Many people on the planet have experienced back pain at least once.According to statistics, only 10% of the population does not know what lower back pain is.In recent years, low back pain in the lumbar region has begun to appear in patients at a young age, not only after intense physical activity, but also with various diseases.
Species
Isolated cases of low back pain are usually not cause for concern.Frequent hypothermia, hard work and heavy lifting 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 to maintain full motor capacity.
Discovering its nature and intensity will help you understand why unpleasant sensations appear.An accurate determination of the pathology will help prescribe an effective treatment to eliminate pain.
Depending on the duration of action, 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 worries for more than six months, the pain is constant, not severe, 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 that require immediate treatment, these can be pathologies of the spine, nervous system, vascular damage and oncological tumors.
A person may feel pain in one spot or across the entire back.Based on the location, one can distinguish local pain, which does not extend beyond the borders 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 with severe spinal disorders.The reflex nature of pain occurs in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or gynecological problems.
Reasons
Nonpathologic etiology may include severe low back pain after prolonged physical activity.The accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles produces a painful effect that disappears on its own after a few days.
Main reasons:
- Dystrophic changes in the cartilaginous tissue of the lumbosacral vertebrae (osteochondrosis) are complicated by 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 area.
- Traumatic injuries due to impact or fall.
- Shortening of a limb is observed in second and third degree coxarthrosis, after injury or surgery, individual characteristics at birth and high-grade scoliosis.
- Hypothermia leads to myositis.Inflammatory phenomena of the 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 vessel wall with the formation of a blood clot;with this pathology a painful effect is also observed on the lower limb.
- Advanced forms of atherosclerosis with circulatory disorders.
- Inflammatory kidney disease.
- Gynecological pathologies, pain originates in the lower abdomen and spreads to the lower back.
- Hormonal disorders in the body of women during menopause.
- Inflammation of the prostate gland in men.
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
- Infectious diseases: tuberculosis, brucellosis and some others.
- Pancreatitis and cholecystitis cause pain referred to the lower back.
- Malignant tumors in the lumbosacral region or abdominal cavity.
Diagnostic measures
Understanding why your lower back hurts is important to getting permanent pain relief.An experienced doctor should make the diagnosis.At the appointment, the medical history is collected, complaints are listened to and the patient's heredity is clarified.
Visualization and palpation are performed to identify deformed areas on the spine and locate the most painful point 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;
- X-ray examination of the spine will determine the presence of a hernia or protrusion;
- ultrasound examination of blood vessels and pelvic organs;
- computed tomography of the spine;
- If necessary, a visit to an infectious disease specialist, rheumatologist, physiatrist or gynecologist is scheduled.
Treatment
Taking painkillers will have a short-term effect, after which the back pain will return again.Therapeutic measures should consist of a series of primary and auxiliary therapeutic procedures.
A sudden attack requires immediate help.Actions to help alleviate the condition:
- take a pain reliever;
- wrap the lumbar area tightly to create compression on the sore spot;
- contact a medical specialist for qualified help.
At the time of acute pain, if there is no accurate diagnosis, it is forbidden to try to warm up the lower back so that the inflammation does not increase.It is not recommended to conduct a therapeutic massage and manual therapy session during a flare-up.
Medicines
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will relieve lower back pain and eliminate inflammation by regulating body temperature.Only a doctor can prescribe drugs.Uncontrolled use of non-hormonal painkillers leads to irritation of the gastric mucosa.Taking a drug that inhibits the secretion of gastric acid half an hour before NSAIDs prevents the pathological condition.
- Glucocorticosteroids are prescribed for severe inflammatory reactions.
- Diuretics will relieve swelling by removing excess fluid, thus 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 appearance of dysbiosis.
- To strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
Local treatment
Medicines intended for local treatment will help relieve pain.Ointments and creams for external use may contain active ingredients: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers, viper, cobra, viper and scorpion venom.
Medicinal based patches are convenient to use during the day.The pepper patch is applied directly to the lower back and within a few hours a uniform therapeutic effect is achieved on the painful area.
Kinesio tape is a type of pain relief.Taping gives an immediate effect;when done correctly, it can stay on the skin for up to 5 days, providing long-lasting pain relief.
Orthopedic products include the use of a rigid lumbosacral corset.The bandage is designed for static loads, provides support to the lower back and relieves pain due to compression.For radiculitis, warming corsets with dog, camel or llama hair are prescribed.
Physiotherapy
Lidocaine phonophoresis provides rapid relief of symptoms by rapidly penetrating a strong anesthetic into the deep subcutaneous layers.The safe method has no negative effects on the gastrointestinal tract, which is an added advantage.
Massage is effective during the pain-free period.After the course, blood circulation improves, the muscular system is toned and mobility in the lumbar area improves.
Acupuncture allows you to apply acupuncture to certain points for treatment and prevention purposes.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 the damaged areas.The therapeutic effect is cumulative, achieved by the end of the first cycle 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 weight lifting;
- wear a lumbosacral corset for dynamic loads when the spine is tense;
- wear orthotics to absorb shock while walking;
- eat well and monitor your weight so that extra pounds do not contribute to the development of further diseases;
- Seek medical advice if suspicious symptoms appear.