Even children sometimes experience lower back pain. Adults know the problems first hand. To deal with it, you need to understand: why the back hurts, what are the reasons. The range of causes is wide: from benign to emergency conditions requiring medical attention. Once you find the root of the disease, you will know what to do, you can help yourself or by contacting a doctor.
Factors provoking pain
Lumbar pain is a common phenomenon, but from the category of "accidentally appeared". It appears unexpectedly and always untimely. There are explanations for everything, consider the probable ones in order.
After sleep
A person wakes up in the morning, intends to get up. . . And it can't. Sharp stabbing pain in the back. The day before I did not lift weights, I did not strain the muscles, where the pain comes from is not clear.
Action algorithm:
- With any pain, it is important to calm down in order to adequately assess the situation.Panicking won't ease the pain, but it can make it worse. It doesn't work, we think lying down.
- Remember yesterday.If you spent it in the office, and in the evening in front of 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 at night. Passive rest does not help the recovery of non-strained muscles. Static loading is heavier than dynamic loading. The first (static) - being in the same position - overloads some muscles, leaving others idle. Dynamics (movement) involves many of the muscles.
- We continue to analyze.You load your muscles evenly, you do a minimum of exercise, you don't sit for eighteen hours a day, but you wake up with lower back pain.
Possible reasons:
- Uncomfortable position during sleep;
- Too hard or too soft a bed;
- Manifestation of internal diseases.
The latter circumstance is rarely associated with sleep. A person may feel bad after waking up, because in a dream the body is relaxed, sensations are dulled. The perception of awakenings sharpens, he moves - the suffering organ reacts.
- If you have calmed down, analyzed the situation, discovered the cause of the pain - act.When you are convinced: muscle pain that is not related to organ pathology, stand up slightly. It doesn't work - roll to the edge of the bed, slide to the floor. There you will do exercises to relieve muscle spasm - this is your treatment.
Lower back pain after sleep, which occurs for the first time, usually occurs due to the reasons listed above.The deep, main reason is detraining, muscle weakness.Weak muscles react to factors that strong ones "don't notice". It's not the firmness / softness of the bed, awkward movement and relaxed muscles that cause pain.
Learn more about sleep comfort. Which bed is better: a controversial question, the answers to which are diametrically opposed. Proponents of a hard bed insist on the use of a shield under the mattress, calling such a bed orthopedic. It is believed that a firm bed straightens the spine, which is beneficial for posture.
Opponents of firmness promote a soft, thick mattress that allows the body to "sink" into the filler. In the semi-suspended state, the muscles and the spine assume an arbitrary position. Advertisers of "soft sleep" claim: it is more beneficial, the approach is physiological. The mattress is also called orthopedic.
Lumbar pain in 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. Average 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 exercise will help: exercise. Muscle training. How to help yourself "here and now" - we will definitely talk about it. When we look at all the possible causes and understand what it could be, why the pain in the lower back appeared.
You can feel pain and burning in other cases, in diseases of the spine, 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 - will reward pain for diligence. Note to exercisers: Take "hurry up, slow" as your recovery motto. It's not always possible to row hand in hand with strength and health.Gradualness is the key to success.
Calculating the optimal load is not difficult, you need two indicators:
- HR (heart rate is measured, the number of heartbeats per minute);
- Arterial pressure.
Heart rate measurements are performed three times:
- An hour ago;
- At the end of the workout;
- 5 minutes past the hour.
In a relatively healthy person with an initial heart rate of 70–72, immediately after training, the heart rate can increase with adequate load to 120 (no more). After 5 minutes, the pulse should slow down: become below 100 beats. If the pulse 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 after five minutes. This knowledge will tell you what to do so that pain in the lumbar muscles does not appear after training.
Because of negative emotions
A person who is prone to feelings or has fallen into a severe prolonged stressful situation may experience pain of varying intensity in the lower back. They are not associated with organic damage to the spine. The causes of back pain in the lumbar region lie in the body's reaction 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 "muscular corset" - preventing neurological pain.
Diseases of the spine
Diseases of the spine itself, dysfunction of the muscles adjacent to it, are more difficult to treat. Main assistants: will, perseverance, patience. Diseases have individual triggers. The method of treatment depends on its nature.
Injuries
The muscles of the spine are injured for two reasons:
- Causing harm to oneself due to ignorance: ignorance of the physiology of one's own body, improper "exploitation" of the body.
- External influence (accidents, natural disasters, unforeseen circumstances).
Self-mutilation is not done intentionally (exceptions are rare, we are talking about something else here), injuries are caused due to carelessness. The man did not calculate his strength, he abruptly lifted a heavy object and at the same time turned around awkwardly. Injury to the spine in the lumbar region. The pain is sharp, sharp, does not allow to move.
This happens more often in men: they work more with weights.Standard recommendations of doctors:
- Restriction of movements (bed rest);
- Powerful injections for back and lower back pain;
- Warming rubbing, ointments, compresses, heating;
- Physiotherapy procedures;
- Massage;
- Exercise therapy - after reduction in intensity, weakening of symptoms and during remission.
Let's take a closer look at the essence of medical prescriptions:
- Rest (restriction of movements). The muscles are spasmed, tense, some of them are blocked by incorrect loading. 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 the prerequisites for the transition of the disease into a chronic form.
- Pain relievers. Injections "suppress" the symptoms, it is easier for the patient. But it has 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. Often used to relieve pain attacks in the lumbosacral spine, a drug from the group of phenylacetic acid derivatives causes serious problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Other pain relievers 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 the soreness and swelling coexist. Swelling is aggravated by warming manipulations. The situation is the same: the pain is dulled, the problem remains or progresses.
- Physiotherapy for spasmodic muscles is close to placebo in effect. The best case scenario.
- A skillful massage will help, relax the muscles. Careful stroking is useless, use a special massage that relieves spasms. It is painful at first, but it helps to recover quickly.
- Exercise is essential immediately after an injury. Through the pain, the correct movements return the muscles to a normal state without drugs. It is necessary to know the exact diagnosis, focusing on it, choose a set of exercises. Leave the diagnosis to the doctor.
Serious injuries (tears of soft tissues, fractures) require hospitalization, sometimes surgery. But in rehabilitation, the main thing is the development and strengthening, restoration of damaged muscles. Drug anesthesia is a temporary measure, recovery is achieved through regular exercise.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is called dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs:
- The cartilaginous tissue of the discs wears out if the muscles that provide the spine adjacent to it are underdeveloped, slow. The spine is vulnerable without the support of a reliable muscle corset, the load on the discs is uneven.
- The discs flatten, the tissues around them lose their elasticity, spasm. The pain reflex is transmitted from the place of compression by the vertebrae of the disc: from the spasmodic muscles through the nerve to the brain.
- The edges of the vertebrae are deformed, 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 lead a more sedentary lifestylelack of movement weakens the musculoskeletal system. Staying in one position for long periods of time overstresses 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 this by squeezing the root of the spinal cord). Hypodynamia is to blame in tandem with an irresponsible attitude to health. Muscle tissue is able to recover, for this it needs your conscious help. Pinched nerve (the second, inaccurate name of the syndrome, because the nerve does not contain pain receptors, it transmits an impulse from edematous muscles) is not easy to cure. Will, patience, time are your allies.
Treatment is carried out on an inpatient or outpatient basis, as well as for injuries that do not require surgery. Doctors use pain-relieving blockades, prescribe anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving injections.
Full muscle function can only be restored through regular exercise. Thoughtful, competent system of exercises. Choose from a wide variety of medical proprietary rehabilitation methods - suitable for you.
spondylosis
Untreated progressive osteochondrosis against the background of a number of disorders in the regime and the body itself can develop into spondylosis. Bone growth is an adaptive response of the body. The muscles of the skeleton, the spine do not endure. He tries to hold on with his own strength, pushing out supports - bone spikes. In advanced cases, the processes fuse with adjacent vertebrae. The spine is fixed, becomes rigid, movements in the waist are blocked.
The protrusions (outgrowths) at the ends of the spinal segments permanently damage the adjacent tissues.
Stop the disease in time or better prevent it.Do not allow the transition of osteochondrosis to spondylosis: the latter is more difficult to deal with.
At least half an hour - forty minutes of simple (do not forget gradual) exercises every day. Add regularity to gradualness: don't skip classes. The result after two to four weeks will show tangible. The time for complete healing depends on the initial condition: how far the disease has progressed.
Proper gymnastics will definitely improve your well-being, but it will only alleviate the neglected stage, not cure it. The disease is severe. Operations for spondylosis are ineffective. Treatment is symptomatic. Anesthetize with ointments, injections.
The use of medication is recommended if the pain in the lumbosacral region is unbearable. Dosage and frequency - adjust.For muscles strengthened by exercise, 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 is completely healed.
Spondylarthrosis
Pain in the lumbosacral spine is expressed in spondylarthrosis. The pain may radiate 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 destroyed. Nearby muscles and ligaments are sore and tense. Mobility is reduced. The disease progresses, occurs in the elderly, young people rarely suffer - with congenital anomalies of the spine.
Factors provoking spondylarthrosis:
- Old age:
- Floor;
- obesity;
- Heavy physical work in the past;
- Strength sports (barbell);
- Injuries;
- genetic predisposition.
In women, spondylarthrosis occurs twice as often. This fact is related to 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 the different sexes. The age limit of 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 possible 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 adjacent to the spine along the spine. Pain in the lower back, pain, pulling, radiating to the buttock and left leg, may mean sciatica, osteochondrosis, spinal hernia. The pain also radiates 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 in case of other health disorders of the spine, consult a doctor:high-quality diagnosis is half the success of treatment.
Radiculitis in the absence of competent treatment leads to curvature of the spine. A common complication of the disease is a spinal hernia, a protrusion of a disc pressed against the vertebrae. In the case of a hernia of the lumbar spine, the pain is constant, this is a severe consequence of sciatica.
The appearance of radiculitis, like osteochondrosis, has similar causes:
- Violation of posture;
- Muscle detraining;
- flat feet;
- The habit of incorrectly "holding the back" when walking, sitting, working and resting;
- Disturbance of metabolic processes.
If osteochondrosis develops, pain and burning in the back appear, immediately deal with the problem. Until it gets worse.
Radiculitis is treated in the same way as osteochondrosis:
- Eliminate pain - apply ointments, gels, drugs;
- Alleviation of inflammation;
- Strengthening the muscular system with exercises.
tuberculosis process
Infectious tuberculosis can cause inflammation of the muscles at 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 is due to the penetration of specific tuberculosis bacteria into the spinal tissue with the blood stream. This provokes 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. Delaying treatment is dangerous: the spine is gradually deformed: the vertebrae are destroyed, a hump is formed.
The treatment is long-term, antibacterial, sometimes surgical. Limiting the load is recommended. Medical monitoring 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 give tumors of any kind: benign and malignant.
If a tumor is suspected, thorough examination and treatment are vital.Symptoms can resemble a pinched nerve, sciatica, or a herniated disc. That is why it is important to consult a doctor, establishing a reliable diagnosis.
Diagnosis is difficult due to the similarity of symptoms with other diseases. Night and morning pains are characteristic. The tumor affecting the spinal cord has the worst prognosis.
Benign tumors are treated surgically, they are removed. Malignant ones are more often formed by metastases from other organs, they are difficult to treat. You need to contact an oncologist, he will plan and conduct treatment. Tactics of treatment: anesthesia, supportive therapy, if necessary - surgery.
Diseases of internal organs
disease, symptoms |
Why does the back hurt |
Necessary actions |
|---|---|---|
A stroke is a disorder of cerebral circulation. Failure of most body functions - speech, motor, mental. |
Acute circulatory failure due to rupture or narrowing of a vessel can affect the spinal cord. Its functions are disturbed, hypoxia occurs. This causes pain. |
Emergency call for an ambulance paramedic. |
Atypical acute appendicitis |
The pain appears in places that are not characteristic of this disease - the epigastrium, the left side or the back. |
Call an ambulance, hospitalization and surgery are possible. |
Pyelonephritis, ICD (kidney disease) |
The inflammatory process (pyelonephritis) or the development of a kidney stone provoke pain in the lower back and lower abdomen of varying intensity - from pain to sharp, unbearable. |
Call an ambulance. |
Intestinal obstruction. Acute life-threatening condition: retention of feces 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 to the lower back. |
Emergency hospitalization. |
Reflected pain |
Give them:
|
Examination by a doctor, examination, diagnosis, followed by the appointment of adequate treatment. |
female problems
The causes of pain are not always pathology if we talk about women. Sometimes they hide in purely female physiology.
During pregnancy
Pain in the lumbar region in expectant mothers can be conditionally attributed to pain. This is a natural feeling of heaviness: the child grows, the stomach increases, the heaviness in the pelvic area is greatest. This leads to an increased load on the spine in the lumbar region. Imagine that there is a bag clipped to your belt with a bucket or a bucket and a half of water in it. After walking with such a load for several hours, even a person will feel tired, the lower back will hurt. Carrying a child is not an easy joy in any sense. 
In the early stages, the body begins to recover, it is felt.
A healthy woman does not perceive the desired "overweight" as discomfort.Normally developed musculature, gymnastics for pregnant women neutralizes the feeling of heaviness.If the pain is severe, the lower abdomen and lower back hurts, tell the doctor leading the pregnancy. The doctor will help you understand what it could be. Multiple pregnancy can increase the burden - the load is greater than usual. Exacerbation of diseases that existed before pregnancy is not excluded, consultation with a doctor will reveal this.
period
A normal process shows: the woman is healthy. At the beginning of menstruation, the cervix opens slightly and a pulling pain may occur. Then the internal mucous membranes covering the uterus are rejected - there may also be soreness. 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 drugs.
Intensive exhalation (deep, from the abdomen) activates the diaphragm, activates blood circulation and the condition is relieved.
- Lying on the back, we place 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 slightly bend the legs at the knees.
- We put our hands next to the ears, when exhaling we raise the head, shoulders and lower it when inhaling.
Cold relieves swelling, activates blood flow to the lower back. The pain subsides.
Get down on the floor on all fours, stretch the muscles, walking with support on the palms and knees. 5-20 minutes is the optimal duration of the exercise. The swelling passes, anesthesia occurs.
Lie on your back, feet on a bench (sofa, other comfortable support). Under the lower back - a heating pad with ice. Hands behind head. As you exhale, lift the shoulder part, trying to reach your knees with elbows. Perform 20 times or more if possible. Muscles develop, swelling and spasms are removed, 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 soreness is natural. If you start performing these movements immediately, as soon as a person feels discomfort, "pulls" the muscles, it is possible to relieve the pain syndrome in one or two sessions.
Medicinal pain relievers provide temporary relief, but do not eliminate the problem.Apply, if unbearable, ointment, folk remedies (salt lotions, herbal baths), but the emphasis is on exercise.
Alternate work and rest wisely, allow yourself a good night's sleep.
Don't be flippant: train your muscles proactively. Practice movements that remove muscle stagnation. They are a dynamic body. Apply reasonable sets of exercises, do not force. Have patience. The work of the muscles is controlled by the mind, their ability to regenerate (restoration) is incredible. During exercise, new pathways are innervated, bypassing the damaged ones, and the temporarily lost functions of the muscles affected by the disease or external impact are restored.
Anatomical changes affect only the pathways. Health, well-being, mobility - are restored.
There is no better investment than investing in your own health. It's about investing effort: exercise as part of a lifestyle. Make it a habit - every day, like brushing your teeth.
Nursing the disease is not an option. The desire to find a comfortable position of the body that relieves pain is understandable. But if "motion is life, " then peace (which one so desires in case of pain) is the antithesis of life. Eternal peace - with any degree of laziness - few people are interested, so you must break the sick muscles. Through pain, you get sickthey love to be pampered (bed rest, minimal movement, warming up and other indulgences). Butdiseases yield to the brave, transcending 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 back pain.