Low back pain is a symptom that many people know. It can appear in representatives of any gender and age. Pain may indicate damage to the musculoskeletal system, spinal cord, kidneys, pelvic organs, or abdominal cavity. It can be weak or very strong, sharp, painful, stinging or shooting. Treatment directly depends on the type of pain and the cause of the pain.
reason
It is very important to find out the cause of pain in time. First of all, it is worth noting the nature and time of the pain. In addition, there is a need to establish links with physical activity, food intake, and toileting. For women, it is also important to track the link between the menstrual cycle and the onset of pain.
The causes of low back pain may be as follows:
- Nerve problems. In most cases, osteochondrosis and related diseases of lumbar spine innervation manifest in this way.
- Skeletal muscle pathology. Myositis occurs as often as osteochondrosis and can also cause pain.
- Kidney disease. The kidney is located in the retroperitoneal space, that is, closer to the back than the front abdominal wall. This is why kidney disease is accompanied by back pain.
- Pathology of internal organs located in the peritoneum. Sometimes, but not often, low back pain is related to diseases such as appendicitis and cholecystitis.
- Pathology of the pelvic organs. Especially this kind of small pelvic inflammation often appears in women.
Each disease that causes low back pain should be considered in more detail.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a metabolic pathology of the spine in which the structure of the intervertebral disc is destroyed. It is believed that after the age of 27, this situation is a normal age-related change that occurs in almost everyone.
Problems arise due to the loss of elasticity of the intervertebral discs and the ability to resist pressure. At the same time, he began to transcend the vertebral body. Next to the vertebral body are the nerve roots coming out of the spinal cord. The intervertebral disc compresses these nerves and becomes uncomfortable. This complication of osteochondrosis is called radiculitis.
Osteochondrosis can occur anywhere on the back, but most commonly affects the waist. This happens because this part of the spine has the greatest load, and herniated discs are more common.
The nature of pain caused by radiculitis caused by osteochondrosis may be different. It is divided into three types:
- Low back pain.It is also called "back pain". This is severe and very severe pain that occurs in the lower back during physical exertion. Subjectively, this pain is like a shot. It makes you stop exercising. However, low back pain will soon subside within a few seconds or minutes.
- Low back pain.This pain is less intense, but lasts longer. It also happens during exercise, but not immediately, but gradually. This pain can last for several hours. She has a nagging character. Lumbodynia lasts for several days and significantly reduces exercise tolerance during this period.
- Sciatica.It is different from the previous breed in that in addition to the waist, the legs also hurt. Usually, this is a unilateral lesion, but bilateral pain is also possible. Lumioischialgia is a long-term traction characteristic. It develops gradually, it can be said that it descends from the lower back to the thighs. This pain can cause temporary lameness. It will pass in a few days.
If osteochondrosis occurs, you should consult a neurologist.
Myositis
For this reason, almost everyone has experienced pain. This is what people mean by "passing" or "inflating back". These terms are not medical terms, but they correctly describe the general principles of pain.
In this case, exposure of the waist to cold air or cold objects can cause inflammation of the muscles located there. In fact, the muscular organs of the back are very developed, and any pathological process in it will damage many anatomical structures at the same time.
First, because of inflammation, the muscle itself will be injured. Due to edema, its fibers increase and compress the nerve endings that innervate the muscle. Secondly, the nerve roots next to the muscles have become nerve trunks here. Their failure can cause long-term radiating pain.
Inflammation can be transferred from the muscles to the nerve trunk itself, which will cause the pain to spread to the upper or lower part of the back or internal organs. It is best to treat myositis by a specialist.
Kidney disease
Since the kidneys are close to the back, when they are affected, the pain radiates precisely to the lower back. At the same time, painful feelings can lead to the idea of some kind of kidney disease.
Therefore, for example, urolithiasis is accompanied by very severe and unbearable pain in the lower back. It is also called colic. It most often occurs after or during urination. This pain can be so intense that it puts people in an emotional state and forces them to take unmotivated actions. For example, during a seizure, a person may start running around the room or make other sudden movements. Their reason is that under load, the stone changes its position in the urinary tract and reduces pain.
In addition, pyelonephritis can also cause pain. In this case, it is less intense, but more durable. Pyelonephritis is a purulent inflammation of the calyx-pelvic system of the kidney. In addition to pain, fever, weakness and discomfort may also occur. Pyelonephritis is a positive symptom of Pasternatsky (percussion). The pain can be on one side or on both sides.
Nephrologist treats kidney pathology. It is best not to delay treatment to avoid complications.
Other organ diseases
Pathology of internal organs located in the peritoneum is rarely accompanied by back pain. More often it is stomach pain. However, due to the inflammation of the appendix in an atypical location, pain will appear in the lower back when it is unfolded so that it is behind the cecum. It is important to know this, because in this case, the stomach may not be painful at all. The person himself usually doesn't even know the anatomical features of his organs.
With cholecystitis, the pain usually occurs on the right side of the flank. However, due to certain structural features of the gallbladder, it can also radiate to the waist area. In addition, this symptom may appear in pancreatitis. In this case, the pain is related to food intake. It occurs more often after eating fried or high-fat foods.
In women, low back pain may be equivalent to menstrual abdominal pain or inflammation of the reproductive system. For example, this is how adnexitis or oophoritis manifests. This symptom often appears during pregnancy. This is due to excessive pressure on the spine, which may be caused by pyelonephritis or pressure from the fetus on the nerve endings of the lumbar spine.
How to get rid of this pain
First, it is necessary to determine the cause of the pain. This can only be done with the help of appropriate experts and after passing a series of exams. In most cases, X-ray, MRI or CT scans of the bones of the spine and spinal canal are required. You may also need to perform an ultrasound scan of all organs that may have the above-mentioned pathology.
The treatment of osteochondrosis is by giving a special position to the back and spine, restricting physical activity and special exercises. Swimming also has a good effect on this diseased spine. Oral or topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can relieve pain.
For myositis, you also need to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and apply them to the painful waist area.
Urolithiasis and pyelonephritis should be treated by a doctor. In the first case, it can be through medical methods or surgical removal to dissolve the stones. In the second case, antibiotics and urine preservatives are prescribed.
Appendicitis is most often treated with surgery. Surgical treatment can also be used for cholecystitis and pancreatitis, but it is more common to treat these pathological conditions conservatively. NSAID, enzyme and bile acid substitutes are specified.
Diseases of the pelvic organs are treated by gynecologists. Depending on the type of pathology, this type of treatment can also be medication or surgery.
Therefore, we can conclude that low back pain is a symptom, which may be accompanied by damage to the spine itself and surrounding muscles, as well as diseases of various internal organs. You can try to treat the pain yourself by using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and reducing physical activity. However, in order to find the pathology in time, it is recommended to consult a doctor.