Back pain is a symptom familiar to many. It can appear in a representative of any gender and age. Pain can indicate damage to the musculoskeletal system, the spinal cord, the kidneys, the pelvic organs or the abdominal cavity. It can be weak or very intense, sharp, aching, stabbing or shooting. Treatment depends directly on the type of pain and the causes that caused it.
causes
It is very important to find out the etiology of pain in a timely manner. First of all, it is worth noting to note the nature of the pain and the timing of its occurrence. In addition, the connection with physical activity, food consumption and going to the toilet must be established. It is also important for women to understand the relationship between the menstrual cycle and the onset of pain.
The reasons why lower back pain occurs can be as follows:
- Neurological problems. Most often, osteochondrosis and associated disorders of the innervation of the lumbar spine are manifested in this way.
- Skeletal Muscle Pathology. Myositis is as common as osteochondrosis, and it also causes pain.
- Kidney disease. The kidneys are located in the retroperitoneal space, i. e. closer to the back than to the anterior abdominal wall. Because of this, kidney disease can be associated with back pain.
- Pathology of the internal organs located intraperitoneally. Sometimes, but not often, lower back pain is associated with diseases such as appendicitis and cholecystitis.
- Pathology of the pelvic organs. Especially often, such a manifestation of inflammation in the pelvis occurs in women.
Each of the diseases that lead to low back pain should be considered in more detail.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a metabolic disease of the spine in which the structure of the intervertebral discs is disturbed. It is believed that this condition is a normal age-related change after the age of 27 and occurs in almost everyone.
Problems arise when the intervertebral disc loses its elasticity and resilience. At the same time, it begins to go beyond the vertebral bodies. In the immediate vicinity of the vertebral bodies are the roots of the nerves that emerge from the spinal cord. The intervertebral disc compresses these nerves and discomfort occurs. This complication of osteochondrosis is called radiculitis.
Osteochondrosis can occur in any part of the back, but most commonly it affects the lumbar area. This happens because the load on the spine is at its maximum in this part and herniated discs are more common.
The type of pain experienced with radiculitis caused by osteochondrosis can vary. There are three types of it:
- Lumbago.It is also called "humbago". This is a sharp and very intense sharp pain that occurs in the lower back at the time of physical exertion. Such pain is subjective as a shot. It causes you to stop exercising. Lumbago dissolveshowever, quickly enough in a few seconds or minutes.
- Lumbodynia.This pain is less intense but lasts longer. It also occurs during exercise, but not immediately, but gradually. Such pain can develop over several hours. She has a nagging character. Lumbodynia lasts for several days and significantly reduces exercise tolerance during this time.
- Sciatica.The difference from the previous types is that in addition to the lower back, the leg also hurts. Usually it is a unilateral lesion, but bilateral pain is also possible. Lumioischialgia has a long-lasting pulling character. It develops gradually and runs from the lower back to the thigh, so to speak. This pain can cause temporary lameness. It will also pass in a few days.
If osteochondrosis occurs, you should see a neurologist.
Myositis
Almost everyone has been in pain for this reason. This is exactly how people sound "through" or "inflated". The terms are not medical, but the general principle of pain is correctly described.
In this case, the action of cold air or cold objects in the lumbar area leads to inflammation of the muscles located here. The fact is that the muscular apparatus of the back is very well developed, and all pathological processes in it can simultaneously damage many anatomical structures.
First, because of the inflammation, the muscles themselves hurt. Its fibers increase due to edema, compressing the nerve endings that innervate this muscle. Second, the nerve roots are in the immediate vicinity of the muscles, which are already becoming nerve trunks here. Their defeat can lead to long-lasting referred pain.
Inflammation can travel from the muscle to the nerve trunk itself, causing the pain to spread to the overlying or lower parts of the back or internal organs. It is also better to treat myositis with a specialist.
Kidney disease
Due to the close proximity of the kidneys to the back, the pain radiates precisely to the lower back when it is affected. At the same time, painful sensations can lead to a specific kidney disease.
For example, urolithiasis is accompanied by a very sharp unbearable pain in the lower back. It is also called colic. It most commonly occurs after or during urination. Such pain can be so intense that it puts a person in a state of emotional arousal, forcing them to take unmotivated actions. For example, a person may walk around the room or make other sudden movements during a seizure. They are justified by the fact that the stone changes its position in the urinary tract under stress and the pain subsides.
Pain can also occur with pyelonephritis. In this case it is less intense but longer. Pyelonephritis is a purulent inflammation of the calyx-pelvic system of the kidneys. In addition to pain, there are fever, weakness and malaise. For pyelonephritis, a positive Pasternatsky symptom (knocking). The pain can be one-sided or two-sided.
Nephrologists treat kidney pathology. It is better not to postpone a visit to them in order to avoid complications.
Diseases of other organs
The pathology of the internal organs located intraperitoneally is very rarely accompanied by back pain. The stomach hurts more often. However, with inflammation of the atypically localized appendic process, the pain occurs in the lower back when it is inserted so that it is behind the appendix. This is important to know because in this case you may not experience stomach pain at all. The person himself most often does not even know about such an anatomical feature of his organs.
With cholecystitis, pain in the right hypochondrium is common. However, due to certain structural features of the gallbladder, it can also radiate into the lumbar area. This symptom can also occur with pancreatitis. In this case, the pain is related to the ingestion of food. Occurs more often after eating fried or fatty foods.
In women, lower back pain can appear as the equivalent of menstrual abdominal pain or inflammation of the reproductive system. This is how, for example, adnexitis or oophoritis manifests itself. This symptom is common during pregnancy. This is due to excessive stress on the spine, possible pyelonephritis, or fetal pressure on the nerve endings in the lumbar region.
How to get rid of such pain
First of all, it is necessary to determine the cause of the pain. This is only possible with the help of an appropriate specialist and after passing a series of exams. In most cases, an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan of the bones of the spine and spinal canal is required. You may also need an ultrasound scan of any organs in which the above pathology may develop.
Osteochondrosis is treated by placing the back and spine in a special position, restricting physical activity and special exercises. Swimming also works well on the spine with this pathology. Pain can be relieved with NSAIDs taken orally or topically.
With myositis, it is also necessary to take NSAIDs and apply them to the lumbar region where pain occurs.
Urolithiasis and pyelonephritis should be treated by a doctor. In the first case, it can be the dissolution of stones through a drug method or surgical removal. In the second case, antibiotics and uroseptics are prescribed.
The most common treatment for appendicitis is surgery. Surgical treatment can also be used for cholecystitis and pancreatitis, but more often these pathological conditions are treated conservatively. NSAIDs, enzymes, and bile acid substitutes are prescribed.
Diseases of the pelvic organs are treated by a gynecologist. Also, depending on the nature of the pathology, such therapy can be medical or surgical.
From this we can conclude that low back pain is a symptom that can occur both with damage to the spine itself and the muscles surrounding it, as well as with diseases of various internal organs. You can try to manage pain yourself by starting on NSAIDs and reducing physical activity. However, it is recommended to consult a doctor in order to identify any pathology in a timely manner.