Nagging pain in the lower back is a fairly common complaint when visiting a doctor. Heaviness in the lower back can occur in practically healthy people, or it can be a sign of a serious illness. Heaviness in the back and lumbar region most often occurs for the following reasons:
- spinal diseases,
- kidney pathology,
- myositis (muscle replenishment),
- diseases of internal organs,
- gynecological diseases,
- injuries of the lumbar and coccygeal spine,
- different stages of pregnancy.
Spinal diseases
Next, we consider the most common pathologies of the spinal column, which manifest themselves as a nagging pain syndrome in the lumbar region.
Osteochondrosis
Dull aching pain in the back and lower back is most common with osteochondrosis. The lumbar spine bears the heaviest load and is subject to degenerative changes faster than others. The situation is aggravated by the fact that modern people move little and eat poorly.
Therefore, every adult has experienced back discomfort at least once. Significant physical activity, especially associated with heavy lifting or prolonged stay in one position, can provoke the appearance of pain.
Ankylosing spondylitis (Bechterew's disease)
If heaviness in the lower back bothers a person more at night, closer to the morning, then this may be a manifestation of ankylosing spondylitis. This disease causes autoimmune inflammation that affects the intervertebral joints and the sacroiliac joint. As the disease progresses, not only the lumbar spine, but also the thoracic spine becomes stiff.
Pain appears under the right and left shoulder blades, ventilation of the lungs is disrupted, which leads to frequent bronchitis and pneumonia. The earliest way to diagnose ankylosing spondylitis is an X-ray examination of the sacroiliac joints and specific biochemical tests. It is characteristic that this disease is much more common in men 25-35 years old.
If treatment is not started for a long time, then complete fusion of the joints of the spine occurs and the person acquires the “petitioner” pose
Intervertebral hernia
Protrusion of the intervertebral cartilaginous disc in the early stages of the disease can lead to a feeling of heaviness and discomfort in the lower back, especially under static loads. As the size of the hernia increases, pressure on the nerve roots increases, which can lead to sharp shooting pains radiating to the groin, buttocks or leg.
Malignant neoplasms
Malignant neoplasms can primarily affect the vertebral bodies or be metastases from tumors of another location. Heaviness and pain in the back in this case are combined with such symptoms as:
- weakness, fatigue;
- unmotivated weight loss;
- low-grade fever;
- sweating
Pain in cancer tends to increase in intensity and is difficult to correct with conventional painkillers.
Prevention
To prevent such deviations from occurring in the spine, preventive measures should be taken. If you follow all preventive measures, you can avoid such back problems. The complex includes the following procedures:
- You should always maintain correct posture;
- Do not suddenly lift weights;
- perform minimal physical activity daily;
- if the patient works in a sedentary job, then it is necessary to take breaks periodically;
- follow the rules of proper nutrition.
Back pain below the lower back in women occurs for a variety of reasons, which is why at the first deviation it is worth consulting a doctor. It is timely diagnosis and early treatment that will avoid serious complications. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate.
Kidney pathology
Kidney diseases are often accompanied by prolonged dull aching pain in the lower back. This pain is not associated with physical activity and does not respond to painkillers. In addition to pain, patients note:
- This or that change in urination. It becomes more frequent or less frequent.
- The color and clarity of urine may change.
- Impurities (mucus, blood) may appear in the urine.
- The appearance of swelling under the eyes in the morning.
Kidney diseases that most often lead to a feeling of heaviness in the back:
- chronic pyelonephritis,
- chronic glomerulonephritis,
- hydronephrosis,
- urolithiasis disease.
Types of pain in spinal pathologies
The pain can be acute (occurring for the first time) or chronic, that is, bothering a person for a long time. In diseases of the spinal column, the nature of the pain can periodically change under the influence of various factors (overwork, infections, pinched nerves). Sometimes the pain is reflected in the back, legs, groin or buttocks. Possible types of pain:
- aching pain caused by muscle tension;
- sharp pain when moving;
- spasms;
- a feeling of heat during inflammation, sometimes accompanied by the appearance of edema;
- pain with numbness or a sensation of current through the body caused by pinched nerve roots;
- unpleasant sensations with accompanying coldness, chilliness of the legs, provoked by circulatory disorders;
- "shots".
Also, disturbances in the lumbosacral region are indicated by the appearance of crunching, crackling or clicking sounds when moving: bending, walking, turning the body. In addition, with diseases of the spine, increasing stiffness is observed.
Myositis
Inflammation in the back muscles also causes pain in the lower back. Typically, myositis occurs after hypothermia or exposure to a draft in hot weather. As people say, “I blew my back.” Inflamed muscles swell, become tighter and painful to the touch.
Against the background of aching pain, shooting pains may occur, provoked by turning the body, coughing or sneezing. The inflammatory process subsides after a few days while taking painkillers, reducing physical activity and dry heat.
Reasons for appearance
Almost all degenerative-dystrophic changes in the musculoskeletal system, in general, and the spine in particular, are a consequence of overload. As a result of overload, in addition to gradual mechanical destruction, which with age begins to prevail over recovery processes, a disruption in the nutrition of anatomical structures (intervertebral discs, joint cartilage) occurs.
Excess weight, heavy physical labor, regular sports with predominant axial loads (weightlifting, running, jumping), prolonged static loads (“sedentary” work, especially at the computer), poor sleep conditions - all these are factors that overload the musculoskeletal system. .
Overload of the supporting structures of the spine and joints is aggravated by: impaired spring function of the feet (longitudinal, transverse flatfoot), smoothness or absence of shock-absorbing physiological curves of the spine, the presence of pathological ones (scoliosis, hyperkyphosis), weakness of the paravertebral muscles. A predisposing factor is also burdened heredity - the presence of relatives suffering from “osteochondrosis”, “radiculitis”, “arthrosis”, etc.
Diseases of internal organs
A number of diseases of the digestive system (colitis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis) can cause lower back strain. Such sensations are always accompanied by additional signs from the gastrointestinal tract: a person may feel sick, may experience bloating and various stool disorders.
In men, discomfort in the lower back can be caused by prostate adenoma or prostatitis. In these cases, there is also a disturbance in the process of urination, potency and libido suffer. To make an accurate diagnosis, you need to see a doctor and undergo an examination.
Symptoms
To give a woman an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to determine the duration of the pain, its degree and location. According to the severity, the pain syndrome can be minor, moderately intense and severe.
In addition, lower back pain can be one-sided and encircling. In the first case, one can suspect inflammation of the ovaries, kidney pathologies, and stones in the ureter. At the same time, the woman’s left lower back hurts.
Discomfort may also be present on the right side. In addition, the pain syndrome radiates to the lower abdomen, sacrum, genitals, coccyx, and hypochondrium area.
Pain may be present above or below the lower back. In addition, additional symptoms often appear. These include the following:
- headache;
- increase in temperature;
- general weakness;
- discharge of different nature;
- abdominal discomfort;
- dizziness.
Injuries of the lumbar and coccygeal spine
Nagging pain can occur as a result of a bruise in the lumbar region, a fracture of the lumbar vertebra or coccyx. The fact is that sometimes injuries, especially compression fractures in older people, occur due to the mechanical impact of a small force and the person does not attach due importance to this.
However, heaviness and pain then increase due to compression or pinching of the nerve roots in the fracture zone. If you do not consult a doctor, serious complications may arise due to displacement of the vertebrae and disruption of the spinal cord.
How to treat pain in the sacrum?
Any independent actions are excluded. In order to know how and with what to remove and treat the lumbosacral spine if it hurts, you need to know the cause of pain in it and have a medical education. Therefore, at the first signs, consult a doctor.
Pain relief (anesthesia)
Treatment is tailored to the cause and individual patient's situation. But most people are prescribed painkillers to relieve pain - these can be either tablets and ointments, or drugs for intramuscular and intravenous administration. If the pain is very severe, the patient may be prescribed a blockade (analgesic complex) of the painful area. The blockade is introduced into the spinal canal in the sacroiliac region or in those areas of the muscles where the main pain syndrome is concentrated.
Manual therapy, acupuncture, massage
If the lumbosacral spine hurts, how to treat it is known to an experienced specialist who, in addition to medications, can prescribe to the patient such methods of influencing the pain syndrome as acupuncture, manual therapy and massage. These methods are useful when it is necessary to correct existing bone misalignments in the pelvic area, relieve tension and swelling from the muscles, improve blood flow and oxygen supply to the muscles, joints and nearby organs, and also align the position of internal organs if they are misaligned.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapeutic procedures for pain in the sacrum involve the use of UHF and SMT (impact on painful areas with sinusoidal currents). They help relieve swelling and inflammation in the sacrum and lower back and improve joint mobility.
Gynecological diseases
According to statistics, women are much more likely than men to experience nagging pain in the lower back. The reason for this is diseases of the pelvic organs: inflammation of the appendages, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, inflammation or ovarian cyst, ectopic pregnancy.
A distinctive feature of pain caused by pathological processes in the female genital organs is that they are combined with other manifestations: pathological vaginal discharge, menstrual irregularities, pain in the lower abdomen and in the groin area on the right or left.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, women often complain that their lower back is tight, especially in the later stages. At the beginning of pregnancy (up to 10 weeks), persistent pain in the lower back requires the exclusion of an ectopic pregnancy. In the second trimester, heaviness in the lower back is caused by a shift in the center of gravity due to the growing uterus and fetus.
Why does the lower back tighten during pregnancy?
In order to maintain balance, the spine curves significantly forward in the lumbar region. The vertebrae, ligaments and muscles in this area experience a significant increase in stress.
The lower back hurts especially in those women who, even before pregnancy, had problems with the spine (osteochondrosis, previous injuries or abnormal development of the lumbar vertebrae).
All pregnant women, starting from the second trimester, are recommended to wear a special bandage that supports the abdomen and relieves excess tension from the spinal column. It should be remembered that taking painkillers for pregnant women is prohibited, as they have an adverse effect on the development of the fetus, especially at the beginning of pregnancy.
Another cause of heaviness in the lower back is kidney pathology. The expectant mother’s kidneys also work under increased load, and many women experience so-called “pregnant nephropathy.” Protein may appear in the urine, the legs begin to swell, and constant heaviness in the lower back bothers you.
Before childbirth, the feeling of heaviness in the lower back increases, which is associated with the release of the hormone oxytocin, which promotes contraction of the uterus and intestines.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
If pregnancy occurs as a result of an in vitro fertilization procedure, then after embryo transfer, most women notice the appearance of heaviness in the lumbar region. This is possible for several reasons:
- In order for pregnancy to develop, the female body needs the hormone progesterone. When exposed to it, the ovaries significantly increase in size, which leads to discomfort in the lumbar region.
- Consequences of manipulation (the IVF procedure is associated with ovarian puncture).
- An increase in the size of the uterus due to the transplantation of several embryos at once.
Only minor discomfort in the lower back is considered acceptable after embryo transfer, which does not require treatment and goes away on its own within a few days. If a woman has a rise in body temperature, spotting, or severe pain in the lower back or lower abdomen, this indicates problems with the development of gestation and requires immediate consultation with a doctor.
After childbirth
Discomfort in the lower back after childbirth may be due to intense contraction of the uterus and its return to normal size. Nagging pain may occur if the birth was difficult and was accompanied by separation of the pelvic bones. If a woman is bothered by constant lower back pain after childbirth, she should definitely consult a doctor and not wait until everything goes away on its own.
Childbirth can provoke exacerbations of chronic kidney diseases, female genitalia, or the consequences of previous injuries
Heaviness in the lumbar region is not an independent disease. It is only a manifestation of disturbances in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system or internal organs. If the pain does not go away after rest and bothers you for several days in a row, then you need to consult a doctor to find out why your lower back is straining. Self-medication in such cases only leads to loss of time and progression of the disease.
Diagnostic measures
After a complete examination of the body, the doctor will be able to make the correct diagnosis and find out the reason why a woman’s back hurts, and what help she needs in this situation. In order to begin treatment, it is worth undergoing a number of examinations, namely:
- clinical blood test;
- clinical urine analysis;
- electrocardiogram;
- X-ray examination;
- ultrasound diagnostics of all organs;
- computed tomography of the spine along the entire length.
After a complete examination of the body, the attending physician will determine the reason why your back hurts, and then prescribe the necessary treatment and its duration. Most often, therapy includes therapeutic exercises, medications, and, if necessary, surgery.
Therapeutic gymnastics at home should be carried out after consultation with a doctor