Low back pain - causes, treatment and prevention

If your lower back hurts, it could be due to a large list of causes. One of the most harmless options is physical fatigue. In more severe situations, hernias, protrusions, or damage to the bone machine may occur.To find out what is causing your low back pain, you need to have a medical examination. Once the diagnosis is made, appropriate treatment is prescribed to relieve the symptoms and eliminate the cause of the pain.

Why Lower Back Pain: Classifying Painful Feelings

If you have severe low back pain in any part of your spine, it may indicate certain abnormalities. The doctor evaluates not only the nature and severity of the pain, but also other accompanying signs of the lumbar region. A complete collection of history is needed.

Pain Syndrome is classified as follows:

1. Non-specific, benign pain. In most cases, benign chronic or acute pain does not make a difficult diagnosis. These unpleasant symptoms are reversible in most cases. Such discomfort is used to diagnose dorsopathy. Previously, the diagnosis sounded different - osteochondrosis. It is not a dangerous disease that occurs at any age, characterized by subsidence of intervertebral discs due to gravity and muscle weakness.
2. Radiculopathy (radical syndrome). The condition involves tightening or irritating the nerve root in the interdisk disk space. Such pain may indicate an inflammatory process, compression of the vertebrae of the intervertebral disc, and the occurrence of protrusion and hernia. They greatly impair the patient's quality of life, especially during the acute period of any physical activity.
3. Specific or alarming back pain. The symptoms of such discomfort alone are difficult to diagnose, so additional testing is often prescribed, which may include the exclusion of cancer, tuberculosis, kidney disease, or fractures or injuries. Such as febrile pyelonephritis in pregnant women, low back pain, pain in the lower abdomen are diseases of the female reproductive system. Urological symptoms should be ruled out in men.

The general classification of pain is divided into the following:

• strong;
• spicy;
• sore;
• chronic;
• has moved.

Lower back pain - Causes

The lower back is very sorewith osteochondrosis. Uncomfortable feelings torment the patient almost constantly - while walking, sitting and even lying down. The lower back hurts more intensely during the day due to the movements. It is aggravated by coughing, sneezing, weight bearing. More rarely, pain in the lower back radiates toward the foot, manifested by paraesthesia — numbness and a feeling of running creepy feet.

If the patient has sciatica, the pain radiates toward the lower body — buttocks, pelvis, thighs, or lower legs. The discomfort increases with active exercise, as in dorsopathy. If such symptoms occur, a neurologist should be consulted as soon as possible.

Pain in the lower back and lower abdomenindicates a bacterial lesion that is often accompanied by painful urination. In women, lower back pain often occurs during pregnancy or menstruation. Lower back pain is the result of a painful spasm or pressure on the internal organs. Lower back or right pain in the lower back indicates kidney disease. It is necessary to clarify the diagnosis with a doctor. The most reliable diagnostic methods are X-rays and MRI.

The causes of lower back pain in women are often related to their menstruation. Lower back pain in women due to uterine cramps. To overcome painful periods, you should take NSAIDs or use hormone therapy. The condition of ovulation syndrome is less common. In addition to lumbar discomfort, the woman also observes alternating pains in the middle of the cycle on the right or left side. Why this condition occurs is still not fully understood.

During pregnancy, the lower back hurts due to displacement of the center of gravity and muscle weakness. The condition returns to normal after childbirth. Unpleasant feelings can be observed at any time. It is important to be able to distinguish when the back hurts from the load and when it is pathological. If you have secretions such as menstruation in addition to back and lower abdominal pain at any stage of your pregnancy, you should see a doctor urgently.

In men, painful sensations in the lower back and below the waist that radiate to the perineum indicate the development of inflammation of the prostate. If, in addition to these symptoms, the person's body temperature rises and their condition worsens, they should contact a therapist or urologist. Treat the inflammation with antibiotics.

Acute low back pain occurs in the following situations:

• sprain or inflammation of the back muscles;
• long-lasting antalgic posture;
• if you suddenly lift a lot of weight;
• sharp turn of the side or body, injuries;
• draft or hypothermia.

What to do if your lower back hurts: If the condition indicates physical damage, you should call a traumatologist. One skilled in the art will prescribe drug therapy during the acute period to alleviate unpleasant symptoms. Initially, systemically acting NSAIDs are used and then switched to external forms of release. It is useful to take vitamin preparations, inject neurotropic drugs. During the healing period, physiotherapy, massage, gymnastics are indicated.

Why unpleasant symptoms occur - lower back pain is painful due to inflammation of the muscle fibers or myositis. The condition is not pleasant because the patient feels stiffness below the waist and normal movement of the body is difficult. To temporarily alleviate the condition, you should take a warm shower and then wrap it in warm clothing. Often the back hurts in the lumbar region after injuries, falls off. It is also recommended to use warming ointments. If the condition does not improve after a few days, it is better to see a doctor.

During spondylosis, it pulls and hurts in the lower back. The patient has constant stretching pain in the lower back and over time has problems with the legs. Loss of sensitivity and weakness is observed. Spondylosis deformans is dangerous if the symptoms are ignored because the disease takes a long time to develop. Other causes of prolonged back pain include ankylosing spondylitis, other diseases whose pain radiates to the spine, or cancer. You cannot pull with such symptoms, you should seek professional help immediately.

Sometimes the patient is tormented by "displaced pain" of an unfamiliar nature. The patient has discomfort in the back, but this condition is not associated with developing pathology of the spine. Irradiation of pain is associated with pelvic, stomach, or duodenal, kidney problems.

In what situations do you need to contact a professional urgently:

1. The pain syndrome is intense, the discomfort does not go away after 2-3 days and even increases.
2. Uncomfortable feelings due to injury or accident. There were falls or bumps in the back.
3. With the concomitant occurrence of pain in the lower back, lower leg, hip, pelvis.
4. Feelings of limbs, pelvis, buttocks, thighs, legs, feet and groin are lost due to discomfort.

Only a doctor can find out the exact cause of back pain.

Treatments and ways to relieve low back pain

Once the diagnosis is made, therapy is selected according to the individual characteristics of the patient. The goal of treatment is to relieve unpleasant symptoms and prevent relapse. Usually, conservative therapies are combined with the principles of physiotherapy and rehabilitation. In advanced situations, surgery may be required.

Drug therapy

Drug use is the broadest branch of background therapy. NSAIDs or analgesics, antispasmodics, neurotropic vitamins and muscle relaxants can be prescribed as spinal drugs. Each group of drugs is discussed separately. These funds are intended for symptomatic treatment - to relieve pain during exacerbation. They have no effect on the cause of the disease.

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can cope with several tasks at the same time in the symptomatic treatment of back pain. The funds are effective in alleviating and eliminating the inflammatory process due to reversible inhibition of the synthesis of inflammatory mediators. Systemic forms of release, in the form of tablets and injections, are used for a short time during the acute period to alleviate severe pain syndrome.

Diclofenac and Movalis are the gold standard in the treatment of back pain. Less commonly, indomethacin or ketorolac are prescribed. After a few days of therapy, the patient is allowed to use external forms of release that can be used for a much longer period of time. Diclofenac gel, Naproxen, Ketorolac trometamol, Piroxicam perfectly anesthetize.

Anticonvulsants may be used to treat a patient who is intolerant to muscle relaxants. The classic anticonvulsants are drotaverine hydrochloride or papaverine hydrochloride. They are prescribed to relieve cramps in smooth muscles, which can result in pain radiating to the spine. Such bases are easier to tolerate than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but they also have a weaker effect.

Central muscle relaxants include tizanidine, tolperisone hydrochloride, or baclofen. The most commonly prescribed treatment for muscle cramps is tolperisone hydrochloride, although tizanidine is more potent and has fewer side effects. Balofen is a prescription drug that is actually prescribed in advanced cases. It is not a first-line drug as it shows many side effects. The average duration of therapy when taking muscle relaxants is 1 to 1. 5 months. If the cramping has not stopped during this period, the medications will be removed.

Physiotherapy methods of rehabilitation

The following recovery methods are commonly used in this branch of medicine:

1. Electrophoresis. The drugs are injected into the skin under the influence of a galvanic current. Injectable B vitamins, nicotinic acid, chondroprotectors are commonly used. It is a long-used method of treating back pain, but it is effective and helps well during the rehabilitation period. The galvanic current has good conductivity, delivering the drugs locally to where the blood flow is disturbed. The drugs are active for 15 hours.
2. Laser therapy to reduce pain. With the help of precisely tuned infrared radiation, the method is aimed at relieving pain, eliminating cramps, stimulating regenerative processes, improving microcirculation in tissues, relaxing and enhancing immunity. Laser therapy is especially effective in the treatment of osteochondrosis, hernia, protrusion.
3. Acupuncture is an ancient method of therapy officially approved by the WHO. Contraindications to the procedure are gestational age, age up to 1 year and after 75 years. With the help of acupuncture, different degrees of pain syndrome are eliminated. The essence of the method is the effect of the needle on the nerve endings of the affected area. The average therapeutic course is 10 to 12 sessions. Effectively and quickly removes pain in any part of the back - the side, left or right side of the spine.
4. Physiotherapy is one of the most popular rehabilitation methods for back pain. If there are no contraindications to the procedure, a rehabilitation therapist will select special exercises aimed at restoring spinal mobility, eliminating muscle pain, and strengthening hypotonic muscle structures. With the strengthening of the muscle ligament, the pain disappears.

Traditional medicine methods are also used, but research has not shown a beneficial effect on health. Any method of self-healing should be discussed with a neurologist.

Preventing low back pain

Maintaining spinal health is important from an early age. In the early stages of body maturation, the body is formed intensively - the limbs grow, the position of the organs changes, and the skeleton lengthens. By teaching your child proper posture and regular exercise at an early age, you can avoid many back problems in the future.

The child is taught to practice therapy at home several times a week to achieve a lasting effect. You should consult a good rehabilitator to avoid implementation errors. The specialist will tell you how to properly perform back exercises at home, choose an individual training system. At a young age, it is important not to overdo it and alternate the principles of moderate exercise with stretching and thorough warm-up.

Good habits to prevent low back disease in childhood and adulthood:

1. Prolonged and improper sitting in the workplace is fraught with scoliosis, shifting left or right. You need to get up and stretch every 15-20 minutes - the neck and lower back should be tilted forward, toning tired muscles to the side, improving blood flow.
2. It is important to avoid prolonged exposure to antalgic posture. Static overload of the spine is painful.
3. Do not perform a sharp neck or back. If you do this more than once, there is a high probability of injury. Most often, back injuries are caused by sudden and unusual stress on the body.
4. Sit up straight when you work from home. If you lean to the right or left in a sitting position, improper loading of the muscles will occur. The result is uneven muscle tension with alternating hypertension or hypotension in any part of the back.
5. Carrying the bag on one shoulder on the left or right should be excluded. An alternative might be a backpack that evenly loads the shoulders to the right or left without distortion.
6. It is recommended to perform a complex at home to stretch tired muscles. After a long day of work, the muscles lose their elasticity. Warm stretching is also beneficial for ligaments and joints. For neck side and forward bending, light static load is useful.

One of the best ways to prevent lumbar discomfort is to go to the pool. It is enough to swim 1-2 times a week to feel relief on your back. If you have problems, experts recommend that you visit the pool at least 3 times a week.