Why do back pain happen? Severe back pain

Back pain is an unpleasant phenomenon, yet familiar to everyone. It is not surprising, because even an unsuccessful warm-up in the morning can cause it. For some people, this phenomenon is a constant companion, for others, fortunately, a rare guest. Why does the back hurt, to whom to go for treatment and is it necessary at all? We talk about the causes, dangers and nature of back pain.

Reason 1. Infections of the spine

Another name is spinal infections. These are viral lesions that affect the internal structures of the vertebrae or the interdiscal space. Viruses can enter the body from outside (wound infections - due to injuries, operations) or be complications viral diseases(often - various kinds of myelitis, coccal infections, etc.).

The symptoms of spinal column infection depend on the type of infection. It can be unexpressed aching pain in the back and chest area, or sudden intense pain. The focus is quite difficult to determine. The patient usually says "everything hurts." The condition is accompanied by limited mobility, chills, fever, weakness, body aches.

Reason 2. Degenerative-dystrophic diseases

Caused by wear intervertebral discs, fragility of bones, loss of elasticity of spinal tissues. Moreover, such changes are not necessarily age-related. Today, young people also suffer from arthritis, spondylosis, and osteochondrosis.

Over time, pathological processes in the spine become degenerative, i.e., irreversible. In this case, you have to apply surgical methods treatment - joint replacement, surgical restoration of vertebrae and other structures. Arthrosis, osteoporosis, and sciatica often flow into the degenerative form.

Of course, these changes are not asymptomatic. Often, patients report backache, acute pain in the affected area, limited mobility, stabbing pain, crunching, pain during certain movements (for example, in the lower back when bending forward). As a rule, a person can clearly determine exactly where it hurts.

A rheumatologist, an osteopath, a chiropractor, a traumatologist, a neurologist and a number of other specialists are engaged in the treatment of degenerative-dystrophic diseases. Don't know who to contact? Make an appointment with a general practitioner first.

Reason 3. Intervertebral hernia

Intervertebral hernia is the "squeezing out" of the nucleus pulposus by neighboring vertebrae. The nucleus pulposus is a kind of hinge, which is located in the center between the vertebrae and ensures their mobility. Therefore, we can lean in all directions. But this structure is semi-liquid, and with increased or sharp physical exertion, it can “crawl out” beyond the intervertebral space, forming a hernia.

The pain is sharp, pronounced, sharply increases with exercise. May be accompanied by a violation of the sensitivity of the hands, feet, numbness and pain of the extremities, give to the buttock.

Intervertebral hernia will be diagnosed by an orthopedist, neurologist, neurosurgeon, vertebrologist.

Reason 4. Postponed back injuries

Trauma, alas, does not go unnoticed. Fracture of the bones of the spine (compression fracture), bruises, sprains of ligaments, muscles (back breaks), displacement and dislocation of the vertebrae, characteristic of many athletes and lovers of an active lifestyle, make themselves felt with age. Any injury, even successfully healed, affects the integrity of the structure of bones, cartilage and their functionality.

An orthopedist or traumatologist will diagnose and treat pain after injuries.

Reason 5. Diseases of the internal organs

In some cases, specialists in "bones and joints" will not help, as they will not find any abnormalities. But do not rush to complain about their incompetence, because the source of back pain can be internal organs.

First of all, these are gynecological (uterus, appendages) and andrological (prostate) diseases. Inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs and menstruation are given to the lower back. The pain is pulling, aching, dull. For diagnosis, contact a gynecologist or andrologist, respectively.

Kidney disease (pyelonephritis, renal colic) cause pain. It is quite strong, spreads along the entire lower back, and with light tapping in lumbar intensifies. If this is about you, a nephrologist will help.

In general, almost all inflammatory diseases can cause back pain. In lung diseases, it hurts between the shoulder blades, problems with the liver and stomach are reflected in the lower back at waist level.

Reason 6. Violations of posture

These include scoliosis, stoop, abnormal deflection in the lumbar region. Posture disorders are often accompanied by protrusion of the abdomen, retracted buttocks, problems with gait (heavy gait, limping). The basis of such external changes is the curvature of the spine, which disrupts blood circulation, leads to muscle strain in some parts of the back and their weakening in others. Incorrect position of the vertebrae, their friction against each other, turning around their own axis (with scoliosis) - all this is the cause of severe back pain.

The pain can be both acute if the vertebrae are damaged, or aching, dull, spreading throughout the back.

Back problems associated with poor posture will be dealt with by an orthopedist or vertebrologist.

Reason 7. Tumors of the spine

These are cystic formations and cancerous tumors.

A cyst is a blister with blood. It appears as a result of various kinds of hemorrhages in the spine. The cyst is characterized by constant severe pain, which can be removed only with the help of painkillers. Numbness and tingling in the extremities can also be symptoms of a cyst.

Cancer is either primary or secondary. Primary is cancer that has formed in the spinal column, secondary is metastases, that is, side tumors that form in the later stages in all organs. In malignant tumors, pain may be accompanied by muscle weakness, loss of sensitivity in certain areas.

Neoplasms in the spine are studied by a vertebrologist, an oncologist, and a neurosurgeon.

Other reasons

Bruises, pregnancy and childbirth, sedentary work, physical activity, gardening activities are also often the cause of back pain. If within 3-4 days after the load it does not go away or intensifies, make an appointment with a specialist.

Determining the exact cause of back pain often requires not only the experience of a specialist, but also accurate diagnostic equipment. Best Clinic doctors work with equipment that allows you to see even minor changes in the structure of the spine. Computed tomography, MRI, radiography - you will find with us modern methods diagnostics and get help. Call us or leave a request on the site!

A neurologist, a doctor, tells Health Mail.Ru about what diseases pain indicates the highest category networks medical clinics"Family" Andrey Rusakov.

Risks

Most often, back pain is experienced by people who sit a lot - for example, at a computer, or, on the contrary, those who exhaust themselves with physical exertion - whether it be physical labor or hard training.

If you are worried about frequent back pain, especially radiating to other parts of the body - buttocks, hips, knees, feet, hands, if the pain occurs when you cough and the temperature drops, you need to urgently contact a neurologist or an orthopedist.

Andrey Rusakov

Osteochondrosis

With this disease, the structure and normal functioning of the intervertebral discs are disrupted. These are exactly the elements that provide an even distribution of the load, mobility and flexibility of the spine.

(what is invested in this concept in Russia) in the first place in terms of the frequency of complaints of pain and prevalence. He has several stages of development, at each certain pathological processes cause pain. The disease affects people of all ages.

With age and in the event of adverse conditions, degeneration of the spine occurs, the ability of the discs to self-heal decreases or is completely lost. The process is accelerated by the following factors:

You recognize lumbar osteochondrosis by a number of characteristic features. Among them is a burning sensation in the back, which can be aggravated by heavy lifting or physical exertion. Often the pain radiates to the legs, sacrum and pelvic organs, while the legs may lose sensitivity.

With osteochondrosis cervical a person can be tormented by, aggravated by movement, dizziness caused by a sharp turn of the head, "flies" before the eyes, ringing in the ears, pain in the arms and chest, vision may deteriorate. As for osteochondrosis thoracic, then it is characterized by:

The main danger of osteochondrosis is that it can lead to the formation of protrusions and. These formations can cause a violation of sensitivity and radiating pain.

The essence of the treatment is to relieve pain, muscle spasms and restore the functions of the spine.

Andrey Rusakov

Treatment includes medicines, massage, physiotherapy and shock wave therapy, and, of course, courses of special therapeutic exercises. It is advisable to do this in an equipped room with an experienced certified trainer who specializes specifically in the recovery of patients with spinal problems.

Prevention is swimming, if possible, the exclusion of stress, hypothermia, a long stay in one position. Don't forget about proper nutrition, full sleep and that you should not lift weights.

Protrusions and intervertebral hernias

Against the background of osteochondrosis and degenerative processes in the spine, protrusions (protrusions) and herniated discs may occur.

How a hernia appears: discs gradually collapse, their nuclei lose their mobility, microcracks appear in the disc annulus, it becomes thinner and ruptures as a result, and the remnants of the disc and the nucleus go beyond the annulus. This terminal phase of a herniated disc is called a sequestered disc herniation.

During protrusion, the disc is deformed, its fibrous ring is stretched, but the core does not go beyond it. A herniated disc is formed when the nucleus begins to extrude through a crack in the annulus fibrosus. Disc herniations can be classified into extrusions or sequestrated disc herniations. During extrusion, the portion of the disc that has passed through the annulus remains attached to the disc itself.

With a sequestered disc, the extruded portion separates from the disc. Of course, the bulging part of the disc can cause pain.

If a hernia presses on the spinal cord, a person may be tormented by weakness, numbness in the limbs, dysfunction Bladder or intestines, gait may be disturbed. If squeezed spinal nerve, local numbness, tingling in this area, weakness may appear.

If the cervical nerve is pinched, it can manifest as numbness, weakness and tingling in the arms, difficulty turning and tilting the head, and pain when moving the arms.
Sometimes cervical herniation causes hypoxia due to compression main vessels neck.

In this case, there may be sudden changes in pressure, dizziness, regular headache, "flies" or fog before the eyes, poor orientation in space, nausea. Hearing and vision may be impaired.

A hernia of the lower thoracic spine can be identified by pain in the lower chest and back. Sometimes there is pain in the upper abdomen, which can be confused with a stomach ulcer or kidney disease.

Andrey Rusakov

Spinal stenosis

When the functions of the intervertebral disc are disturbed, the work of transferring the load is shifted to the surrounding tissues - ligaments and posterior elements of the spinal motion segment. The ligaments begin to grow in order to adapt to the new load. As the ligaments increase, the spinal canal, in which the spinal cord is located, narrows. This is called stenosis spinal canal. Its symptoms are intermittent claudication and pain when walking and/or numbness and tingling in the legs.

The pain appears when walking and standing upright and decreases if you sit or lie down. When making a diagnosis of spinal stenosis, it is important to rule out other vascular diseases which can cause similar symptoms.

Spondylosis

This is a degenerative process in the spine, during which bony growths appear along the edges of the vertebral bodies. These spondylosis formations can injure the spinal roots and articular bags of the intervertebral joints with the subsequent development of pain.

Spondylosis is the last phase of degenerative-dystrophic changes, a protective function of the body, it limits damage to the spinal motion segment.

Andrey Rusakov

Spondylosis can be in the cervical, thoracic or lumbar region. Most often, patients complain of a feeling of stiffness and fatigue in the area of ​​spondylosis, dull pain, which can be alleviated by massage of the affected area.

facet syndrome

Separately, for reasons of back pain, there is the so-called "facet syndrome" - this is spondylarthrosis of the facet joints. It always occurs suddenly, can be repeated several times a year. It manifests itself in pain during extension and rotation of the body, while it is difficult to be on your feet, and if you sit down, the pain intensifies.

Almost all adults feel from time to time backache. The structure and function of the spine makes the back prone to pain and injury. The spine is made up of 33 vertebrae, separated by flexible cartilages called intervertebral discs, and surrounded and riddled with ligaments, muscles, and nerves. Unsuccessful, abrupt movement, too much load (for example, carrying heavy weights), or poor posture can cause back pain.

In most cases backache is not a serious disorder and can be easily prevented, but sometimes it can be associated with serious diseases and injuries of the spine (incl. osteochondrosis), and in some cases with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or urinary system (for example,).

The reasons

• bad posture;
• excess weight;
• weight lifting;
• infections and other diseases.

Symptoms

If you feel backache from stress and during physical activity, or you experience occasional pain in the neck and back, it is recommended to consult a doctor if there is no improvement after 3-5 days, if there is back pain and a temperature above 37.8, if the pain in the back accompanied by nausea or diarrhea, painful or too frequent urination, with severe back pain during menstruation, when back pain radiates to the arms or legs and is accompanied by numbness lower extremities. Immediate hospitalization is required if at the same time there is difficulty in movements in the limbs, confusion.

What can you do

moderate physical activity the best remedy fight against back pain.

A hot bath or hot compress can relieve pain, but these are best avoided for the first 2 days. Take medicine to relieve pain and inflammation.

After reducing the severity of pain, return to your normal mode and work gradually, trying not to overload your back. Try to fight with, which can exacerbate pain.

What can a doctor do

The physician must determine the cause of the back pain and rule out other, more serious illness. Write out painkillers or. Refer you to a neurologist, rheumatologist or orthopedist if necessary.

It is unlikely that there will be at least one person who at least once in his life faced such a problem as lower back pain. Usually, pain comes on suddenly and can go unnoticed for a long time. But is it worth ignoring the signals of your own body?

The modern rhythm of life forces us to spend most of our time in a sitting position. As a result, on some muscles and a lack of load on others. Charging, long walks, swimming in the pool and other physical activities are an excellent prevention of various diseases, but it is far from always possible to find time for all this. Let's talk about the causes of girdle pain in the lumbar region and how what measures should be taken upon her appearance.

Reason one: diseases of the musculoskeletal system

The most common reason back pain is a disease of the spine. Among them are separately distinguished:

• osteochondrosis;
• scoliosis;
• trauma;
• radiculitis;
• tuberculosis and syphilitic processes;
• neoplasms (tumors).

We put osteochondrosis in the first place, because this disease is the most common and one of the most dangerous.

Initially, osteochondrosis may be asymptomatic. Unpleasant sensations can only be felt when intervertebral discs already thinned out quite a lot, and the infringement of the nerves began.

The next stage is the development of inflammation, which leads to swelling and even more infringement.

How does the disease manifest itself? Externally, osteochondrosis manifests itself as a curvature of the spine and restriction of movement. In this case, the spine in the lumbar region hurts quite strongly. Relief of the pain syndrome is observed in a horizontal position when taking a certain posture.

Which doctor should I go to?

Since osteochondrosis has a number of concomitant diseases (for example, gastrointestinal diseases), you need to contact a therapist to draw up a treatment plan. Based on the analyzes performed, he will be able to give a referral for a consultation with specialized specialists.

First aid

First aid is especially needed to the patient, if he has the so-called "lumbago". To alleviate the condition, it is necessary to lay the person on his back on a hard surface.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

First of all, it is necessary to observe strict bed rest. Treatment can be divided into several stages:

1. Pain syndrome treatment. It can be done both at home and in a hospital. Compresses are applied to the patient, rubbing is done, painkillers are given.
2. Therapy, which includes the use of vasodilators, dehydrating drugs, analgesic blockades.
3. Carrying out neurological procedures (manual exposure, physiotherapy, the introduction of the necessary drugs)
4. Recovery stage. It is carried out in a hospital, at home or in a sanatorium. This stage is aimed at restoring functions and rehabilitation of the body.

After a course of treatment preventive measures must be taken, namely: move more if the work is sedentary - take breaks every hour, sleep on a hard bed, go to the pool and monitor your weight.

Reason two: pregnancy

Many pregnant women note the occurrence of girdle pain. The waiting period for a baby is an exciting and difficult time when the expectant mother needs to pay great attention to her well-being.

There are two main causes of pain: the threat of miscarriage and increased load on the spine (especially at 5-6 months, when fast growth abdomen, legs and lower back hurt).

Other causes (eg, kidney disease, genitourinary disease) are usually identified during a general examination. upon registration. Some pregnant women may complain that they have pain in the lower back and tailbone - such symptoms occur when preparing the pelvis for childbirth.

Which doctor should I go to?

It is best to contact the gynecologist leading the pregnancy. If the pain is tolerable, then you can visit a doctor on your own. In case of severe pain, it is recommended to call ambulance.

Treatment

Treatment for a threatened miscarriage is performed in a hospital. In the second option, doctors recommend wear a bandage and do special gymnastics for pregnant. Knee-elbow poses are especially useful.

Prevention

If there are no contraindications, then an excellent prevention of lower back pain is a visit to the pool. Well strengthen muscles and daily walks in the fresh air (at least 1-2 hours). Please note that physical activity should increase gradually, otherwise the pain syndrome will not be long in coming.

Reason three: diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that can cause girdle pain in the lumbar region include:

• pancreatitis;
• appendicitis;
• colitis and enteritis;
• diseases duodenum;
• ulcers and other diseases of the stomach.

Sharp and severe pain occurs precisely during attacks of pancreatitis, therefore, most often people with suspicion of this disease turn to doctors.

How does pancreatitis manifest itself? The pain occurs sharply, but in a sitting position or when the torso is tilted forward, it subsides. When the lower back hurts lying down or the lower back hurts when you get up - you can say with sufficient confidence that this is pancreatitis.

The pain syndrome may be accompanied elevated temperature , loss of appetite and nausea, bloating, hiccups, shortness of breath, unpleasant sensations in the epigastric region.

I would like to add that, like any other disease, pancreatitis does not appear suddenly, but may take years to develop. If you observe the occurrence of mild pain 15 minutes after eating, passing after a short time, it is better to consult a doctor.

Which doctor should I go to?

If pancreatitis is suspected, it is recommended to consult a general practitioner or gastroenterologist. In acute pancreatitis, it is urgent to call an ambulance. Otherwise, this disease can develop into another, even more dangerous - pancreatic necrosis.

First aid for acute pancreatitis

There are situations when it is impossible to quickly call an ambulance or it may not arrive soon. To relieve an attack of acute pancreatitis the following measures must be taken:

1. Have the patient sit down and tilt the torso slightly forward. Give him peace.
2. Avoid eating food.
3. Ensure fluid intake every half hour, but no more than ¼ cup.
4. Give the patient 0.8 mg No-Shpa or Drotaverine. Medicines containing enzymes (Creon, Mezin, etc.) should be excluded.
5. Apply something cold to the area of ​​the pancreas from the back.

Treatment

Acute pancreatitis is treated only in a hospital. In chronic pancreatitis, specialists may prescribe antispasmodics (for example, No-Shpa) or a course of antisecretory ones.

It is also necessary to strictly adhere to the diet. With prolonged chronic pancreatitis, enzymes can be prescribed, for example, Festal, Pancreatin, Micrasim, Creon and others.

Reason four: kidney disease

Due to the increased popularity of kidney disease worth highlighting as a separate item. Despite their diversity, almost every one of them causes girdle pain in the lumbar region.

Symptoms can easily be confused with other diseases.

Most common:

• pyelonephritis;
• cystitis;
• urolithiasis disease;
• glomerulonephritis;
• nephroptosis;
• various types of tumors.

How is it manifested? By themselves kidneys are not sensitive to pain, so it is not always easy to notice the problem before the critical moment. Other symptoms are: increased urination, nausea and loss of appetite, chills.

Occasionally - an increase in temperature, but, as a rule, it rises in parallel with the pain syndrome or literally a few days before it. It often happens that when the lower back hurts, it radiates to the leg.

Sometimes patients complain: “The lower back hurts when I sit” - this symptom also has a place to be. Please note that with this disease, the pain does not go away with a change in body position.

Which doctor should I go to?

As a rule, kidney diseases make themselves felt quite clearly, so in most cases an ambulance is called to the patient.

If you only have suspicions, you can visit a therapist who will give you referral to a nephrologist or urologist(depending on the type of disease).

This video shows the causes of back pain
https://youtu.be/nJMLXCuwrZY

First aid

The patient must be put to bed and provided with a drink - ordinary water, fruit drinks from lingonberries or cranberries. The lumbar region can be wrapped with a warm blanket or a wool sweater and wait for a doctor's appointment.

Treatment

Almost all kidney diseases require long-term treatment. First, it is carried out in a hospital, after which a course of drugs for home use is prescribed.

The main danger lies in the risk of recurrence the same disease, so prevention is very important. First of all, it is necessary to avoid even slight hypothermia of the body. Secondly, try to drink more herbal teas or fruit drinks.

Reason five: the heart

No matter how paradoxical it may sound, sometimes girdle pain in the lower back can be a sign of heart disease, such as myocardial infarction.

The main symptoms are bias pain from the left shoulder blade down. Pain may cover chest and spread to left hand(or lower back and left leg hurt). In such cases, the only way out is to immediately call an ambulance.

Conclusion

It hurts much less often under the lower back during exacerbations of female diseases - basically the pain radiates to the sides. Similar situations are also observed in diseases of the peripheral nervous system or herpes zoster (for example, lower back pain and leg pulling).

But no matter what problem suits you in terms of symptoms, there is only one conclusion - need to see a doctor as soon as possible. Only this will avoid serious complications.