The human body often reacts sharply to overload and stress, especially after age 30. A feeling of heaviness, sharp back pain in the lower back are all symptoms of stress or signs of the onset of serious pathologies, so you should not simply ignore them. Why does my back hurt and how to treat it?
Symptoms
The difficulty of correct diagnosis lies in the fact that many diseases can manifest in this way, and it can also be a reaction of the body to various external and internal irritating factors.
Finding out why the back hurts and making the correct diagnosis will help in the correct analysis of the symptoms, which are very diverse.
Where is the waist? This is an area of the back that captures the territory from the coccyx to the ribs, which contains many nerve endings and is divided into 2 halves by the spine.
To make a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to assess the location of unpleasant sensations:
- Above the waist, on the right or left - this symptom can be an indicator of inflammation of Organs internal organs: the liver (on the right side) and kidneys (on the right or left just above the waist). They can also be caused by hepatitis, liver failure, polycystic disease, cancer, pyelonephritis. In case of inflammation of the kidneys, the discomfort can radiate to the abdomen and hypochondrium.
- Below the waist - such symptoms characterize problems in the spine (lumbago, hernia, curvature), menstrual cramps and diseases of Organs genital organs in women, intestines, inflammation of the appendix and genitourinary system in men.
Important! Unpleasant sensations in the back can act as a result of inflammation in the body and serious problems.
It is also important to assess the nature of the painful sensations:
- The shot is a symptom of a pinched sciatic nerve. With inflammation of this nervous process in the back, a burning, shooting or tingling sensation appears, and its duration and strength can vary. They are especially aggravated by a change in the position of the body, so that a person can stay most of the time in only one position.
- Sharp pain in the lower back, most often shooting. In addition, a person experiences pulling sensations in the back region and is unable to move normally, choosing a comfortable position. Such sensations can be symptoms of: diseases of the lungs and genitourinary system, displacement of intervertebral discs, renal colic, muscle tension.
- Chronic - constant discomfort in the back area that goes away for a short time after taking painkillers, but then returns again. They indicate spondylosis, osteomyelitis, tumors and metabolic disorders.
- Painful pain in the lower back - occurs suddenly but continues for a long time. Weak painful sensations are symptoms of myositis, overload or hypothermia of the muscles;
- Displaced - occur with diseases of the colon, pelvic organs, pancreas or tumors.
Important! Heaviness in the lower back is also a symptom of the inflammatory process of the internal organs or muscles.
It is urgent to consult a doctor if the back pain is located in one area, is chronic, and at the same time numbness and weakness in the limbs occur.
The reasons
There are several different groups of causes that can cause back pain. They are divided into natural and pathological or acquired.
Naturals include:
- serious physical exertion - due to the accumulation of lactic acid, muscle tissue loses elasticity and begins to swell;
- sedentary work - due to lack of movement and, as a result, circulatory disorders, heaviness appears in the lower back;
- disruptions in the digestive system, which can radiate to the back;
- a long stay in the cold - low temperature causes the vessels to shrink and slows blood flow, which causes discomfort;
- stress - with this phenomenon, the muscles of the spine undergo spasms, causing a feeling of tightness and discomfort.
Pathological causes include:
- diseases of the spine - negative processes lead to serious illnesses, accompanied by constant discomfort;
- vascular diseases and heart disease - if the cramps are concentrated in the region of the shoulder blades and under them, and they are also accompanied by a feeling of tightness, a drop in pressure and shortness of breath, then these are symptoms of atherosclerosis and ischemia;
- inflammation of the sciatic nerve - if there is a sharp pain in the lower back and a person can only be in one position, then most likely this nerve has a cold;
- inflammation of the genitourinary system - nephritis, colpitis, endometritis and other diseases cause swelling of organs and their tissues in the waist region;
- muscle inflammation;
- trauma;
- diseases of the bronchopulmonary system.
Important! Due to the different structure and properties of the body in women and men, back pain can be symptoms of completely different processes.
Low back pain in men can be related to:
- kidney pathologies;
- reproductive system problems;
- consequences of trauma.
Low back pain in men over 35 is very common as at this age they are at risk, so with the slightest symptoms you should contact the clinic. The risk group also includes men who:
- engage in physical work;
- lead a sedentary lifestyle;
- are overweight and have bad habits;
- have weak immunity.
Which doctor to seek in case of problems? First, to the therapist, and he, after receiving the initial data and analyses, will refer the patient to an infectious disease specialist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist, urologist, nephrologist, neuropathologist or proctologist.
Women also often have lower back pain, but the reasons for it can be completely different from those of men.
There is no single answer, it could be:
- Premenstrual syndrome or cramping during menstruation - due to delays, hormonal failure, uterine contractions, tension and swelling of the tissues of the genitourinary system, there is tension in the pelvis and back pain in the lower back.
- Pregnancy - Due to the increase in body weight, there is increased pressure on the woman's spine, and this leads to tension in the lower back in women. It should be mentioned that in the early stages, heaviness and pain in the lower back can be a sign of threatened miscarriage; therefore, when it appears, consult a doctor immediately;
- After childbirth - if before childbirth the girl had problems with her spine, after childbirth they do not disappear, but have the peculiarity, on the contrary, of intensifying due to the possible displacement of the vertebral discs or their pinching.
- Gynecological diseases - pain in the lower back in women, which accompanies all inflammatory processes in the organs of the genitourinary system, occurs regardless of the load. Because of them, there is heaviness and pain in the lower back. If there is sharp pain in the lower back, then this is a symptom of ovarian rupture or ectopic pregnancy.
- Problems with internal organs and spine.
The female risk group includes women who:
- have infections of the genitourinary system;
- the intestines are unstable;
- there are tumor diseases;
- sedentary work;
- complications after colds;
- physiological changes;
- excessive physical activity;
- increase in body weight;
- previous experience with epidural anesthesia.
In addition to diseases and inflammatory processes in the body, there are several provoking factors that cause pain in the lower back:
- hypothermia;
- sedentary lifestyle and rare physical activity;
- excessive physical activity;
- professional sports, bodybuilders, bodybuilders, weight lifters must be especially careful.
If you are in one of the risk groups, you should exercise regularly under the supervision of a qualified trainer, as well as be observed by a doctor, taking preventive actions that aim to prevent the occurrence of back problems.
Treatment
If back problems have already arisen, preventive actions will not help. You should see a doctor, find out the exact cause and start treatment. You can use traditional medicine methods or you can resort to traditional medicine, but any action must be agreed with your doctor. Which doctor should I contact? To begin with, to the therapist, and after finding out the reasons - to a narrow specialist.
Folk remedies
Traditional medicine involves the use of various fighting methods:
- Massage - massaging your stiff back will help relieve tension and swelling. You can do a self-massage or contact a specialist, but only a proven one, so that it does not exacerbate problems that have already appeared.
- Physical Exercises - Regular exercises and warm-ups throughout the day are performed to relax the muscles and relieve tension in the muscles.
- Compresses - to relieve swelling of tissues, compresses should be made from cabbage, burdock leaves and banana. After putting them on and wrapping your back with a warm scarf, you should lie down and rest for half an hour.
Traditional medicine can also be used as a prophylaxis to prevent serious problems. But if back pain in the lower back increases and massages, compresses and exercises do not bring relief, you should immediately consult a therapist.
contact a doctor
If discomfort and pain in the lower back do not go away and traditional medicine and massages do not help, how to treat it? First, you should consult a therapist and find out its cause. For diagnosis, the back is examined in several ways:
- X-rays are done to check for injuries.
- Ultrasound examinations are performed to exclude diseases and inflammation of Organs internal organs. For this, CT with MRI can also be performed.
- General and biochemical analyses.
- ECG and gastroscopy are performed to rule out heart disease and gastrointestinal tract disorders.
Once an accurate diagnosis is established, the patient is given appropriate treatment measures:
- problems with the spine, joints and muscles are treated with non-steroidal drugs, therapeutic exercise courses and massages;
- cardiovascular diseases are treated by limiting physical activity and prescribing appropriate medications;
- diseases of the digestive tract imply adherence to a strict diet and courses of drugs that involve the intestines;
- bronchopulmonary pathologies are treated with antibacterial and antiviral drugs;
- pelvic organ problems - antimicrobial agents and physical therapy.
In addition, you must also deal with prevention:
- do not carry weight;
- always keep your back straight;
- sleep on a hard mattress;
- avoid hypothermia, stress and overeating;
- treat acute illnesses in a timely manner.
Back pain is easily prevented by timely prevention: a proper lifestyle, regular moderate exercise - all this will help to prevent back problems and alleviate existing ones.