It turned out that back pain in the lumbar region is very common.
Biologists say such a symptom is a consequence of our straight posture, in which the load falls mainly on the lumbar region and is not evenly distributed on the spine. Lumbar pain can indicate very serious problems not only with the spine but also with the internal organs.
If the pain is acute and feverish, call an ambulance.
If such symptoms are not observed, it is advisable to contact a therapist for an accurate diagnosis. Let’s see why these symptoms occur, how to treat and prevent them.
The main causes of lower back pain
Let’s find out the causes of these unpleasant symptoms first. Pain may be primary with spinal pathologies or secondary with visceral diseases.
Along with the causes, it is important to identify the factors that increase pain syndrome.
Here they are:
- Characteristics of the profession: heavy physical activity for builders and loaders and weightlifting for athletes.
- Long sitting.
- Overweight and sedentary lifestyle.
- Malnutrition and lack of protein, calcium and phosphorus in the body.
- Bad habits: alcohol and alcoholic beverages.
Even by reducing the effects of these factors, it noticeably alleviates your condition and the health of your spine.
Primary factors
The primary factors are related to degenerative-dystrophic processes in the spine.
These include:
- Osteochondrosis is a change in cartilage and intervertebral discs that leads to disc herniation or disc deformities.
- Spondylosis is characterized by the development of bone growth in the vertebrae. With this increase, spasms of the muscles around the spine occur, which limits its mobility. Injuries appear in the lower back.
- Spondyloarthrosis is a degeneration of the joint surfaces of vertebrae and their involvement in the pathological process of the ligaments, joints and muscles. In this case, deformation of the intervertebral plates occurs and spinal mobility is also limited.
- Spondylolisthesis is manifested by the movement of the vertebrae, which results in a change in the lumen of the spinal canal.
- Herniated discs.
- Radiculopathy is a nerve root injury.
Secondary factors
Secondary pathologies occur with concomitant pathologies:
- Metabolism problems.
- Curvature of the spine.
- If it is located near the backbone of malignant formations.
- Infectious diseases: spinal osteomyelitis, tuberculous spondylitis, spinal epidural abscess.
- Spinal cord injuries.
- Autoimmune disease.
- Painful symptoms of a psychogenic nature.
- Diseases of the digestive system.
- Diseases of the pelvic organs.
- Menstrual pain.
Spine problems can also be affected by flat feet, meaning the arch of the foot can flatten.
Pregnancy can also cause pain. They appear in the early stages when progesterone is exposed to the ligaments and muscles, also with the risk of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.
After childbirth, pain may occur as a result of stretching the pelvic floor muscles, or with increased strain on the spine, with the baby often wearing an arm.
What diseases does such pain indicate?
The localization of pain is also important.
So let's look at each case:
- painful pain in the right and lower back may indicate 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 stark;
- if you experience discomfort over the lower left lower back, this may be a sign of inflammation of the pancreas, myocardial infarction, pericarditis, or left pleurisy;
- pain symptoms in the lumbar region indicate osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernias, and compression fractures in this area;
- a symptom of pain in the lower back that radiates to the lower abdomen is a sign of disease of the pelvic organs. Such diseases include fibroids, endometriosis, prostate pathology, colon disease, and infectious gynecological diseases. This may also indicate that the kidneys are not OK.
Which doctor helps?
Most often, back pain occurs temporarily. Only in rare cases do such symptoms indicate complex diseases.
In any case, it is worth knowing which doctor can help in such a situation. Often, sharp pain occurs with increased physical exertion.
In other cases, you can seek help from a surgeon, urologist, or even a chiropractor who will make and prescribe a more accurate diagnosis rather than treat a similar problem.
In addition, for such pain, you may need to see a traumatologist, orthopedist, gastroenterologist, infectious disease specialist, proctologist, or gynecologist.
Characteristics of treatment
Depending on the cause of the back pain, your doctor will prescribe the following therapeutic options:
- medication with painkillers and hormones;
- blockades, which are injections into the intervertebral joints;
- hand techniques;
- physiotherapy procedures;
- physiotherapy;
- acupuncture.
If conservative treatment does not help, surgery is used.
In addition to the main treatment, physiotherapy methods are used to treat the disc herniation that underlies osteochondrosis.
Healing blockades are used when other methods do not give the desired effect. Anesthetics are most often injected into the lumen of the affected joint.
Acupuncture is recommended for disc extensions, osteochondrosis, or hernia. If the pain radiates to the leg, physiotherapy is also used.
Wearing a special corset allows you to restrict the movement of the lumbar region. This will help reduce the pain in the area of arthritis.
In case of back pain, your doctor may make the following suggestions:
- The bed rests on a hard surface for 2-5 days.
- She is wearing a special bandage.
- Use of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs.
- Muscle relaxants are prescribed to relieve muscle cramps. Special medications are also used to relax the muscles.
- Vascular and diuretic drugs are used to improve blood circulation and reduce edema.
- All kinds of gels and ointments are used as topical therapeutic treatments.
- Physiotherapy procedures are prescribed to consolidate the positive result. These can be electrophoresis, phonophoresis and magnetotherapy.
Physiotherapy and special massage help to improve blood circulation, relieve muscle tension and eliminate inflammation.
If lumbar pain is not associated with complex diseases, then yoga will help alleviate the condition.
You can also do these exercises at home and they don’t take much time.
Hypothermia pain
He knew that hypothermia was a common cause of back pain. In this case, you don’t even have to freeze, you just have to sweat and go in under the air conditioner.
In this case, the hot surface of the body comes into contact with a stream of cold air. And the next day it will be hard to straighten up or ascend.
In such a situation, the pain becomes constant and painful.
First, you need to warm your back. A warming type ointment is suitable for this. If there is no cure, regular alcohol will come in handy as well. After rubbing, the lower back should be wrapped in something warm.
A similar procedure is performed every day. In case of severe pain, it is advisable to consult a doctor. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to relieve pain.
If you are often hypothermic, get a belt made of dog or sheep wool.
What to do with lumbar lumbago?
Such pain occurs with intense physical exertion. If you carry any weight, you will experience sharp pain in your legs.
A similar symptom is characteristic of lumbosacral radiculitis, called lumbago or lumbago. In this situation, you must lie on a hard surface.
Take an analgesic to relieve the pain.
Keep in mind that you cannot take a hot bath or steam bath with such signs. In this case, dry heat helps better.
For example, a special ointment. You may also want to limit your salt and fluid intake to several days.
What helps with hernia?
In case of hernia, there is a sharp and constant pain, which increases with each movement. Relief occurs only in the supine position.
Numbness numbness is also felt. Bed rest and painkillers should be taken to relieve pain. Then you need to call a doctor.
Serious and qualified treatment is needed during the acute period.
What needs to be done to prevent it?
Do not wait for severe pain to appear, but start taking preventative measures.
Here they are:
- Identification and treatment of comorbidities causing low back pain.
- Adequate nutrition with adequate amounts of phosphorus, calcium and other vitamins.
- Severe physical exertion and heavy lifting should be avoided. In this case, the load must be evenly distributed. Do not make sudden movements.
- Take an active lifestyle. Go for a walk, swim or yoga.
- Occasionally attend therapeutic massages.
- In a sitting position, take a break every hour and do a little exercise.
- The bed should be comfortable, such as with orthopedic mattresses.
You can wear special elastic belts, posture enhancers or bandages to prevent this.
Such devices are recommended during pregnancy and heavy physical exertion.
It is important to control body weight as high body weight increases the load on the spine. Get rid of bad habits and also do a routine check every year.
Physiotherapy
Exercise yourself at home to strengthen your back muscles and prevent pain. Exercise should be done regularly.
A well-designed set of exercises will help improve posture, increase muscle tone and activate blood circulation.
In such a complex, you can use the following movements:
- the body tilts in different directions. First left and right, then back and forth;
- turning the body sideways;
- in the knee - in an elbow position you have to bend your back up and down;
- lying on its back with legs bent to its knees, the pelvis rises;
- from a prone position, the straightened legs should be bent to the knees and pulled to the chest.
Perform each exercise 8-10 times.
Do not ignore the symptoms of pain in the lumbar region, see a doctor and take preventive measures to help normalize well-being and strengthen your health.