The human body often reacts sharply to overload and stress, especially after 30 years. A feeling of heaviness, acute back pain in the lumbar region are all symptoms of stress or signs of the onset of serious illness, so you shouldn't just ignore them. Why does the back hurt and how to treat it?
Symptoms
The difficulty of a correct diagnosis lies in the fact that many diseases can manifest themselves 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 with the correct analysis of the symptoms, which are very different.
Where is life found? This is an area of the back that captures 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, to the right or to the left - such a symptom can be an indicator of inflammation of the 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 with the spine (low back pain, hernia, curvature), menstrual cramps and diseases of the genital organs in women, intestines, inflammation of the appendix and genitourinary system in men.
Important! Unpleasant sensations in the back can act due to inflammation in the body and serious problems.
It is also important to assess the nature of the painful sensations:
- Shooting is a symptom of a pinched sciatic nerve. With inflammation of this nerve process in the back, a burning, shooting or tingling sensation appears, and their duration and strength can vary. They are particularly aggravated by a change in the position of the body, so a person can often remain in only one position.
- Sharp pain in the lower back, most often shot. In addition, a person experiences traction sensations in the back area and cannot move normally, choosing a comfortable position. Such sensations can be symptoms of: diseases of the lungs and genitourinary system, displacement of the intervertebral discs, renal colic, muscle fatigue.
- Chronic: constant discomfort in the back area, which disappears for a short time after taking painkillers, but then returns again. They indicate spondylosis, osteomyelitis, tumors and metabolic disorders.
- Aching 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 see a doctor if the back pain is localized in one area, it is chronic and at the same time numbness and weakness in the limbs occur.
The reasons
There are several groups of different causes that can cause back pain. They are divided into natural and pathological or acquired.
Natural ones include:
- severe 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 blood vessels to narrow and slow blood flow, which gives discomfort;
- stress - with this phenomenon, the muscles of the spine undergo spasms, causing a sensation of squeezing and discomfort.
Pathological causes include:
- diseases of the spine - negative processes in it lead to serious diseases, which are 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 are also accompanied by a feeling of squeezing, pressure drops and shortness of breath, then these are symptoms of atherosclerosis and ischemia;
- inflammation of the sciatic nerve - if there is severe pain in the lower back and a person can only be in one position, this nerve most likely has a cold;
- inflammation of the genitourinary system - nephritis, colpitis, endometritis and other diseases give swelling of the organs and their tissues in the waist area;
- 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 in them can be symptoms of completely different processes.
Back pain in men can be related to:
- pathologies in the kidneys;
- reproductive system problems;
- consequences of the trauma.
Back pain in men over the age of 35 is very common, since at this age they are at risk, therefore, with the slightest symptoms, it is necessary to contact the clinic. The risk group also includes men who:
- engage in physical labor;
- lead a sedentary lifestyle;
- are overweight and have bad habits;
- they have weak immunity.
Which doctor to contact in case of problems? First of all, to the therapist, and he, having received the initial data and analyzes, will refer the patient to an infectious disease specialist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist, urologist, nephrologist, neuropathologist or proctologist.
Women also often have back pain, but the reasons can be completely different from those of the male.
There is no single answer, it could be:
- Premenstrual syndrome or cramps 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 lumbar region.
- Pregnancy: Due to the increase in body weight, the pressure on the spinal column of the woman increases and this leads to tension in the lower back in women. It should be said that in the early stages, heaviness and pain in the lower back can be a signal for the threat of miscarriage, therefore, when it appears, immediately consult a doctor;
- After childbirth - if before childbirth the girl had problems with the spine, after childbirth they do not disappear, but have the peculiarity, on the contrary, to intensify 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. Due to them, there is heaviness and aching pain in the lower back. If there is sharp pain in the lower back, this is a symptom of an ovarian rupture or ectopic pregnancy.
- Problems with internal organs and the spine.
The female risk group includes women who:
- have infections of the genitourinary system;
- intestines are unstable;
- there are tumor diseases;
- sedentary work;
- complications after a cold;
- physiological changes;
- excessive physical activity;
- weight gain;
- experience of epidural anesthesia in the past.
In addition to diseases and inflammatory processes in the body, there are a number of provoking factors that cause pain in the lower back:
- hypothermia;
- sedentary lifestyle and rare physical activity;
- excessive physical activity;
- professional sports, bodybuilders, bodybuilders, weightlifters should pay special attention.
If you are part of one of the risk groups, you should exercise regularly under the supervision of a qualified trainer, as well as being observed by a doctor, taking preventive actions aimed at preventing the onset of back problems.
Treatment
If back problems have already arisen, preventive actions will not help. You should consult a doctor, find out the exact cause and start treatment. You can use the methods of traditional medicine, or you can turn to traditional medicine, but any actions 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 different methods of struggle:
- Massage: Massaging the stiff back helps relieve tension and swelling. You can do self-massage or you can contact a specialist, but only a proven one, so that it does not aggravate the problems that have already appeared.
- Physical Exercises: Regular exercises and warm-ups are performed throughout the day to relax the muscles and relieve tension in the muscles.
- Tablets: To relieve tissue swelling, compresses should be made from cabbage, burdock leaves and plantain. 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 lumbar region increases and massages, wraps and exercises do not bring relief, you should immediately consult a therapist.
Contact a physician
If the discomfort and aching pain in the lower back don't go away and traditional medicine and massage don't help, how to treat? First, you should consult a therapist and find out their cause. For diagnosis, the back is examined in several ways:
- X-rays are taken to check for injuries.
- Ultrasound examinations are performed to rule out diseases and inflammation of the internal organs. Magnetic resonance imaging with CT may also be performed for this purpose.
- General and biochemical analyzes.
- ECG and gastroscopy are performed to rule out heart disease and gastrointestinal tract disorders.
After establishing an accurate diagnosis, the patient is prescribed appropriate therapeutic measures:
- problems with the spine, joints and muscles are treated with non-steroidal drugs, courses of therapeutic exercises and massages;
- cardiovascular diseases are treated by limiting physical activity and prescribing appropriate medications;
- diseases of the digestive system involve adherence to a strict diet and courses of medicines that envelop the intestines;
- bronchopulmonary diseases are treated with antibacterial and antiviral drugs;
- problems of the pelvic organs - antimicrobial agents and physiotherapy.
In addition, you should also take care of prevention:
- do not carry weight;
- always keep your back straight;
- sleeping on a hard mattress;
- avoid hypothermia, stress and overeating;
- treat acute diseases in a timely manner.
Back pain is easily prevented with timely prevention - a correct lifestyle, regular moderate exercise - all of which will help prevent back problems and alleviate existing ones.