When a person is in pain, the only wish is for the pain to go away quickly and never come again. The back is the "working" and important part of our body, because it houses the main organ - the spine. Frequent back pain is a symptom of various diseases. Almost everyone experiences lower back pain, especially after the age of 40. The most common cause is osteochondrosis, but this pathology does not explain the nature, severity and duration of back pain. Back pain indicates damage to the spine, damage to nerve endings, muscle tissue and internal organs. observed during fever. It can be sharp and dull, constant and periodic, shooting and bursting. The pain can be intermittent, local, aching or aching, for some it is related to the weather, for others it is related to physical activity, and for others it is related to being in an uncomfortable position for a long time.
Why does my lower back hurt?
Causes of frequent lower back pain can be diseases of muscle tissue, injuries of bones and intervertebral discs. They arise against the background of pathologies of the abdominal organs, pelvis and chest.
Diseases of the spine
Common causes of low back pain are congenital anomalies and acquired diseases of the spine. Pain is sometimes related to weather changes and sometimes to physical activity.
Lumbago- Sharp pain that restricts movement and occurs due to muscle spasm. During pathological processes of the spine, lumboischialgia appears - aching or aching pain in the lower back, which extends to the back of the thigh. Pain occurs against the background of radicular syndrome. Painful sensations are detected by pathologies of the spine:
- Degenerative pathologies: osteochondrosis, intervertebral disc protrusion, intervertebral hernia, spondylosis, spondyloarthrosis.
- Congenital anomalies: sacralization, lumbarization.
- Polyetiological conditions: spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis.
- Vascular diseases: Disturbance of spinal circulation.
- Other diseases: illnessForester.
Secondary injuries of nervous structures: lumbosacral radiculitis, lumbosacral plexitis, myelopathy of various origins.
curvature of the spine
A slight aching pain with curvature of the spine is associated with improper distribution of physical activity, excessive straining of ligaments and muscles in the lower back. Pain occurs due to an uncomfortable position when sleeping on a hard or, on the contrary, a soft mattress.
The symptom is accompanied by:
- Lordosis
- kyphosis;
- scoliosis;
- kyphoscoliosis;
- Flat back syndrome.
Osteoporosis
If your lower back hurts for a long time, it could be osteoporosis. Pain is aggravated by stress and weather changes. Osteoporosis can be:
- postmenopausal;
- minor;
- idiopathic;
- old man
The same pain sensations are manifested in patients with genetic diseases, disorders of the endocrine glands, and intoxications when taking medications. Secondary osteoporosis can be caused by the syndromemalabsorptionKidney and liver diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus.
Intensification of pain and increase in its duration are associated with injuries and fractures.
spinal injuries
A common injury of the lumbar spine is a contusion, which is manifested by moderate pain and swelling, hematomas and bruises are accompanied by movement. In severe cases, neurological disorders are also added.
A compression fracture in the lower back occurs due to forced flexion of the spine and is characterized by cessation of breathing and severe pain. Pain intensifies when turning the body, swelling of muscles and tissues. The lower back is painful on palpation.
Paroxysmal pain in the lower back with a feeling of heaviness and numbness in the legs occurs in patients with spondylolisthesis and spinal dislocation.
Soft tissue and kidney injuries
With soft tissue bruises, moderate and weak pain with bleeding or swelling is manifested. Kidney bruises are painful and spread to the lower abdomen, genitals and lower back. Hematoma and manifestations of hematuria are sometimes seen. Severe bruising can cause painful shock, blood in the urine, and prolonged severe pain.
Infections of the spine and spinal cord
OsteomyelitisManifested by increasing pain in the lower back along with chills and fever, it can be hematogenous, post-traumatic, contact, postoperative. The intense pain is so throbbing and bulging that it prevents movement, forcing you to freeze. In the chronic form of osteomyelitis, a fistula tract is formed with pus discharge, so the pain symptoms are smoothed.
Spinal tuberculosisIt develops gradually, starting with periodic pain, which is aggravated by stress, then there is stiffness of movements. The pain burns and radiates to the legs with paresthesia and numbness due to the destruction of the vertebrae and compression of the nerve roots.
in patientsSpinal epidural abscessSevere pain combined with muscle tension, chills and hyperthermia. As the disease progresses, radicular syndrome and paresis develop.
Local inflammation
It boils,Carbuncles- Against the background of purulent processes appear purple or bluish-colored skin compactions with a diameter of 1 cm, with one or more ridges in the center, accompanied by increasing pain in the lower back. The pain is throbbing, throbbing, and can keep you awake. Hyperthermia is observed.
onParanephritisFirst, fever appears, then local swelling, hyperemia and hyperthermia appear. Severe pain radiating to the stomach and under the ribs, aggravated by movement and even breathing, develops on the third day. Against the background of paranephritis, due to severe pain, the patient is forced to take a bent position so as not to strain the lower back muscles. The condition of the body is serious.
Infectious diseases
onARVI,the fluandsore throatWith an increase in body temperature and intoxication of the body, myositis is characterized by aching pain in the lumbar region, which causes a desire to change position. Sometimes back pain is caused by a kidney infection. Infectious diseases with back pain:
- hemorrhagic fever;
- Japanese mosquito encephalitis;
- Ebola fever;
- foot and mouth disease;
- coronavirus;
- Bacterial, fungal, viral infections.
Low back pain due to severe infections is seen during cytokine storm. Epidemiological myalgia is accompanied by attacks of severe pain in the lower back, lasting up to 10 minutes at intervals of half an hour to an hour, and manifesting in the limbs, chest, and abdominal wall. May be combined with rhinitis, conjunctivitis and numbness. Myalgia disappears at rest, worsens with movement, and may disappear within a few days after warming up the muscles.
Other muscle injuries
Painful pain in the lower back appears after intense physical activity, vigorous exercises of the back muscles or long stay in a position with tension in the lower back muscles. Myositis develops not only against the background of infection, but also due to hypothermia, intoxication, overload, metabolic disorders and is accompanied by excruciating long-term pain.
formsMyositis:
- for syphilis and tuberculosis;
- idiopathic, juvenile;
- for oncology;
- For connective tissue diseases.
Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic pain with asthenia, sleep disorders and neurotic disorders.
other diseases
Back pain is disturbing in pathological conditions:
- TumorsSpine and spinal cord: sarcoma, hemangioma, metastases, spinal cord neoplasms.
- Kidney diseases: pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, urolithiasis, kidney infarction, renal vein thrombosis, kidney cyst, kidney cancer.
- Hereditary diseases:Pierre-Marie hereditary cerebellar ataxia.
- Exogenous intoxications: Abuse of adrenomimetic drugs.
- Pathologies of the heart and blood vessels: Loeffler's endocarditis, abdominal aortic aneurysm.
- emergency conditions: Blood transfusion shock.
The pain syndrome radiates to the lower back against the background of pelvic cavity diseases, women's diseases, as well as prostate cancer, proctitis, and sigmoiditis.
Types of pain
Duration should be taken into account when diagnosing low back pain. Muscle pain lasts about two weeks and then goes away.
Pain caused by changes in the spine lasts longer and radiates to the leg, perineum, and may be accompanied by pins and needles, numbness, and burning.
Pains caused by diseases of the cardiovascular system and abdominal organs are characterized by intensity and duration.
diagnosis
Medical history is of great importance for diagnosis, since lower back pain can be caused by various diseases.
The first diagnosis is carried out by a traumatologist-orthopedic. When making a diagnosis, the doctor takes into account the following symptoms: defecation and urination disorders, orthopedic defects, weakness and numbness in the leg area. An examination is performed to identify pain points and muscle spasms.
It is also important when the pain occurs, its relation to stress, the presence of seizures, cough, fever and bladder or bowel dysfunction.
If there are neurological symptoms, the patient is examined by a neurologist. The doctor interviews the patient and conducts a visual examination, then the patient is sent for hardware and instrumental examination. Consultations with a surgeon, rheumatologist, urologist and other specialized specialists are prescribed according to the doctor's instructions.
Diagnosis may include:
- Neurological examination.A neurologist evaluates the patient's reflexes, sensitivity and muscle strength and coordination of movements.
- X-ray.X-ray is the primary examination method that allows you to determine changes in bone tissue. Lumbar images show fracture, degenerative changes of intervertebral discs, signs of inflammatory processes and spondylolisthesis.
- CT scan.Computed tomography examines the detailed structure of solid structures.
- MRI- an informative method that allows you to diagnose morphological changes in the condition of ligaments and intervertebral discs. Myelography is prescribed to rule out stenosis.
- DensitometryEssential for osteoporosis.
- Electromyography,ElectroneurographyThese tests evaluate muscle function and nerve conduction.
- UltrasoundKidneys, prostate, abdominal and pelvic organs.
- USDGAbdominal aorta.
- EMG (ENMG)It is used to determine conduction disturbances along nerve fibers.
- laboratory tests.Urine and blood analysis are taken for microbiological examination to determine the cause of infection. To detect neuroinfections - using serological tests.
Treatment of back pain
First aid
In case of spinal injury, the patient is placed on a hard, flat surface and taken to the clinic. To reduce pain, it is necessary to optimize the position of the body during work and rest to reduce the load on the back. You can take analgesics before seeing a doctor. In the case of degenerative diseases of the spine, lumbago and lumboischialgia, it is permissible to use creams, ointments and gels with a warming and pain-relieving effect. Their use is prohibited in case of infectious processes.
The basis of treatment is physiotherapy and drug therapy. The following methods are used:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugsIn the form of tablets and local remedies, it is used for chronic and acute pain in the muscles of the lumbar spine.
- Neurotropic B vitamins, enhances the effect of medicinal painkillers.
- Local anesthetics.They perform therapeutic blockades in acute pain with anesthetics, as well as analgesics with glucocorticosteroids.
Physiotherapy
- ultrasound,
- magnetotherapy,
- transcutaneous electrical stimulation,
- laser therapy,
- electrophoresis,
- massage,
- manual therapy,
- Acupuncture.
surgery
Depending on the pathological characteristics, there are surgical interventions:
- For instability: interbody fusion, transpedicle fixation, plate fixation.
- In case of tuberculosis, cancer, osteoporosis, osteomyelitis: sequestrectomy, vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, corpectomy.
- In case of intervertebral hernia: discectomy, microdiscectomy, nucleoplasty.
- For spinal canal narrowing: laminectomy, facetectomy, puncture disc decompression.
Prevention
Massage is effective in muscle blockages and joint subluxation, reducing muscle spasms and lower back pain.
Physiotherapy reduces pain and inflammation, improves blood circulation.
Exercise therapy - physical exercises are effective in strengthening the muscular corset and improving the biomechanics of the spine. Exercises are selected by the doctor. Systematic exercise allows you to maintain functionality and reduce pain in the lower back.
"Forewarned is forerunner! "But only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis.