Today, many people complain of back pain in the lower back. In fact, this problem is very common. At the same time, women are more likely to suffer from back pain than men.
In this article, we'll look at the most common causes of low back pain and discuss the various treatments for this condition.
But before we start, we must remember that medicine is an individual matter that requires a professional approach. Therefore, if your back hurts "seriously, " it is best to contact the appropriate doctor.
Causes of back pain
First of all, we must pay attention to the fact that back pain can arise due to the conditions in which the person lives, their work, as well as attitudes towards life.
Some of the possible causes of back pain can be:
- Excess;
- Weak trunk muscles;
- Hypodynamics;
- Pregnancy;
- High growth;
- Certain professions (driver, office worker);
- Sports;
- Mental disorders;
- Work in which a person has to use the torso and often bend over.
Some causes of low back pain may not pose a major health threat. However, there are those that must be treated.
Why the back hurts in the lower back
According to doctors, low back pain may be the result of a medical condition. Therefore, the patient must be diagnosed to discover a possible disease.
Doctors divide this syndrome into two categories: primary (musculoskeletal morphofunctional disorders associated with spinal injuries) and secondary (low back pain is caused by various pathologies).
Now it is worth discussing each category in more detail. Primary pain syndrome can include:
- Osteochondrosis. With osteochondrosis in the human body, bone tissue and cartilage are affected. As a result, this leads to a displacement of the intervertebral disc and the vertebrae around it.
- Spondyloarthrosis. In this disease, the intervertebral joints are affected, which reduces the mobility of the spine. People with spondyloarthrosis suffer from back pain, usually in the morning.
Secondary syndrome includes:
- Scoliosis, as well as some diseases that negatively affect growth.
- Bone damage caused by metabolic disorders, such as osteomalacia or osteoporosis.
- Inflammatory processes that did not appear due to the infection.
- Tumors forming in the spine.
- Vertebral fracture. In this case, the back pain in the lower back can be especially intense, because the nerves can be pinched in these fractures.
- Infectious pathologies: tuberculosis, brucellosis and the like.
- Stroke condition. In this state, the human body is impaired by the cerebrospinal circulation.
- Diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract.
- Diseases of Organs internal organs located in the small pelvis (kidneys, genitourinary system).
Pathologies in men
Men may experience back pain in the lower back for the following reasons:
- Prostatitis, which causes inflammation of the prostate.
- Malignant tumors. Most of the time, they appear in men who have passed the threshold of fifty.
- Genital hyperplasia, leading to the growth of certain cells.
Pathologies in women
- Genital pathologies (uterine fibroids, trichomoniasis).
- Pain during menstruation. In this case, in addition to low back pain, swelling can also occur.
- Pregnancy. Since many changes occur in the female body during pregnancy, pregnant women may experience unpleasant back pain.
Low back pain caused by pregnancy
The causes of low back pain during pregnancy can be attributed to several factors:
- Hormonal changes. During pregnancy, girls experience an increase in the level of relaxin, which leads to weakening of the ligaments and joints. For this reason, they may not be able to support the additional load.
- Fetal increase. The more the fetus grows in the womb, the more the center of gravity changes. As a result, the entire load falls on the column.
Discomfort after childbirth
However, back pain in the lower back can occur not only during pregnancy, but also after delivery. Below are the most common causes of pain.
- During the gestation period, some internal organs are moved to the sides. For this reason, the muscles that hold them tighten. It is necessary to understand that the majority of the organs are fixed precisely in the vertebrae. This means that for some time after delivery, the woman may experience back pain.
- Stretching the abdominal muscles. Even after the baby is born, the mother's abdominal muscles are still tense.
- Overweight gained during pregnancy.
- Displacement bones. This occurs early in labor to protect the fetus from injury. Each woman has a different bone repair process, so many mothers may experience back pain.
- Injuries. During delivery, some of the joints can move in women in labor.
- Loads in the spine. Interestingly, even the usual movements can cause discomfort in girls after giving birth. In addition, they begin to feel pain when breastfeeding or involving a baby.
Remember that if you have back pain in your lower back, you should seek medical attention immediately.
Causes of pain on the left side
The most common causes of back pain on the left are osteochondrosis and herniated discs.
However, they can usually be caused by the following factors:
- Myositis.After prolonged physical exertion or hypothermia, the muscles in the body can become inflamed. In this case, the pain is especially felt during the movement.
- Kidney disease.Due to kidney disease, a person may experience pain and tingling.
- Diseases of the digestive system.In case of disturbance of the digestive system, the person feels pain in the left side.
- Pathology of the heart.Some people who have had a heart attack or are suffering from angina pectoris may also experience severe back pain. In addition, pain can be felt under the left shoulder blade.
Not all of these reasons can cause discomfort. As mentioned earlier, in the first symptoms, you should immediately seek medical help and establish the source of the pain.
What to do if your back hurts
It should be remembered that in most cases, back pain is a warning sign of some kind of illness.
Thanks to that, we can learn about our disease and start treating it.
Many people do not pay enough attention to these signals. Instead of seeking help from a doctor, they prefer to take some form of pain reliever or injections.
Some, afraid of going to the hospital, start to self-medicate, which is not always a good thing. Do not be fooled into thinking that the pain will pass by itself and life will improve again.
The sooner you seek help from a doctor, the faster and cheaper the recovery process will be.
If you doubt the accuracy of the diagnosis or the method of treatment, it is advisable to contact several specialists to make an objective and balanced decision.
Back pain treatment methods
Before any disease can be treated, an accurate diagnosis is necessary. Below are the most common causes of low back pain and how to treat them.
- Intervertebral hernia, osteochondrosis.In this case, the patient must be at rest and avoid lifting loads, especially heavy ones. Today, at pharmacies, you can buy special belts that help protect your spine from injury. Physical therapy also helps with these diseases. However, there are many cases where an intervertebral hernia must be surgically removed.
- Diseases of the genitourinary system.Complex therapy is appropriate here. After the doctor makes the diagnosis, he can prescribe the appropriate medications. In that case, the doctor will, in the first place, pay attention to the course and stage of this or that disease, as well as the individual capacities of the patient's body.
- Gastrointestinal diseases.Low back pain can be caused by ulcer, colitis or inflamed appendix. The patient should avoid self-medication and consult a doctor. In case of acute pain, you should immediately call an ambulance.
- Kidney disease.It is also appropriate to call an ambulance here, especially if you experience severe kidney pain. As a prophylaxis of kidney disease, traditional medicine recommends drinking cranberry or lingonberry juice, as they contain vitamins and trace elements that help normalize kidney function.
- Pathology of the heart.If you suddenly feel a tangible pain under your left shoulder blade and then the pain starts to move to your chest, left arm and lower back, this will certainly indicate a high probability of myocardial infarction. In that case, it is necessary to call an ambulance immediately, as every minute can cost your life.
- Postpartum pain.If the problem is related to bone dislocation, the doctor may prescribe manual therapy or physical therapy to the patient. It is important to remember that massage in these cases should only be done by an experienced specialist. Failure to do so can cause serious damage to the mother's health. The doctor can also advise mothers to do any physical exercise that helps to restore bones.
Exit
From all that has been said, we can conclude that if your back hurts in your lower back, you should see a doctor and only then begin treatment.