Today, many people complain of back pain in the lumbar region. 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 will discuss the most common causes of low back pain and discuss various treatments for this condition.
But before we begin, remember that medicine is an individual matter that requires a professional approach. Therefore, if your back hurts in the lower back "severely", it is best to contact the appropriate doctor.
Causes of back pain in the lower back
First of all, you should pay attention to the fact that back pain can appear as a result of the conditions in which a person lives, his work, as well as his attitudes towards life.
Some of the possible causes of back pain in the lumbar area can be:
- Overweight;
- 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 crouch.
Some causes of low back pain may not pose a major health threat. However, there are some that must be addressed.
Why does my back hurt in the lower back?
According to doctors, low back pain can be the result of a medical condition. Therefore, the patient must be diagnosed to know a possible ailment.
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 that surround it.
- Spondyloarthrosis. In this disease, the intervertebral joints are affected, which reduces the mobility of the spine. People with spondyloarthrosis have back pain in the lower back, 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 infection.
- Tumors form on the spine.
- Vertebral fracture. In this case, back pain in the lumbar region can be especially severe, because the nerves can be pinched in these fractures.
- Infectious pathologies: tuberculosis, brucellosis and the like.
- Race condition. In this state, the human body is affected by the cerebrospinal circulation.
- Diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract.
- Diseases of the internal organs located in the small pelvis (kidneys, genitourinary system).
Pathologies in men
Men can get back pain in the lower back for the following reasons:
- Prostatitis, which causes the prostate gland to swell.
- Malignant tumors. Most often, they appear in men who have passed the threshold of fifty years.
- Genital hyperplasia, which leads 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 form.
- 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 have an increase in the level of relaxin, which leads to a weakening of the ligaments and joints. For this reason, they may not be able to bear the additional load.
- Fetal enlargement. The more the fetus grows in the womb, the more the center of gravity changes. As a result, the entire load falls on the spine.
Discomfort after delivery
However, back pain in the lumbar region 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 shift sideways. For this reason, the muscles that support them tighten. It is necessary to understand that most organs are attached precisely to the vertebrae. This means that for some time after delivery, the woman may experience back pain in the lower back.
- Stretch your abdominal muscles. Even after the baby is born, the mother's abdominal muscles are still in a state of tension.
- Increased overweight during pregnancy.
- Displaced bones. This occurs very early in labor to protect the fetus from injury. Each woman has a different bone repair process, which is why many mothers may experience back pain.
- Injuries. During labor, some of the joints can move in women in labor.
- Loads on the spine. Interestingly, even the usual movements can cause discomfort in girls after childbirth. Also, they begin to feel pain when breastfeeding or swaddling the baby.
Remember that if you have back pain in the lumbar region, you should seek immediate medical attention.
Causes of pain on the left side
The most common causes of back pain on the left side are osteochondrosis and herniated discs.
However, they can often be caused by the following factors:
- Myositis.After prolonged physical exertion or hypothermia, the muscles of the body can become inflamed. In this case, the pain is especially felt during movement.
- Kidney disease.Due to kidney disease, a person may experience pain and tingling.
- Diseases of the digestive system.In case of digestive system disorder, a person feels pain on the left side.
- Cardiac pathology.Some people who have had a heart attack or suffer from angina may also experience severe back pain in the lower back. Also, pain may be felt under the left shoulder blade.
These are not all reasons that can cause discomfort. As mentioned above, at 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 ailment.
Thanks to this, we can learn about our disease and begin to treat it.
Quite a few people don't pay enough attention to such signs. Instead of seeking the help of a doctor, they prefer to take some kind of pain reliever or injections.
Some, out of fear of going to the hospital, start to self-medicate, which is not always good. Don't fool yourself into thinking that the pain will go away on its own and life will get better again.
The sooner you seek help from a doctor, the faster and cheaper the recovery process will be.
If you have doubts about the correctness of the diagnosis or the treatment method, it is advisable to contact several specialists to make an objective and balanced decision.
Treatment methods for back pain
Before any disease can be treated, an accurate diagnosis is required. Below are the most common causes of low back pain and how they can be treated.
- Intervertebral hernia, osteochondrosis.In this case, the patient must be at rest and avoid lifting loads, especially heavy ones. Today in pharmacies you can buy special belts that help protect the spine from injury. Physiotherapy also helps with such diseases. However, there are many cases where an intervertebral hernia must be surgically removed.
- Diseases of the genitourinary system.Complex therapy is appropriate here. Once the doctor makes a diagnosis, he can prescribe the appropriate medications. In this case, the doctor, first of all, will pay attention to the course and stage of this or that disease, as well as the individual capabilities of the patient's body.
- Gastrointestinal complaints.Low back pain can be caused by an ulcer, colitis, or an inflamed appendix. The patient should refrain from self-medication and consult a doctor. If severe pain occurs, 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 advises drinking cranberry or cranberry juice, as they contain vitamins and trace elements that help normalize kidney function.
- Cardiac pathology.If you suddenly feel tangible pain under your left shoulder blade, and then the pain begins to move up your chest, left arm, and lower back, this will likely indicate a high probability of a heart attack. In this case, you should immediately call an ambulance, as every minute can cost you your life.
- Postpartum pain.If the problem is related to displacement of the bones, the doctor may prescribe manual therapy or physical therapy. It is important to remember that massage in such cases should only be carried out by an experienced specialist. Failure to do so could cause serious damage to the mother's health. The doctor may also recommend that moms do any physical exercises that help restore bones.
Output
From all that has been said, we can conclude that if your back hurts in the lumbar area, you should consult a doctor and only then start treatment.