It turns out that back pain in the lumbar region is very common.
According to biologists, such a symptom is a consequence of our upright posture, in which the load mainly falls on the lumbar region and is not evenly distributed throughout the spine. Pain in the lower back can signal very serious problems not only with the spine but also with the internal organs.
If the pain is acute and accompanied by fever, then call an ambulance.
If such symptoms are not observed, then for an accurate diagnosis it is worth contacting a therapist. Let's see why these symptoms occur, how they can be treated and prevented.
The main causes of low back pain
First, let’s find out the reasons for these unpleasant symptoms. Pain can be primary with spinal pathologies or secondary with diseases of internal organs.
Along with the reasons, it is important to identify the factors that increase pain syndrome.
Here they are:
- Characteristics of the profession: strenuous physical activity for builders and loaders and weight lifting for athletes.
- Sitting long.
- Overweight and sedentary lifestyle.
- Improper nutrition and lack of protein, calcium and phosphorus in the body.
- Bad habits: alcohol and alcoholic beverages.
Even by reducing the impact of these factors, you will significantly alleviate your condition and spinal health.
Primary factors
Primary factors are associated with degenerative-dystrophic processes in the spine.
This includes:
- Osteochondrosis is a change in the cartilage and intervertebral discs that leads to disc herniation or disc deformities.
- Spondylosis is characterized by the formation of bone growths in the vertebrae. With this increase, a muscle spasm occurs around the back, which restricts its movement. Appearance of injuries in the lower back.
- Spondyloarthritis is a degeneration of articular surfaces in the vertebrae, as well as their involvement in the pathological process of ligaments, joints and muscles. In this case, deformity of the intervertebral discs occurs, and the mobility of the spine is also limited.
- Spondylolistemia is manifested by displacement of the vertebrae, as a result of which the lumen of the spinal canal changes.
- Hernial discs.
- Radiculopathy is a nerve root injury.
Secondary factors
Secondary ones arise with accompanying pathology:
- Metabolic problems.
- Bending of the spine.
- When located near the spine of malignant formations.
- Infectious diseases: spinal osteomyelitis, tuberculous spondylitis, epidural spinal abscess.
- Spinal cord injuries.
- Autoimmune diseases.
- Painful symptoms of a psychogenic nature.
- Diseases of the digestive system.
- Diseases of the pelvic organs.
- Menstrual cramps.
Also, problems with the spine can be affected by flat feet, i. e. flattening of the arch of the foot.
Pregnancy can also cause pain. In the early stages, they appear when progesterone is exposed to ligaments and muscles, also with the threat of miscarriage or with an ectopic pregnancy.
After birth, the pain may appear as a result of stretching the pelvic floor muscles, or with increasing stress in the back, with frequent carrying of the baby in your arms.
What diseases does such pain signal?
Localization of pain is also important.
So let's look at each case:
- aching pain in the right and upper back may indicate a lung pathology. These symptoms are accompanied by shortness of breath, cough and fever. Also for gallbladder or liver problems. In this case, the nature of the pain is stabbing;
- if discomfort is felt over the lower back on the left, then this may be a sign of pancreatitis, myocardial infarction, pericarditis or left pleura;
- symptoms of pain in the lumbar region signal osteochondrosis in this area, intervertebral hernia, as well as compression fractures;
- a symptom of pain below the lower back, which radiates to the lower abdomen, is a sign of diseases of the pelvic organs. Such diseases include fibroids, endometriosis, prostate pathology, colon diseases and infectious gynecological diseases. It may also indicate that the kidneys are out of order.
Which doctor will help?
Most often, back pain occurs temporarily. Only in rare cases do such symptoms signal complex disease.
In any case, it is worth knowing which doctor can help in such a situation. Often, sharp pain occurs with increasing physical exertion.
In other cases, you can seek help from a surgeon, urologist, or even a chiropractor who will make a more accurate diagnosis and prescribe rather than treat a similar problem.
In addition, with such pain, you may need to consult a traumatologist, orthopedist, gastroenterologist, infectious disease specialist, proctologist or gynecologist.
Treatment characteristics
Depending on the cause of the back pain, your doctor will prescribe the following therapy options:
- treatment of drugs with analgesics and hormones;
- blockages, which are injections into the intervertebral joints;
- manual techniques;
- physiotherapy procedures;
- physiotherapy;
- acupuncture.
If conservative treatment does not help, then surgery is used.
In the treatment of disc herniation on the background of osteochondrosis, in addition to the main treatment physiotherapeutic methods are used.
Healing blocks are used when other methods do not give the desired effect. Most often, anesthetics are injected into the lumen of the affected joint for this.
Acupuncture is recommended for disc extensions, osteochondrosis or hernias. If the pain radiates to the legs, then physical therapy is also used.
Wearing a special corset allows you to restrict movement in the waist region. This helps to reduce pain in the area of joint inflammation.
For back pain, your doctor may make the following recommendations:
- Rest in bed on a firm surface for 2-5 days.
- Wearing a special bandage.
- Use of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs.
- To relieve muscle spasm, muscle relaxants are prescribed. Special medications are also used to help relax the muscles.
- To improve blood circulation and reduce edema, vascular and diuretic drugs are used.
- All kinds of gels and oils are used as topical therapy.
- To consolidate the positive result, physiotherapy procedures are prescribed. This can be electrophoresis, phonophoresis and magnetotherapy.
Physical therapy and special massage help to improve blood circulation, relieve muscle tension and eliminate inflammation.
If pain in the lumbar region is not associated with complex disease, then yoga will help alleviate the condition.
You can do these exercises at home and you do not need much time.
Hypothermia pain
Did you know that hypothermia is a common cause of back pain. In this case, you do not even need to lift, but just sweat and put it under the air conditioner.
In this case, the hot body surface will be put in contact with a stream of cold air. And the next day it will be hard to fix or get up.
In such a situation, the pain becomes constant and painful.
First of all, you need to warm up your back. A heater type oil is suitable for this. If there is no medicine, then regular alcohol will be helpful. After rubbing, the lower back should be wrapped in something warm.
A similar procedure is performed daily. In case of severe pain, it is worth seeking help from a doctor. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to relieve pain.
If you are often hypothermic, then get a strip of dog or sheep wool.
What to do with lumbar lumbago?
Such pain occurs with strong physical exertion. A sharp pain that passes in the legs appears when you carry any weight.
A similar symptom is characteristic of lumbosacral radiculitis, which is called lumbago or lumbago. In such a situation, you need to lie on a firm surface.
Take a pain reliever to relieve the pain.
Remember that with such signs, you can not take a hot bath or take a steam bath. In this case, dry heat will help more.
For example, a special oil. It is also worth limiting salt and fluid intake for a few days.
What will help with a hernia?
With a hernia, there is a sharp and persistent pain that increases with each movement. Convenience comes only in the supine position.
Numbness may also be felt in the lower back. To relieve the pain, bed rest and pain reliever should be taken. Then you should call a doctor.
In the acute period, serious and qualified treatment is needed.
What should you do about prevention?
Do not expect severe pain to appear, but start taking preventative measures.
Here they are:
- Identification and treatment of concomitant diseases that can provoke low back pain.
- Proper nutrition with sufficient amounts of phosphorus, calcium and other vitamins.
- Heavy physical exertion and heavy lifting should be avoided. In this case, the load should be evenly distributed. Do not make sudden movements.
- Make an active lifestyle. Go for walks, swimming or yoga.
- Take therapeutic massage courses from time to time.
- When sitting, take a break every hour and do some exercise.
- The bed should be comfortable, for example with an orthopedic mattress.
For prevention, you can wear special elastic bands, posture correctors or bandages.
Such devices are recommended for pregnancy and heavy physical exertion.
It is important to control your weight, as a large body weight increases the load on the back. Get rid of bad habits, and also do a routine checkup every year.
Physiotherapy
Exercise yourself at home to strengthen your back muscles and prevent pain. Exercises should be done regularly.
A well-designed set of exercises will help improve posture, increase muscle tone and also activate blood circulation.
In such a complex, you can use the following movements:
- the body tilts in different directions. First left and right, and then front and back;
- body curves on the sides;
- on the knee - in the elbow position, you should bend your back up and down;
- lying on his back with legs bent at the knees, the pelvis is raised up;
- from an inclined position, the straight legs should bend at the knees and be pulled to the chest.
Do each exercise 8-10 times.
Do not ignore the symptoms of pain in the lumbar region, go to the doctor and take preventive measures that will help you normalize your well-being and strengthen your health.