It often happens that the patient turns to the doctor to find out why the back hurts in the lumbar region. Very often, people who spend a lot of time in their own garden are faced with such a pain syndrome. By constantly improving the house and not sparing the plot, people are undermining their health. A day or two of hard work and now you can't stand up without excruciating pain. However, in some cases, pain indicates the presence of other pathologies. To determine the right treatment strategy, you must first find the root cause of the pain.
Possible Factors: Is It All Serious?
To properly treat the problem, you must first determine its cause. The lower back hurts from the left or right, or even causes belt pain, if the person's kidney function and health are damaged, osteochondrosis has developed, neuralgia is observed. There is a possibility of acute pancreatitis. All described conditions require thorough treatment, so it is advisable to consult a doctor. If you try to choose a course of therapy on your own, you can harm your health, the condition will become even worse. If you see a doctor, the reception will evaluate your symptoms, make a preliminary diagnosis and send you for tests that confirm or refute the assumption.
Kidneys hurt
If the back hurts a lot in the lumbar region, there is a possibility of pyelonephritis. The term means the formation of inflammatory foci in the body. If the disease is not infectious, glomerulonephritis can be diagnosed. Sometimes the pain syndrome indicates the appearance of stones in the kidneys and ducts. The processes of their generation, as well as movement, cause quite strong discomfort.
Often the disease develops against the background of hypothermia, it can be preceded by a cold. It should be noted that people who follow a strict diet are more likely to suffer from kidney disease. The symptoms of kidney pathologies and the condition called "back tear" are similar in many respects. There are a number of specific symptoms that allow more accurate identification of the pathology. If the kidney is sick, the sensations do not depend on the load, activity, and movements. Many people get a fever, the urine becomes cloudy, the color changes. Some people notice an increased urge to urinate, the process itself is accompanied by pain. A light tap with the edge of the hand is made near the kidneys, the area will react with severe pain.
How can you help yourself?
If a man, woman, or child has lower back pain, or if there is reason to suspect kidney disease, it is worth visiting the local doctor or calling at home. The kidneys are extremely important elements of the functioning of the human body, therefore unjustified risks are unacceptable. While waiting for the specialist to arrive, you can try to alleviate the symptoms of the disease. The patient is made to lie down or sit up so that he feels as comfortable as possible, they are given the opportunity to reduce the heat if the temperature exceeds 38 degrees. To make the pain a little less severe, you can take antispasmodic medicine. If the patient needs to change his body position, he must be helped. Blood pressure and body temperature should also be monitored.
It happens that people are convinced that they know for sure what to do if the back hurts in the lumbar region: immediately apply a warm compress or put the sufferer in a hot bath. In case of kidney diseases, such procedures are strictly prohibited. Any rewarming drastically worsens the patient's condition. If someone has developed pyelonephritis, this activates the inflammatory focus. It is the patient's responsibility to wait for the specialist to arrive. The doctor examines the patient and recommends further measures.
Pancreatitis
If the back hurts in the lumbar region, in men, women or children, the cause may be pancreatitis. Pathology can be suspected when the pain surrounds you, while creating a feeling that it originates from the left half of the body, the hypochondrium region. It is possible to cover the back, abdomen - this forms rings of pain. For some, pancreatitis causes severe pain near the navel. If the pathology progresses atypically, the patient has back pain - in the lower back and a little higher. This nature of pain syndrome localization often causes an incorrect initial diagnosis.
If pancreatitis is suspected, a doctor should be called. While you are waiting for the specialist, you should completely refuse food - during the inflammatory process, food can drastically worsen the condition. The caregiver should help the sufferer to maintain a comfortable posture; as much as possible, provide comfort and peace to the person. You can drink some water without additives, but drinking is only allowed in moderation. It is advisable not to leave the patient, to continuously monitor the change in condition until the specialist arrives. It is believed that the pain is slightly less when curled up in the fetal position.
Osteochondrosis
If you have a lot of pain in the lower back, it is probably caused by a disease of the cartilages of the joints that connect the elements of the spine. The pathological process involves pinching of nerve roots - this will be the source of pain. According to doctors, the probability of developing the disease is high for any compatriot over the age of 30. In recent years, osteochondrosis is diagnosed more and more often in young people, and it can also be detected in adolescents.
Pain can be triggered by lifting a heavy object, forcing yourself to be in an uncomfortable position for a long time. The probability of developing pathology is higher if a person drives a car for a long time, sits a lot and moves little in everyday life. It is possible to suspect osteochondrosis if the pain syndrome spreads to the legs, while you feel pain in the lower back. If you try to move, the pain increases. This accompanies any load and a simple change in body position. A shooting, burning sensation of pain is possible. Replacement of osteochondrosis is possible if the buttocks and legs are characterized by reduced sensitivity, and if a stable posture is maintained for a long time, it becomes difficult to change it. For many, the thermoregulation of the limbs is disturbed, the feet sweat profusely, and the feeling of cold is disturbing.
Case features and first aid
If you have pain in your back, waist, or spine, while there is no temperature, and its manifestations are similar to those described above, if there is no doubt that the cause of the pain is the spinal column, then you can receive simple first aid. tools. Cover the affected area with a warm woolen cloth or wrap it with a warming scarf and lay it on a hard, smooth surface. In the absence of the effectiveness of such measures, in order to alleviate the course of the inflammatory process, the lower back can be lubricated with non-hormonal ointments. The doctor can prescribe systemic treatment with non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs. Medicines containing meloxicam and ibuprofen are usually prescribed.
Do not take pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs on an empty stomach. The active components in the medicines irritate the gastric mucosa, can cause peptic ulcer disease and gastritis.
If there is no exact certainty that the cause of the pain is exactly in osteochondrosis, you should consult a doctor for a diagnosis. Unreasonable self-treatment with non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs will certainly cause the condition to worsen. This will be especially pronounced if the patient has pancreatic disease, violations in the gastrointestinal tract.
Safety comes first
If the back hurts in the lumbar region, what should be treated, the doctor will tell you. You should not try to "adjust" the spine, this will make the pain worse, and there is a chance of serious damage to the back. If osteochondrosis has entered an acute phase, warming up should be avoided. Hot baths are not allowed. We have to give up the sauna and the bath. Warming up gives relief at first, but soon the pain comes back with renewed force. If symptoms suggestive of osteochondrosis appear frequently, you should consult a neurologist. The doctor will give you a referral for an MRI. Such an image allows you to assess the condition of the lumbar spine and determine how best to treat the root cause of the pain.
If osteochondrosis caused pain during physical exertion, while the person took anesthetic or medicine to stop the inflammatory activity, then his condition will probably get much better soon. Even if the pain is completely gone, do not return to your previous activities. The sick back must rest for a while. The best solution is bed rest.
Neuralgia
There are many different manifestations of pain in the lower back - when lying on the back, walking, bending over. In some cases, the reason for this is the inflammatory process affecting the nerve fibers. Neuralgia can be assumed with manifestations similar to the symptoms of osteochondrosis described above. The back immediately reacts to any physical activity with pain, the patient finds even slight movement difficult, and the need for movement creates fear. There are several characteristics that allow you to suspect exactly what caused the pain and distinguish neuralgia from pinched nerve endings that provide sensitivity to the spinal column.
With osteochondrosis, a person is subconsciously afraid of movement, because the back causes pain with every action. Neuralgia also has this feature, but the pain spreads along the nerve that causes it, and the sensations themselves are called twitching by sufferers. Perhaps the unpredictable relief of the condition and the return of pain when a person is calm, motionless. Sometimes convulsions occur against the background of neuralgia, muscle pains and changes in skin tones are disturbing. For some, the function of the glands that produce sweat is disturbed. As a result of the pressure on the back, the pain immediately covers both halves of the body symmetrically.
Help functions
If you have severe back or lower back pain, only a qualified doctor will tell you what to do. The pain syndrome caused by neuralgia is rather difficult to rule out, but at the same time, measures must be taken to improve the patient's condition, since constant pain can cause mental deviations. To alleviate the pain somewhat, the doctor prescribes non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs. In some cases, they prefer to use medicines containing ibuprofen and meloxicam. The patient is calm.
If the patient goes to the doctor because of a lot of back pain, a qualified specialist must decide what to do about the lower back. Based on the specifics of the case, hospitalization is recommended. This measure is used when the feelings are very strong. In hospital conditions, a blockade is used for those in need using novocaine.
Features and pains
It also happens that a person's back is broken and their waist hurts. The doctor will also tell you what to do in such a situation. This depends on the severity of the injury. Sometimes rest is enough, other times the help of a surgeon is needed. It is known that after a long workout or an unreasonably heavy load, the rest period is often accompanied by pain. The pain can be caused by awkward, unsuccessful movements. It is known that stressed people, as well as those who, due to the nature of their work, sit for a long time, especially in front of the computer, complain of pain more often. People who exercise too actively, spend long periods of time standing, or suffer from excess weight often have back pain. Lower back pain is almost always associated with pregnancy and bothers you for some time after the birth of the child.
There are also situations when you usually don't have to figure out what to do: the back hurts in the lumbar region, but rather weakly, everything will go away by itself over time. If the attack was preceded by a one-time, not very strong, obvious causative factor (for example, prolonged work at a holiday home), then you just need to rest and wait for the pain to pass. If the pain occurs for a long time in attacks, menstruation, worries, you should consult a doctor, since it is impossible to determine independently what causes the sensations.
Causes: primary and secondary
Primary pain is observed if there is a disease of the spine. Such a syndrome is possible if a person has developed spondylarthrosis, spondylosis. Possible hernia or protrusion. Secondary pain syndrome accompanies fractures, neoplastic processes, and prolonged muscle tension. Such pain can be caused by diseases (kyphosis, arthritis, tuberculosis), there is a possibility of narrowing of the spinal canal, osteomyelitis and a malignant process. Lower back pain is possible with ovarian cysts and endometriosis. The doctor must clarify all the factors of the case, check the patient's condition to know what to do. Back pain in the lumbar region in people with cystitis, scoliosis and osteoarthritis. Scheuermann-Mau disease can cause pain. For some women, pain indicates complications of fetal delivery.
How should we rush to the doctor?
Certain signs of pain indicate the need to seek professional help as quickly as possible. So, if the lower back reacts with pain while walking, coughing, sneezing leads to an aggravation of the sensation, while the sensations spread to the lower limbs, you should make an appointment with a neurologist. It also helps if the lower part of the back hurts, the sensations are dulled, the back hurts, the pain spreads to the legs, it is felt better when coughing or moving. Most likely, such symptoms indicate sciatica, but a person needs the most timely medical help, so you should not delay contacting the clinic.
A traumatologist can tell you what to do if your back hurts in the lower back, if the sensations came against the background of muscle strain or lifting an object that is too heavy. For these reasons, as well as for the pain caused by hypothermia and drafts, it is necessary to first use creams that activate blood flow for three days at home. If the condition does not improve during this period, consult your doctor.
Actions and Timing
You can try to help yourself with back pain and lumbago for three days. According to doctors who know exactly what to do if your back hurts, people who are forced to work hard due to their activities experience such symptoms more often. The pain usually goes away on its own within a few days after exercise, although in rare severe cases it can last for weeks. In order to alleviate the condition, painkillers must be used and rest must be taken. It is necessary to find out experimentally in which position the pain is the weakest. You must ensure bed rest for the first two days. If the feelings do not go away within three days, they are recorded by a doctor.
Possible pain syndrome in the background of myositis. Such a pathological process is usually preceded by hypothermia or severe muscle tension. The area reacts with stiffness, sensations are sharp, especially strong when trying to move. Your doctor will also give you the best advice on what to do if this causes lower back pain. Doctors advise you to first take a warm shower, find suitable warm clothes and completely stop all physical activity. For the first three days, use ointments that ease the inflammatory process and relieve pain. If the sensations do not subside, make an appointment with your doctor.
Chronic and radiating pain
About what to do if the back hurts in the lower back due to spondylosis, the doctor will tell you only after a thorough assessment of the patient's condition. The disease is indicated by a strong, sharp pain syndrome, the lower back hurts, the legs become weak and numb. With such manifestations, you should immediately call a neurologist.
Ankylosing spondylitis can cause pain. A possible cause is metabolic insufficiency or oncological pathology. In the case of none of these options, you cannot help yourself, you should consult a qualified specialist and examine the body in detail.
It also happens that a person is sure that the pain is localized in the lumbar spine, but the real reason is a malfunction of the internal organ. Radiating pain is possible if the pathology is localized in the pelvis, gastrointestinal tract, and kidneys. Lower back pain is often caused by cancer. It is impossible to postpone a visit to the doctor if the syndrome lasts more than three days, if it was preceded by an injury, if the leg and lower leg hurt in addition to the lumbar region. In the event that the pain is accompanied by numbness of the limbs, groin region, it is also impossible to delay contacting the clinic.
How to check?
If your back hurts in the morning in the lumbar region, this can be considered a sufficient reason to contact a specialist. First, you can go to your local therapist. The doctor gives instructions for tests and instrumental tests, and refers to a highly qualified doctor based on the details of the case. The most accurate diagnosis is usually made by a neurologist. To do this, you need to obtain the results of an MRI, EKG and ultrasound examination. Blood and urine samples are checked in the laboratory. In some cases, it is necessary to study the puncture of the spinal cord, in case of suspicion of malignant diseases, tissue samples are taken for biopsy.
How are they treated?
Many people are afraid to go to the doctor if their lower back hurts in the morning, because they think that the doctor will immediately send them to surgery. Today, there are many effective methods for treating various diseases of the spine. There is a method that uses waves and magnetic fields. Administering medication to treat the joints may help. Rehabilitation simulators are designed to quickly restore mobility. In case of severe pain and the need to stop inflammation and spasm, the doctor performs a blockade.
Drug treatment for back pain includes taking oral and injectable medications. Such treatment is often combined with physiotherapy - this increases effectiveness. Prescribe drugs to relieve swelling, relieve stiffness, eliminate the inflammatory focus. Since all such drugs have a wide list of contraindications and possible side effects, self-medication with them is strictly prohibited.