Back pain is a very common symptom. Everyone has experienced it in one way or another in their life.
Back pain causes, frequency and risk factors
Let's take a look at why the lower back can hurt in the country. Most often, lower back pain indicates you:
- osteochondrosis and neuralgia;
- kidney disease;
- pancreatitis in the acute stage.
Let's consider each of the possible reasons in more detail.
Lower back pain can occur with various kidney diseases:
- glomerulonephritis - non-infectious kidney damage;
- pyelonephritis - purulent inflammation in the renal pelvis;
- formation and movement of stones in the kidneys and ureters.
Often hypothermia, cold or diet contribute to kidney disease; It's easy to confuse a torn back with kidney problems. However, there are symptoms that are characteristic of this type of disease:
- pain is not related to movements and physical activity;
- body temperature often rises above 37. 5 degrees;
- light tapping with the edge of the palm in the kidney area causes severe pain;
- there are problems with urination - often or very rarely, painful;
- urine becomes cloudy, changes color.
The first thing to do when you have kidney problems is to see a doctor. This organ performs a very important function in the body to take risks. When the doctor comes to your country house, try to alleviate the patient's condition.
What can be done:
- place the patient on the floor or help him to take a comfortable position;
- in case of temperature - give antipyretic;
- give the patient an antispasmodic, for example, no-shpu;
- control pressure, temperature;
- if necessary, provide assistance when the person needs to be turned around.
He often writes that warming compresses or hot baths will help kidney diseases. Don't forget!
If the pain is caused by pyelonephritis, heating will only make the condition worse, because heat increases inflammation.
All additional measures can be prescribed by a doctor after a professional examination.
Back injury is the most common cause of back pain.
Back pain happens to almost every person at least once in their life. It should be noted that pain can occur anywhere in your back, but pain in the lower back is the most common. This is due to the fact that the lumbar vertebrae bear the maximum load from your body weight.
Back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor, right after viral infections. You may experience back pain after lifting a heavy object, after a sudden movement, after staying in one position for a long time, or after a spinal injury. Acute pain in the lower back is most often caused by displacement of the intervertebral disc and damage to the spine.
Conditions that can cause back pain include:
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine
- Intervertebral hernia and intervertebral disc protrusion
- Spondylarosis
- Spondylosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Compression fracture due to osteoporosis, multiple myeloma, vertebral hemangioma
- Tumor in the lumen of the spinal canal
Destruction of the lumbar vertebrae in tuberculosis is a rare cause of back pain.
- Fracture of the spine after injury
- Prolonged muscle tension
- Anatomically narrow spinal canal
- Curvature of the spine (scoliosis, kyphosis, kyphoscoliosis, Scheuermann disease Mau)
- aortic aneurysm
- Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis
- Spinal infections - osteomyelitis, discitis, spinal tuberculosis
- Pyelonephritis, urolithiasis
- The complicated course of pregnancy
- Gynecological diseases (endometriosis, ovarian cyst, ovarian cancer, etc. )
back pain with pancreatitis
A tumor in the lumen of the spinal canal is a common cause of back pain.
The pain can be different: sharp, dull, pulling, burning, tingling and may be accompanied by vomiting and numbness. The intensity of back pain can vary significantly - from mild to unbearable pain that makes it difficult to do even a small movement. Pain can be combined with pain in the thigh, pain in the lower leg, pain in the foot.
Do not start with X-rays of the spine for back pain.
- Reduce physical activity in the first two days after the onset of the attack. This will help reduce the symptoms of the disease and swelling in the area of pain.
- Do not sit forward until the pain is completely gone.
- Take pain relievers only when the pain is unbearable. It is better to give an intramuscular injection than to drink an anesthetic drug. This will protect your stomach wall from direct contact with the anti-inflammatory medication. Try not to take too much medicine. If the back pain is not related to an autoimmune disease, do not use hormonal drugs for treatment.
- Lie in the fetal position with a pillow between your legs. If you usually sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees
- A common misconception is to limit physical activity for long periods of time. Bed rest is not recommended! If you have no fever, weight loss, involuntary urination, or bowel movements, then you should stay as active as you can. You can reduce your activity only in the first two days after the onset of pain. Start doing light aerobic exercise. Walking on the simulator, swimming will help improve blood flow to the back muscles. Consult your doctor for the selection of exercises so as not to cause an increase in pain.
A characteristic symptom of pancreatitis is girdle pain starting under the ribs on the left. Then it spreads to the stomach and back, forming a ring. Pain in the navel can also indicate pancreatitis. In atypical forms of the disease, pain in the back, just above the waist, is not uncommon - they are usually mistaken for anything other than a symptom of pancreatitis.
Back pain in acute pancreatitis is very severe. First aid for pancreatitis includes:
- hunger (the patient should not eat before the examination);
- comfortable position (helping the person to accept it), peace and comfort;
- moderate drinking (you can gradually give plain water);
- control of the situation (do not leave the patient alone).
There are body positions that help reduce pain: the knee-elbow position and the fetal position.
Diagnostic methods
First you need to see a neurologist. The doctor will ask you questions about the nature, frequency, and recurrence of your pain. The doctor will try to determine the cause of the pain and begin treatment with simple methods (ice, mild pain relievers, physical therapy and appropriate exercises).
In 95% of cases, MRI will identify the true cause of back pain.
In most cases, these treatments lead to reduced back pain. During the examination, the doctor will determine the exact position of the pain, its radiation, neurological reflexes. Most people with back pain recover within 4-6 weeks. Diagnosis involves magnetic resonance imaging (eng.
MRI) lumbar spine, computed tomography of the lumbosacral spine, X-ray of the spine. Since the most common cause of back pain is a herniated disc in the lumbosacral spine, an MRI examination of the lumbar region is necessary first.
This study will also help rule out tumor in the lumen of the spinal canal, spinal tuberculosis, spinal fracture, multiple myeloma, anatomically narrow spinal canal, spondylolisthesis, various curvatures of the spine, spondylosis and other causes of pain. spondylarthrosis.
If your neurologist has not ordered an MRI for you, do one yourself. The power of the MRI machine should be 1 Tesla or more. You should not start the diagnosis with X-ray and computed tomography, these methods are dangerous. They can only be done if a spinal fracture is suspected in the first place.
The diagnosis is based on the patient's complaints, his external examination, anamnesis data, instrumental and biochemical research results. Radiography is the most informative in detecting pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. The obtained images clearly visualize the deformed vertebral bodies and the reduction of the distance between them, as well as the formed bone growths (osteophytes).
If you suspect hernia protrusion, protrusion, diseases of internal organs, MRI, CT, ultrasound are performed. These studies allow to detect the localization of the pathology, to assess the degree of the inflammatory process.
General clinical blood and urine tests are mandatory. If a systemic disease (gout, rheumatoid arthritis) is suspected, biochemical and serological studies are indicated.
Back pain due to osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a disease of the articular cartilage that connects the vertebrae. Due to their pathology, the roots of the spinal cord are compressed, which is the cause of pain. Anyone over the age of 30 is at risk of osteochondrosis, and recently this diagnosis is often found in teenagers and very young people.
The main cause of an attack of back pain is lifting heavy loads, working for a long time in an uncomfortable position (for example, weeding or gardening). The development of osteochondrosis is also provoked by long car trips where a person is constantly in a sitting position.
Such low back pain can happen to almost anyone. You can recognize osteochondrosis by the following symptoms:
- the lower back hurts, the pain spreads to the leg;
- pain increases with movement, change of position, load;
- may be bothered by burning or shooting pains - "lumbago";
- after staying in one position for a long time, it is difficult and painful to change it;
- the sensitivity of the legs and hips decreases, the feeling of "gas bubbles" appears;
- feet are cold, sweating is disturbed.
There is no temperature in osteochondrosis.
Pain in osteochondrosis can pass at any time.
If you are absolutely sure that the problem is in the spine, the following measures will help a person:
- woolen belt or woolen scarf in the waist area;
- sleeping on a hard surface: wood, table, hard mattress;
- taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- local anti-inflammatory ointments.
If you are not sure about the diagnosis, consult a doctor - taking anti-inflammatory drugs for problems with the stomach or pancreas can make the condition worse.
What to do
In no case do not try to "build" your back on your own - this can increase pain and even damage your back.
With exacerbation of osteochondrosis, warming procedures are not recommended. Under no circumstances should you take a hot bath or steam in the bathroom. After warming up, a person will feel temporary relief, then the pain will increase significantly. If such pains often bother you, you should take an MRI (image of the back) and consult a neurologist.
It is important! If after taking anti-inflammatory drugs, you feel that the relief or pain is completely gone, you should not continue physical activity. The patient needs rest - up to bed rest - for some more time.
If it is neuralgia, how to relieve the pain
Neuralgia is an inflammation of the nerve. The symptoms of neuralgic back pain are similar to the symptoms of osteochondrosis: the back reacts to movements, the patient is afraid to move. But there are also specific points:
- pain spreads along the inflamed nerve;
- the nature of the pain is "jumping", it can subside and appear suddenly even at rest;
- skin color and sweating may change, muscle tremors occur;
- if you press on the back, the pain occurs on both sides of the spine.
Neuralgic pains are difficult to treat, but it is necessary to try to relieve them. Help the patient:
- analgesic anti-inflammatory drugs;
- antispasmodic drugs;
- complete relaxation.
With severe neuralgic pains, it is better to hospitalize the patient. Doctors in the hospital use novocaine blockades for neuralgia.
Don't forget! Using medicines without medical advice and examination can put your health at risk.
Seeking a doctor on time will avoid serious complications of the disease.
Conditions you need to see a doctor:
- Lower back pain associated with leg pain and leg pain
- Pain prevents you from taking care of yourself
- Pain associated with urinary and faecal incontinence
- Combination of pain in the lower back with numbness in the hips, thighs, legs, feet, groin
- If you have had back pain before
- If the pain lasts more than 3 days
- If you are taking hormones
- If back pain occurs after an injury
- Previously diagnosed with cancer
- If you have recently lost weight for unknown reasons