Many of us are familiar with lumbar spine pain. It is enough to spend a few minutes in an awkward position, and the unpleasant sensations do not leave for a long time. What causes back pain in the lumbar region? We will consider the reasons for them today, because often such a symptom is a signal of the development of the disease.
Determine the nature of the pain syndrome
Before we discover the reasons why the back hurts in the lumbar region, let’s take a closer look at the classification of the pain syndrome. As you know, the human spine has several sections, one of which is the lumbar. This area occupies the back interval from the dorsal part to the beginning of the ribs.
Pain syndromes in this segment of the spine can appear even after prolonged sitting in an uncomfortable position or exhausting physical activity. If the discomfort disappears immediately, there is no cause for concern. But what if the attacks of pain come back again and again and over time this condition interferes with life and development completely?
There is only one way out - contact your doctor. If the pain is not related to the injury, an initial consultation should be sent to a therapist. He will determine which specialty doctor will help you. If trauma has become a prerequisite for the onset of pain, you can contact a traumatologist immediately.
Syndromes of pain in the lumbar segment of the spine can have a different character:
- whining;
- binding;
- recording.
Experts divide all types of lumbar pain into two broad categories:
- primarily;
- secondary.
Primary feelings of pain are diagnosed in cases where pathology develops. This may be due to deformation of the joint or intervertebral tissue, ligaments or tendons.
Secondary pain syndrome occurs in the case of previously suffered injuries or the development of pathological processes associated with one or another disease, for example with osteoporosis, osteochondrosis, the appearance of malignant or benign neoplasms.
Learn more about the causes of pain
In medical practice, there is a wide range of cases when patients complain of pain in the lumbar segment of the spine. It is practically impossible to diagnose the disease by visual examination, because there are many reasons for the appearance of such symptoms in nature.
Lower back pain may be associated with the development of pathology of the spine or internal organs. Often, the representatives of the beautiful half of humanity have pain in the lumbar segment of the spine before or during menstrual bleeding.
What are the causes of acute lower back pain? There are actually a huge number of them and it will not be possible to compile an exhaustive list. However, you can choose the main and most common causes of acute pain. These include:
- intervertebral disc protrusion;
- hernia between spinal segments; spondyloarthritis; osteochondrosis;
- pathology of the urinary system, especially the presence of stones;
- dysfunction of blood circulation in the spine;
- intestinal obstruction;
- pyelonephritis that develops in the acute phase;
- uncharacteristic development of inflammatory processes in the appendix;
- stretching;
- violation of the integrity of vertebral segments;
- pathological processes in the tissues of the hip joints.
If the pain syndrome is of a periodic nature, then, perhaps, we are talking about chronic pathologies. Chronic attacks of pain in the lumbar segment of the spine can be caused by the following factors:
- ankylosing spondylitis;
- deforming spondylosis;
- bone disease; osteomyelitis;
- neoplasm development;
- occurrence of metastases; scoliosis;
- development of infectious processes in vertebral segments (epidural abscesses, brucellosis, etc. ); arthritis; spondylitis;
- tumor processes in the kidneys; atherosclerosis;
- Reiter's syndromes.
We often encounter so-called wandering pains in everyday life. This condition misleads even the specialists who treat it, because the localization of the pain does not correspond to the place of the actual development of the pathology. Doctors call such pain radiation. The reasons for the appearance of a similar syndrome in the lumbar segment of the spine can be:
- pathology of the digestive tract;
- pancreatic disease;
- inflammatory or infectious processes in the small pelvic organs;
- development of inflammation in the auxiliary part in the fair sex;
- oncological pathologies of uterine organs;
- gonorrhea;
- renal colic; ulcerative colitis; prostatitis;
- ovarian pathology;
- formation of kidney stones.
A number of reasons can cause left back pain in the lumbar region. Often, such localization of pain is determined during inflammatory or infectious processes in the internal organs. If the pain syndrome surrounds both parts of the lumbar segment, it can signal the development of the following diseases:
- hepatitis;
- pyelonephritis; prostatitis;
- adnexal inflammation;
- appendicitis;
- pneumonia.
Which doctor should I go to?
As you know, the spinal column is the strongest support to our body. If its functioning is impaired, you should see a doctor immediately. But which doctor should you go to? If you are injured or have severe bruises, then you can safely go to a traumatologist. The doctor will deal with the treatment of this specialization.
If pain in the lumbar segment of the spine occurs as a result of the disease and is the main symptom, consult a leading therapist first. The specialist who will attend will perform a complete examination and based on the results of ultrasound diagnostics and magnetic resonance imaging will write the appropriate direction.
Depending on the reasons for the appearance of pain in the lumbar segment of the spine, the following specialists can be treated:
- cardiologist;
- obstetrician-gynecologist;
- nephrologist;
- pulmonologist; orthopedist; gastroenterologist;
- infectious disease specialist.
Before starting treatment, the doctor must take all measures to eliminate the pain and alleviate the patient's condition. For a start, it is advisable for a person to change the sleeping mattress, take antispasmodic or analgesic pharmacological drugs and do gentle gymnastics.
Treatment of the disease: main aspects
When the back hurts in the lumbar region, only a doctor can determine the true causes of this condition and prescribe a comprehensive and effective treatment. Self-medication will help remove a symptom that has been appearing for a while, but later on the pain will overwhelm you again with unprecedented strength.
The course of treatment is assigned individually according to the diagnosis. In the initial phase, the patient may be prescribed the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as the use of ointments that have a warming effect.
Treatment can be carried out through physiotherapy procedures, especially:
- acupuncture;
- laser therapy;
- vacuum therapy;
- manual manipulations;
- electrostimulation;
- pharmacopuncture.
Pain in the lumbar segment of the spine can not only cause a disorder of the usual way of life and the appearance of discomfort, but also cause the development of complicated consequences and serious pathologies. To avoid this, you must seek qualified medical help immediately and strictly adhere to all doctor's prescriptions. Be healthy!