Back pain in the lumbar region is a common occurrence. By the age of 30, these sensations occur in 70% of people indifferent to the type of employment, lifestyle and physical activity. Ignoring back pain is fraught with undesirable health consequences, since this symptomatology already indicates disturbances in the functioning of the body.
In consultation with a neurologist:
- Conduct an inspection;
- Listen to the patient's complaints
- Make a preliminary diagnosis;
- If necessary, send for additional research;
- prescribe an individual course of treatment.
Causes of back pain
The causes of back pain in the lumbar region differ in the etiology of the origin, they require the determination of the pain area and the analysis of the nature. It is customary to distinguish:
- epicritic pain - severe back pain in the lower back with a clearly defined focus;
- protopathic pain - pulling pain, pain, which is a reflection of diseases of other anatomical areas.
The frequency of occurrence, duration of pain sensations and the area affected by them are important. Often the rear part fails due to:
- age-related changes, in which the ability of the spine to perform cushioning functions decreases;
- loads when carrying a child;
- vertebral dislocation, injuries and compression fractures;
- spinal deformities;
- intervertebral hernia, osteochondrosis, compression of the nerve roots of the spinal cord.
If back pain limits mobility, prevents bending, then we are talking about stretching. The feeling of numbness, increased pain during coughing, sneezing, the spread of sensation in the lower extremities are neuroradicular syndromes. Growing pains of a long-term nature are 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 the spine. There are problems with the liver, right kidney, right ovary (in women), intestines, gall bladder. Similar reasons lead to the fact that a person has back pain in the lumbar region on the left. However, in this case, with protopathic pain, it is worth paying attention to the left kidney, left ovary (in women), stomach, intestines and pancreas.
If the left side hurts from the back to the lower back or the right side in the morning after sleep and long immobility, then this indicates spondylarthrosis. A sharp pain during a drop in temperature (in the shower or due to hypothermia) is a manifestation of acute back pain.
With excruciating pain, it is recommended that men first of all go to a urologist, for women - to a gynecologist. You will need to do an ultrasound of the internal organs, take a blood and urine test. When examining the spine, MRI of the lumbar spine gives good results.
Back pain above the lower back of a protopathic nature 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.
The back hurts hard above the waist with:
- radiculitis;
- osteochondrosis with disc displacement;
- spine and rib injuries;
- myositis (muscle inflammation).
Back pain below the waist is caused by morphofunctional musculoskeletal changes - osteochondrosis or spondylarthrosis. In this case, patients have a sharp pain in the back below the waist.
How to relieve lower back pain
If you have experienced a sharp pain in the lumbar region, then you can relieve the discomfort with the help of simple actions. You should lie down on a horizontal surface and relax. Please note that a soft feather bed that sags too much under your weight will not work. The legs should be placed at a height, relieving the load from the spine.
After the discomfort has stopped, you should gently roll onto your side and get on all fours. The meaning of such "gymnastics" is to minimize the load on the back. You need to straighten up and stand, using support, holding it with your hands. The belt for back pain in the lower back allows you to adjust this part of the body, which also reduces pain. At the same time, he should grasp 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 reduce inflammation. They can be used as tablets or as injections for back and back pain (in this case, blockade injections are performed only in a clinical setting).
After eliminating the symptoms, you should definitely contact the clinic. Self-medication is unacceptable. Using an ointment for pain in the back and lower back and a belt, the patient can endure the pain for a long time, aggravating his condition. As a result, the back muscles weaken and the pain goes into a chronic phase. Abuse of analgesics can cause addiction.
Treatment of back pain in the lumbar region
If your lifestyle causes periodic muscle spasms (sports or physical work can lead to this), then muscle relaxants should be in your home medicine cabinet. But these drugs should also be prescribed by the doctor after consultation. In the treatment of lower back pain, depending on the diagnosis, different measures are used:
- Reflexology.Includes acupuncture (injections with special needles in specific areas) and electroacupuncture (use of electrical impulses). It can also be applied in the form of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (suppression of the pain signal entering the brain).
- Physiotherapy.Magnetic and laser therapy methods are used, as well as medicinal electrophoresis, phonophoresis, which increase the effectiveness of the use of medicines.
- Therapeutic exercises and massage.These measures are effective in diseases of the spine and in rehabilitation after injuries. Requires specialist supervision.
- Surgical intervention.May be needed for hernias that cause compression of the spinal cord or spinal root.
Often, the treatment is complex, combining different approaches. The duration and effectiveness of therapy depends on the duration of treatment.