Painful sensations in the back are familiar to every person and are one of the most common reasons for visiting a doctor. In addition, about 80% of patients complain that their lower back hurts.
Sometimes the reason for the appearance of discomfort in the lower spine can simply be a prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position. If the pains become regular, then there is a reason to consult a specialist.
Back pain can be a sign of a wide variety of diseases - from osteochondrosis to malignant tumors.
The complex of therapeutic measures should be based on the cause of this pain. Alternative medicines and medicines can be used.
Why the lower back hurts: reasons
There are various factors that can cause back pain. Only an experienced specialist, based on the examination of the patient and further examinations, can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment. Distinguish between primary and secondary pain syndromes.
In the first case, the lower back hurts due to the appearance of degenerative-dystrophic changes of the spine with diseases such as:
- Osteochondrosis - is a lesion of bone and cartilage tissue, is of a dystrophic nature;
- Spondyloarthrosis is one of the forms of osteoarthritis, characterized by lesions of the intervertebral joints responsible for the mobility of the spine.
In the second case, the range of reasons why the lower back hurts is wider:
- Scoliosis, or curvature of the spine
- Inflammation, non-infectious nature (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter's syndrome);
- Various infectious diseases (tuberculosis, brucellosis, epidural abscess), in which the vertebrae and intervertebral discs are damaged, are a common reason why the lower back hurts;
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (acute appendicitis, intestinal obstruction);
- Often, back pain is reflex in nature. This situation occurs in the presence of diseases of organs localized in the pelvic region (renal colic, venereal diseases, gynecological pathologies).
- A tumor located on the vertebrae or spinal cord contributes to the onset of pain;
- Strokes and pre-stroke conditions, in which there is a violation of the blood supply to the spinal cord, can cause a feeling that the lower back hurts;
- During pregnancy, the load on the spine increases significantly, in connection with this, pains in the lumbar spine occur;
- Fractures of the spinal vertebrae are the most serious cause of pain.
In addition, the lower back often hurts due to muscle strain, displacement of the intervertebral discs, arthrosis of the hip joint. Suffering from acute pain, the patient takes a forced position of the body, which quite severely limits his mobility when walking. Typically, this problem is faced by athletes or people whose work is related to physical activity.
It happens that the lower back hurts during prolonged work in an uncomfortable position, due to lifting or carrying weights, falling, blows, acute straightening, hypothermia or the presence of drafts. All of these causes can lead to inflammation of the deep back muscles or spasm.
Sometimes the lower back hurts due to stress. The fact is that this part of the spine is one of the most psychosomatic parts of the body, therefore it reacts sharply to various worries and experiences. Anger, fear, irritability contribute to the release of adrenaline into the bloodstream, which in turn leads to an increase in the tone of the spinal muscles. If adequate discharge does not occur, tense muscles begin to contract and pain occurs. Therefore, people with an unstable psyche often experience pain in the spine.
Treatment for low back pain
The discomfort and even painful sensations in the lower back can be of varying intensity, from mildly insignificant to unbearable pain that makes even a small movement difficult. It can also be a sharp, dull, pulling or burning pain, which is often accompanied by tingling, goosebumps, numbness. It is often combined with pain in the hip, foot, or knee.
If the lower back hurts for more than 3 days, it is imperative to consult a therapist. Depending on the results of the examination, it may be necessary to consult a specialist doctor. So, to assess the condition of the spine, back muscles or nervous system, it is necessary to examine a neurologist, if diseases of the urinary system are suspected - a consultation with a urologist, in the presence of diseases of the female reproductive system - by a gynecologist.
In addition, a general analysis of urine and blood is usually prescribed to exclude or confirm the inflammatory nature of the disease, ultrasound of the hip joints, x-rays of the spine (MSCT or MRI) and other studies. With the exception of severe and advanced cases, the treatment of low back pain does not require surgery and can be eliminated with medication.
Conservative treatment has three main goals:
- Relieve the patient from pain;
- Development of a program of therapeutic and preventive measures to reduce negative processes in the spine;
- Return of the patient to a fulfilling life.
The most rapid effect if lower back pain is given by drug therapy. Typically used in the treatment:
- Muscle relaxant drugs. They should be used as soon as acute pain occurs. This allows you to relieve spasm from the muscles, remove the resulting compression (squeezing) of the spinal roots;
- Anti-inflammatory pain relievers can quickly relieve pain and inflammation. They can be used in the form of ointment and gel for external use, as well as in tablets and injections.
- Chondoprotectors (drugs including chondroites and glucosamines). These substances are found in the cartilage tissue of the joints and intervertebral discs;
- Vitamin therapy.
However, it is not always possible to use drug therapy if the lower back hurts. In the presence of allergies, pregnancy and some diseases, drugs are contraindicated.
How can you help cope with back pain in this case? Recommendations:
- Massage is one of the safest treatments. The only contraindication is the presence of cancer. Massage procedures allow you to relieve muscle spasm, reduce pain, improve blood flow to all tissues;
- Physiotherapy: exposure to magnetic fields, electric currents can be considered the most effective methods in the presence of diseases of the spine. Pain sensations are reduced, tissue nutrition is improved, muscles are strengthened;
- Manual therapy and acupuncture. These methods are similar to massage, but work on a more subtle level of interconnected reflexes.
To reduce the risk of back pain, you should sleep on a firm bed with a firm mattress, maintain correct posture, take breaks while working on the computer or driving a car, during which you can do simple exercises, avoid lifting weights , try not to gain weight and exercise regularly. . .