Lower back pain is familiar to almost everyone. It's hard to find someone who at least once faced with this very unpleasant symptom. Sometimes it is enough to sit in an uncomfortable position for some time to have discomfort in the lumbar region of the spine. But it is not a serious problem, just a consequence of prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position. But severe lower back pain almost always has a specific cause and a reason to go to the doctor. Not always the diagnosis is expected, because low back pain is only one of the possible problems, lower back pain.
Why is a sore lower back and what to do in such a situation is not difficult to guess. The doctor will make the diagnosis and identify the cause of pain, and then will need to start treatment.
Pain syndrome – primary and secondary
Understanding why a sore lower back, we must not forget that the causes of such pain are estimated in tens, and a lover will never be able to determine the real source of the problem.
Generally, medical classification separates the primary and secondary pain syndromes that may affect the lumbar region.
Primary syndrome back pain occurs as a result of the skeletal changes. He is the cause of the vast majority of cases of back pain in the lumbar region. The most significant of the causes, degenerative-dystrophic changes that occur in different parts of the spine:
- osteochondrosis, which is a lesion of bone and connective tissue, this disease has the character dies. When it affects the discs between the vertebrae and adjacent vertebrae, begins to develop a chronic disease of the spine.
- inflammatory disease is a form of osteoarthritis, the disease affects the joints between the vertebrae, which are responsible for the mobility of the spine, or articulationes synoviales.
Secondary pain syndrome has a much more diverse causes of pain:
- scoliosis which is a curvature of the spine, as well as some other growing pains;
- inflammation with non-infectious nature. For example, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic disease, etc.;
- a tumor located in the vertebra, in the spinal cord or in spatium retroperitoneale, regardless of whether it is primary or caused by metastases;
- fracture of one or more of the spinal vertebrae. This is perhaps one of the most serious causes of back pain;
- various infectious diseases, which lead to the defeat of the vertebrae and the discs between them (tuberculosis, brucellosis, etc.);
- heart disease in which there is a serious disturbance of blood supply of the spinal cord. In this case also may be feeling that sore lower back;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. For example, acute appendicitis with atypical anastomosis leakage, ileus;
- often back pain are reflected in nature. The same problem may occur when some diseases of organs located in the pelvic area. For example, renal colic, venereal diseases (gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia, ureaplasmosis, adnexitis – all these diseases are the cause reflected pain in the lower back).
What is acute and chronic pain
Back pain is also divided into acute and chronic, which can be caused by many different problems and diseases like nerve endings and the spine. Often observed and displaced pain – the translation of pain sensations from other organs, which are located much deeper. In other words, a person thinks that a sore lower back, although it is actually a problem in quite another part of the body. But most often in the lumbar region is projected pain from the pelvic organs, pancreas, kidneys, colon, or tumors located behind the peritoneum.
Usually people don't know what to do if a sore lower back. But well understand what you must not do is self-medicate . Causes of pain varied, the correct diagnosis can only specialist, and the constant use of painkillers (which many consider a treatment) could further hurt.
Causes of acute painBefore you decide what to do when a really sore lower back, any serious doctor will first determine the cause of pain appeared. The reasons may be different, but most of them are somehow connected with the spine.
One of the most simple and harmless of the causes of pain – acute is a pulled muscle. In this case, the source of the pain are long muscles in the attack. With this problem pain rarely "pays" in other parts of the body, severely restricts the mobility of the person. This cause is very common, often with her face athletes and people whose work is associated with a variety of physical activities.
Spinal injuries can be the cause of lower back pain.
Another common but much more serious consequences, the source of pain is fracture of the spine, especially if we are talking about compressed fractures of the vertebrae. This often happens in case of unsuccessful downs and other back injuries. But if a person is sick with a disease of the endocrine system, osteoporosis, Paget's disease or have tumors in the spinal region, the fracture can occur unnoticed by the patient, as they say "out of the blue". And people won't even know when the fracture happened.
Not less unpleasant situation, when there is a sharp pain in the lower back is the offset of the discs between the vertebrae in the lumbar spine. Symptoms of this problem are severe back pain that can limit mobility. Most often, the pain caused due to compression of the nerve roots. Signs such compression are:
- disorders of sensation;
- the disappearance or significant reduction of the heel reflex;
- the absence or reduction in the intensity of knee reflex;
- unilateral radicular pain.
One of the unpleasant trends in this problem is that such a shift can cause pathology of the vertebrae below. As a result, the pain below the waist can disrupt the function of the rectum and bladder. Localization of pain above the waist is also possible in some cases.
Acute back pain may appear as a result of arthrosis of the joints between the vertebrae. In this case, the cause of the pain is the compression of the spine to exit the spinal canal, the disc between the vertebrae is left intact. This syndrome usually occurs as a result of increasing upper and lower facets between the vertebrae of the joint, resulting in narrowing the hole in between the vertebrae.
Focal lesion of the space of the spinal column is one of serious diseases causing severe pain in the lower back. This disease requires urgent diagnosis and immediate treatment, and recommended any highly effective measures, including surgical intervention, the main thing – quickly to eliminate compression of the spinal cord.
Diseases of the hip joint often cause acute lower back pain. For them, characterized by pain, which is given in the lower part of the waist and legs up to the knees.
Causes of chronic lower back pain
One of the causes of chronic pain is changes the spine. In this disease there is a change in the vertebrae of the lumbar spine. In the end, narrowed the channel of the spine, and the bony spines beginning to put pressure on the nerve roots. Aching pain may be accompanied by numbness and weakness in the legs and other neurological symptoms. In any case you will need a full examination, the results of which will be set final diagnosis.
Ankylosing spondylitis - a chronic systemic disease of the joints, can also be the cause of chronic pain. It manifests itself, drawing pains in the lower back, appears and quickly develops a curvature of the spine in the thoracic. The first symptoms are the limitation and reduction of movements of the chest during breathing.
Often cause lower back pain cancer and metabolic disorders. But benign tumors can cause chronic pain that is not accompanied by neurologic symptoms.
Osteomyelitis may also cause aching pain in the lower back pain can be very long.
The propagation of pain from the disease
With the defeat of organs of small pelvis usually appears pain. The cause may be endometriosis, for example. In men, these pains can appear in chronic prostatitis.
Various kidney disease provoke pain at the knocks of the spine and ribs.
Problems of the gastrointestinal tract (tumors of the duodenum or of the stomach, the pancreas, the disease of a hollow organ) is called pain in region of segments T10-L2.
The lower parts of the back hurt also in chronic disease of the mucous membrane of the colon, tumor colon and bowel disease.
Pain in the lumbar and thoracic can also occur because of aortic dissection.
Conclusion
As you can see, lower back pain can be caused many diseases. While quite often people do not even expect that the problem will not be there, "where it hurts". So even if you have a sore lower back not constantly, but from time to time – don't wait, contact your doctor . Any disease is easier to cope at an early stage, not when it is in disrepair and will pull in a lot of complication.