Back pain in the lumbar region is common.By the age of 30, these sensations arise in 70% of people, indifferent to the type of employment, lifestyle and physical activity.Ignoring lower back pain is fraught with undesirable health consequences, since these symptoms already indicate disturbances in the functioning of the body.
At a consultation with a neurologist:
- Conducts an inspection;
- Listens to patient complaints;
- Make a preliminary diagnosis;
- If necessary, will refer for additional research;
- will prescribe an individual course of treatment.
Causes of lower back pain
The causes of back pain in the lumbar region differ in etiology of origin and require determination of the area of pain and character analysis.It is customary to differentiate:
- epicritic pain - severe back pain in the lower back with a distinct focus;
- protopathic pain - nagging, aching pain that is a reflection of diseases of other anatomical areas.
The frequency of occurrence, duration of pain and the area affected are significant.Often the back fails due to:
- age-related changes, which reduce the ability of the spine to perform shock absorption functions;
- stress when carrying a child;
- vertebral displacement, trauma and compression fractures;
- spinal deformities;
- intervertebral hernia, osteochondrosis, compression of the spinal cord nerve roots.
If pain in the lower back limits mobility and prevents you from bending, then we are talking about a sprain.A feeling of numbness, increased pain when coughing, sneezing, spreading sensation to the lower extremities - these are nerve-radicular syndromes.Increasing long-term pain is explained by problems with internal organs.
Back pain in the lumbar region on the right occurs due to muscle spasm, irritation of nerve fibers, problems with the musculoskeletal system or spine.Problems with the liver, right kidney, right ovary (in women), intestines, and gall bladder affect.Similar reasons lead to a person having back pain in the lumbar region on the left.However, in this case, with protopathic pain, you should pay attention to the left kidney, left ovary (in women), stomach, intestines and pancreas.
If the left side hurts from the back in the lower back or the right side in the morning after sleep and long immobility, then this indicates spondyloarthrosis.Sharp pain when the temperature changes (in the shower or due to hypothermia) is a manifestation of acute lumbago.
In case of aching pain, it is advisable for men to first consult a urologist, and for women - a gynecologist.You will need to perform an ultrasound of the internal organs, blood and urine tests.When examining the spine, MRI of the lumbar region gives good results.
Protopathic back pain above the lower back is caused by a number of reasons:
- kidney disease;
- heart disease (angina pectoris, myocardial infarction);
- pleurisy;
- pneumonia;
- diseases of the esophagus;
- appendicitis;
- inflammation of the gallbladder.
Acute back pain above the lower back with:
- radiculitis;
- osteochondrosis with disc displacement;
- injuries of the spine and ribs;
- myositis (muscle inflammation).
Back pain below the lower back is caused by morphofunctional musculoskeletal changes - osteochondrosis or spondyloarthrosis.In this case, patients experience severe back pain below the lower back.
How to relieve lower back pain
If you have experienced sharp pain in the lumbar region, you can relieve the discomfort with simple steps.You should lie down on a horizontal surface and relax.Please note that a soft feather bed that bends greatly under your weight will not work.The legs should be placed on an elevation, relieving the load from the spine.
After the discomfort has ceased to be felt, you should carefully roll over onto your side and get on all fours.The point of such “gymnastics” is to minimize the load on the back.You need to straighten up and stand on your feet using a support, holding it with your hands.A back belt for lower back pain allows you to fix this area of the body, which also reduces pain.At the same time, it should capture not only the diseased area, but also the part of the body above and below it.At the same time, analgesics can be used to relieve pain and relieve inflammation.They can be used in the form of tablets or as injections for back and lower back pain (in this case, blockade injections are carried out only in a clinical setting).
After eliminating the symptoms, you should definitely go to the clinic.Self-medication is unacceptable.Using ointment for back and lower back pain and a belt, the patient can endure pain for a long time, aggravating his condition.As a result, the back muscles weaken and the pain enters a chronic phase.Abuse of analgesics can be addictive.
Treatment of back pain in the lumbar region
If your lifestyle causes periodic muscle spasms (this can be caused by sports or physical labor), then you should have muscle relaxants in your home medicine cabinet.But these medications should also be prescribed by a doctor after consultation.When treating lower back pain, depending on the diagnosis, various measures are used:
- Reflexology. Includes acupuncture (injections with special needles in certain areas) and electroacupuncture (use of electrical impulses).It can also be implemented in the form of transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation (suppression of the pain signal entering the brain).
- Physiotherapy. Magnetic and laser therapy techniques are used, as well as medicinal electrophoresis and phonophoresis, which increase the effectiveness of the use of medications.
- Therapeutic exercise and massage. These measures are effective for diseases of the spine and rehabilitation after injuries.Requires specialist supervision.
- Surgical intervention. May be necessary for hernias that cause compression of the spinal cord or spinal root.
Treatment is often complex, combining different approaches.The duration and effectiveness of therapy depends on the timeliness of treatment.