Back pain in the lumbar region

Any pain is a signal of problems in the body.Back pain occurs as a symptom reflecting diseases of individual internal systems and organs, mainly due to degenerative changes-musculoskeletal dystrophy.Lower back pain may be a reason to consult a neurologist, orthopedic surgeon, spine physician, gastroenterologist, urologist, and gynecologist.

Pain - discord

In addition to traumatic injuries, possible causes of lower back pain may include the following diseases:

• spine;
• internal organs of the pelvis and gastrointestinal tract;
• muscle.

Lower back pain varies significantly in intensity and duration, they can be:

• sharp and aching;
• regularly or periodically;
• localized to one point, such as the right or left side, or migrating when the pain is the result of pathological projection of the peritoneal and pelvic organs.

What could it be?

To make a diagnosis, you need to determine the nature, location and frequency of pain, measure the temperature (high temperature indicates the presence of inflammation and/or infection), analyze the accompanying symptoms of the disease (vomiting, tongue lining, diarrhea, redness or rash on the skin) and consult a doctor.

Note!The higher the temperature, the more likely it is that the cause of the pain is an infection, such as herpes zoster, which is characterized by low back pain in the lumbar region and a characteristic rash on the skin.

After a conversation with the patient and an external examination to confirm the diagnosis, if necessary, the doctor may prescribe blood and urine tests, as well as:

• computed tomography;
• magnetic resonance imaging;
• Ultrasound examination of internal organs;
• X-rays.

1. Spine problems

Spinal problems, characterized by chronic low back pain, are accompanied by limited mobility from hours to weeks and no increase in temperature.The best known low back pain syndromes are:

• Radiation inflammation- damage to the nerve roots of the spinal cord, often of an inflammatory nature.Suffering mainly from the cords formed by the roots and located between the vertebrae.Most often there is no acute onset.May be a secondary symptom of another disease, such as osteochondrosis or spinal tuberculosis;
• low back pain (lumbago)- sudden and acute pain when lifting heavy objects, awkward movements or hypothermia.Accompanied by constant stiffness and tension in the lower back muscles for a long time.It can be a consequence of a number of diseases, in addition to osteoarthritis, for example, displacement of the intervertebral discs in the lumbar region;
• sciatica (inflammation, compression of the sciatic nerve).Severe pain in the lower back often shifts to the sacrum and the back of the legs.In women, it may be the result of chronic inflammation in the adnexa.

Note!When the nerve roots of the spinal cord are damaged, pain from the lower back can radiate down to one or both legs, accompanied by a feeling of numbness and “pins and needles.”

The most common diseases that cause low back pain are:

1. Lumbar spondylosis, manifested by laxity of cartilage and bone tissue of the joints with the involvement of nerves in the pathogenesis and pain due to compression of nerve roots extending from the spinal cord.
2. Degeneration of the spine- Dystrophic changes (thinning) of the lumbar vertebrae, weakening of ligaments and bone growth, narrowing of the spinal canal.As a result, the bone growth begins to compress the nerve roots, causing pain, possibly accompanied by a feeling of weakness and numbness in the legs.May lead to displacement of the vertebrae.Displacement of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs in the lumbar region can cause pathology of the underlying vertebrae and dysfunction of the rectum and bladder.
3. Ankylosing spondylitisaffects the intervertebral joints responsible for the mobility of the spine or synovial joints.It is manifested by pain in the joints and spine, eye damage, connective tissue proliferation of the spinal joints, stiffness and complete loss of mobility of the lumbar joints.
4. protruding(exposure of the cartilage between the vertebrae without violating its integrity), followed by disc herniation (exposure that violates the integrity of the cartilage, compression of the nerve roots), leading to loss of joint function.Lower back pain can spread to the legs.
5. Narrowing of the spinal canal (stenosis)because chronic inflammation can lead to compression of the nerves and spinal cord passing through it.The disease is accompanied by pain and cramps in the back that appear after long walks and spinal claudication syndrome.In a sitting or lying position, the pain subsides, but when physical activity resumes, the pain increases again.
6. Scoliosis (curvature of the spine).In complex cases, with protective spasms of the back muscles against spinal degeneration with disc herniation in the lumbar region, pain in the lumbar region may occur.

Good to know!When vertebrae are displaced, it is important to determine the cause of the problem: due to injury or degenerative processes.In the second case, regular correction of the vertebrae with the help of a chiropractor can aggravate the situation, leading to the eventual destruction of the vertebral process and pinched nerves.

Lower back pain can be caused by chronic non-infectious arthritis involving the ligaments, muscles and cartilage of the spine in pathogenesis due to autoimmune processes.

2. Infection, myositis, tumor

The lower back is the largest part of the spine, bearing the maximum load.The inflammatory process in this area is accompanied by bone pain, fatigue, headache, limited movement and fever.

May be due to infectious diseases affecting the vertebrae and intervertebral discs (tuberculosis, epidural abscess, etc.);

Acute spasmodic pain in the lower back when bending over occurs when there is tension or inflammation (myositis) of the muscles and ligaments, due to hypothermia, overexertion.They appear suddenly and stay still;They can spread to the sacrum and the back of the legs, causing difficulty bending and turning from side to side.

Lower back pain can also be the result of a tumor on the vertebrae, spinal cord, nerve fibers or in the retroperitoneal space.

3. Organ problems

Pathologies of internal organs often manifest themselves in the form of low back pain of a lumbar nature, which indicates severe damage to nerve fibers.

Among the main diseases of internal organs that are characterized by pain in the lower back area:

• pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).Acute lower back pain, often diffuse in nature and/or in the upper abdomen.There may be repeated vomiting, diarrhea, tongue coating, and decreased blood pressure;
• other diseases of the digestive tract (obstruction or enteritis, ulcerative colitis).With appendicitis with an atypical course, persistent pain in the lumbar region may be accompanied by a bout of vomiting;
• nephritis.Persistent, aching lower back pain - due to kidney inflammation (pyelonephritis), throbbing, cramping - accompanied by renal colic (due to stones moving from the renal pelvis to the ureters).When you have low back pain, another sign of kidney or bladder disease will be frequent urination.Urine is cloudy, sometimes mixed with blood.May cause fever, weakness, chills, headache, swelling, difficulty urinating;
• inflammation of the reproductive system.Pain in the lower abdomen (adnexitis in women), in the anus (prostatitis in men) and radiating to the lower back.The pain is accompanied by systemic intoxication (weakness, headache, fever), sweating (in women).

In addition, pain can spread to the lumbar region due to adhesions (scars) formed after surgery, as well as circulatory disorders of the spinal cord (which can lead to stroke) or metabolic disorders (gout).

Back pain and pregnancy

Pregnancy worsens the symptoms of existing diseases in the mother's body.Due to changes in hormone levels and increased stress, special pathologies often appear in the second half of pregnancy.In addition to the pain that comes with the risk of premature birth, causes of lower back pain in pregnant women can be:

• disc herniation;
• radiculitis;
• pancreatitis;
• pyelonephritis;
• urinary stones (kidney stones).

Lower back pain can be a sign of spinal problems and can also be a symptom of urinary, gynecological or digestive diseases.Usually they appear when the spinal nerves become irritated and the nerve roots become compressed.In order not to aggravate the situation, make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment, you should contact a therapist who will determine the pathological area and refer you to the appropriate specialist for treatment.