duration of the attacks, after which it could appear (fall, physical activity). In addition, a number of studies are being carried out:
- Blood test. It may show inflammation, the presence of infection, tumors.
- Urinalysis. Allows you to exclude renal pathology. If the analysis is bad, an ultrasound is also prescribed.
- X-rays. Allows you to identify inflammatory processes, diseases of the spine, injuries, cracks, fractures, pinched nerve. Ideally, an x-ray of the spine and pelvic bones is done.
- CT. Tomography is more informative than x-ray, it can show small flaws, a 3D image is created. At the same time, all bone structures are clearly visible.
- IRM. Provides the opportunity to explore the soft tissues in or near the spine. At the same time, the condition of the spinal cord, nerve roots, ligaments and muscles is checked. Hernias and vascular changes are clearly visible.
However, CT and MRI are only indicated for severe symptoms. Usually x-rays or ultrasound, laboratory tests of blood and urine are sufficient.
Basic therapy
If the pain in the lower back is caused by problems with the spine, then complex treatment of the pathology is applied. It includes the following activities:
- organization of a diet that respects the spine;
- conducting manual therapy;
- application of therapeutic massage;
- physiotherapy and reflexology sessions: acupuncture, UHF and others;
- drug treatment: drugs, ointment, blockage;
- wearing a special corset, if necessary;
- do remedial gymnastics.
The main goal is drug therapy, which is primarily aimed at eliminating negative symptoms and relieving inflammation. As additional funds, physiotherapy, massage, exercise therapy are prescribed. In difficult cases, surgery may be necessary.
Drug treatment
Anti-inflammatory drugs are the first choice for back pain. They also relieve pain. Pain relievers can be prescribed at the same time. In addition, muscle relaxants are prescribed. To reduce degenerative processes in the cartilage, chondroprotectors are prescribed. To relieve pain, drug blockages are sometimes done from pain medication.
Topical ointments and gels are grouped into the following types:
- Means based on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory components.
- Combination preparations with anti-inflammatory effect and restoration of tissue cells.
- Anesthetic and irritant agents.
- Homeopathic remedies.
- Chondroprotectors that promote the restoration of cartilage tissue.
- Massage products (cosmetics).
It is important to know that these methods can relieve pain, but cannot cure the root cause. For example, damage to internal organs, if pain in the lower back has arisen for this reason. In this case, you need to undergo an examination, and a specialist will prescribe effective treatment for this particular pathology.
Exercise and massage
Exercise therapy (therapeutic gymnastics) and massage are recommended to strengthen the muscle structure of the back, normalize blood circulation and increase tone. Exercise prevents back pain and lower back pain. The exercise therapy complex is selected individually. Massage enhances the effectiveness of exercises, restores elasticity and flexibility of ligaments. The association with a bath or a sauna can only be authorized on medical advice.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy methods are prescribed only after the relief of acute attacks of low back pain. Then the procedures help reduce or prevent the exacerbation. The following are used in physiotherapy:
- mud therapy; electrophoresis
- ; balneotherapy
- ; electrical muscle stimulation
- ; Phonophoresis
- (ultrasound);
- paraffin treatment; Reflexology
- ;
- amplipulse therapy.
The procedures help reduce puffiness, have an analgesic effect, improve blood circulation, relax muscles, and normalize metabolic processes and lymph flow.
Surgical
An absolute indication for surgery is cauda equina syndrome, when urinary and fecal incontinence occurs and numbness appears in the perineum. In addition, intervention is necessary if drug therapy is ineffective, low back pain persists for more than six months and begins to radiate to the legs. Surgical operations are also performed in the presence of hernias.
Folk remedies
In addition, folk remedies can be used - infusions, decoctions of medicinal herbs. Compresses are made (for example, from chopped onions, fresh burdock leaves, boiled potatoes with horseradish, mustard). Rub with eucalyptus and burdock tincture, warm honey, a mixture of cologne, red pepper, iodine and valerian. For internal use, a tincture of vodka with saber or a decoction of wheat with coriander and milk is recommended.
Expert recommendations
If the pain is felt for at least 3 months, it is considered acute pain. The following tips will help you speed recovery from acute low back pain and reduce its intensity:
- It is important to provide the patient with absolute rest for 2 to 3 days. You need to lie down and take a comfortable position: lie on your side and put a pillow between your knees, or lie on your back and place a pillow under your knees. You cannot stay stationary all day - it is recommended to get up every 2-3 hours and warm up for 10-15 minutes.
- If the pain cannot be tolerated, pain relievers and anti-inflammatories should be taken regularly. By taking them only when the pain increases, you may not get the desired effect.
- Taking a hot shower every 3 hours or applying a heating pad for 10 to 15 minutes, even cold, helps - it improves blood circulation, reduces pain and inflammation.
When you feel better, you should gradually return to your usual way of life. Prolonged lying on the bed contributes to muscle atrophy, which worsens the disease. You can train your body by walking or walking on the simulator - this is the easiest exercise for lower back pain.
While low back pain is not an independent disease, it is the consequence of a serious disease present in the body. Therefore, you should immediately contact a medical institution to identify the pathology and competent treatment.