Lower back pain is a common symptom present in 80% of the population. Painful sensations in the lumbar region occur with physical damage to this part of the body or disease progression. You can’t ignore the pain. This is one of the first symptoms of serious back problems. If you feel pain in the lumbar region, you must contact a medical facility. The clinic physician will diagnose and develop the optimal course of treatment.
Causes of back pain
Painful feelings develop if they are exposed to the following factors:
- injury to the roots of the nerves leaving the spine in the lumbar region;
- hernia in the lumbar spine;
- impaired posture;
- lower back sciatica;
- ankylosing spondylitis;
- genetic changes, for example, different lengths of the lower limbs;
- intervertebral osteochondrosis;
- diseases of the renal system;
- malignant neoplasm;
- impaired metabolism;
- arthritis;
- inflammation around blood vessels;
- atherosclerotic lesion of vascular canals of 3rd degree and more;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- postoperative complications;
- appendicitis, pain syndrome localized in the right iliac region, can be given on the right side of the lower back;
- inflammatory process of the pancreas;
- overweight;
- bone diseases 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;
- epididymitis, localized in the groin area, the pain may extend to the lumbar spine and lower extremities.
Types of back pain
Depending on the duration, there are several types of pain syndrome:
Recurrent back pain
The discomfort and pain disappear after the lesion is removed and the patient fully recovers. Pain in the kidney area develops with excessive physical exertion. Occasional painful sensations progress to an acute form of internal organ disease.
Persistent back pain
Common causes of permanent 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.
Rarely, the permanent nature of painful sensations occurs with injury to muscle tissue and internal organs, which is explained by the beginning of the dystrophic process. Modern medicine is not able to completely stop the destruction of bone tissue.
Diagnostic methods
Before prescribing medications and other procedures, doctors perform a diagnosis. The anamnesis is collected, the nature and localization of painful sensations are taken into account. Diagnosis includes passing an ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs, X-ray of the spine, endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract, delivery of biochemical analyzes of blood cells and urine. If the lower back hurts and the doctor suspects the development of a malignant neoplasm, the blood is examined for tumor markers.
The following methods are used in clinics to accurately identify the cause of back pain:
Which doctor to go to
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.
Treatment of lower back pain
After making a diagnosis, the doctor compiles a course of treatment, which is complex in nature. Prescribed drugs, physiotherapeutic procedures. If possible, manual therapy is used. With the severe development of a disease that has caused pain in the lumbar region, surgery is prescribed. Depending on the severity of the painful sensations, physical education may be prescribed or prohibited. In severe acute pain, exercise is contraindicated.
The following techniques are used in clinics to treat low back pain:
Effects
In the absence of therapy for back pain and the causes of symptoms, a number of complications develop:
- painful sensations spread further, healthy tissues are affected;
- the work of the cardiovascular system worsens;
- in severe cases, paralysis of the upper and lower extremities is possible.
Prevention of back pain
To avoid the development of painful sensations in the lumbar region, it is necessary to follow the following recommendations:
- use a medium-hard mattress for sleeping;
- when sitting, do lumbar gymnastics once an hour;
- avoid sudden body movements;
- give up the use of alcoholic beverages, smoking, narcotics;
- physical education on a daily basis;
- avoid lumbar hypothermia;
- sleep in the correct position;
- adhere to a balanced diet;
- control posture;
- avoid stressful situations;
- timely treatment of inflammatory and infectious diseases;
- in case of painful sensations in the lumbar region, consult a medical institution for advice;
- timely undergo preventive examinations to detect lumbar spine disease.