Sudden, sharp, painful or dull onset, radiating to the legs, pain in the lower back, the cause of which can not always be determined immediately, may indicate the development of various diseases. Only an experienced doctor will be able to understand the exact cause of the pain syndrome, after studying 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 related to.
The main causes of lower back pain
First of all, all the causes of back pain can be divided into two main types:
- Primary (pain is associated precisely with the pathology of the spine, intervertebral discs, muscle tissue or joints).
- Secondary (pain occurs with pathologies of internal organs and is given to 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 called the cause of all ailments of the spine. The load on the spine increases sharply with an upright position of the body, especially on the lower part - the lumbar, which wears out more quickly.
The main main causes of back pain are:
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. Degenerative changes in the spine cause sharp pain, inflammation, swelling of the affected area, difficulty in movement. Characteristic changes in the cartilage tissue of the vertebral discs and the vertebral bodies themselves often cause pinching of the nerve, which is manifested by sharp pain.
- Spondylarthrosis. This pathology affects the joint tissue in the region of the spine. In addition to joint pain, a person with spondylarthrosis may experience severe stiffness in movement when it is impossible to straighten up or turn around.
Low back pain caused by osteochondrosis or spondylarthrosis 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 cause 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. );
- 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 perilumbar region;
- overweight;
- osteoporosis, acute rheumatism, chronic arthritis;
- prolonged standing or sitting;
- muscle spasms;
- nervous tension, stress.
Diseases of internal organs have their own vivid symptoms, which are reflected only 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 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.
Likewise, in humans, 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 while sitting still causes over-tension of the back muscles and pain.
Stress has the same effect when muscle tension arises as a result of emotions of fear or anger. This is followed by spasms and pain, if they are not eliminated in time.
Concomitant symptoms
Low back pain, the causes of which are damage to the spine, is most often accompanied by the following symptoms:
- the 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 need to 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 the back pain and then refer you to a specialist or prescribe treatment.