Many patients, having barely crossed the threshold of the doctor's office, hold their lower back, asking: "Why does the lower back hurt, and what medicine will help with this pain? "
Unfortunately, everything is not so simple, and you can choose the right treatment method only after identifying the cause of the pain.
Many people go through life with mild to moderate back pain and accept it as normal. But even if you experience mild or severe tingling in the lower back that has not been interrupted for a long time, you should visit a therapist to diagnose the problem. After all, if you don't take action in time, the situation will get worse.
Although back pain is not the most serious disease, over time it will cause a lot of pain and cause great discomfort.
Primary and secondary pain syndromes
The causes of lower back pain can be very different, and only after thoroughly understanding where it comes from, you can begin to deal with this disease.
According to the medical classification of the disease, primary and secondary pain syndromes, which occur in the lumbar region, are distinguished.
Primary pain syndrome is formed against the background of degenerative-dystrophic pathology 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 a variety of reasons. First of all, the lower back always hurts with curvature of the spine (scoliosis). Also, this condition can be observed due to metabolic disorders of bone tissue (osteoporosis or osteomalacia).
Often, the cause of pain in the lumbar region is non-infectious inflammation (Ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. ).
A relatively dangerous cause of back pain is a vertebral fracture of the spine.
Pain syndrome can be caused by various infectious diseases that lead to damage to the vertebrae and intervertebral discs (brucellosis, tuberculosis, epidural abscess).
Lower back pain with acute disorders of spinal circulation (stroke condition), as well as diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (obstruction, atypical acute appendicitis).
In some pathologies, back pain is reflected. This happens when organs located in the pelvic area are affected (gynecological pathology, STD, renal colic).
Often pain is observed when stretching the lumbar muscles. The lower back is very painful 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 a secondary cause of pain.
Other causes of back pain
Often, acute low back pain occurs due to unsuccessful movements, prolonged work in uncomfortable positions, improper lifting or carrying, falls or blows, sharp straightening with simultaneous turns, as well as prolonged hypothermia or exposure to drafts. All these "accidents" can cause spasms and inflammation of the deep back muscles.
Many patients notice that often the lower back hurts after sleeping. There is a reason for this too. The easiest is an uncomfortable body position in a dream. For those who like to sleep on their stomach, the muscles of the lumbar back are in constant tension, which causes pain. Sometimes the painful condition is caused by the fact that the bed or pillow itself does not fit the person. That is why experts recommend sleeping on an orthopedic mattress for complete relaxation.
Also, morning lumbar pain can be a symptom of internal organ disease. So, pathologies of the circulatory, digestive and genitourinary systems are accompanied by back pain.
Back pain as a cause of negative emotions
Some patients realize that the lower back is one of the most psychosomatic parts of the body, and therefore, it reacts very sharply to severe stress and excitement.
Anger, anger, irritation or deep fear contributes to the release of a significant dose of adrenaline into the blood. As a result - an increase in the tone of the back muscles. And if there is not enough release, the muscles that are in increased tone begin to gradually tighten. And then - spasms and pain syndrome. It should be noted that spinal disorders often develop in people with an unstable psyche, and for such patients, psychotherapy is the best method of treatment.
Back pain during pregnancy
Many pregnant women worry about the cause of back pain. In early pregnancy, this may be due to kidney or urinary tract disease. Also during this period, the production of progesterone increases, because there is a slight softening of the ligaments, which can cause back pain.
In the second trimester of pregnancy, when the belly increases significantly, the load on the spine increases a lot, and therefore, there is a pulling pain in the lumbar back.
Severe back pain during pregnancy can sometimes be the cause of nerve disease (herniated disc or sciatica).
What to do if your back hurts
First of all, if the back pain does not go away within three days, a consultation with a neurologist is required. Only a specialist can develop the correct treatment strategy, which will depend on the severity of the patient's condition.
As a rule, most back pain requires conservative treatment, however, sometimes there are cases when it is impossible to do without surgical intervention.
When prescribing conservative treatment, three main goals are pursued:
- Relieves the patient from pain.
- Development of a program of therapeutic and preventive measures to slow the degenerative-dystrophic process in the spine.
- Quickly return the patient to normal life.
First of all, we all need to learn how to rest properly after physical activity. 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 are in pain (of course, not too strong), because this significantly weakens the paravertebral muscles. With persistent pain syndrome with the return of pain in the legs, an orthopedic consultation is required.
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.
To eliminate back pain, paravertebral blocks have proven themselves well. Such injections help relieve inflammation and muscle spasms, thereby relieving pain.
When a herniated disc is detected, the question of surgery arises. This technique involves the removal of the hernia that compresses the root and the creation of conditions for its recovery.