Back pain (or lower back pain) is a very common problem, affecting up to 90% of the population at least once in their lives.
Low back pain is not a specific disease, but a generic term that includes many different causes.
Low back pain can be caused by many different disorders, most of the time the results of a magnetic resonance imaging and other examinations are negative and the symptoms go away on their own.
Back pain is the second most common neurological disorder after headache.
Pain is acute when it lasts less than a month and chronic when it lasts for a longer period.
Contents
Causes of back pain
Low back pain is a symptom.
The most common causes of back pain are muscle tension or bone and nerve diseases in the spine.
The pain that comes from the abdominal organs, from the pelvis or from the chest area can also be felt in the back of the trunk.
This is called referred pain.
Many abdominal disorders, such as appendicitis , abdominal aortic aneurysms , kidney disease, ovarian disease, and kidney and bladder infections , can cause back pain.
Causes of back pain and nausea
A tumor of the spine is a disorder that can cause pain in the back accompanied by nausea , loss of appetite , pain and numbness in the arms, legs, etc.
In addition to the diseases, some medicines used to treat back pain can cause nausea.
Opioids used for therapy (for example, for herniated disc ) and antidepressants can cause side effects, including nausea.
Other diseases
Gastrointestinal Problems
- constipation
- Gastroenteritis
- Diverticulitis
- irritable bowel syndrome
- Colorectal Tumor
- Chronic pancreatitis
Urological problems
- Kidney stones
- Urinary tract infection
- Cystitis (bladder infection)
- renal cysts
- Urethritis (inflammation of the urethra)
Gynecological connections
- endometriosis
- Premenstrual syndrome
- pregnancy
- ectopic pregnancy
- Ovarian cyst or ovarian tumor
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Thrombosis of the ovarian vein
Other causes
- Hyperparathyroidism (overactive parathyroid glands)
- Aneurysm of the aorta
- some cancers
Abdominal pain and back pain
Causes
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas (pancreas located behind the stomach) caused by alcohol, a viral infection, or trauma.
Pain in the upper abdomen and back are the first symptoms.
They are followed by other symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Symptoms of pancreatitis worsen after eating.
Gallstones
Gallstones are crystalline substances that form in the gallbladder and then travel down the bile duct.
An unhealthy diet and obesity are the main causes of gallstones.
Symptoms of gallstones include abdominal pain, low back pain, vomiting and bloating.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are crystals in the kidneys that form for a variety of reasons, such as accumulation of uric acid or calcium in the kidneys.
Lower left abdominal pain and back pain are symptoms of left kidney stones.
Other symptoms of kidney stones include blood in the urine, burning when urinating, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
Menstrual Pain
Many women experience abdominal cramps in the days leading up to the menstrual cycle.
Abdominal pain and back pain are the most common menstrual symptoms.
Although this is not a serious problem, if the patient experiences nausea, vomiting, etc., the doctor should be consulted.
Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder of the large intestine. It is characterized by symptoms such as intestinal disturbance, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, bloating, etc.
Sometimes symptoms include abdominal pain, back pain, and cramps.
Uterine disorders
In women, disorders of the uterus, which is located in the lower abdomen, can also cause abdominal pain and lower back pain.
Gynecological diseases that cause abdominal pain and low back pain are: dysmenorrhea, uterine myoma and ovarian cyst.Causes of time- and situation-dependent back pain
Causes of morning back pain
Poor posture while sleeping
People who sleep in a bad posture often suffer from back pain in the morning.
Improper Mattress
Where the mattress or bed the person sleeps on does not adequately support the back, it can put a strain on the back muscles and lead to back pain in the morning.
Arthritis
Recurrent back pain that is worse in the morning can be caused by arthritis.
Spinal arthritis leads to the destruction of cartilage, causing inflammation in the joints.
Back pain from arthritis is common and is usually worst in the morning.
Spondylosis or arthrosis of the spine manifests itself with age, because the intervertebral discs dehydrate and reduce their volume . The height of the intervertebral disc decreases and the vertebral bodies move closer together. Under these conditions, a slight trauma is sufficient, which can cause inflammation and compression of the nerve root.
This situation can lead to classic sciatica without destroying the intervertebral disc.
When osteoarthritis occurs in the posterior vertebral joints, facet syndrome can occur, causing pain in the buttocks and groin.
Spinal canal stenosis
The space between the spinal cord and the vertebral bodies that protect it is called the spinal canal. Lumbar stenosis occurs when the width of the spinal canal at the level of the lower back decreases significantly; the result is that the nerve is compressed and inflamed.
The degeneration of the intervertebral disc together with the osteoarthritis of the vertebral joints can lead to a narrowing of the spinal canal: spinal canal stenosis. These disc and joint changes cause serious symptoms and can be seen on an X-ray. A person with spinal stenosis may have pain that radiates to the lower extremities while standing still for long periods, in the morning, or when walking for 10-15 minutes.
Inflammation of the Sciatic Nerve
The sciatic nerve originates in the lumbosacral region (above the buttocks) and is the longest nerve in the human body.
The sciatic nerve runs across the hips, along the back of both legs and ends at the level of the feet.
Symptoms
Compression on the sciatic nerve causes lumbar pain that extends into the legs.
Depending on the severity of the pressure on the sciatic nerve root, the intensity of the pain can be mild or severe.
A person who suffers from sciatica caused by a herniated disc feels worse when coughing or sneezing because this increases the pressure in the abdomen and thus also on the intervertebral disc.
The patient feels severe pain when bending forward. In addition, his movement is restricted.
The nerve causes pain when it is tense or due to compression.
In the morning, the body is 1-2 cm larger because the intervertebral discs absorb fluid when lying down.
The pain increases on awakening (when the patient gets out of bed) because the disc has increased in volume and is now pressing the nerve all the more; in addition, the spine is longer, and the nerve (whose length always remains the same) is stretched.
Cervical disc herniation (herniated disc), which presses on the spinal cord and causes pain down the neck and back and radiating to the legs and arms, is very rare. In this case, the patient feels pain in the back and legs when nodding his head
Causes
Inflammation of the sciatic nerve can occur due to a disc protrusion or a herniated disc (hernia)
. Protrusion is the displacement of the entire disc, while a hernia is the result of an injury to the outer ring of the disc.
If the outer ring tears, the inner part (core) comes out of its anatomical seat and shifts to touch the spinal nerves.
The body’s response is inflammation, which causes swelling in the area, increasing pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Usually, a hernia occurs due to poor posture or spinal instability caused by muscle weakness.
Sitting for a long time is therefore not advisable. Cycling is allowed, but only on flat roads.
Pain can worsen after running.
Pregnancy
Women are prone to inflammation of the sciatic nerve during pregnancy.
This occurs because the uterus is enlarged in the last months of pregnancy and presses on the sciatic nerve.
Back pain is not a symptom of pregnancy . So there is no need to worry if your cycle is delayed . This pain also occurs in the days leading up to menstruation.
Muscle Contracture
People who have lumbar muscle contraction experience stiffness and morning pain that improves somewhat during the day.
This is the most common type of back pain in both children and men.
Air conditioning or drafts can cause these disorders, as can overexertion causing lumbago.
If the person concerned experiences a blockage when bending over after exertion, it means that some muscles are too tight. People usually think it’s a lumbar muscle problem, but an anterior blockage is provoked by the hip flexors, particularly the ileopsoas.
Causes of back pain at night
Causes of back pain at night include:
- Incorrect posture while sleeping
- Too many pillows or no pillows at all
- Stress
- lack of exercise
- obesity (obesity)
- Kidney stones
- accidents, injuries etc.
- Excessive training
- Wearing high-heeled shoes for too long
- muscular effort
- Back pain associated with pregnancy
- Incorrect lifting of excessive weight
Causes of back pain in pregnancy
Weight gain
Weight gain is the main cause of back pain in pregnancy, especially in the last few months.
As the uterus grows, the woman’s center of gravity shifts, resulting in a changed posture .
The result is back pain and muscle tension.
Hormonal Changes
In pregnant women, the body releases the hormone relaxin, which is important for relaxing the pelvic muscles before childbirth.
Stress
Stress is known to be one of the most significant causes of back pain during pregnancy.
Retroverted Uterus
The weight of the child pushes the uterus forward, causing ruptures in the adhesions that keep the uterus retroverted. The result is back pain.
Back pain at the beginning of pregnancy
causes
- Overstretching of the tendons and ligaments
- Center of Gravity
The body’s center of gravity shifts forward as the uterus expands. This new balance causes an altered posture. - weight gain
- Hormone
The hormones affect the body of the pregnant woman.
Progesterone increases the flexibility of the ligaments in the pelvic area and the joints become less stable.
These physical changes cause back pain during pregnancy.
- urinary tract infections
- posture
- Stress
Continuous and persistent pain
Musculoskeletal pain syndromes that cause back pain are fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome.
Fibromyalgia causes diffuse pain and stiffness throughout the body. The symptoms mentioned are general stiffness, fatigue and muscle pain. Myofascial pain is characterized by discomfort and stiffness at specific locations (trigger points), loss of range of motion of the affected muscle groups, and pain that radiates in a specific distribution pattern but is localized to a peripheral nerve. In general, the pain will decrease as the affected muscle group is stretched. Myofascial pain is often accompanied by muscle tension.
Scars can cause back pain because they form fibrous tissue that acts like a patch in clothing, such as the scar that occurs after a cesarean section.
Bone infection (osteomyelitis) of the spine is a rare cause of acute low back pain.
Arthritis of the spine: Ankylosing spondylitis can cause pain and stiffness in the spine, which is worse in the morning. Ankylosing spondylitis usually begins in adolescents and adolescents.
Tumors can be a source of severe low back pain, especially in cancer.
Acute nerve inflammation in the spine can be caused by nerve infections caused by the shingles virus ( herpes zoster ). This condition can arise in the thoracic region and cause upper back pain, or it can arise in the lumbar region and cause lower back pain.
Right or left back pain
Causes
Pain in the right or left side of the back can be acute or chronic.
Disc herniation : Disc protrusion or disc herniation is a disorder associated with an increase in pressure on the spinal nerves.
The result is inflammation of the spine and pain that extends to the right or left flank of the back.
Posture : Poor posture is a very common cause of low back pain.
Rigid chairs in the office can cause back pain on the right side.
Improper posture while sleeping, walking, and having sex can also cause right back pain.
Irritable bowel syndrome : Irritable bowel syndrome is an intestinal disorder that causes problems in the colon (large intestine).
Besides the above causes, there are a few others that can cause right back pain:
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Kidney stones or kidney inflammation
- overweight
- Pancreatic diseases such as pancreatitis can cause left-sided back pain.
- Liver disease causes right-sided back pain.
Other causes
Cauda equina syndrome is a medical emergency consisting in a pinch of the nerve bundles located below the spinal cord (at the level of the last vertebrae, the sacrum and the coccyx). Portions of the disc expand into the spinal canal and compress the nerves. Those affected may feel painful stings and may experience loss of sensitivity, bowel disorders and urinary incontinence. There may also be an inability to control voiding, leading to incontinence or an inability to begin voiding.
What to do? Natural remedies for back pain
The main remedy is bed rest .
Two positions are recommended:
Lying on your stomach without a pillow.
Lie on your back with pillows under your head and under your knees.
Stay in bed no more than 3 days.
Taking a hot bath or shower : Heat can increase muscle elasticity and relieve tension.
This old home remedy improves blood circulation and is used for relaxation. Also, it reduces stress.
Massage : A massage relaxes the back and is the best way to experience relief.
It is important to contact a professional masseur, because incorrect massage techniques can lead to worsening of back problems.
Exercise : Doctors prescribe gymnastic exercises for the back to strengthen the muscles and stabilize the spine.
When the abdominal and lower back muscles are strong, they support the spine in everyday life and especially during exertion.
Stretching exercises are helpful because they increase the elasticity of the muscles and ligaments.
Once back pain has passed, activities such as swimming and walking can help prevent recurrence.
Correct lifting and carrying of objects: When lifting and transporting a heavy object, it should be held close to the body.
One should always adopt a correct posture and it is important not to sit in the car for too many hours, but to get up and walk a little every hour.
You can try yoga for back pain .
The exercises are really helpful for pain relief.
Tulsi or Holy Basil is a healing balm for the mind and body that has been used in India for thousands of years and is part of Ayurvedic medicine . Boil 10 basil leaves in a cup of water. Cook until a syrup forms. Add salt while cooking. Drink this infusion once or twice a day to relieve lumbar pain.
Another proven home remedy is mashed potatoes . The potato is peeled, cut into cubes and boiled.
Prepare the puree and apply to your back after it has cooled.
Use a bandage to keep the puree directly on the skin for an hour.
One can prepare a cup of tea daily with 5 peppercorns, 5 cloves and 1 gram of ginger powder.
One should drink a cup of this special tea twice a day.
Increase the amount of vitamin C in the diet.
It is recommended to eat lots of strawberries, tomatoes and citrus fruits.
- Back pain – symptoms, diagnosis and examinations
- Back pain treatment
- Back Pain – Posture
- Mattress for back pain
