Common causes and symptoms of lower back pain

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Questions & Answers

1.     What are some common causes and symptoms of lower back pain?

Ans:

Causes of lower back pain:

v  Most commonly, mechanical issues and soft-tissue injuries are the cause of lower back pain.

v  Strains.

v  Disc injury.

v  Sciatica.

v  Spinal stenosis.

v  Abnormal spine curvatures.

The organs that are typically associated with this type of back pain can include:

v  Kidney problems

v  Appendicitis

v  Ulcerative colitis

v  Gallbladder dysfunction or inflammation

v  Gynaecological disorders.

v  Liver problems

v  Pancreatitis

v  Abdominal aorta.

Acute pain:

v  This type of pain typically comes on suddenly and lasts for a few days or weeks, and is considered a normal response of the body to injury or tissue damage.

v  The pain gradually subsides as the body heals.

Subacute low back pain:

v  Lasting between 6weeks and 3months, this type of pain is usually mechanical in nature but is prolonged.

v  At this point, a medical workup may be considered, and is advisable if the pain is severe and limits one’s ability to participate in activities of daily living, sleeping, and working.

Chronic back pain:

v  usually defined as lower back pain that lasts over 3 months, this type of pain is usually severe, does not respond to initial treatments, and requires a thorough medical workup to determine the exact source of the pain.

2.     What are the treatments for stomach pain from coughing?

Ans:

v Coughing is the body’s natural way of removing irritants from the throat. Sometimes, a forceful cough may hurt the chest and abdomen.

v When the stomach contents flow back into the oesophagus, they irritate the oesophagus and cause cough. this condition is known as Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

v When GERD gets to the chronic stage, reflux of stomach contents will happen at least twice a week.

v Chronic cough is often the result of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

GERD induced cough will often have the following symptoms:

v  Coughing happens usually in the night hours or after eating a heavy meal.

v  Lying down induces cough.

v  Smoking causes cough but when non-smokers experience chronic coughs, it might be GERD.

v  Chest X-Ray is normal but coughing continues.

v  When GERD manifests as a chronic cough alone without the other symptoms related to heart burn, its diagnosis becomes difficult.

 

Potential condition	Symptoms
Appendicitis	Abdominal swelling or bloating, fever, nausea or vomiting, constipation or diarrhoea, decreased appetite.
Cystitis	Frequent urination, cloudy or dark urine that’s also foul-smelling, blood in the urine, general feelings of unwellness.
Diverticular disease	Abdominal pain, bloating, nausea or vomiting, fever or chills, bowl changes, such as constipation or diarrhoea, blood in the stool (rare).
Endometriosis	Significant pain in the lower back, pelvis, and abdominal areas especially during menstruation, sex, urination and bowl movements.
Gallstones	Abdominal pain that’s severe and lasts for at least 30 minutes at a time, abdominal bloating, pain in the upper back or right shoulder, fever or chills, jaundice, gas or indigestion, especially after eating fatty foods, nausea or vomiting.
Hernia	Bulging in the belly or groin area along with pain that gets more severe when you cough, sneeze, lift heavy objects, or pass bowl movements.
Kidney stones	Severe abdominal pain, severe pain on one or both sides of the back, stomach ache, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, bloody urine, fever or chills, nausea or vomiting.
Ovarian cysts	Lower abdominal pain, sharp pain in the side of the stomach, abdominal bloating or swelling.
Pancreatitis	Abdominal pain that gets more severe over time, pain in the abdomen that spreads to the lower back, abdominal swelling, loose or foul-smelling stools, unintentional weight loss.
Weak pelvic muscles	Lower abdominal pain and urinary incontinence which may be worsened when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or exercise.

 

  

Treatment:

v  Take pain, cough medications.

v  Drink plenty of water.

v  Home remedies: Try licorice for gas, ginger for indigestion, or peppermint to help relax the intestinal muscles.

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3.     Is rheumatoid arthritis due to an infection?

Ans:

v Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of arthritis where the immune system attacks the tissue lining the joints on both sides of the body.

v You may have symptoms of pain and inflammation in the fingers, hands, wrists, knees, ankles, feet and toes.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis:

v Pain, swelling, stiffness and tenderness in more than one joint.

v Pain and stiffness in the same joints on both sides of the body.

v Stiffness, especially in the morning or after sitting for long periods.

v Weakness.

v Fatigue.

v Fever.

How does a normal joint work?

v A joint is where two bones meet. Most of the joints are designed to allow the bones to move in certain directions and within certain limits.

v The knee joint is the largest joint in the body and one of the most complicated. It must be strong enough to take our weight and must lock into position, so we can stand upright.

v It also has to act as a hinge, so we can walk, and needs to twist and turn when we run or play sports.

v The end of each bone is covered with cartilage that has a very smooth, slippery surface. The cartilage allows the ends of the bones to move against each other, almost without rubbing.

v The joint is held in place by the synovium, which contains thick fluid to protect the bones and joint.

v The synovium has a tough outer layer that holds the joint in place and stops the bones moving too far.

v Strong cords called tendons anchor the muscles to the bones.

Causes of rheumatoid arthritis:

1.     Age:

v Rheumatoid arthritis affects adults of any age, although most people are diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 60.

2. Sex:

v Rheumatoid arthritis is two to three times more common among women than men.

3. Genetics:

v rheumatoid arthritis develops because of a combination of genetic and environmental factors, such as smoking and diet.

v It is unclear what the genetic link is, but it is thought that having a relative with the condition increases the chance of developing the condition.

4. Weight:

v If you are overweight, you have a significantly greater chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis than if you are a healthy weight.

v BMI is a measure that calculates if your weight is healthy, using your height and weight.

5. Smoking:

v Cigarette smoking significantly increases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

6. Diet:

v There is some evidence that if you eat a lot of red meat and don’t consume much vitamin C, you may have an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.