Sudden, acute, painful or dull, radiating to the legs, waist pain, the cause cannot be determined immediately, and may indicate the development of various diseases. Only experienced doctors can understand what causes the pain syndrome after studying clinical pictures, patient complaints, and the results of ultrasound, X-ray, or MRI research and analysis. But many times, even before going to the doctor, a person wants to know in advance what his condition is related to.
The main cause of low back pain
First of all, all causes of back pain can be divided into two categories:
- Primary (pain is closely related to the pathology of the spine, intervertebral discs, muscle tissue or joints).
- Secondary (internal organ diseases cause pain, lower back pain, and the development of tumors due to infectious diseases in the body).
The main cause of low back pain
Today, bipedal walking is known as the cause of all diseases of the spine. The load on the spine increases strongly with the upright position of the body, especially in the lower part-the lumbar spine, which wears out more quickly.
The main causes of back pain are as follows:
- Lumbar osteochondrosis. Degenerative changes in the spine can cause acute pain, inflammation, swelling, and movement difficulties in the affected area. The cartilage tissue of the intervertebral disc and the characteristic changes of the vertebral body itself often cause nerve compression, which is manifested as acute pain.
- Spondyloarthropathy. This pathology affects the joint tissue in the spine area. In addition to joint pain, patients with spondyloarthropathy may experience severe stiffness when they are unable to straighten or turn.
Low back pain caused by osteochondrosis or spondyloarthropathy requires urgent, immediate medical care and, of course, immediate treatment.
Secondary low back pain
A large number of diseases unrelated to the pathological process of the spine can cause uncomfortable pain in the back.
There are secondary causes of low back pain, such as:
- Spine curvature (scoliosis, lordosis, etc. );
- Infections of various origins affecting the intervertebral discs (tuberculosis, etc. );
- The consequences of urinary system infections and flu;
- Inflammatory processes in the genital area;
- Gastrointestinal diseases (appendicitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, intestinal colic);
- Kidney disease;
- Tumor diseases located in the area around the waist;
- Excess weight;
- Osteoporosis, acute rheumatism, chronic arthritis;
- Standing or sitting for a long time;
- Muscle cramps;
- Nervousness, stress.
Diseases of the internal organs have their own distinct symptoms, which are only manifested in the waist.
Causes of low back pain in women and men
The structure of the female body is prone to cause heaviness and pain in the waist. This is due to the hormonal background: menstrual cycles, menopause and pregnancy affect the waist area because the reproductive organs are located nearby. Gynecological diseases (inflammation of the appendages and uterus) can cause radiation back pain in women.
Similarly, in men, prostatitis and inflammation of the epididymis can cause pain. As it happens, men experience back pain on a regular basis during continuous work in cold weather or during work related to weightlifting. This type of back pain requires preventive measures: you need to warm your back and wear a special corset.
Muscle clamp
In addition, I want to talk about moments like muscle cramps, which are usually the cause of low back pain. Continuous lack of physical exercise can lead to weakness in the back muscles, unable to withstand prolonged or increased load. Therefore, working on the legs or sitting motionlessly can cause overwork and pain in the back muscles.
When fear or anger causes muscle tension, stress can have the same effect. What follows is cramps and pain, if not eliminated in time.
Accompanying symptoms
The cause of low back pain is spinal disease, most often accompanied by the following symptoms:
- The discomfort can not only cover the back, but also move to the hips and lower limbs;
- Exercise may be very difficult or completely impossible;
- The affected area usually becomes inflamed and swollen.
For any of these symptoms, you need to seek medical help from a neurologist. If there are other accompanying symptoms, it is best to contact a therapist, who will determine the cause of the back pain, and then refer you to a specialist or prescribe a treatment.