Why does the lower back hurt?

Almost every person has complaints of discomfort in the lower back periodically. Unpleasant sensations can torment for years or arise from time to time. Do not ignore such signals from the body. Lower back pain does not appear by accident; it necessarily has its causes. Sometimes they are completely banal and easily removable. And in some cases – very difficult and serious.

What does lower back pain say?

Discomfort in the lower back can be acute, sudden. Such pains usually hamper movement and do not allow to straighten the back. People say about them “lumbago”. Sometimes the discomfort in the lower back is mild. They can be pulling. In this case, the discomfort gradually increases and practically does not disappear. Of course, these feelings are based on completely different reasons.

If we analyze which lower back pains most often torment people, then the statistics will look like this:

90% – discomfort is caused by pathologies of the spine or back muscles;
6% – negative feelings are caused by kidney disease;
4% – other causes of lumbar pain (diseases of the intestines, genitourinary system) are at the heart of lumbar pain.

 

Causes of lumbar pain

Back discomfort can be accompanied by certain symptoms. Sometimes the overall clinical picture is able to suggest the true source of the problem. So, for example, if pain is combined with hyperthermia, then we are talking about an inflammatory process that requires immediate medical attention.

Musculoskeletal system pathologies

Most often, discomfort in the lower back is caused by pathologies of the musculoskeletal system (ODA).

Physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, excessive stress can provoke the development of a pain attack. In childhood, pathology is caused by improper posture, carrying weights, congenital anomalies.

The most common diseases and conditions are:

1.  Scoliosis. The curvature of the spine (acquired or congenital) may not bother the patient for a long time. The pain is usually aching in nature. Without proper treatment, the discomfort gradually increases.
2. Strenuous physical exertion may cause lower back pain
   Osteochondrosis. Degenerative-dystrophic pathology, in which the cartilaginous surfaces of the vertebrae are destroyed. The disease is characterized by periodic pinching of the nerves. It is manifested by acute pain attacks (“lumbago”). Further progression of osteochondrosis can lead to protrusion (protrusion) of the intervertebral discs, hernias.
3.  Lumbago. This is a condition in which a person has an acute attack of back pain. It appears after the improper lifting of weights, heavy physical labor. Lumbago is based on the destruction of the vertebrae.
4.  Sciatica. Irritation of the sciatic nerve is always accompanied by acute pain. Any movement causes increased discomfort. With sciatica, patients complain of pain in the lumbar region, radiating to the leg.
5.  Spondylosis. The disease is characterized by a deformity of the vertebrae. The process of growth of bone tissue begins. Spine-like osteophytes (abnormal bone growths) cause severe discomfort and can lead to deformities of the spine.
6.  Ankylosing spondylitis. Pathology begins with an inflammatory process in the intervertebral joints. This leads to the fusion of the vertebrae (ankylosis). As a result, the mobility of the segments is completely lost. The disease most often affects men.
7. Osteomyelitis. Severe pathology that develops against the background of damage to the bone tissue by bacteria (streptococci, staphylococci, etc.). The disease can develop at any age. If infectious agents affect the bones of the lower spine, then the pain is in the lower back. Discomfort is accompanied by an increase in temperature, excessive weakness, sweating, swelling and hyperemia of the affected area.
8.  Osteoporosis. Decreased bone density is more common in postmenopausal women. This pathology is caused by impaired metabolism, in which there is a deficiency in the body of calcium and phosphorus.
9.  Rheumatoid arthritis. It is an autoimmune disease, which is based on an inflammatory process. Arthritis affects the cartilage, ligamentous and muscle tissues. Most often, pain occurs not only in the lower back, but also in other joints.
10.  Myositis. Inflammatory process in muscle tissue. Most often it is caused by hypothermia or a sudden, unsuccessful movement.

 

Kidney pathology

If lower back pain is provoked by the kidneys, then discomfort can be felt on one side (with damage to one organ) or on both. Sometimes unpleasant sensations appear in the middle.

Back pain can be due to kidney pathology
The kidneys provide blood purification and urine output. Deviations in their work are often accompanied by impaired urination and the appearance of puffiness.

Lower back pain can provoke the following reasons:

• Nephroptosis. This is a pathology in which the prolapse of the kidney occurs. The process can cover one organ or both. If the kidney is displaced from its anatomical position, then its functionality deteriorates. The organ compresses the adjacent vessels and tissues. This leads to the development of additional diseases.
• Pyelonephritis. The inflammatory process develops in the renal pelvis. Pathology can spread to other parts of the organ. The disease is more common in women. For a long time, the disease can be asymptomatic. But as soon as the immune system weakens, pain occurs in the kidney area (in the lower back).
• Glomerulonephritis. The inflammatory process affects the renal glomeruli. Pain in the lumbar region. Sometimes they radiate to neighboring zones.
  Hydronephrosis. The pathology is characterized by the expansion of the pelvis and the accumulation of urine inside the kidney. The disease most often develops in young women. Without timely treatment, the death of the entire organ occurs.
• Urolithiasis disease. If the calculi formed in the kidneys are motionless, then the patient does not experience any unpleasant symptoms. But if the stones are displaced and clog the ureters, then the person is faced with an attack of acute (dagger) pain – renal colic.

 

Causes of pain in women

Some pathologies occurring in the small pelvis in women can cause pain discomfort, radiating to the lower back. Unpleasant sensations indicate diseases of the reproductive system or physiological changes in the body.

Women may have pelvic disease
Doctors give a whole list of conditions and pathologies why lower back pain in women can appear. Among them the leaders are:

• Gynecological diseases. Adnexitis, endometriosis, vulvitis, fibroids can provoke discomfort. With such pathologies, pain is localized in the abdomen. Often they radiate to the lower back, they can even radiate to the leg. Such diseases can be suspected by the characteristic symptoms: the presence of secretions, discomfort in the external genitals, prolonged absence of pregnancy.
• Menstrual cycle. Pain in the lower back may occur during the release of the egg. In some women, discomfort occurs with menstrual bleeding (as a result of physiological enlargement of the uterus).
• Pregnancy. Severe back pain occurs in the last months. Their appearance is associated with excessive stress on the spine. The severity of discomfort can be reduced with the help of special exercises recommended by the gynecologist. After giving birth, the pain goes away.
• Climax. In this condition, a hormonal imbalance is observed in a woman’s body. The blood circulation in the small pelvis deteriorates, the organs do not receive sufficient nutrition.
• Pathologies of both the reproductive system (tumors) and the bone (osteoporosis) develop.
• Oncology. Cancer tumors do not make themselves felt for a long time. If they cause pain in a woman, then we are talking about metastasis.

 

Discomfort in men

From painful discomfort, which is based on problems of the reproductive system, not only the weaker, but also the stronger sex can suffer.

Men have urological problems
In men, the causes of back pain can be as follows:

1. Prostatitis. With inflammation of the prostate gland, painful sensations cover the lumbar region. The pathology is chronic. Therefore, discomfort appears periodically.
2. Epididymitis. The disease is characterized by the course of the inflammatory process in the epididymis. Pain occurs at the epicenter of the pathology and can radiate to the lumbar region.
3. Tumor metastasis. Genital cancers sometimes develop in men over the age of 50. If the malignant formations began to metastasize, then the patient may feel discomfort in the lower back.
   Lower back pain occurs with appendicitis or phlebothrombosis. Discomfort can signal a severe form of atherosclerosis, an acute stage of cholecystitis. Therefore, doctors strongly advise contacting specialists with severe discomfort. After all, it is self-medication that often turns into severe and sometimes irreversible consequences.

Lower back pain occurs with appendicitis or phlebothrombosis. Discomfort can signal a severe form of atherosclerosis, an acute stage of cholecystitis. Therefore, doctors strongly advise contacting specialists with severe discomfort. After all, it is self-medication that often turns into severe and sometimes irreversible consequences.