Up to 80% of people suffer from lower back pain.For some, this may be one or several episodes in life, while for others the pain becomes chronic.There are many reasons that cause pain, so for an accurate diagnosis you should definitely consult a doctor.Each condition must be considered individually to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.
What causes pain
The likelihood of developing lower back pain increases due to a number of factors.
Age and poor physical fitness
The first problems with the lower back are felt between 25-45 years.With age, pain tends to intensify and become chronic due to the aging of the spine.
If the muscles that support the spinal column are not sufficiently developed and strengthened, this can lead to spinal diseases.Lower back pain often occurs in physically unprepared people who have lifted a heavy object.
Excess weight and heredity
Obesity places additional stress on the lumbar region.
There is a genetic predisposition to diseases.For example, if one of your relatives has a history of spondylosis or radiculitis, then you may be prone to the same pathologies.
Working conditions
If your work involves lifting heavy objects, you can hurt your back.Also, prolonged sitting can lead to lower back pain, especially in a person with poor posture.
Backpack
Try weighing your child's backpack.If it weighs more than 20% of the baby's weight, then wearing it causes muscle tension and lower back pain.
Other household reasons
Lower back pain can occur when performing everyday activities:
- lifting a heavy box, carrying heavy bags of groceries;
- rearrangement of furniture;
- lifting weights in the gym;
- turning your back during sports (golf, tennis, contact sports);
- during agricultural and construction work.
Spinal problems, radicular pain and herniated discs
A common cause of back pain is disease or injury to the muscles, bones and/or nerves of the spine.
Radicular pain appears due to pinching, hernia, when direct irritation of the nerve occurs.For example, with sciatica, the pain syndrome is acute, accompanied by numbness in the area of the leg, which is innervated by the affected nerve.
Hernias develop as the spine degenerates or thins.The jelly-like central portion of the disc protrudes from the central cavity and extends away from the nerve root.Intervertebral discs begin to degenerate by the 3rd decade of life.Herniated discs occur in a third of people over 20 years of age.However, only 3% of them cause lower back discomfort.
Spondylosis and narrowing of the spinal canal
Occurs when intervertebral discs lose moisture and volume with age, causing disc height to decrease.Even minor trauma with spondylosis can cause inflammation and damage to the nerve root.This can lead to classic sciatica without a ruptured disc.
Spinal disc degeneration combined with disease in the joints of the lower back can lead to a narrowing of the spinal canal.These changes cause pain.The narrowing of the canal is clearly visible on an x-ray.A person with spinal stenosis may have low back pain that radiates down both lower extremities.Symptoms may worsen after standing upright for a long time or walking even short distances.
Cauda equina syndrome and musculoskeletal pain syndromes
This is an emergency condition in which the spinal cord itself is compressed.The disc expands into the spinal canal, which compresses the nerves.The person is bothered by pain, possible loss of sensitivity, bowel or bladder dysfunction.This can lead to an inability to control urination: there may be urinary incontinence or an inability to start urinating.
Musculoskeletal pain syndromes cause significant symptoms and include myofascial syndromes and fibromyalgia:
- Myofascial pain is characterized by tenderness in localized areas (trigger points).The range of motion in the involved muscle groups decreases.Relief often occurs when the muscle group involved can be relaxed.
- Fibromyalgia results in diffusely widespread pain and tenderness throughout the body.Patients are concerned about general tension, fatigue and muscle stiffness.
Muscle or ligament strain, bulging or ruptured discs
Repeated lifting of heavy objects or sudden awkward movements can strain the muscles in your back and spine.If a person is in poor physical condition, constant stress on the back can cause painful muscle spasms.
The discs act as cushions between the bones in the spine.The soft core of the disc may bulge or rupture and put pressure on the nerve.But it is possible to have a bulging or ruptured disc without back pain.The disease is often discovered by chance when an X-ray of the spine is taken for some other reason.
Arthritis, arthrosis and osteoporosis
Osteoarthritis can affect the lower back.In some cases, arthritis in the spine can cause the space around the spinal cord to narrow.This condition is called spinal stenosis.
Osteoporosis in the spine can cause compression fractures if the bones become porous and brittle.
Spondylolisthesis and skeletal disorders
A condition where a bone in the spine falls out or moves out of its normal position.This can cause lower back pain and stiffness, as well as numbness and tingling in the extremities.
Skeletal disorders, a condition in which the spine curves to the side (scoliosis), can also lead to back pain.Typically occurs before middle age.
Infectious inflammatory processes
Bone infections (osteomyelitis) of the spine are a rare cause of low back pain.Inflammation of the nerves in the spine can occur when the nerves become infected with the herpes zoster virus, which causes shingles.It can occur in the thoracic region, causing symptoms in the upper back, or in the lumbar region, causing lower back pain.
Spondylitis can cause stiffness and pain in the spine, which is especially worse in the morning.Ankylosing spondylitis usually begins in people during adolescence and young adulthood.
Tumors and other causes
Benign and malignant tumors (as well as metastases) can cause lower back pain.
Pain that occurs due to organ abnormalities inside the abdomen, pelvis, or chest can also be felt in the back.For example, appendicitis, aneurysms, kidney disease, kidney infection, bladder and pelvic infections, and ovarian diseases can cause pain in the lower back.This pain is not associated with physical activity and occurs suddenly.If it appears, you should urgently contact a medical facility or call an ambulance at home.Normal pregnancy can also cause back pain.While carrying a baby, you may experience pelvic strain, nerve irritation, and lower back strain.
Preventing back pain
For prevention, experts recommend the following methods:
- Exercise regularly.Moderate exercise is suitable: walking, swimming or cycling for 30 minutes a day.Yoga helps remove muscle tension, strengthen muscles and improve posture.
- Before working out, exercising at home, or working in the garden, do a short warm-up with stretching.
- Do not arch your lumbar spine or slouch when standing or sitting.Poor posture increases stress on the lower back.
- At home or at work, make sure that work surfaces at home or at work are at a comfortable height for you.The chair should support your back well.Don't sit too long, take a break periodically to walk around.
- Wear comfortable low-heeled shoes.
- Sleeping on your side with your knees slightly tucked can help open up the joints in your spine and relieve pressure, reducing spinal curvature.
- Try not to lift objects that are too heavy.If you have to carry weights, you need to lift them by pushing off with your feet.You cannot bend or unbend your back - it must remain straight.
- Don't overeat to maintain your optimal weight.To support the skeletal system, there must be adequate intake of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D.
- Quit smoking.Smoking reduces blood flow to the lower spine, which can contribute to the development of degenerative processes.
When to see a doctor
If you associate the occurrence of lower back pain, for example, with lifting heavy objects, then after rest your health will be restored.You can take a pain reliever.
You need to see a doctor if:
- the pain does not go away for several days or becomes more intense;
- there is irradiation into the abdomen or radiates to the legs;
- increased body temperature;
- there was severe lethargy and weakness;
- if you have recently experienced severe weight loss for no apparent reason;
- defecation and urination have become uncontrollable and spontaneous;
- a sports, automobile or household injury occurred.
As you can see, the list of reasons why back pain in the lumbar region is extensive.In less than 1% of people, the cause of lower back pain is tumor, infectious processes or problems with internal organs.