Low back pain is familiar to almost everyone. It is difficult to find someone who has never experienced this extremely unpleasant symptom at least once. Sometimes it is enough to sit in an awkward position for a while to cause discomfort in the lumbar region of the spine. But this is not a serious problem, but simply a consequence of being in an awkward position for a long time.
But severe back pain almost always has specific reasons and is a reason to go to the doctor. The diagnosis will not always be expected, because osteochondrosis is only one of the possible problems, back pain.
Why the lower back hurts and what to do in such a situation is not difficult to guess. The doctor will diagnose and identify the cause of the pain, after which you will need to start treatment.
Pain syndrome - primary and secondary
Understanding why the lower back hurts, it should be remembered that the causes of such pain are in the tens, and a layman will never be able to determine the true source of the problems.
In general, the medical classification separates the primary and secondary pain syndromes that can affect the lumbar region.
Primary low back pain syndrome occurs as a result of musculoskeletal changes of a morphofunctional nature. It is he who is at the origin of the vast majority of cases of back pain in the lumbar region. The most important of the reasons are the degenerative-dystrophic changes occurring in various parts of the spine:
- osteochondrosis, which is a lesion of bone and cartilage tissue, this disease has a dystrophic character. When it affects the intervertebral disc and adjacent vertebrae, spondylosis begins to develop.
- Spondylarthrosis is a form of osteoarthritis, in which the disease affects the intervertebral joints, which are responsible for the mobility of the spine, or the synovial joints.
Secondary pain syndrome has much more varied causes of pain:
- scoliosis, which is a curvature of the spine, along with other growing diseases;
- various inflammations of a non-infectious nature. For example, rheumatoid arthritis, Reiter's syndrome;
- a tumor located on the vertebrae, in the spinal cord itself or in the retroperitoneal space, whether primary or caused by metastases;
- fracture of one or more dorsal vertebrae. It is perhaps one of the most serious causes of back pain;
- various infectious diseases leading to lesions of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs (tuberculosis, brucellosis, epidural abscess);
- strokes in which there is a serious violation of the blood supply to the spinal cord. In this case, there may also be a feeling that the lower back hurts;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. For example, acute appendicitis with atypical course, intestinal obstruction;
- often back pain is thoughtful in nature. A similar problem can occur with certain diseases of the organs located in the pelvic region. For example, renal colic, sexually transmitted diseases (gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia, ureaplasmosis, andexitis - all these diseases cause thoughtful back pain).
What are Acute and Chronic Pain
Low back pain is also divided into acute and chronic, which can be caused by a variety of problems and diseases, both of the nerve endings and of the spine itself.
Displaced pain is also often observed - there is a translation of pain from other organs, which are located much deeper. In other words, it seems to a person that the lower back hurts, although in fact the problem is in a completely different part of the body. But most often, pain from the pelvic organs, pancreas, kidneys, colon, or tumors behind the peritoneum is projected into the lumbar region.
Usually people don't know what to do if their lower back hurts. But it is quite clear what should not be done - it is self-medication. The causes of pain are varied, only a specialist can make the correct diagnosis, and the constant use of pain relievers (which many consider treatment) can do even more harm.
The specialist, in turn, makes a diagnosis on the basis of data obtained as a result of additional examinations, for example, an MRI diagnosis of the spine.
Causes of acute pain
Before deciding what to do when the lower back hurts a lot, any serious doctor will first determine the cause of the pain that has arisen. The reasons may be different, but most of them are in some way related to the spine.
One of the simplest and most harmless causes of pain is acute muscle tension. In this case, the spasmodic long muscles are the cause of the pain. With this problem, the pain rarely "radiates" to other parts of the body, but rather severely restricts a person's mobility. This reason is very common, often encountered by athletes and people whose work is associated with various physical activities.
Another common but much more serious source of pain is a fracture of the spine, especially when it comes to compression fractures of the vertebrae. Most often this happens during unsuccessful falls and other back injuries. But if a person suffers from hyperparathyroidism, osteoporosis, Paget's disease or if there are tumors in the vertebral region, a fracture can occur and go unnoticed to the patient, as they say "out of the blue". . Moreover, a person will not even understand when this fracture occurred.
An equally unpleasant situation, when there is a sharp pain in the lower back, is the displacement of the intervertebral discs in the lumbar spine. Symptoms of this problem are severe, sharp pain in the lower back, which significantly restricts mobility. Most often, pain occurs due to compression of the nerve roots. Signs of such compression are:
- sensitivity disorders;
- disappearance or significant decrease in the Achilles reflex;
- absence or decrease in the intensity of the knee reflex;
- unilateral radicular pain.
One of the unpleasant tendencies of this problem is that such a displacement can provoke pathology of the lower vertebrae. As a result, pain appears under the lumbar region and the functions of the rectum and bladder may be impaired. Localization of pain above the lower back is also possible in some cases.
Acute back pain can also occur as a result of facet syndrome. In this case, the cause of the pain is the compression of the root as it exits the spinal canal, while the intervertebral disc itself remains intact. This syndrome usually results from the enlargement of the upper and lower facets of the intervertebral joint, resulting in narrowing of the intervertebral foramen.
One of the most serious illnesses that causes severe back pain is an epidural abscess. This disease requires urgent diagnosis and immediate treatment, and all highly effective measures are recommended, until surgery, the main thing is to quickly remove the compression of the spinal cord.
Diseases of the hip joint are also often the cause of severe back pain. They are characterized by pain radiating to the lower part of the lower back, from the legs to the level of the knees.
Causes of chronic low back pain
One of the causes of chronic pain is spondylosis deformans. With this disease, a dystrophic change in the vertebrae of the lumbar spine occurs, the ligamentous apparatus weakens, and bone growth occurs. As a result, the spinal canal narrows and the bony growths begin to press on the nerve roots. Painful pain may be accompanied by numbness and weakness in the legs, as well as other neurological symptoms. In any case, a full examination will be required, depending on the results of which the final diagnosis will be made.
Bechterew's disease, also called ankylosing spondypoarthrosis, can also cause chronic pain. It is manifested by pulling pains in the lower back, a curvature of the spine in the thoracic region appears and develops rapidly. The first symptoms are limited mobility and decreased chest movements when breathing.
Cancer and metabolic disorders often cause lower back pain. But even benign tumors can cause chronic pain that won't be accompanied by neurological symptoms.
Osteomyelitis can also cause aching lower back pain, which can last for a very long time.
Conclusion
As you can see, back pain can occur as a result of many illnesses. At the same time, quite often a person does not even expect that the problem is not where it hurts. So, even if your lower back hurts not constantly, but every now and then, do not pull, consult a doctor. It is easier to cope with any disease at an early stage, and not when it is in a neglected condition and will lead to many complications.