Sudden onset, acute, painful or dull, radiating to the legs, pain in the lower back, the cause of which cannot always be determined immediately, may indicate the development of various diseases. Only an experienced physician will be able to understand what exactly caused the pain syndrome, after studying the clinical picture, the patient’s complaints, as well as the results of ultrasound, X-ray, or MRI studies and analyzes. But often, even before going to the doctor, a person wants to know in advance what his condition is related to.
The main causes of lumbar pain
First of all, all causes of back pain can be divided into two main types:
- Primary (pain is associated with pathology of the spine, intervertebral discs, muscle tissue or joints).
- Secondary (pain occurs in pathologies of internal organs and is given to the lower back, as well as due to infectious diseases in the body, tumor development).
Primary causes of back pain
Bipedalism is today called the cause of all spinal diseases. The load on the spinal column is strongly increased by the upright position of the body, especially on the lower part - the lumbar part, which wears out faster.
The main primary causes of back pain are as follows:
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. Degenerative changes in the spine cause acute pain, inflammation, swelling in the affected area, difficulty moving. Characteristic changes in the cartilaginous tissue of the vertebral discs and the vertebral bodies themselves often cause nerve pinching, which is manifested by acute pain.
- Spondyloarthritis. This pathology affects the joint tissue in the area of the spinal column. In addition to joint pain, a person with spondyloarthritis may feel severe stiffness when unable to straighten or turn.
Lower back pain caused by osteochondrosis or spondyloarthritis requires urgent, urgent medical attention and, of course, urgent treatment.
Secondary lower back pain
A huge number of diseases that are not associated with pathological processes in the spine can cause unpleasant back pain.
There are secondary causes of lower back pain such as:
- curvature of the spine (scoliosis, lordosis, etc. );
- infections of various origins affecting the intervertebral discs (tuberculosis, etc. );
- urinary tract infections and the effects of the flu;
- inflammatory processes in the genital area;
- gastrointestinal diseases (appendicitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, intestinal colic);
- kidney disease;
- oncological diseases localized in the peri-lumbar region;
- extra pounds;
- osteoporosis, acute rheumatism, chronic arthritis;
- prolonged standing or sitting;
- muscle spasm;
- nervous tension, stress.
Diseases of the internal organs have their vivid symptoms, which are reflected only in the lower back.
Causes of lower back pain in women and men
The structure of the female body predisposes to the appearance of heaviness and pain in the lumbar region. This is due to the hormonal background: the menstrual cycle, menopause and pregnancy affect the lumbar region, because the reproductive organs are located in the immediate vicinity. Gynecological diseases (inflammation of the appendages and uterus) cause radiating pain in the lower back in women.
Similarly, in men, prostatitis and inflammation of the epididymis cause pain. It happens that men occasionally have back pain during constant work in the cold on the draft or if the work is related to lifting weights. Such causes of back pain require preventive measures: you need to warm your back and wear a special corset.
Muscle clamps
Separately, I would like to dwell on such a moment as muscle cramps, which are often the cause of lower back pain. The constant lack of physical activity leads to the fact that the back muscles are weak and cannot withstand long-term or increased loads. Therefore, working on the legs or in a stationary sitting position causes strain on the back muscles and pain.
Stress has the same effect when muscle tension arises as a result of emotions of fear or anger. This is followed by cramping and pain, if not removed in time.
Accompanying symptoms
Lower back pain, the causes of which lie in a spinal lesion, is most often accompanied by the following symptoms:
- discomfort can cover not only the back, but also spread to the buttocks and lower limbs;
- movement can be very difficult or completely impossible;
- the affected area is usually inflamed and swollen.
For any of these symptoms, it is necessary to seek medical help from a neurologist. If there are other accompanying symptoms, then it is better to contact a therapist who will determine the causes of back pain and then refer you to a specialist or prescribe treatment.