Back pain in the lumbar region is common.By the age of 30, these feelings appear in 70% of people, regardless of the type of employment, lifestyle and physical activity.Ignoring lower back pain leads to undesirable health consequences, since these symptoms already indicate disturbances in the functioning of the body.
At a neurologist consultation:
- Performs an inspection;
- He listens to patients' complaints;
- Make a preliminary diagnosis;
- Refers to further research if necessary;
- prescribes individual treatment.
Causes of lower back pain
The causes of back pain in the lumbar region differ in the etiology of origin and require the definition of the area of pain and character analysis.It is customary to distinguish:
- epicritic pain - severe back pain in the lower back, with a definite focus;
- protopathic pain - nagging, aching pain that reflects diseases in other anatomical areas.
The frequency of pain, its duration and the 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 during pregnancy;
- vertebral displacement, trauma and compression fractures;
- spine deformities;
- intervertebral hernia, osteochondrosis, compression of the nerve roots of the spinal cord.
If lower back pain limits mobility and prevents bending, then we are talking about a sprain.A feeling of numbness, increased pain when coughing, sneezing, spreading the feeling to the lower limbs - these are nerve-radicular syndromes.The increase in persistent pain is explained by problems with internal organs.
Back pain in the right lumbar region occurs due to muscle spasm, nerve fiber irritation, musculoskeletal or spinal problems.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 left lumbar region.In this case, however, in case of protopathic pain, attention should be paid to the left kidney, left ovary (in women), stomach, intestines and pancreas.
If the left side hurts from behind 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 (during a shower or due to hypothermia), a manifestation of acute lumbago.
In case of excruciating pain, it is advisable for men to consult a urologist first, and for women to consult a gynecologist.You should have 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 in the lower back:
- radiculitis;
- osteochondrosis with disc displacement;
- injuries to the spine and ribs;
- myositis (muscle inflammation).
Back pain in the lower back is caused by morphofunctional musculoskeletal disorders - osteochondrosis or spondyloarthrosis.In this case, patients experience severe back pain in 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 level surface and rest.Please note that a soft feather bed that bends heavily under your weight will not work.The legs should be placed high, relieving the spine.
After the discomfort is gone, you should carefully roll onto your side and get on all fours.The essence of such "exercise" is to minimize the load on the back.You should straighten up and stand on your feet with a support held by your hands.A back belt for lower back pain allows you to fix this part of the body, which also reduces pain.At the same time, you need to grasp not only the diseased area, but also the part of the body above and below it.At the same time, pain relievers can be used to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.They can be used in the form of tablets or injections for back and lower back pain (in this case, blockade injections are performed only in clinical settings).
You should definitely go to the clinic after the symptoms have disappeared.Self-medication is unacceptable.By using the back and lower back pain ointment and the belt, the patient can endure the pain for a long time, which aggravates his condition.As a result, the back muscles weaken and the pain goes into a chronic phase.Abuse of painkillers 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 work), then you should have a muscle relaxant in your home medicine cabinet.But these medicines must also be prescribed by a doctor after consultation.In the treatment of lower back pain, different measures are used depending on the diagnosis:
- 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 the pain signal that reaches the brain).
- Physiotherapy. Magnetic and laser therapy techniques, as well as medical electrophoresis and phonophoresis, are used, which increase the effectiveness of the use of drugs.
- Physiotherapy and massage. These measures are effective in the case of spinal diseases and rehabilitation after injuries.It requires medical supervision.
- Surgical intervention. It 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 the therapy depends on the timeliness of the treatment.