Low back pain is a common symptom present in 80% of the population. Painful sensations appear in the lumbar region with physical damage to this part of the body or the progression of the disease. You cannot ignore the pain. This is one of the first symptoms of serious back problems. If you experience pain in the lumbar region, you should contact a medical institution. The clinic doctor will diagnose and develop the optimal course of treatment.
Causes of back pain
Painful sensations develop when exposed to the following factors:
- injury to the nerve roots exiting the spine in the lumbar region;
- hernia in the lumbar spine;
- altered posture;
- sciatica of the lower back;
- ankylosing spondyloarthritis;
- genetic changes, for example, different lengths of the lower extremities;
- osteochondrosis of the intervertebral type;
- kidney system diseases;
- malignant neoplasm;
- altered metabolism;
- arthritis;
- inflammation around the blood vessel;
- atherosclerotic lesion of vascular channels grade 3 and higher;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- complication after surgery;
- appendicitis, the pain syndrome is localized in the right iliac region, it can be administered on the right side of the lower back;
- inflammatory process of the pancreas;
- over weight;
- diseases of bone tissue of an infectious nature, characterized by acute painful sensations in the lumbar region.
In women, the following causes of back pain in the lumbar region are distinguished:
- the process of carrying a child;
- adnexitis, characterized by pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the lumbar region.
- Men also have specific causes of painful sensations:
- inflammatory process of the prostate gland;
- Epididymitis, localized in the groin area, the pain can spread to the lumbar spine and lower extremities.
Types of back pain
There are several types of pain syndrome, depending on their duration:
Recurrent back pain
Discomfort and pain disappear after removal of the injury and complete recovery of the patient. Pain in the kidney area develops with excessive physical exertion. Periodic painful sensations progress in the acute form of diseases of the internal organs.
Persistent back pain
Common causes of persistent pain:
- disturbances in the work of the circulatory system in the lower extremities;
- dystrophic process of bone tissue and cartilage;
- inflammatory diseases of the spine and bones.
Less often, the permanent nature of painful sensations occurs when muscle tissue and internal organs are injured, which is explained by the appearance of a dystrophic process. Modern medicine cannot completely stop the destruction of bone tissue.
Diagnostic methods
Before prescribing medications and other procedures, doctors conduct diagnostics. The anamnesis is collected, the nature and location of the painful sensations are taken into account. Diagnosis involves the passage of an ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs, an X-ray of the spine, an endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract, the delivery of biochemical analyzes of blood cells and urine. If your lower back hurts and the doctor suspects the development of a malignancy, the blood is examined for tumor markers.
In clinics, the following methods are used to accurately identify the causes of back pain:
Which doctor to contact
At the first signs of pain, make an appointment with an orthopedist or neurologist. The doctor will listen to the complaints, examine them and send them for examination. Diagnose and prescribe effective treatment.
Low back pain treatment
After approving the diagnosis, the doctor draws up a course of treatment, which is complex in nature. Prescription drugs, physical therapy procedures. If possible, manual therapy is used. With the severe development of the disease that provoked pain in the lumbar region, surgery is prescribed. Depending on the severity of the painful sensations, physical education may be prescribed or prohibited. With bright sharp pain, charging is contraindicated.
In clinics, the following techniques are used to treat low back pain:
Effects edit
In the absence of therapy for back pain and the cause of the symptom, a number of complications develop:
- painful sensations spread even further, healthy tissues are affected;
- the work of the cardiac and vascular system deteriorates;
- in severe cases, paralysis of the upper and lower extremities is possible.
Back pain prevention
To avoid the development of painful sensations in the lumbar region, the following recommendations should be followed:
- to sleep, use a mattress of medium hardness;
- in sedentary work, do lumbar gymnastics once an hour;
- avoid sudden body movements;
- stop consuming alcoholic beverages, smoking, narcotics;
- daily physical education;
- avoid hypothermia of the lumbar region;
- sleep in the correct posture;
- adhere to a balanced diet;
- control posture;
- avoid stressful situations;
- timely treat inflammatory and infectious diseases;
- in case of painful sensations in the lumbar region, contact a medical institution for advice;
- timely undergo preventive examinations for diseases of the lumbar spine.