So let's examine in order the causes of the pain syndrome that occurs in the lumbar region:
- Diseases of the spine. The rarest but serious pathologies that cause back pain include Bechterew's disease. With this disease, the vertebrae grow together, calcium is deposited in the ligaments, and the affected wound loses mobility. Characteristic features of pain in this pathology - the pain increases at rest, with a long lie. movements in the lumbar region are limited. This disease most often begins at a young age and may have a hereditary predisposition.
- Curvature of the spine. Kyphoscoliosis and asymmetric scoliosis (two types of curvature) cause spasms of the deep muscles of the spine. Most often, the pain syndrome is felt in the middle and late stages of the disease, it manifests itself more strongly by the end of the day, along with fatigue. This pathology begins in childhood and may also have a hereditary predisposition.
- Osteoporosis is the reduction of bone density, leading to bone fragility, often fractures.
- Osteochondrosis - thinning of intervertebral discs, in late stage leading to protrusions and herniation of intervertebral discs - the most common cause of back pain. In addition, the pain intensifies when you change position: get up from a sitting position, try to lie on your stomach, turn over, bend over.
- Spinal injuries, sprains and bruises, fractures.
- Spondylolisthesis - that is, the displacement of the lumbar vertebra in relation to the vertebra below it. The pain is located in the middle of the back, is felt down the legs, and is accompanied by numbness and/or weakness, which worsens with standing or bending the back.
- Fibromyalgia is a pathology that causes pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons. There is pain and stiffness in various parts of the body, the pain is worse when touched. Often the patient complains of poor sleep. More common in women aged 20-50.
- Soft tissue and kidney injuries. Severe acute pain from the diseased kidney is characteristic of urolithiasis. Pain can occur in any position of a person. Another disease that has a symptom of discomfort in the lower back is pyelonephritis.
- Infections or infections of the spine and spinal cord eg osteomyelitis, discitis, spinal epidural abscess. The pain caused by this cause evolves, it does not depend on the patient's position or activity. Sometimes there is fever or night sweats.
- Local inflammatory processes, such as appendicitis or cholecystitis.
Low back pain is divided into three types: local, radiating and referred. Local pain is felt in the same place where its cause is located, this type of pain is more common in low back syndromes. In this case, the most common cause is osteochondrosis of the spine, degeneration of the intervertebral disc, stretching or spasm of the deep muscles of the spine.
Radiating pain is dull and aching, most often radiating down the leg and sometimes reaching the leg itself. This may accompany osteochondrosis in the stage of disc herniation, osteoarthritis or degeneration of the deep muscles of the spine with hemodynamic disturbances along the sciatic nerve.
Referred pain usually means that the cause of the syndrome is in the internal organs. For example, with heart disease, the arm, back and shoulder blade may ache. The pain is reflected from the internal organs in the lower back and has a deep pain, it does not depend on movements.
Lower back pain in men and women
In women, back pain can be a result of gynecological diseases. In this case, the discomfort is dull, pulling. Among such diseases in women - adexitis, torsion of the ovarian cyst, salpingo-oophoritis, uterine fibroids and endometritis can be expressed as pain in the lower back. Pregnancy, due to the increased load on the spine and the increase in body weight, often causes back pain, and they are also possible during menopause. With an ectopic pregnancy, back pain can also occur - in this case, it is unbearable.
The causes of lower back pain in men are often caused by excessive exercise, lifting weights, spinal injuries, but they can also indicate exclusively male diseases - prostatitis or epididymitis. Prostate pathology is characterized by pulling, aching pain, the patient often has weak urination.
Diagnosis and treatment of low back pain
Depending on the causes of back pain, different specialists are involved in its treatment. If it is a pathology of the spine, then you need to contact physiotherapists, if it is a pathology of internal organs, then to a therapist, gastroenterologist, gynecologist, urologist, if the pathology is of rheumatic origin, then to a rheumatologist, in cases of neoplasia on the lower floorof the body, then to an oncologist.
First of all, for the diagnosis, the doctor interviews the patient, identifying the nature of the pain: whether it is sharp or dull, whether it is pulling, whether it depends on movement, activity, body position, whether it is accompanied byother symptoms or not. After a verbal question, the doctor examines the patient, palpates the lumbar region, the muscles of the spine and the limbs. Additional examination, laboratory tests, X-ray, MRI, tissue biopsy, electromyography may be required.
For treatment, depending on the disease, various means are used. In cases of osteochondrosis, scoliosis, spondyloarthritis and other factors that cause spasm and inflammation in the deep muscles of the spine, the most commonly used are painkillers and anti-inflammatories, but they do not directly affect the cause of the pain syndrome. only its manifestation and have many side effects. To treat the cause of back pain, the following are recommended:
- strength-type decompression and stretching exercises to relieve spasm of the deep muscles of the spine and eliminate pain;
- therapeutic massage to relieve tension in the muscles of the pathology area,
- cryotherapy to reduce pain locally,
- physical therapy methods, such as shock wave therapy, acupuncture, massage with devices, spa therapy (mud applications, contrast treatments, etc. ),
Prevention of back pain
The main prevention of various diseases of the musculoskeletal system is the prevention of the development of dystrophy, that is, the weakening of the deep muscles of the spine, on which the nutrition of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs depends. Strengthening the muscles of the spine should be regular, and the most modern way to do this is the author's method, that is, the use of strength and decompression type simulators. But the exercises can also be performed without simulators, there are many of them. It is important to take a break for exercise at work, especially if it is sedentary, that is, every 3-4 hours, spend at least 15 minutes on it, just walk a few times a week for 1. 5-2 hours and do it in the morning withcharging.
According to the method, it is recommended to regularly perform several simple exercises to prevent back pain:
- relaxation of the back (the well-known exercise "Cat"): in the position on all fours, inhale - raise the head, bend the back down. exhalation - lowering the head, rounding the back.
- stretching step (in yoga, this exercise is called "Pigeon Pose"): in the position on all fours, you need to move one knee forward, one leg in and the other leg back, lie on your stomach inyour thigh, palms under your shoulders. For more effective stretches, move your arms diagonally to the sides and lower your head, pausing for 5-10 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat for the other side.
- lifting the pelvis in a supine position with the legs bent at the knees.
- press: in the supine position, bend your knees and hands at the elbows, holding the back of your head, press your chin to the chest as you exhale, lifting your shoulder blades.
- knee press: in a prone position, pull your knees in a row to your chest, pressing your hands to your body as you exhale, or do it while hanging.
All these exercises are very simple, as long as you do 10-15 repetitions of each exercise. With regular practice, they will bring you invaluable benefits!
Of the additional tips, a comfortable mattress can be placed to relax the back muscles at night. If you spend a lot of time driving or working on a computer, take care of the correct body position. The car seat should be adjustable in height and close to the steering wheel, and the back should be soft enough to contain bumps from rough roads.
While working or studying at the table, the elbows should be bent at a right angle. The chair must necessarily have a back to support the lower back, and the gaze (along with it and the neck) should be directed straight or slightly up, but not down. The light falls correctly on the work surface of the table.
Remember, prevention is more important than cure!