The most common causes of back pain in the lumbar region: what diseases it indicates

Back problems are very common. According to statistics, more than 30% of the population suffers from pain. About 80% of them suffer from pain of varying intensity throughout their lives.

Pain in the lumbar region is more common than in other segments of the spine. This is due to the fact that the lower back has the highest load, this area has a higher risk of developing pathological processes. Pain in the lumbar region can be associated not only with diseases of the spine but also with pathologies of the internal organs. Before treating low back pain, it is important to find out the nature of its origin.

Causes of Pain Syndrome

90% of lumbar pain

is ​​associated with congenital and acquired vertebral pathologies.

The most common reasons are:

• lumbosacral region osteochondrosis;
• protrusions and intervertebral hernias;
• spondylosis;
• spondyloarthrosis.

Congenital disorders causing pain:

• is ​​an irregular shape of vertebral processes;
• split of vertebrae;
• is ​​the innate curvature of the spine.

Neurological causes of lumbar pain:

• compression of nerve roots;
• lumboischialgia (occurs when the sciatic nerve is damaged);
• multiple sclerosis.

Low back pain can be reflective and symptomatic of non-spinal diseases:

• urinary tract and genital infections;
• kidney disease;
• nephrolithiasis and urolithiasis (stones in the kidneys and bladder);
• tumor formations in the gastrointestinal tract;
• hemorrhoids;
• tumors in the uterus in women;
• radiculitis;
• as a complication after previous viral infections.

Sometimes severe back pain occurs in the lumbar region due to physiological changes:

• during menstruation;
• after childbirth;
• during pregnancy;
• as a result of rapid weight gain.

The provoking factors for low back pain can be:

• hypothermia;
• weakening of the immune system and the body in the background of infectious lesions;
• irregular physical activity;
• long sitting (office workers, drivers);
• excessive stress that causes compression fractures, cracks, stretching of the back muscles;
• strength sports (bodybuilding, bodybuilding, jogging);
• inadequate nutrition - lack of vitamins and elements needed for bone tissue (phosphorus, calcium, fluoride), eating foods high in calories;
curvature of the spine (stoop, kyphosis, scoliosis);
• stressful situations - prolonged nervous tension aggravates many chronic diseases, weakens the body.

Determining the nature of pain

Lumbar spine back pain can be of a different nature:

• acute pain (lasting up to one and a half months);
• subacute (one and a half to three months);
• chronic (more than three months).

Types of pain:

• Not specific - there is no clear localization of pain sensations and their causes.
• Specific - a symptom of certain diseases (tumors, hernias, osteoporosis).

Acute back pain, usually sudden, occurs in the form of lumbar "lumbago" (lumbago). The pain can radiate to the buttocks, lower extremities and other parts of the body, mimicking certain diseases.

Depending on what caused the pain in the lumbar spine, they can be of a different nature (puncture, cutting, squeezing, fracture, pain).

At the beginning of the pathological process, the pain is often not pronounced. The patient may experience discomfort in the affected area, a feeling of “goose hills” on the skin. Gradually, the symptoms begin to intensify and become more pronounced.

Listen!It is very important that you do not delay the visit of a specialist. If left untreated in time, the pain becomes more intense, and in the future there may be signs of disruption of other organs and systems (sexual dysfunction, urinary incontinence, paresis, restriction of motor activity).

Effective treatments

You should see a vertebrologist or neurologist before starting treatment for low back pain. He tries to find out the cause of the pain, prescribes the necessary research. If necessary, he sends a consultation to other professionals (gastroenterologist, gynecologist, urologist).

In addition to interviewing the patient and visual examination, it is recommended to diagnose with instrumental methods:

• radiography;
• CT;
• MRI;
• electromyelography.

In addition, general blood and urine tests and tissue sampling may be required.

The following conditions require immediate medical attention:

• first, and suddenly there was severe pain in the lower back;
• irradiation of lower leg and leg pain, a combination of pain with numbness of the thigh, leg;
• history of trauma;
• urinary and fecal incontinence;
• duration of pain for more than 3 days;
• presence of oncological disease;
• loss of appetite and dramatic weight loss;
• chills and fever;
• presence of bacterial infections;
• is ​​unable to self-serve due to pain.

In most cases, lumbar spine pain is caused by damage to the vertebral structures, the cause must be eliminated. The treatment approach should be comprehensive.

Medications

For any back pain, medication is first used to relieve it. The doctor prescribes several groups of drugs in the form of injections, tablets, ointments.

Without revealing the cause of the pain, prescribing certain medications (such as NSAIDs or painkillers) can only make the situation worse.

In spinal diseases, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics is recommended to relieve pain and alleviate inflammation.

Muscle cramps are relieved by short-term (up to 5 days) intramuscular or oral administration of muscle relaxants.

Ointments for back pain are an effective adjunct to lumbar problems. They help reduce pain, relieve inflammation and warm up. Ointments have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, combined, irritating and chondroprotective effects. External therapies should be prescribed by a physician based on the therapeutic effect to be achieved.

Corticosteroid injections are sometimes used to quickly relieve very severe pain. The drugs are injected directly into the lesion. The process of such treatment should not exceed 2-3 injections.

Drug-free therapy

To restore the lower back and increase the results of drug therapy, we recommend the following measures:

• massage;
• manual therapy;
• exercise;
• reflexology;
• yoga;
• physiotherapy and other methods of influence.

These methods improve the blood supply to problem areas, strengthen muscle tissue and ligaments, make them more flexible and reduce pain. No medical procedure can be performed on its own without the supervision of a professional. Certain load modes must be followed.

Helpful Hints

Tips:

• In case of back pain, physical activity should be significantly reduced and it is better to provide rest for the first 2 days of the attack.
• Prolonged bed rest is not recommended if there are no fractures, high fever, or other aggravating symptoms. Moderate activity is always beneficial for the spine.
• Take painkillers for the best unbearable pain. It is better to protect the gastrointestinal tract as much as possible from the effects of drugs.
• It is better to sleep in a fetal position, you can put a pillow between your legs to relieve the load on your lumbar region.
• In case of problems with the lower back, it is advisable to walk as often as possible, to warm up during work, which requires a long session.

Preventing low back pain

Pain is a symptom of a body failure. In order to avoid lumbar problems, the occurrence of provocative factors should be prevented as much as possible.

Preventive measures include:

• Regular moderate exercise. Physical education should be provided for at least half an hour a day. Useful for yoga, swimming, morning workout.
• Adherence to the drinking system. You should drink no more than 2 liters of fluid a day. Most should be in the first half of the day. After 20 hours it is best not to drink fluids at all.
• Eat normally. Significantly reduce your intake of fatty, high-calorie foods. It is better to use cooked and steamed food.
• Routine inspections should be performed at least once a year.
• Participate in a therapeutic massage course twice a year.

Lumbar spine pain indicates a problem with the body. The causes of pain can be many. You should not stop taking painkillers immediately, you should seek professional help and have it examined. After all, the problem lies not only in the spine, but also in disrupting the work of other organs and systems. The sooner the cause of the pain is identified and treated, the greater the chance of recovery.