Suddenly arising, acute, aching or dull, radiating to the legs, pain in the lower back, 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 his condition is connected with.
The main causes of lumbar pain
First of all, all causes of back pain can be divided into two main types:
- Primary (pain is associated precisely with the pathology of the spinal column, intervertebral discs, muscle tissue or joints).
- Secondary (painful sensations arise with pathologies of internal organs and are given to the lower back, as well as due to infectious diseases in the body, the development of tumors).
Primary causes of back pain
Today, bipedalism is called the cause of all the ills of the spine. The load on the spinal column increases strongly with an upright position of the body, especially on 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 acute pain, inflammation, swelling in the affected area, difficulty in movement. Characteristic changes in the cartilaginous tissue of the vertebral discs and the vertebral bodies themselves often cause pinching of the nerve, which is manifested by acute pain.
- Spondyloarthrosis. This pathology affects the articular tissue in the region of the spinal column. In addition to pain in the joints, 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, immediate medical attention and, of course, immediate treatment.
Secondary low back pain
A huge number of diseases not associated with pathological processes in the spinal column can provoke unpleasant pain in the back.
There are secondary causes of lower back pain such as:
- curvature of the spinal column (scoliosis, lordosis, etc. );
- infections of various origins affecting the intervertebral discs (tuberculosis, etc. );
- infections of the urinary system and the consequences of influenza;
- inflammatory processes in the genital area;
- gastrointestinal diseases (appendicitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, intestinal colic);
- kidney disease;
- oncological diseases localized in the peri-lumbar region;
- excess weight;
- osteoporosis, acute rheumatism, chronic arthritis;
- prolonged standing or sitting;
- muscle spasm;
- nervous tension, stress.
Diseases of the internal organs have their own vivid symptoms, only reflected in the lower back.
Low back pain causes 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 lumbar region, since the reproductive organs are located in the immediate vicinity. Gynecological diseases (inflammation of the appendages and uterus) cause radiating lower 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 clamps
Separately, I would like to dwell on such a moment as muscle spasms, which are often the cause of lower 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 on the legs or in a motionless sitting position causes overstrain 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 spasm and pain, if not eliminated in time.
Concomitant symptoms
Low back pain, the causes of which lie in the lesion of the spine, is most often accompanied by the following symptoms:
- discomfort can cover not only the back, but also move to the buttocks and lower limbs;
- movement can be very difficult or completely impossible;
- the affected area is usually inflamed and swollen.
For any of these symptoms, you need to seek medical help from a neurologist. If there are other accompanying symptoms, then it is better to contact a therapist who will determine the causes of lower back pain and then refer you to a specialized specialist or prescribe treatment.