Many people on the planet have experienced lower back pain at least once.According to statistics, only 10% of the population does not know what lower back pain is.In recent years, lumbago in the lumbar region began to appear in patients at a young age, not only after intense physical activity, but also in cases of various diseases.
Species
Isolated cases of lower back pain are generally not cause for concern.Frequent hypothermia, hard work and lifting heavy objects can cause destructive changes in the spine.The appearance of pain is a sign of the development of a pathological process that must be treated in order to maintain full motor ability.
Knowing the nature and intensity will help you understand why unpleasant sensations appear.Accurate determination of the pathology will help prescribe effective treatment to eliminate pain.
Depending on the duration of action, lower back pain can be:
- acute – occurs suddenly, is accompanied by high intensity, the duration of the symptom does not exceed thirty days and is often painful in nature;
- chronic – the patient has been worried for more than six months, the pain is constant, not very intense, signals old processes in the body;
- periodic – appears during the acute phase, disappears completely with the advent of the remission period;
- Constant pain accompanies many conditions requiring immediate treatment, these can be pathologies of the spine, nervous system, vascular lesions and oncological tumors.
A person may feel pain in one spot or throughout the entire back.Depending on the location, we can distinguish local pain, which does not extend beyond the limits of the lesion, or generalized pain, which covers the entire lower back.
Sometimes the pain extends to the lower limb, causing a forced position during movement.This symptom occurs in serious spinal disorders.The reflexed nature of pain occurs in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or in gynecological problems.
Reasons
Non-pathological etiology may include severe lower back pain after prolonged physical activity.The accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles produces a painful effect which disappears on its own after a few days.
Main reasons:
- Dystrophic changes in the cartilaginous tissue of the lumbosacral vertebrae (osteochondrosis) are complicated by the proliferation of bone tissue and loss of elasticity of flattened cartilage.Lower back pain worsens when the intervertebral disc is deformed, a complication of which is intervertebral herniation.This condition causes increased pain that spreads to the hip and sometimes is reflected in the ankle region.
- Traumatic injuries due to impact or fall.
- Shortening of a limb is observed in coxarthrosis of the second and third degree, after injury or surgery, in individual characteristics at birth and in high-grade scoliosis.
- Hypothermia leads to myositis.Inflammatory phenomena in muscle fibers cause widespread and constant pain.
- Radiculitis is a neurological pathology based on inflammation of the root of one of the spinal nerves.A sudden, sharp pain pierces the patient, forcing him to bend over.
- Scoliotic curvature of the spine.
- Thrombophlebitis is damage to the vascular wall with the formation of a blood clot;with this pathology, a painful effect is also observed in the lower limb.
- Advanced forms of atherosclerosis with circulatory disorders.
- Inflammatory kidney diseases.
- Gynecological pathologies, the pain begins in the lower abdomen and spreads to the lower back.
- Hormonal disorders in the body in women during menopause.
- Inflammation of the prostate in men.
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
- Infectious diseases: tuberculosis, brucellosis and some others.
- Pancreatitis and cholecystitis cause referred pain in the lower back.
- Malignant tumors in the lumbosacral region or in the abdominal cavity.
Diagnostic measures
Understanding why your lower back hurts is important for permanent pain relief.An experienced doctor should make the diagnosis.During the appointment, medical history is collected, complaints are listened to and the patient's heredity is clarified.
Visualization and palpation are performed to identify deformed areas of the spine and locate the most painful location in the lower back.
To confirm the hypothesis, the following procedures are performed:
- laboratory analysis of blood and urine to determine possible inflammation in the body;
- biochemical blood test for indicators of a possible rheumatological factor;
- Radiological examination of the spine will determine the presence of a hernia or protrusion;
- ultrasound examination of blood vessels and pelvic organs;
- CT scan of the spine;
- An examination by an infectious disease specialist, rheumatologist, phthisiatrician or gynecologist is scheduled if necessary.
Treatment
Taking painkillers will have a short-term effect, after which the lower back pain will return.Treatment measures should consist of a set of primary and auxiliary treatment procedures.
A sudden attack requires immediate help.Actions to help alleviate illness:
- take a pain reliever;
- tightly wrap the lumbar area to create compression on the sore spot;
- contact a specialist doctor for qualified help.
At the time of acute pain, if there is no accurate diagnosis, it is forbidden to try to warm the painful lower back so that the inflammation does not increase.It is not recommended to carry out a session of therapeutic massage and manual therapy during an exacerbation.
Drugs
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories will relieve lower back pain and eliminate inflammation by regulating body temperature.Only a doctor can prescribe medication.Uncontrolled use of non-hormonal pain relievers leads to irritation of the gastric mucosa.Taking a medication that inhibits gastric acid secretion half an hour before NSAIDs will prevent the pathological condition.
- Glucocorticoids are prescribed in cases of severe inflammatory reactions.
- Diuretics will relieve swelling by removing excess fluid, reducing pain.
- Muscle relaxants will relieve spasms and relax skeletal muscles.
- Chondroprotectors to prevent destruction of the spine.
- Antibiotics for inflammation of internal organs.This pharmacological group disrupts the balance of the intestinal microflora.Probiotics will help prevent the onset of dysbiosis.
- Strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
Local treatment
Medications intended for local treatment will help relieve pain.Ointments and creams for external use may contain active ingredients: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics, viper, cobra, viper, scorpion venom.
Patches with a medicinal base are convenient to use during the day.The pepper patch is applied directly to the lower back and within a few hours there is a uniform therapeutic effect on the painful area.
Kinesio tape is a type of pain relief.Taping gives an immediate effect;if done correctly, it can stay on the skin for up to 5 days, providing long-lasting pain relief.
Orthopedic products include wearing a rigid lumbosacral corset.The bandage is designed for static loads, supports the lumbar area and relieves pain from compression.For radiculitis, warming corsets with dog, camel or llama hair are prescribed.
Physiotherapy
Phonophoresis with lidocaine provides rapid relief of symptoms by rapidly penetrating a powerful anesthetic into the deep subcutaneous layers.This safe method does not have a negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract, which is an additional advantage.
Massage is effective during the painless period.After the course, blood circulation improves, the muscular system is toned and mobility at the lumbar level improves.
Acupuncture allows acupuncture to be applied to certain points for treatment and prevention.The Kuznetsov applicator is perfect for home use.Plastic needles increase blood flow and trigger natural pain relief processes.
Magnetic therapy is used to treat many diseases, including osteochondrosis, vascular pathologies and gynecological diseases.The pulsed current penetrates 7 cm under the skin, reaching damaged areas.The therapeutic effect is cumulative, obtained from the end of the first course and maintained until the next session.
Prevention
To keep your lower back healthy, you will need to follow the well-known rules:
- lead an active lifestyle;
- avoid heavy loads during professional activities, during sports training and bodybuilding;
- wear a lumbosacral corset for dynamic loads when the spine is tense;
- wearing orthotics to absorb shock while walking;
- eat right and watch your weight so that extra pounds do not contribute to the development of additional diseases;
- Seek advice from a healthcare professional if suspicious symptoms appear.