Causes of pain
Most often, lower back pain radiating to the leg occurs due to diseases of the spinal column. Many of these pathologies are characterized by so-called referred pain, when discomfort appears not only in the affected area of the spine, but also in other areas:
- buttocks;
- legs;
- hip joint;
- abdominal area;
- other parts of the spine.
Referred pain is caused by compression of nerve roots and blood vessels. Due to compression, the nerves transmit “wrong” signals, and pain appears in healthy organs and parts of the body. One of the main factors leading to lumbar pain is improper physical activity. Also, chronic diseases of the spine can be aggravated due to physical inactivity or frequent forced postures (stooping work, etc.), tight clothing, lack of sleep and unbalanced nutrition. Severe lower back pain radiating to the legs requires comprehensive diagnosis and mandatory medical supervision. Attempts at self-medication can only worsen the patient's condition. Pathologies of the spinal column, in the absence of treatment, progress and cause even more severe destruction of cartilage and vertebrae, damage to nerves and blood vessels, up to paralysis. Other diseases that may accompany this syndrome are also very dangerous and, without treatment, lead to serious consequences. For example, a similar condition sometimes occurs with duodenal ulcers, tuberculosis infections and kidney diseases.
What pathologies can cause referred pain in the legs?
Spinal diseases that cause lower back pain radiating to the left or right leg can be:
- deforming;
- degenerative-dystrophic;
- inflammatory.
- With deforming diseases, the anatomy of the spine is disrupted; accordingly, the muscles around it, as well as internal organs, are displaced. Contrary to popular belief, various types of curvature of the spinal column (scoliosis, kyphosis and lordosis) can appear at any age, especially in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle. When the spine is deformed, the load on the body is distributed unevenly, which is why one leg “works” more than the other, its joints bear an excess load, which causes pain in the knee, hip, and foot. In unadvanced cases, spinal curvature can be eliminated with the help of exercise therapy and other conservative treatment methods
- With degenerative pathological processes, the vertebrae often become displaced and the height of the intervertebral discs decreases. A common disease such as osteochondrosis can cause leg pain. With arthrosis, osteophytes are formed - sharp bone growths that injure nerve roots, blood vessels and muscle tissue. These diseases are chronic, but in the early stages they can be successfully treated with therapeutic methods
- Inflammatory pathologies, such as arthritis, can also lead to referred pain in the legs. This disease also requires mandatory medical supervision, since inflammation can lead to tissue necrosis or sepsis.
Lesions and gallbladder
The liver and gallbladder are critically important internal human organs. Even the slightest disruption to their work can lead to serious consequences. Regular nagging pain in the right side at waist level may indicate that a pathology of these organs is developing.
Cholecystitis (Inflammatory process in the gallbladder)
It is usually a natural complication of developed gallstone disease and is associated with a disruption of the organ’s ecosystem. In most cases, cholecystitis develops in the presence of stones in the gall bladder. The inflammatory process develops rapidly in the acute form and relatively sluggishly in the chronic form.
Treatment of cholecystitis against the background of cholelithiasis is carried out by a surgeon, without cholelithiasis - by a therapist or gastroenterologist.
In the photo: the formation of stones in the gall bladder
Cholelithiasis
Mineralization processes in the gallbladder lead to the appearance of stones and inflammation. Organ tissues turn yellow
If the formed stones block the free flow of bile, then acute pain appears in the side. If the condition worsens, you must call an ambulance.
There is a wide range of drugs available for drug therapy. These include ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and its generics. In cases where the outlet for bile is blocked, the stone has gone into the duct, surgical intervention is performed to remove the stones. A surgeon treats diseases.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis A, B and C are infectious acute diseases that can lead to significant problems and subsequent complications. Often, pain in the right side is a potential symptom of the disease.
In addition to pain, fever, weakness, aching joints, and an increase in the size and weight of the spleen and liver are possible. For conservative treatment use:
- for hepatitis C, direct-acting antiviral drugs;
- for hepatitis B nucleotides/nucleosides;
- for A and B – vaccination;
- it is possible to use vitamin complexes and hepatoprotectors.
If the symptoms are similar, a general practitioner will be able to identify the disease and prescribe therapy.
Cirrhosis of the liver
Any pain at the waist level should be taken seriously. At waist level are the major vital organs, including the liver. Rapid acute intoxication of the organ and prolonged exposure to toxins can lead to tissue destruction and cirrhosis.
The disease quickly becomes chronic and the damage becomes irreversible. Therapy comes down to maintaining the function of the organ using all possible medications. If you suspect liver pathology, you can consult a hepatologist.
What to do if a nerve is pinched in the lower back and radiates to the leg?
Unacceptable:
- get physical activity, try to “warm up”;
- take a very cold or hot bath;
- do an unprofessional massage.
To alleviate the condition, you need to remove pressure clothing, take painkillers (diclofenac, ibuprofen, Ketorol) and lie down, and there should be no drafts in the room. A warm bath will help relieve excessive muscle tension. After your condition improves, be sure to get medical advice.
Diseases of the spine and kidneys
Painful sensations are not always associated with problems with the liver or gastrointestinal tract. Problems with the spine and osteochondrosis often cause similar symptoms. A neurologist treats osteochondrosis.
Nephroptosis
Nephropotosis – prolapse of the kidney. Mobile kidney syndrome is often accompanied by pain at the waist level.
The disease is divided into three levels (degrees). Nephroptosis appears on the right side more often, and also becomes obvious in the second stage, when the kidney is easily palpable through the skin at waist level in non-obese patients.
Pain in the right side may be an early symptom of the development of level 1 nephroptosis, and therefore pain should not be ignored. Various techniques are used for diagnosis:
- Carrying out complete blood biochemistry;
- Study of the state of biological fluids;
- Ultrasound scan at waist level;
- X-ray scanning.
Conservative forms of treatment: wearing a special corrective bandage at the level of the waist or lower abdominal area, exercise therapy and exercises. Surgery is rarely prescribed. The treatment of kidney diseases in women is described here.
Osteochondrosis and hernia
Discomfort and pain are often associated with nerve compression or inflammation of the skeletal muscles. A characteristic symptom is loss of flexibility, as well as increased discomfort with sudden movements or even breathing.
To relieve some symptoms, medications are prescribed to reduce inflammation, as well as exercise therapy and physiotherapy. Find out about the symptoms of hernia in men from this article.
Doctor's advice
Shingles. The pain of herpes zoster before the appearance of characteristic rashes in the form of blisters along the nerve can be so severe that they are mistaken for a heart attack or renal colic. Having excluded all conditions using examination, laboratory (general and biochemical blood tests, general urine analysis) and instrumental (ECG, ultrasound, MRI) research methods, herpes can be assumed.
Victoria Druzhikina Neurologist, Therapist
Pinched nerve
Diagnosis and treatment
If you have pain in your lower back and legs, you need to see an orthopedist, therapist or neurologist to get help. After studying your medical history and examination, your doctor will prescribe diagnostic tests for you. It can be:
- X-ray;
- MRI, CT;
- blood and urine tests;
- electromyography;
- Ultrasound of internal organs;
- and other procedures.
Laboratory tests and various types of examination protect the patient from misdiagnosis. For example, sometimes with pyelonephritis, for the first few days only the lower back on the right hurts and radiates to the leg. In such a situation, only a comprehensive examination will allow you to correctly determine the cause of the pain. If lower back pain that radiates to the leg is caused by diseases of the spine, then conservative treatment methods are usually used to treat it:
- taking medications;
- physiotherapy;
- physiotherapy;
- massage;
- acupuncture;
- and other procedures.
Based on the general scheme, an individual treatment plan is developed for each patient: medications, types of effects during manual therapy, and a set of therapeutic exercises are selected. Medicines coupled with physiotherapy help to quickly improve the patient’s condition:
- eliminate pain syndrome;
- eliminate inflammation and excessive muscle tension;
- restore intervertebral disc tissue, stop the growth of osteophytes;
- normalize blood circulation;
- improve sleep quality;
- return normal mobility.
Therapeutic exercise helps restore healthy spinal anatomy and correct load distribution, eliminates compression of nerve roots and blood vessels, strengthens the muscle corset and helps restore mobility. All clinics of the “Hello!” network are located close to metro stations, which is important for patients experiencing pain when walking. The use of modern diagnostic equipment, a high level of qualifications and professional responsibility of doctors, the latest treatment and rehabilitation methods allow us to quickly recognize the causes of pain and develop the most effective treatment plan for each patient.
Gastrointestinal pathologies
The main parts of the gastrointestinal tract system are located in the abdominal cavity, and therefore they often become the cause of pain syndromes
Inflammation of the appendix (Appendicitis)
In scientific circles, appendicitis is an inflammatory process with a focus in the appendix with the accumulation of pus inside the appendix at the narrowed bottom. This can not only cause pain in the right side at the waist level, but also many other unpleasant symptoms.
The disease develops rapidly, and acute forms are fraught with fatal outcomes. Localization of pain in the right side or bottom is sometimes caused by pylephlebitis (this is an inflammatory process involving the portal vein, which leads to direct damage to the liver).
A consultation with a surgeon will help confirm suspicions of appendicitis.
Intestinal inflammation
Disruption of the microflora, bacterial and viral invasions, as well as the entry of foreign objects into the intestines provoke inflammation. The disease is accompanied by defecation disorders, the appearance of stool mixed with mucus or blood, flatulence and pain of various types.
For treatment, if necessary, antibiotics of different groups are used, depending on the disease (Enterofuril, Oleandomycin, Amoxicillin, etc.).
Oncological diseases of the intestine
Nowadays, cancer is detected quite early. Colonoscopy and MRI can identify suspicious clusters of cells and quickly reveal their nature. If you notice symptoms (pain, change in color of stool, defecation disorders), you should immediately consult a doctor.
The therapeutic plan is developed depending on the stage of the cancer. It is possible to use chemotherapy or surgical removal of malignant tissue. Read about polyps in the intestines here.
Pain in the lower abdomen in women
The lower abdomen may hurt for the same reasons as the side. Pain in the right side of the lower abdomen in women is often a manifestation of the following pathologies: inflammation of the uterine appendages, less often – ovarian cysts and the primary stages of uterine fibroids. The lower abdomen is the main part of the abdominal cavity, but pain can be caused by pathologies of surrounding organs and tissues. Very often, the lower abdomen hurts due to complications of pathologies of the reproductive organs. What are the causes of discomfort in the lower abdomen?
Endometriosis
This is a common disease that often develops in healthy women and mainly affects people of reproductive age. The endometrial tissue (uterine wall) begins to grow and spread into the surrounding tissue. This causes pain in the lower abdomen.
There are two main types of endometriosis: Genital. In this case, endometrial cells are localized in the uterus and ovaries. Extragenital. In this situation, the growth can affect the entire lower abdomen, and the inflammatory process affects the intestines and navel. Based on the nature and severity of the disease, the disease is divided into 4 degrees. Laparoscopy is recognized as the only effective diagnostic method. This is an “exploratory” surgical operation that is performed through an opening in the lower abdominal cavity.
Treatment is with hormonal drugs, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. In some cases, surgical intervention is necessary. If the right side of the lower abdomen hurts in women, this is very often a manifestation of complications in the reproductive system. Other possible causes of lower abdominal pain are described here. If you have similar symptoms, you can see a gynecologist online.