What's wrong with lower back pain and diarrhea

Some people may experience back pain, and even diarrhea. At this time, we should consider whether it is a digestive system disease. We know that the digestive system in the abdomen sometimes pulls on the muscles of our waist, causing back pain. Therefore, we should pay attention to healthy eating in our daily lives, participate in light physical exercise in moderation, and avoid strenuous exercise. So, what causes lower back pain and diarrhea?

1. Common diseases

Lumbar bone hyperplasia, intervertebral disc herniation, lumbar hypertrophy, spinal stenosis, lumbar fracture, spinal canal tumor, acute and chronic lumbar trauma or strain, lumbar muscle strain, ankylosing spondylitis, etc. can all cause low back pain. Diseases such as urinary tract infection, urinary tract stones, tuberculosis, etc. can also cause low back pain. Reproductive organ diseases, such as cervicitis, salpingitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic adnexitis, pelvic peritonitis, inflammation of the uterosacral ligament or connective tissue, are prone to complications of low back pain. Retroverted uterus, retroflexion, and uterine prolapse are one of the causes of low back pain in women. Serious reproductive organ diseases such as uterine fibroids, cervical cancer, ovarian cysts, etc. can cause compressive involved low back pain.

2. Inspection

1. CT examination

It can clearly display the osteophytes at the anterior and posterior edges of the vertebral body, the location and degree of compression of the dura mater sac, spinal cord, and nerve roots, measure the anterior-posterior and transverse diameters of the spinal canal, and understand whether the intervertebral foramen and transverse foramen are narrow, whether the vertebral lamina is thickened, etc.

2. X-ray

Conventional X-rays should be performed routinely and are the basis for other imaging examinations. — Generally, anteroposterior, lateral, and left and right oblique films should be taken, and lateral films with the neck flexed and extended should be taken if necessary. The anteroposterior radiograph may reveal narrowing of the intervertebral disc, bone hyperplasia of the uncovertebral joint, and thickening of the pedicle. The lateral view can reveal that the physiological protrusion of the cervical spine disappears, a bony lip is formed at the anterior and posterior edges of the vertebral body, and the intervertebral space and spinal canal are narrowed. Oblique views can be used to determine the condition of the intervertebral foramen.

3. Magnetic resonance

It can clearly show the posterior protrusion of the intervertebral disc tissue, the compression of the dura mater sac and spinal cord, whether there is venous return obstruction or compression, and whether there are cystic lesions in the local spinal cord.

4. Blood test

Patients suspected of having tuberculosis or ankylosing spondylitis need to undergo ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate), ASO (anti-strand O), RF (rheumatoid factor), and CRP (C-reactive protein) tests.

5. Other examinations

For patients suspected of having bone hyperplasia, heart disease and other diseases, bone density tests, electrocardiogram tests and other tests are performed to rule out the diseases. If certain diseases cannot be clearly diagnosed through symptoms, body positions, and X-rays, a CT scan is performed to further understand the condition of the lumbar soft tissues, ligaments, intervertebral discs, and contents. An MRI scan may be considered if necessary.

3. Differential Diagnosis

1. Kidney stones and ureteral stones

The low back pain caused by kidney stones is usually severe and radiates to the inner thigh. In severe cases, it is accompanied by symptoms of sweating and nausea.

2. Urinary tract infection

The low back pain in pyelonephritis is mostly on one side. In addition, it is accompanied by fever, percussion pain in the kidney area, hematuria, frequent urination, urgency, and pain when urinating.

3. Nephritis and nephrotic syndrome

Patients often experience dull discomfort, soreness and pain in the waist, but this type of waist pain is far less intense than the pain caused by pyelonephritis and kidney stones.