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 part and is not evenly distributed along the spinal column. Pain in the lower back can signal very serious problems not only of the spine, but also of the internal organs.
If the pain is acute and accompanied by fever, call an ambulance.
If such symptoms are not noticed, it is worth contacting a therapist for an accurate diagnosis. Let’s look at why these symptoms occur, how they can be resolved and prevented.
The main causes of lower back pain
First, let's find out the reasons for these unpleasant symptoms. Pain can be primary in spinal pathologies or secondary in diseases of internal organs.
Along with the reasons, it is important to identify the factors that increase the pain syndrome.
Here they are:
- Characteristics of the profession: heavy physical activities for builders and loaders and weightlifting for athletes.
- Prolonged sitting.
- Overweight and inactive lifestyle.
- Improper diet 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 noticeably alleviate your condition and the health of your spine.
Primary factors
Primary factors are associated with degenerative-dystrophic processes in the spine.
These include:
- Osteochondrosis is a change in cartilage and intervertebral discs that leads to a herniated disc or a deformed disc.
- Spondylosis is characterized by the formation of bony growths on the vertebrae. This growth causes muscle spasms around the spine, which limits its mobility. Occurrence of injuries in the lower back.
- Spondyloarthritis is a degeneration of the joint surfaces in the vertebrae, as well as their involvement in the pathological process of ligaments, joints and muscles. In this case, the deformation of the intervertebral discs occurs, and the mobility of the spine is also limited.
- Spondylolisthesis is manifested by the movement of the vertebrae, as a result of which the lumen of the spinal canal changes.
- Herniated discs.
- Radiculopathy is an injury to the nerve root.
Secondary factors
Secondary occur with concomitant pathologies:
- Metabolic problems.
- Curvature of the spine.
- When it is located near the spine of malignant formations.
- Infectious diseases: spinal osteomyelitis, tuberculous spondylitis, spinal epidural abscess.
- Spinal injuries.
- Autoimmune diseases.
- Painful symptoms of a psychogenic nature.
- Diseases of the digestive system.
- Diseases of the pelvic organs.
- Menstrual pain.
Also, problems with the spine can be affected by flat feet, or flattening of the arch of the foot.
Pregnancy can also cause pain. In the early stages, they occur when progesterone is exposed to ligaments and muscles, also with the risk of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.
After childbirth, pain can occur as a result of stretching the pelvic muscles or increased pressure on the spine, with frequent carrying of the child in the arms.
What diseases does such pain signal?
The location of the pain is also important.
Well, let's look at each case:
- aching pains to the right and above the lower back may indicate lung pathology. These symptoms are accompanied by shortness of breath, cough and fever. Also about gallbladder or liver problems. In this case, the nature of the pain is stabbing;
- if discomfort is felt above the lower back on the left, then it may be a sign of pancreatitis, myocardial infarction, pericarditis, or left pleurisy;
- symptoms of pain in the lumbar region signal osteochondrosis in this area, intervertebral hernias, as well as compression fractures;
- a symptom of pain below the lower back, radiating to the lower abdomen, is a sign of pelvic organ disease. Such diseases include fibroids, endometriosis, prostate pathology, colon disease, and infectious gynecological diseases. This may also indicate that the kidneys are not in order.
Which doctor will help?
Most often, back pain occurs temporarily. Only in rare cases do such symptoms signal complex diseases.
In any case, it is worth knowing which doctor can help in such a situation. Acute pain often occurs with increased physical exertion.
In other cases, you can seek help from a surgeon, urologist, or even a chiropractor who will more accurately diagnose and prescribe rather than treat a similar problem.
In addition, you may need to consult a traumatologist, orthopedist, gastroenterologist, infectious disease specialist, proctologist or gynecologist for such pain.
Treatment characteristics
Depending on the causes of back pain, the doctor prescribes the following treatment options:
- treatment with analgesics and hormones;
- blockages, which are injections into the intervertebral joints;
- manual techniques;
- physiotherapy procedures;
- physiotherapy;
- acupuncture.
If conservative treatment does not help, surgery is used.
In the treatment of disc herniation in the background of osteochondrosis, in addition to the main treatment, physiotherapeutic methods are also used.
Healing blockades are used when other methods do not give the desired effect. For this, anesthetics are most often injected into the lumen of the affected joint.
Acupuncture is recommended for bulging discs, osteochondrosis or hernias. If the pain radiates to the leg, then physical therapy is also used.
Wearing a special corset allows you to restrict movement in the lumbar region. This helps reduce pain in the area of joint inflammation.
For back pain, your doctor may make the following recommendations:
- Rest in bed on a hard surface for 2-5 days.
- Wearing a special bandage.
- Use of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs.
- To get rid of muscle cramps, muscle relaxants are prescribed. Special medications are also used to help relax the muscles.
- Vascular and diuretic drugs are used to improve blood circulation and reduce edema.
- All types of gels and ointments are used as topical therapy.
- In order to consolidate a positive result, physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed. These can be electrophoresis, phonophoresis and magnetotherapy.
Physical therapy and special massage help to improve blood circulation, relieve muscle tension and eliminate inflammation.
If the pain in the lumbar region is not related to complex diseases, then yoga will help alleviate the condition.
You can do these exercises at home and they do not take 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 freeze, but just sweat and go under the air conditioner.
In this case, the hot surface of the body will come into contact with the jet of cold air. And the very next day it will be hard to straighten up or get up.
In such a situation the pain becomes constant and painful.
First of all, you need to warm your back. Heating grease is suitable for this. If there is no cure, then regular alcohol will come in handy. 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 worth seeking medical help. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to relieve pain.
If you are often hypothermic, get a dog or sheep wool belt.
What to do with lumbar lumbar?
Such pain occurs with intense physical exertion. A sharp pain that passes in the leg occurs when carrying any weights.
A similar symptom is characteristic of lumbosacral radiculitis, called lumbago or lumbago. In such a situation, you must lie on a hard surface.
Take a painkiller.
Keep in mind that with such signs you cannot take a hot bath or a steam bath. In this case dry heat will help you more.
For example, a special ointment. It is also worth limiting salt and fluid intake for a few days.
What will help with hernia?
With a hernia, there is a sharp and constant pain that increases with each movement. Relief comes only in the supine position.
Numbness may also be felt in the lower back. To relieve pain, you should take a bed rest and a painkiller. Then you need to call a doctor.
In the acute period, serious and qualified treatment is required.
What to do for prevention?
Do not wait for severe pain to appear, but start taking preventive measures.
Here they are:
- Identification and treatment of concomitant diseases that can cause low back pain.
- Proper nutrition with sufficient amounts of phosphorus, calcium and other vitamins.
- Heavy physical exertion and lifting heavy loads should be avoided. In this case, the load should be distributed evenly. Do not make sudden movements.
- Lead an active lifestyle. Go for a walk, swim or yoga.
- Occasionally attend therapeutic massage courses.
- When you sit down, take a break every hour and exercise a little.
- The bed should be comfortable, for example with an orthopedic mattress.
For prevention, you can wear special elastic belts, hold correctors or bandages.
Such devices are recommended for pregnancy and heavy physical exertion.
It is important to control your weight, because a large body weight increases the load on the spine. Get rid of bad habits, and have routine checkups every year.
Physiotherapy
Exercise 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;
- turns the body to the sides;
- in the knee - in the elbow position, you need to bend your back up and down;
- lying on his back with his legs bent at the knees, his pelvis raised;
- from a prone position, the straightened legs should bend at the knees and draw them 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 to help normalize well-being and strengthen health.