Many patients, having barely crossed the threshold of the doctor's office, holding on to the lower back, ask: "Why does the lower back hurt and what drugs will help relieve this pain? "
Unfortunately, not everything is so simple, and you can choose the right method of treatment only after identifying the causes of pain.
Many people go through life with mild to moderate lower back pain and accept it as normal. But even if you suffer from uninterrupted mild or severe tingling in your lower back for a long time, you should see a therapist to diagnose the problem. After all, if you do not act in time, the condition will worsen.
Although back pain is not the most serious disease, over time it will cause a lot of pain and cause great discomfort.
Primary and secondary pain syndrome
The causes of lower back pain can be very different, and only after clearly understanding where it comes from, you can begin to treat this disease.
According to the medical classification of diseases, primary and secondary pain syndrome are distinguished, which occurs in the lumbar region.
Primary pain syndrome is formed against the background of degenerative-dystrophic pathologies of the spine. These include osteochondrosis, in which cartilage and bone tissue are damaged, as well as spondylarthrosis, affecting the intervertebral or synovial joints.
Secondary pain syndrome can occur for various reasons. First of all, the lower back constantly hurts with the curvature of the spine (scoliosis). Also, this condition can be observed due to metabolic disorders of bone tissue (osteoporosis or osteomalacia).
Very often the cause of pain in the lumbar region is inflammation of a non-infectious nature (ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. ).
A rather dangerous cause of lower back pain is a fracture of the vertebral vertebrae.
Pain syndrome can be a consequence of various infectious diseases that lead to damage to the vertebrae and intervertebral discs (brucellosis, tuberculosis, epidural abscess).
The lower back hurts with acute disorders of the spinal circulation (states of stroke), as well as diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (obstruction, atypical acute appendicitis).
In some pathologies, back pain is reflected. This occurs when organs located in the pelvic region are affected (gynecological pathologies, STDs, renal colic).
Often pain is observed when stretching the lumbar muscles. The lower back hurts badly when the intervertebral discs in the lumbar region are displaced. At the same time, due to severe pain, the patient takes a forced position of the body, and his mobility when walking is also very limited.
Coxarthrosis (osteoarthritis of the hip joint) is also often the cause of secondary pain.
Other causes of back pain
Often, acute lower back pain occurs due to unsuccessful movement, prolonged work in an awkward position, improper lifting or carrying of weights, a fall or blow, a sharp straightening with a simultaneous turn, as well as prolonged hypothermia or exposure to a draft. All of these "accidents" can cause spasms and inflammation of the deep muscles of the back.
Many patients note that often the lower back hurts after sleep. There are also reasons for this. The simplest of them is the uncomfortable position of the body in a dream. For those who like to sleep on their stomach, the muscles of the lumbar back are in constant tension, which causes the appearance of pain. Sometimes such a painful condition is due to the fact that the bed or the pillow itself does not suit the person. That's why experts recommend sleeping on an orthopedic mattress to completely relax your back.
Also, morning lower back pain can be a symptom of diseases of internal organs. So, pathologies of the circulatory, digestive and genitourinary systems are accompanied by back pain.
Low back pain as a cause of negative emotions
Few patients realize that the lower back is one of the most psychosomatic parts of the body, and therefore it reacts very strongly to severe stress and excitement.
Anger, anger, irritability or intense fear contribute to the release of large doses of adrenaline into the blood. As a result - an increase in the tone of the back muscles. And in the event that there is no adequate discharge, the muscles with increased tone begin to tighten gradually. And then - spasm and pain syndrome. It should be noted that disorders of the spine very often develop in people with an unstable psyche, and for such patients psychotherapy is the best method of treatment.
Lower back pain during pregnancy
Many pregnant women worry about the causes of lower back pain. In early pregnancy, it may be due to kidney or urinary tract disease. Also during this period, the production of progesterone increases, which leads to insignificant softening of the ligaments, which can cause lower back pain.
In the second trimester of pregnancy, when the abdomen increases significantly, the load on the spine increases significantly, and as a result there are pains in the lumbar back.
Severe lower back pain during pregnancy can sometimes be the cause of a neurological disease (herniated disc or sciatica).
What to do if you have back pain
First of all, in the event that the back pain does not disappear within three days, a consultation with a neurologist is necessary. Only a specialist can develop a correct treatment strategy, which will depend on the severity of the patient's condition.
As a rule, most lower back pain requires conservative treatment, however, sometimes there are cases when it is impossible to do without surgical intervention.
When prescribing conservative therapy, three main goals are pursued:
- Relieve the patient from pain.
- Development of a program of therapeutic and preventive measures to slow down degenerative-dystrophic processes in the spine.
- Rapid return of the patient to normal life.
First of all, we all need to learn how to properly relax after physical exertion. To do this, you must take a horizontal position on a hard surface and, for better relaxation, place a pillow under your knees.
Patients with impaired motor activity are advised not to stay in bed for more than 2-3 days, even if they feel pain (of course, not very strong), as this significantly weakens the paravertebral muscles. In case of persistent pain syndrome with return of pain in the leg, an orthopedic consultation is necessary.
In the event that osteochondrosis is diagnosed, complex drug therapy is prescribed with the help of drugs that reduce pain, improve blood circulation and restore nerve tissue.
To eliminate back pain, paravertebral blocks have been proven. Such injections help relieve inflammation and muscle spasms, thereby relieving pain.
When a herniated disc is detected, the question of surgery arises. This technique involves the removal of a hernia that is compressing the root and the creation of conditions for its recovery.