A modern person, after passing the age limit at 25, periodically begins to experience pain in the lower back, varying in frequency and intensity. Over time, the incidence of unpleasant symptoms increases, pain sensations increase. The period of exacerbation is becoming more and more prolonged. This is a clinical picture of the development of lumbar osteochondrosis - a disease in which there is a gradual destruction of the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs. They become thinner, deformed, their protrusion creeps. In advanced cases, in the absence of adequate treatment, lower back pain becomes unbearable and interferes with usual movements. At this stage, as a rule, a lumbar disc herniation is diagnosed.
This is a kind of punishment of a person for standing posture and upright position of the body. During the transition to the standing position, the center of gravity has shifted, which we have in the lumbar region. This means that the entire weight of the body when walking, running, jumping, bending the trunk and other movements put pressure on the vertebrae of the lumbar spine. With insufficiently developed muscle structure of the back and abdominal press, the destruction of the intervertebral discs, the appearance of osteophytes and other pathological formations occurs. And these are common causes of back pain.
Other causes of back pain
In addition to osteochondrosis and its complications, there are other causes of low back pain. First of all, various injuries should be excluded, as a result of which both the integrity of the cartilage lining and the vertebral body can be compromised. These can be vertebral fractures, fractures of the spinous processes, compression fractures of the spine with displacement of the structures of the spinal cord.
Lower back injuries can be caused by frontal and tangential impacts, falls from heights, and traffic accidents. Often with injuries, athletes who are professionally involved in weightlifting sports require an appointment.
In women, low back pain can be caused by pelvic inflammatory disease. Chief among these is adnexitis. In second place is cystic ovarian disease, which causes pulling and aching lower back pain, exacerbating at certain periods of the menstrual cycle. After the age of 45, it is not uncommon for lower back pain in women to be caused by tumor processes: uterine fibroids, oncological neoplasms of the ovaries and cervix.
In both sexes, there are causes of low back pain such as inguinal hernia and kidney disease: pyelonephritis, polycystic, amyloidosis, glomerulonephritis. To exclude kidney pathology, it is necessary to consult a nephrologist and pass urine tests according to Nechiporenko, according to Zimnitsky. Helps to differentiate the diagnosis of kidney ultrasound.
In some cases, the cause of pain in the upper lumbar region is intercostal neuralgia or shingles. The first condition can be distinguished from palpation of the intercostal spaces. Usually, with intercostal neuralgia, this causes a sharp increase in pain and is characterized by one-sided localization. With shingles, visible rashes on the skin in the form of small blisters filled with a clear liquid.
More dangerous causes of back pain can be tuberculosis and sarcoma. These diseases leave little chance of recovery. Sometimes they are masked in the initial stage by ankylosing spondylitis, in which there is also stiffness of movement and severe pain in the lower back in the morning. Then all the symptoms disappear.
Lower back hurts: what to do?
If the lower back hurts, what to do in this case, which doctor to ask for help? It is possible to make an appointment with a therapist, who, after careful examination, will make the initial diagnosis and prescribe further examinations. Mandatory are: general urine analysis, general blood test, ultrasound of the kidneys and urinary tract, exclusion of tumor processes in the abdominal cavity. Then a consultation with a neurologist, a gynecologist (for women) and a phthisiatra can be appointed. To clarify the localization of the destructive process in the spine, radiographic and tomographic examination methods can be used.
The prescription of treatment depends on the diagnosis. With osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, full treatment is possible only with manual therapy methods. In the initial stage, the pain is relieved with the help of traction, osteopathy and therapeutic massage. So doctors make efforts to restore the cartilage structure. To improve regeneration processes, reflexology, acupuncture and the introduction of minimal doses of drugs into biologically active points on the human body can be used.
After the restoration of physiological mobility, the complex of rehabilitation treatment should be continued. Includes physiotherapy and massage. You should also listen to the recommendations of experts on the organization of diet, work and rest, the organization of your work and the sleeping place. In some cases, it may be necessary to temporarily use a brace to support the spine.