Even children sometimes have lower back pain. Adults know the problems first hand. To deal with it, you need to find out: why the lower back hurts, what are the reasons. The range of causes is wide: from benign to emergency conditions that require medical attention. After you have found the root of the disease, you will understand what to do, you can help yourself or by contacting a doctor.
Factors that cause pain
Lumbar pain is a common phenomenon, but from the category of "happening". It occurs unexpectedly and always unfortunate. There are explanations for everything, take the probable ones in order.
After sleeping
A man wakes up in the morning, intends to get up. . . And it can't. Sharp stabbing pain in the back. The day before, I didn't lift weights, I didn't strain my muscles, it's not clear where the pain came from.
Action algorithm:
- With any pain, it is important to calm down in order to adequately assess the situation.Panic will not ease the pain, but it can make it worse. It doesn't work, we mean lying down.
- Remember yesterday.If you spent it in the office, and in the evening at the TV or computer, and this is your usual routine, the muscles experience (don't be surprised) overload. Constantly, daily. They don't have time to relax during the night. Passive rest does not help the recovery of unstrained muscles. Static load is heavier than dynamic load. The first (static) - being in the same position - overloads some muscles, leaving others without work. Dynamics (movement) involves many muscles.
- We continue with the analysis.You load your muscles evenly, you do a minimum of exercises, you don't sit for eighteen hours a day, but you wake up with lower back pain.
Possible causes:
- Uncomfortable posture during sleep;
- Excessively hard or excessively soft bed;
- Manifestation of internal diseases.
The last circumstance is rarely associated with sleep. A person may feel bad after waking up, because in a dream the body is relaxed, feelings are muted. The awakened perception sharpens, it moves - the suffering organ reacts.
- If you have calmed down, analyzed the situation, discovered the cause of the pain - act.When you are sure: muscle pain, which is not related to organ pathology, stand up slowly. It doesn't work - roll to the edge of the bed, slide to the floor. There you will exercise to relieve muscle spasms - this is your treatment.
Pain in the lower back after sleeping, which appeared for the first time, usually occurs for the above reasons.The deep, main reason is detraining, muscle weakness.Weakened muscles react to factors that strong ones "do not notice". Hardness/softness of the bed, clumsy movements and limp muscles do not cause pain.
Learn more about sleep comfort. Which bed is better: a controversial question whose answers are diametrically opposed. Proponents of a hard bed insist on using a protector under the mattress, calling such a bed - orthopedic. A hard bed is believed to straighten the spine, which is good for posture.
Opponents of rigidity promote a soft, thick mattress that allows the body to "sink" into the filler. In the semi-suspended state, the muscles and spine assume an arbitrary position. Advertisers of "soft sleep" claim: it is more useful, the approach is physiological. The mattress is also called orthopedic.
Lumbar pain in both women and men occurs after sleeping on any bed. Extremes are not the best solution. Our strong ancestors, peasants, slept on chests or stoves, making beds with feathers. Middle option. The posture was excellent, the pain after waking up was not typical for young and middle-aged people.
To keep the body in shape, muscles - active, regular exercises will help you: exercises. Muscle training. How to help yourself "here and now" - we will definitely talk about that. When we consider all the possible causes and find out what it could be, why the pain in the lower back appeared.
You can also feel pain and burning in other cases, in case of spinal diseases, injuries. Then they are non-specific in the morning, disturbing regardless of the "sleepy" time.
After training
Lack of load leads to weakness, muscle atrophy, overload - it will reward pain for diligence. Memo to trainees: take the phrase "hurry up, take it easy" as your recovery motto. It's not always possible to row a fistful of strength and health.Gradual is the key to success.
Calculating the optimal load is not difficult, you need two indicators:
- HR (heart rate, the number of heartbeats per minute is measured);
- Arterial pressure.
Heart rate measurements are taken three times:
- Before class;
- At the end of training;
- 5 minutes after class.
In a relatively healthy person with an initial heart rate of 70-72, immediately after exercise, the heart rate can increase with adequate load up to 120 (not more). After 5 minutes, the pulse should slow down: become below 100 beats. If the heartbeat remains more frequent, the load is excessive, the muscles will react with subsequent pain. The lower back is no exception.
Blood pressure should also return to normal within five minutes. This knowledge will tell you what to do so that pain in the lumbar muscles does not occur after training.
Because of negative emotions
A person who is prone to feelings or who has fallen into a severe long-term stressful situation may feel pain of varying intensity in the lower back. They are not associated with an organic lesion of the spine. The causes of back pain in the lumbar region lie in the body's response to stress.Nervous tension causes muscle spasms.Spasmodic muscles signal a malfunction in their work - pain.
This happens not only in the lumbar region, muscle spasm can occur anywhere. Such a symptom in medicine is called psychosomatic pain.
Regular exercises aimed at strengthening and developing muscles, forming a "muscle corset" - prevention of neurological pain.
Diseases of the spinal column
Diseases of the spine itself, along with muscle dysfunction, are more difficult to treat. Main assistants: willpower, persistence, patience. Diseases have individual triggers. The method of treatment depends on its nature.
Injuries
Spinal muscles are injured for two reasons:
- Self-harm out of ignorance: ignorance of the physiology of one's own body, improper "exploitation" of the body.
- External influence (accidents, natural disasters, unforeseen circumstances).
Self-harm is not done on purpose (exceptions are rare, this is about something else), injuries are caused by carelessness. The man did not calculate his strength, he lifted a heavy object, and at the same time turned around awkwardly. Inflicted spinal injury in the lumbar region. The pain is sharp, sharp, does not allow movement.
It happens more often with men: they work more with weights.Standard doctor's recommendations:
- Restriction of movement (bed rest);
- Powerful injections against back and lower back pain;
- Warming rubs, ointments, poultices, heating;
- Physiotherapy procedures;
- Massage;
- Exercise therapy - after reducing intensity, weakening of symptoms and during remission.
Let's take a closer look at the essence of medical prescriptions:
- Rest (restriction of movement). The muscles are cramping, tense, some of them are blocked by the wrong load. By depriving the patient of mobility, the doctor inadvertently fixes this blockage: immobility will not relieve the spasm. Muscles become stiff - lose flexibility, remain tense for a long time. Muscle tissue quickly weakens throughout the body deprived of movement. These are prerequisites for the transition of the disease into a chronic form.
- Painkillers. Injections "suppress" the symptoms, it is easier for the patient. But there is no therapeutic effect. The reason remains, the person simply feels less pain for two to three hours. Strong drugs are also strong, they give side effects. It is often used to relieve pain attacks in the lumbosacral spine, a drug fromgroup of phenylacetic acid derivatives causes serious problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Other painkillers are also not without side effects. And they are used for a long time, courses.
- Pain is always swelling. It is visible or hidden, but pain and swelling coexist without fail. Edema is aggravated by heating manipulations. The situation is the same: the pain is dull, the problem remains or progresses.
- Physiotherapy for spasmodic muscles is close to placebo in effect. Best case scenario.
- Skillful massage will benefit, relax the muscles. Careful caressing is useless, use a special massage that relieves spasms. It is painful at first, but it helps in quick recovery.
- Exercise is necessary immediately after an injury. Through the pain, the correct movements return the muscles to normal without drugs. It is necessary to know the exact diagnosis, focusing on it, to choose a set of exercises. Leave the diagnosis to the doctor.
Serious injuries (soft tissue cracks, fractures) require hospitalization and sometimes surgery. But in rehabilitation, the main thing is the development and strengthening, restoration of injured muscles. Anesthesia with drugs is a temporary measure, recovery is achieved with regular exercises.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is called dystrophic changes on the intervertebral discs:
- The cartilaginous tissue of the discs wears out if the muscles that extend the spine, along with it, are poorly developed, sluggish. The spine is vulnerable without the support of a reliable muscular corset, the load on the discs is uneven.
- Discs flatten, tissues around them lose elasticity, spasm. The pain reflex is transmitted from the compression site by the disc vertebrae: from the spasmodic muscles via the nerve to the brain.
- The edges of the vertebrae are deformed, they begin to grow, further injuring the muscles.
- The chronic process is formed gradually, pain sensations are distant from its beginning. It progresses from discomfort and dull pain - to increasing, intense pain. It often leads to disability.
Osteochondrosis often occurs in men who are forced to lift weights. The disease often develops in women. Women tend to be sedentarylack of movement weakens the musculoskeletal system. Staying in one position for a long time overloads some muscle groups without engaging others. There is pain in the spine in the lumbar and other segments.
The scheme is the same: muscle spasm, the signal from the pain receptors from the compressed discs is read by the nerve, the person feels debilitating pain. It's called "radicular syndrome" (doctors explain it by squeezing the root of the spinal cord). Hypodynamia is to blame in tandem with an irresponsible attitude towards health. Muscle tissue can recover, it needs your conscious help for that. Pinched nerve (another, incorrect name of the syndrome, since the nerve does not contain pain receptors, transmits the impulse from the edematous muscles) is not easy to cure. Willpower, patience, time are your allies.
Treatment is carried out in hospital or on an outpatient basis, as well as for injuries that do not require surgery. Doctors use painkiller blocks, prescribe anti-inflammatory and painkiller injections.
Full muscle work can only be restored through regular exercise. Thoughtful, competent system of exercises. Choose from a wide variety of original medical rehabilitation methods - that suit you.
Spondylosis
Untreated, progressive osteochondrosis against the background of numerous disorders in the regime and the body itself can develop into spondylosis. The growth of bone tissue is an adaptive reaction of the organism. The muscles of the skeleton, the spine, do not hold. He tries to hold himself with his own strength, pushing the supports - bone spikes. In advanced cases, the processes grow together with the adjacent vertebrae. The spine is fixed, becomes rigid, movements in the lower back are blocked.
Protrusions (outgrowths) at the edges of the spinal segments constantly injure the adjacent tissues.
Stop the disease in time, or better, prevent it.Do not allow the transition of osteochondrosis to spondylosis: the second is more difficult to deal with.
At least half an hour - forty minutes of simple (remember gradual) exercises a day. Add regularity to the progression: don't skip classes. The result will be tangible in two to four weeks. The time of complete healing depends on the initial condition: how far the disease has gone.
Proper gymnastics will certainly improve your well-being, but it will only alleviate the neglected phase, not cure it. The disease is severe. Operations for spondylosis are ineffective. Treatment is symptomatic. Anesthetize with ointments, injections.
The use of drugs is recommended if the pain in the lumbosacral region is unbearable. Dosage and frequency - adjust.For muscles strengthened by exercises, the need for anesthesia disappears.The pain will subside. Prevention will serve as a guarantee of their non-return: gymnastics for muscles, joints and the whole body. At the same time, the body fully recovers.
Spondylarthrosis
Pain in the lumbosacral spine is expressed in spondylarthrosis. The pain can spread to the buttocks and thighs.
The disease is characterized by damage to the joints located between the bodies of the spine. The cartilage of the joint is destroyed, the bone tissue is broken. Nearby muscles and ligaments are inflamed and tense. Mobility is reduced. The disease progresses, occurs in the elderly, young people rarely suffer - with congenital anomalies of the spine.
Factors causing spondylarthrosis:
- Older age:
- Floor;
- obesity;
- Hard physical work in the past;
- Strength sports (weight);
- Injuries;
- genetic predisposition.
In women, spondylarthrosis occurs twice as often. This fact is associated with metabolic disorders (fluctuations in the level and composition of hormones - pregnancy, menopause). It affects the statistics and the difference in the average life expectancy of different sexes. The age limit for spondylarthrosis is high, women overcome it more often.
The doctor decides how to treat, operations are not indicated. The procedures are aimed at reducing pain. The doctor will prescribe medication and feasible exercises.
Radiculitis
If you do not cure osteochondrosis, it can be complicated by sciatica. The symptoms are similar, but the disease is more severe. Nerve fibers are affected - bundles located in the muscles along the spine along the spine. Pain in the lower part of the back is painful, pulling, spreads to the buttocks and left leg, may indicate sciatica, osteochondrosis, spinal hernia. The pain also spreads to the right leg, less often it is bilateral. With sciatica, it is difficult to find a position that relieves the intensity of the pain. The pain radiates to the leg and with other health disorders of the spine, consult a doctor:high-quality diagnostics is half the success in treatment.
Radiculitis in the absence of competent treatment leads to curvature of the spine. A frequent complication of the disease is a vertebral hernia, a protrusion of the disc compressed by the vertebrae. In the case of herniated lumbar spine, the pain is constant, it is a severe consequence of sciatica.
The appearance of radiculitis, like osteochondrosis, has similar causes:
- Posture violation;
- Muscle detraining;
- flat feet;
- The habit of wrongly "holding your back" when walking, sitting, working and resting;
- Violation of metabolic processes.
If osteochondrosis develops, pain and burning in the back appear, deal with the problem immediately. Until she got worse.
Radiculitis is treated with the same method as osteochondrosis:
- Remove the pain - apply ointments, gels, medicines;
- Relieve inflammation;
- Strengthen the muscular system with exercises.
tuberculosis process
The infectious disease tuberculosis can cause muscle inflammation of any location. If the muscles of the lumbar part of the back are inflamed, pain is felt there. The tuberculous process in the bone tissue of the vertebrae occurs due to the penetration of specific tubercular bacteria into the tissue of the vertebrae with blood flow. This causes the development of tuberculous spondylitis or osteomyelitis (bacteria infect the bone marrow of the spine).
Diseases of lumbar tuberculosis etiology are accompanied by severe pain in the advanced stage.
What to do if spinal tuberculosis is diagnosed? Follow the instructions of an experienced physician. Procrastination with treatment is dangerous: the spine is gradually deformed: the vertebrae are destroyed, a hump is formed.
The treatment is long, antibacterial, sometimes surgical. Limiting the load is recommended. Medical supervision is necessary even after achieving remission.
Tumor
Tumor processes in the lumbar spine and adjacent tissues cause pain, which increases with the growth of the neoplasm. Unpleasant sensations are caused by tumors of any type: benign and malignant.
If a tumor is suspected, thorough examination and treatment are vital.Symptoms may resemble a pinched nerve, sciatica or spinal hernia. That is why it is important to consult a doctor and establish a reliable diagnosis.
Diagnosis is difficult due to the similarity of symptoms with other diseases. Night and morning pains are characteristic. A tumor affecting the spinal cord is the most difficult prognostically.
Benign tumors are treated surgically, they are removed. Malignancies are more often formed by metastases from other organs, and are difficult to cure. You should consult an oncologist, he will plan and carry out the treatment. Treatment tactics: anesthesia, supportive therapy, if necessary - surgery.
Diseases of internal organs
disease, symptoms |
Why does the lower back hurt? |
Necessary actions |
|---|---|---|
A stroke is a disorder of blood circulation in the brain. Failure of most body functions - speech, motor, mental. |
Acute circulatory failure due to rupture or narrowing of vessels can affect the spinal cord. Its functions are disturbed, hypoxia occurs. This causes pain. |
Call an ambulance immediately. |
Atypical acute appendicitis |
The pain occurs in places uncharacteristic of this disease - the epigastrium, the left side or the lower back. |
Call an ambulance, hospitalization and surgery are possible. |
Pyelonephritis, ICD (kidney disease) |
The inflammatory process (pyelonephritis) or the progression of kidney stones cause pain in the lower back and lower abdomen of varying intensity - from painful to acute, unbearable. |
Call 911. |
Intestinal obstruction. Acute life-threatening condition: retention of stool and gas, vomiting, nausea, food masses do not move through the intestines. Cold sweat, rapid pulse, drop in blood pressure. |
Pain in the form of contractions can be given in the lower back. |
Emergency hospitalization. |
Reflected pain |
Give them:
|
Doctor's examination, examination, diagnosis, followed by appointment of adequate treatment. |
women's issues
The causes of pain are not always pathology, if we are talking about women. Sometimes they lie in purely female physiology.
During pregnancy
Painful pains in the lumbar region in pregnant women can be conditionally attributed to pain. This is a natural feeling of weight: the child grows, the stomach increases, the weight of the pelvic region is the greatest. This gives an increased load on the spine in the lumbar region. Imagine you have a bag tied to your belt, a pail or bucket and half of the water is poured into it. After walking with such a load for several hours, even a man will feel tired, his lower back will hurt. Carrying a child is not an easy joy in every sense. 
In the early stages, the body begins to regenerate, it is felt.
A healthy woman does not perceive the desired "extra pounds" as discomfort.Normally developed muscles, gymnastics for pregnant women neutralize the feeling of weight.If the pain is intense, the lower part of the stomach and the lower part of the back hurt, tell the doctor who manages the pregnancy. Your doctor will help you figure out what it might be. A multiple pregnancy can increase weight - the load is higher than usual. Aggravation of diseases that existed before pregnancy is not excluded, this will be revealed by a consultation with a doctor.
Period
A normal process that shows: the woman is healthy. At the beginning of menstruation, the cervix opens slightly and a pulling pain may occur. Then the inner mucous membranes lining the uterus are shed - there can be pain. If the pain is unbearable - see a doctor, he will tell you how to normalize menstruation. An irregular cycle can indicate hormonal disorders.
How to relieve pain
Acute muscle pain in the back that is not related to organ damage can be relieved on its own, quickly and without medication.
Intense exhalation (deep, from the belly) activates the diaphragm, activates blood circulation and the condition is relieved.
- Lying on the back, we put a cold object under the lower back (a heating pad with ice, a bag of frozen vegetables, etc. ), the cold also anesthetizes the edematous muscles.
- We bend our legs slightly at the knees.
- We put our hands on our ears, on exhalation we raise our head and shoulders and lower it on inhalation.
Cold reduces swelling, activating blood flow in the lower back. The pain subsides.
Get down on the floor on all fours, stretch your muscles by walking with support on your palms and knees. The optimal duration of the exercise is 5-20 minutes. Edema recedes, anesthesia appears.
Lie on your back, feet on a bench (sofa, other comfortable support). Under the lower back - heating pad with ice. Hands behind head. While exhaling, raise the shoulder part, trying to reach the knees with the elbows. Perform 20 or more times, if possible. Muscles develop, swelling and spasms are eliminated, pain disappears.
There is a complex of exercises that strengthen the muscles of the lower back, here are the main ones that quickly relieve pain. Kind of like an ambulance. The exercises are safe, initial pain is natural. If you immediately start performing these movements, as soon as the person feels discomfort, "pulls" the muscles, it is possible to alleviate the pain syndrome in one or two sessions.
Painkillers of a medical nature bring temporary relief, but do not eliminate the problem.Apply, if it is unbearable, ointment, folk remedies (salt lotions, herbal baths), but the emphasis is on exercises.
Change work and rest wisely, allow yourself a good night's sleep.
Don't be flippant: proactively work your muscles. Practice movements that remove muscle stagnation. They are a dynamic organ. Applying reasonable sets of exercises, do not force. Have patience. The work of the muscles is controlled by the mind, their ability to regenerate (recovery) is incredible. Under load, new pathways are innervated, bypassing damaged ones, and temporarily lost functions of muscles affected by disease or external influence are restored.
Anatomical changes concern only the pathways. Health, well-being, mobility - they are coming back.
There is no better investment than investing in your own health. It's about making an effort: exercising as part of a lifestyle. Make it a habit - every day, like brushing your teeth.
Denying illness is not an option. The desire to find a comfortable position for the body that relieves pain is understandable. But if "motion is life", then peace (which is so desired in case of pain) is the antithesis of life. Eternal peace - with any degree of laziness - is of little interest to anyone, so you must disturb the sick muscles. Through pain Diseases are loved when they are pampered(resting in bed, minimal movement, warming up and other indulgences).diseases retreat before the brave, skipping the fear of experiencing pain and through it itself. Overcome self-pity: it's an excuse for laziness and fear. A little courage, regular light work, and you will forget about lower back pain.