The lower abdomen can hurt for a variety of reasons. They can be both natural and signs of pathology. A doctor should be in charge of diagnosing and prescribing treatment. Self-medication can be hazardous to he alth. However, for a general acquaintance, it is worth considering why the lower abdomen and back hurt. This will be discussed further.
Features of anatomy
If the lower abdomen hurts, aching or pulling pain radiates to the back, this indicates contact irritation of the receptors (nerve endings) of the internal organs. There are many reasons for this. This, for example, can be trauma, inflammation, tumors, cicatricial deformities or adhesions. Often the pain is concentrated in the area of the affected organ, but can spread beyond it.
It is worth understanding that it is impossible to make a correct diagnosis on your own if your back hurts and pulls the lower abdomen. Experienced neurologists say that if a similar problem arises, the whole body is involved in this process. Therefore, the diagnosiscan only be performed by a qualified, experienced physician. You need to seek advice immediately, without postponing this process. The problem may get worse. In some situations, the clock counts. Therefore, treatment should be started as soon as possible.
The lower abdomen is the area that unites the area from the pubic joint to the navel, the iliac region and the inguinal folds.
The anatomy of men and women in this area of the body is significantly different. Above the pubis in both sexes is the bladder. In women, the uterus is also located here, and in men - the prostate gland, vas deferens, seminal vesicles.
In the groin are the inguinal canals and part of the ureters. In women, the ovaries are also located here.
In the area of the navel is the transverse rim intestine, the small intestine. On the left side are the descending, sigmoid colon, and on the right side are the caecum and appendix, the ascending colon.
Moreover, such anatomy is determined in the classical case. Sometimes organs can be located atypically. This greatly complicates the diagnostic process. The range of diseases that provoke pain in this area is huge. The doctor at the examination will definitely ask the patient about the symptoms. The pain can be slight or very strong, aching, pulling, cutting, etc. Based on the information received, the physician will be able to guess which disease is most likely to develop in the body. A number of surveys will confirm or refute the assumption made.
Causes of pain in women
If it hurtsback and lower abdomen in a woman, this may be due to the physiological characteristics of the body. Often this condition is explained by a certain phase of the menstrual cycle or pregnancy. Pathological processes that can occur in women include inflammation of the genitourinary system, cystic or tumor diseases.
The back and lower abdomen often hurt during pregnancy. Therefore, a woman should contact a gynecologist and undergo some examinations. If this is the cause of discomfort, most of the existing drugs should not be taken. This can negatively affect the development of the fetus. Therefore, only by excluding pregnancy, you can proceed to further searches for the cause of the pathology. In this case, the chest, back and lower abdomen often hurt.
In some women, these symptoms may be caused by developmental anomalies or injuries to internal organs. So, for example, it can be a bend of the uterus, an abnormal structure of the reproductive organs, etc.
The natural causes of back and lower abdomen pain in women include menstruation. In reproductive age, this phenomenon can be caused by hormonal disruptions, which are caused by improper functioning of the adrenal glands or the thyroid gland. Premenstrual syndrome is more common in adolescence. However, for some women, periods are almost always painful.
Pain during menstruation due to active contraction of the uterus. According to statistics, about 50% of all women during menstruation feel moderate cramps. Pain canconcentrate on the abdomen and lower back. They don't cause much discomfort. If the pain is severe, you need to consult a gynecologist. This situation may indicate various disorders in the body.
Diseases of internal organs
The reasons why the lower abdomen and back hurt can be explained by the development of the disease. In women, such symptoms can be caused by inflammatory diseases of the internal organs of the small pelvis. Such pathologies can develop in the appendages (adnexitis). Exacerbations occur against the background of stress, infections or surgical interventions.
If the inflammatory process is strong, the lower abdomen and back hurt at the same time. Body temperature may also rise. The patient also feels general malaise. If the adnexitis is chronic, the pain is aching, concentrated in the inguinal region and may radiate to the vagina.
There is a huge list of pelvic inflammatory diseases in women that cause such unpleasant symptoms. The most common ones are:
- Vulvitis. Inflammation affects the vulva.
- Colpitis. The infection develops in the vagina.
- Candidiasis. A disease caused by a fungus. Occurs against a background of reduced immunity, often during pregnancy.
- Trichomonosis. Pathology of STD group.
- Herpes. A viral disease that can develop, including in the genital area, urinary tract. During the initial infection, the lower abdomen hurts and radiates to the back.
- Endometritis. Inflammation of the uteruswhich often occurs in the first week after childbirth or due to sexually transmitted infections. In the first few days, the pain is severe. Treatment may be hormonal, but in some cases surgery is needed. Analgesics are also prescribed.
- Gonorrhea. Sexually transmitted infection. Accompanied by inflammation and accumulation of pus in the fallopian tubes, ovaries. Symptoms are usually pronounced, accompanied by severe pain.
Treatment of the presented pathologies should be comprehensive. Otherwise, the disease becomes chronic. Treatment in this case will be long. If the patient does not turn to the gynecologist in time, complications may develop, for example, infertility.
Other causes in women
If the lower back, back and lower abdomen hurt, the cause may be a tumor disease. Depending on the degree of development of the pathology, unpleasant symptoms may intensify. The following neoplasms can cause pain in the lower abdomen, which radiates to different parts of the abdominal region:
- cyst;
- twisted stalk of cystic disease;
- tumors of the ovaries, uterus;
- fibroma;
- myoma;
- cancer;
- rupture of the ovary due to tumor growth.
Cystic neoplasms occur in most cases against the background of hormonal disruptions. In some cases, they grow up to 10 cm in diameter or even more. The risk of rupture of such a cyst is high. She can also become inflamed, and her leg can twist. In this case, the lower abdomen and back hurtleft or right if the cyst develops in the ovary. Tumors in the uterus are more likely to cause discomfort in the center of the abdomen.
Cysts can be very different. This is one of the most common diseases in this group. Follicular cysts that occur in the ovary go away on their own within 2-3 menstrual cycles. But they require medical supervision. If after 3 months such a neoplasm has not disappeared or at least has not decreased, surgical intervention is required. Laparoscopy allows you to remove the cyst quickly, without significant consequences for the body.
If the cyst has ruptured, which often happens when lifting weights, heavy physical exertion, impact, urgent surgical intervention is required. In this case, the pain is sharp, severe. The same symptoms are characteristic of twisting her neck. The patient may lose consciousness, signs of internal bleeding are determined. You need to call an ambulance. It is forbidden to drink any pills before the doctors arrive.
If you do not take timely action, this can end very sadly. Therefore, if there is a sharp pain in the lower abdomen, you need to call an ambulance. Similar symptoms may also indicate other pathologies. But they all require urgent care, which in most cases is provided by a surgeon.
If the contents of the cyst leak out of the capsule, acute peritonitis may develop. This is an extremely life-threatening situation. A ruptured cyst is sometimes accompanied by a reddish or brownish discharge from the genitals.ways.
Pregnancy
Often the reason why the back hurts and pulls the lower abdomen is early pregnancy. This is due to several physiological reasons. If the pain is moderate, does not cause significant discomfort, this may be caused by the process of implantation of the fetal egg into the wall of the uterus. Because of this, this muscular organ is moderately reduced. This situation can last from several days to several weeks. Normally, this should not be accompanied by bloody discharge from the genital tract. Otherwise, there is a high risk of miscarriage. Need to call an ambulance.
If your back, side and lower abdomen are very sore, this may be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. In this case, urgent surgical treatment is required. Otherwise, it can cause internal bleeding, peritonitis, and even death of the patient. The account at the appearance of the first symptoms in this case goes to the clock. We must act quickly.
Moderate pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy causes the growth of the uterus. It is rounded and stretched. Gradually, it begins to put pressure on nearby organs, which can also cause discomfort. However, they should also be moderate. Any sharp, severe pain requires immediate medical attention.
To determine if pain is related to pregnancy, you can do a home test. In some cases, a positive result can be obtained even before the delay of menstruation. But it is better to take a test if the period did not start on time, butpulling, moderate pains are present. If the test is negative, you need to wait a few days and repeat the test. In the absence of menstruation within a week, you need to see a doctor. With a negative pregnancy test, this situation may indicate the development of pathology. If the test is positive, you can immediately register with a gynecologist and undergo all the necessary examinations.
If pain occurs in the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy, you should immediately consult a doctor. These symptoms may indicate an increased tone of the uterus, the threat of miscarriage or premature birth. A pregnant woman requires special treatment in this case. If the lower abdomen and back hurts, this indicates uterine spasms. This situation may arise due to physical or emotional overstrain, infectious diseases of the reproductive system and a number of other pathologies. Timely treatment is required to prevent negative consequences.
Sometimes cramping occurs due to multiple pregnancies. First of all, you need to lie down or sit down, taking a comfortable position, calm down and start breathing deeply. During spasms, the baby receives less oxygen. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure its maximum flow to the fetus. You can open the windows, and then call your gynecologist. You may need to be hospitalized and monitored by a qualified specialist.
Causes of soreness in men
If a man has severe pain in the lower abdomen and back, this can also be a sign of many pathologies.
Such a symptom in representativesthe strong half of humanity is less common. Often, such manifestations are ignored, attributed to fatigue or the wrong daily routine. However, when such symptoms appear, careful diagnosis is required. Common causes of these symptoms in men are:
- Prostatitis. This is an inflammation that develops in the prostate gland. Pathology is also accompanied by difficulty urinating, inflammation of the genital organs.
- Orchiepididymitis. The inflammatory process develops in the testicles and appendages, which often occurs after trauma to the genital organs. It can also be explained by surgery or sexual infections.
- Kidney disease. Inflammatory diseases in this area can give down the abdomen or concentrate on one side of it.
- Inguinal hernia. There are severe aching pains. This raises the temperature. The person may lose consciousness. Urgent hospitalization needed.
- Sexual infections.
- Colitis. This is a common disease among men. If it proceeds in an acute form, the pain is severe. When the disease becomes chronic, the intensity of discomfort decreases markedly.
General pathologies
There is a whole list of diseases that occurs in both men and women. These are common pathologies in which both minor and rather pronounced unpleasant symptoms appear.
One of the most common common pathologies is appendicitis. It's inflammatoryprocess that takes place in the appendix of the caecum. It is not known exactly why such a pathology develops. But there are several theories that explain it. Scientists believe that the reason for this is infectious diseases. It can also be foreign objects accidentally swallowed by a person, vasculitis, which appear systematically.
When appendicitis hurts the lower abdomen and back, right side. Sometimes the pain radiates to the navel, to the stomach. Such a symptom is determined constantly, slowly passes into the lumbar region. The body temperature rises and vomiting may occur. The liver may hurt, in some cases urination is disturbed and defecation is difficult.
Appendicitis is treated only by surgery. Moreover, the operation is carried out as soon as possible. Otherwise, peritonitis may occur. If timely action is not taken, a fatal outcome is possible.
Intestinal infections can also cause localized pain in the lower abdomen. These include salmonella. It can cause blood poisoning. As the disease develops, the lower back begins to ache, mucous and bloody discharge in the feces may appear.
Cancer-type diseases
If the lower abdomen and back hurts, this may be a sign of tumors. It can be both malignant and benign neoplasms. Pain can be mild or quite severe. It depends on the stage of the disease, the location of the tumor.
If aching pains in the lower abdomen shoot into the lower back, it may bea sign of cancer of the genitourinary system. This disease affects men more often than women. The pain can spread to neighboring organs, as well as to the spine. Therefore, the back and lower back hurt at the same time. If the tumor grows, the pain will radiate to the stomach.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system
If your legs, back, lower abdomen hurt, the cause may be osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. The disease affects his joints, causing dystrophic disorders. When such a pathology occurs, acute pain may occur. If appropriate treatment is not carried out, the appearance of intervertebral hernias is observed, the sensitivity decreases over time, and the patient's activity decreases. At this stage in the development of osteochondrosis, the pains become pulling, shooting and almost never go away. After the load on the spine, they intensify. Treatment must be immediate.
Other diseases of the musculoskeletal system
If the lower abdomen and back hurt, other diseases of the musculoskeletal system may be the cause. Similar symptoms can cause stretching of the muscles in the abdominal area. This happens due to increased stress on this area of the abdomen.
Also, such symptoms are inherent in lumbar scoliosis, intervertebral lumbar hernia.
Diagnosis
Since the list of diseases that can cause pain in this area is large, only a qualified specialist should be involved in the diagnosis. Even with minor symptoms, you should consult a doctor. Disease,diagnosed early is easier to treat. The recovery period will take longer if the pathology becomes chronic.
