Pain in the lower back that arises suddenly, sharp, aching or dull, radiating to the legs, the cause of which cannot always be determined immediately, may indicate the development of various diseases. Only an experienced doctor will be able to understand what exactly caused the pain syndrome, having studied the clinical picture, the patient's complaints, as well as the results of ultrasound, X-ray or MRI studies and analyzes. But often, even before going to the doctor, a person wants to know in advance what her condition is related to.
The main causes of low back pain.
First of all, all causes of back pain can be divided into two main types:
- Primary (pain is precisely associated with the pathology of the spine, intervertebral discs, muscle tissue or joints).
- Secondary (pain occurs with pathologies of internal organs and occurs in the lower back, as well as due to infectious diseases in the body, the development of tumors).
Main causes of back pain
Today, bipedalism is said to be the cause of all spinal ills. The load on the spine increases strongly with an upright position of the body, especially in the lower part, the lumbar, which wears out faster.
The main primary causes of back pain are as follows:
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. Degenerative changes in the spine cause sharp pain, inflammation, swelling in the affected area, difficulty moving. Characteristic changes in the cartilage tissue of the vertebral discs and the vertebral bodies themselves often cause pinching of the nerve, manifested by acute pain.
- Spondyloarthrosis. This pathology affects the joint tissue in the region of the spine. In addition to joint pain, a person with spondyloarthrosis may experience severe stiffness of movements when it is impossible to straighten or turn.
Low back pain caused by osteochondrosis or spondyloarthrosis requires urgent and immediate medical attention and, of course, immediate treatment.
Secondary low back pain
A large number of diseases not associated with pathological processes in the spine can provoke unpleasant pain in the back.
There are secondary causes of low back pain such as:
- curvature of the spine (scoliosis, lordosis, etc. );
- infections of various origins affecting the intervertebral discs (tuberculosis, etc. );
- urinary system infections and the consequences of influenza;
- inflammatory processes in the genital area;
- gastrointestinal diseases (appendicitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, intestinal colic);
- kidney disease;
- oncological diseases located in the peri-lumbar region;
- overweight;
- osteoporosis, acute rheumatism, chronic arthritis;
- standing or sitting for a long time;
- muscle spasm;
- nervous tension, stress.
Diseases of the internal organs have their own vivid symptoms, which are only reflected in the lower back.
Causes of low back pain in women and men
The structure of the female body predisposes to the appearance of heaviness and pain in the lumbar region. This is due to the hormonal background: the menstrual cycle, menopause and pregnancy affect the lower back, since the reproductive organs are located in the immediate vicinity. Gynecological diseases (inflammation of the appendages and uterus) cause radiating low back pain in women.
Similarly, in men, prostatitis and inflammation of the epididymis cause pain. It happens that men periodically have back pain during constant work in the cold in a draft, or if the work is associated with lifting weights. Such causes of back pain require preventive measures: you need to warm your back and wear a special corset.
Muscle braces
Separately, I would like to stop at such a time as muscle spasms, which are often the cause of low back pain. A constant lack of physical activity leads to the fact that the back muscles are weak and cannot withstand prolonged or increased loads. Therefore, working with the legs or in a still sitting position causes overstressing of the back muscles and pain.
Stress has the same effect when muscle tension arises as a result of the emotions of fear or anger. This is followed by spasms and pain, if not eliminated in time.
Concomitant symptoms
Low back pain, the causes of which are in the injury of the spine, is usually accompanied by the following symptoms:
- discomfort can cover not only the back, but also move to the buttocks and lower extremities;
- movement can be very difficult or completely impossible;
- the affected area is usually inflamed and swollen.
For any of these symptoms, you should seek medical help from a neurologist. If there are other accompanying symptoms, it is best to contact a therapist who will determine the causes of back pain and then refer you to a specialized specialist or prescribe treatment.