Back pain in the lumbar region is a common occurrence. By the age of 30, these sensations appear in 70% of people who are indifferent to the type of work, lifestyle and physical activity. Ignoring pain in the lower back is full of unwanted health consequences, because this symptomatology already indicates disorders in the functioning of the body.
At the consultation with the neurologist:
- Conduct an inspection;
- Listen to the patient's complaints
- Make a preliminary diagnosis;
- If necessary, send for additional research;
- prescribe individual therapy.
Causes of back pain
The causes of back pain in the lumbar region differ in etiology, they require the determination of the pain zone and an analysis of the nature. It is common to distinguish between:
- epicritic pain - severe back pain in the lower back with a clearly defined focus;
- protopathic pain - pulling, aching pain, which is a reflection of diseases in other anatomical areas.
The frequency of occurrence, duration of painful sensations and the area affected by them are significant. Often the back fails due to:
- age-related changes, in which the ability of the spine to perform cushioning functions is reduced;
- loads when carrying a child;
- vertebral displacement, injuries and compression fractures;
- spinal deformities;
- intervertebral hernia, osteochondrosis, compression of nerve roots of the spinal cord.
If pain in the lower back limits mobility, prevents bending, then we are talking about stretching. A feeling of numbness, increased pain when coughing, sneezing, a feeling of spreading to the lower extremities are neuroradicular syndromes. Long-term growing pains are 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, gall bladder. Similar reasons lead to the fact that a person has back pain in the lumbar region on the left side. 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 in the lower back or the right side in the morning after sleeping and prolonged immobility, then this indicates spondylarthrosis. Sharp pain when the temperature drops (in the shower or due to hypothermia) is a manifestation of acute back pain.
In case of painful pain, it is recommended for men to consult a urologist first, and for women - 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 several reasons:
- kidney disease;
- heart diseases (angina pectoris, myocardial infarction);
- pleurisy;
- pneumonia;
- diseases of the esophagus;
- appendicitis;
- inflammation of the gallbladder.
The back hurts sharply 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 changes in the musculoskeletal system - 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 sharp pain in the lumbar region, then you can relieve the discomfort with the help of simple actions. You should lie 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 is no longer felt, you should gently roll onto your side and stand on all fours. The meaning 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. Back belt with lower back pain allows you to fix this part 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 reduce inflammation. They can be used as tablets or as injections for back and lower back pain (in this case, block injections are only performed in a clinical setting).
After eliminating the symptoms, you must 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, which worsens his condition. As a result, the back muscles are weakened, 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 (sports or physical work can lead to this), then muscle relaxants should be in your home medicine box. But these drugs should also be prescribed by a doctor after consultation. In the treatment of low 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 nerve stimulation (suppression of pain signals entering the brain).
- Physiotherapy.Magnetic and laser therapy methods are used, as well as drug electrophoresis, phonophoresis, which increase the effectiveness of drug use.
- Therapeutic exercises and massage.These measures are effective in spine diseases and in rehabilitation after injuries. Require specialist supervision.
- Surgical intervention.It may be needed for hernias that cause compression of the spinal cord or spinal root.
Treatment is often complex and combines different approaches. The duration and effectiveness of the therapy depends on the timeliness of the treatment.