Back pain in the lumbar region is a common occurrence.By the age of 30, these sensations appear in 70% of people, indifferent to the type of work, lifestyle and physical activity.Ignoring pain in the lower back is full of unwanted health consequences, because these symptoms already indicate disorders in the functioning of the body.
At the consultation with the neurologist:
- Performs inspections;
- Listens to patient complaints;
- Make a preliminary diagnosis;
- If necessary, additional research will be conducted;
- will prescribe individual therapy.
Causes of lower back pain
The causes of back pain in the lumbar region differ in etiology and require determination of the area of pain and character analysis.It is common to distinguish between:
- epicritic pain - severe back pain in the lower back with a pronounced focus;
- protopathic pain - excruciating, aching pain that is a reflection of disease in other anatomical areas.
Frequency of occurrence, duration of pain and affected area are significant.Often the back fails due to:
- age-related changes that reduce the spine's ability to perform shock-absorbing functions;
- stress when carrying a child;
- vertebral displacement, trauma and compression fractures;
- spinal deformities;
- intervertebral hernia, osteochondrosis, spinal cord nerve root compression.
If pain in the lower back limits mobility and prevents bending, then we are talking about a sprain.A feeling of numbness, increased pain when coughing, sneezing, spreading the sensation to the lower extremities - these are nerve-radicular syndromes.The strengthening of long-term pain is explained by problems with internal organs.
Back pain in the lumbar region on the right side is caused by muscle spasm, irritation of nerve fibers, problems with the musculoskeletal system or spine.There are problems with the liver, right kidney, right ovary (in women), intestines and gall bladder.Similar reasons lead to a person having back pain in the lumbar region on the left side.However, in this case, with protopathic pain, attention should be paid 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 sleeping and prolonged 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 severe pain, it is recommended for men to consult a urologist first, and for women - a gynecologist.It is necessary 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 diseases (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;
- spine and rib injuries;
- myositis (muscle inflammation).
Back pain below the lower back is caused by morphofunctional changes in the musculoskeletal system - osteochondrosis or spondyloarthrosis.In this case, patients have severe back pain under the lower back.
How to relieve lower back pain
If you have experienced sharp pain in the lumbar region, you can ease the discomfort with simple steps.You should lie down on a horizontal surface and relax.Note that a soft feather that flexes a lot under your weight will not work.The legs should be placed on the elevation, relieving the burden from the spine.
After the discomfort stops, you should carefully roll onto your side and stand on all fours.The purpose of such "gymnastics" is to reduce the load on the back.You need to straighten up and stand on your feet using a support, holding it with your hands.Back belt for lower back pain allows you to fix this part of the body, which also reduces pain.At the same time, it should cover 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 in the form of tablets or as injections for pain in the back and lower back (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 an ointment for pain in the back and lower back and a belt, the patient can endure the pain for a long time, which worsens 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 occasional muscle spasms (this can be caused by sports or physical work), then you should have muscle relaxants in your home medicine cabinet.But these drugs should also be prescribed by a doctor after consultation.In the treatment of lower back pain, depending on the diagnosis, different measures are used:
- Reflexology. It includes acupuncture (injections with special needles in specific areas) and electroacupuncture (use of electrical impulses).It can also be implemented in the form of transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation (suppression of pain signals entering the brain).
- Physiotherapy. Magnetic and laser therapy techniques are used, as well as medical electrophoresis and phonophoresis, which increase the effectiveness of the use of drugs.
- Therapeutic exercises and massage. These measures are effective in spine diseases and rehabilitation after injuries.Requires professional supervision.
- Surgical intervention. It may be needed for hernias that cause compression of the spinal cord or spinal root.
Treatment is often complex, combining different approaches.The duration and effectiveness of the therapy depends on the timeliness of the treatment.