It turns out that lower back pain is a very common phenomenon.
According to biologists, this symptom is the result of our upright posture, in which the load falls mainly on the lumbar area and is not evenly distributed throughout the spine.Lower back pain can indicate very serious problems not only with your spine, but also with your internal organs.
If the pain is severe and accompanied by fever, call an ambulance.
If no such symptoms are observed, then for an accurate diagnosis you should consult a therapist.Let’s figure out why these symptoms occur, how to treat them and prevent them.
Main causes of lower back pain
First, let's find out what causes this unpleasant symptom.Pain may be primary to spinal pathology or secondary to visceral organ disease.
In addition to the cause, it is important to identify factors that exacerbate the pain syndrome.
Here they are:
- Characteristics of this occupation: Construction workers and loaders perform strenuous physical activities, and athletes perform heavy lifting.
- Remain seated for long periods of time.
- Overweight and a sedentary lifestyle.
- Malnutrition, lack of protein, calcium, and phosphorus in the body.
- Bad Habits: Too much alcohol and hard liquor.
Even by reducing the effects of these factors, you will significantly improve your condition and spinal health.
main factors
The main factor is related to degenerative dystrophic processes of the spine.
These include:
- Osteochondrosis is a change in the cartilage and disc that causes the disc to bulge or become deformed.
- Spondylosis is characterized by the formation of bone spurs on the vertebrae.With this growth, the muscles surrounding the spine spasm, limiting its mobility.The appearance of a lower back injury.
- Spondyloarthropathy is the degeneration of the articular surfaces of the vertebrae and their involvement in the pathological processes of ligaments, joints and muscles.In this case, the discs become deformed and the spine's mobility is limited.
- Spondylolisthesis occurs when the vertebrae shift, causing changes in the lumen of the spinal canal.
- Herniated disc.
- Radiculopathy is damage to the nerve roots.
secondary factors
Secondary conditions occur with accompanying conditions:
- Metabolic problems.
- Curvature of the spine.
- When a malignant tumor is located near the spine.
- Infectious diseases: spinal osteomyelitis, tuberculous spondylitis, spinal epidural abscess.
- Spinal injury.
- Autoimmune diseases.
- Psychogenic pain symptoms.
- Digestive system diseases.
- Pelvic organ disease.
- Menstrual pain.
In addition, spinal problems can also be affected by flat feet (i.e. flat arches).
Pregnancy can also cause pain.They appear in the early stages when progesterone affects ligaments and muscles, and when there is a threat of miscarriage or during an ectopic pregnancy.
After delivery, pain may occur due to stretching of the pelvic muscles or increased load on the spine, as well as from frequent holding of the child.
What disease does this pain indicate?
The location of the pain is also important.
So, let's look at each case:
- Soreness on the right side and upper lower back may indicate lung disease.These symptoms are also accompanied by shortness of breath, cough and fever.Also about gallbladder or liver problems.At the same time, the nature of the pain is stabbing;
- If you feel discomfort on the left side above your waist, it may be a sign of pancreatitis, myocardial infarction, pericarditis, or left-sided pleurisy.
- Symptoms of low back pain indicate osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, and compression fractures in this area;
- Pain below the waist that radiates to the lower abdomen is a sign of pelvic organ disease.Such diseases include uterine fibroids, endometriosis, prostate lesions, colon diseases and infectious gynecological diseases.This may also indicate unhealthy kidneys.
Which doctor will help?
In most cases, low back pain is temporary.Only in rare cases do these symptoms indicate a complex disease.
In any case, it is worth knowing which doctor can help in this case.Severe pain often occurs with increased physical activity.
In other cases, you can seek help from a surgeon, urologist, or even a chiropractor who can make a more accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatments for such problems.
Additionally, for this type of pain, you may want to consult a traumatologist, orthopedic surgeon, gastroenterologist, infectious disease specialist, proctologist, or gynecologist.
Treatment characteristics
Depending on the cause of your back pain, your doctor will prescribe the following treatments:
- Medication with analgesics and hormones;
- Blockade, i.e. injection into the intervertebral joints;
- manual techniques;
- physical therapy procedures;
- therapeutic exercises;
- acupuncture.
If conservative treatment doesn't help, surgery is used.
When treating disc herniation caused by osteochondrosis, physical therapy is required in addition to the primary treatment.
Therapeutic blockade can be used when other methods fail to achieve the desired results.Most often, for this purpose, an anesthetic is injected into the lumen of the affected joint.
Acupuncture is recommended for herniated discs, osteochondrosis, or hernias.If the pain radiates into the leg, physical therapy may also be needed.
Wearing a special corset can limit waist movement.This helps reduce pain in inflamed areas of the joint.
For back pain, your doctor may recommend the following:
- Rest in bed on a hard surface for 2-5 days.
- Wearing special bandages.
- Use anti-inflammatory and pain relievers.
- To eliminate muscle spasms, doctors may prescribe muscle relaxants.Special medications are also used to help relax the muscles.
- To improve circulation and reduce swelling, vascular and diuretic medications are used.
- Various gels and ointments are used as topical treatments.
- To consolidate the positive results, physical therapy is required.This can be electrophoresis, phonophoresis and magnetic therapy.
Therapeutic exercises and special massages help improve blood circulation, relieve muscle tension, and eliminate inflammatory processes.
If the lower back pain is not related to a complex disease, then yoga classes will help relieve the condition.
You can do similar exercises at home and it won't take much time.
pain caused by hypothermia
Did you know that a common cause of back pain is hypothermia.Meanwhile, you don't even have to freeze, just sweat it out and get under the air conditioning.
In this case, the hot surface of the body comes into contact with a blast of cold air.It was difficult to straighten up or get out of bed the next day.
In this case, the pain becomes constant and stinging.
First, you need to warm your back.Warming ointments are suitable for this.If there is no remedy, then regular alcohol will also come in handy.After wiping, wrap the waist with something warm.
Similar procedures are carried out every day.If the pain is severe, seek medical help.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to relieve pain.
If you suffer from frequent hypothermia, invest in a belt made of dog or sheep wool.
What to do if you have low back pain?
This pain occurs during strenuous physical activity.Severe pain extending into the leg may occur when weight bearing is applied.
Similar symptoms are characteristic of lumbosacral radiculitis, known as low back pain or low back pain.In this case, you need to lie down on a hard surface.
To relieve pain, take painkillers.
Remember, you should not take hot baths or use a sauna if you have these symptoms.In this case, dry heat will be more helpful.
For example, special ointments.It's also worth limiting salt and fluid intake for a few days.
What helps with hernia?
When you have a hernia, you experience severe and constant pain that worsens with any movement.Relief occurs only in the supine position.
You may also experience numbness in your lower back.To relieve pain, you need to ensure bed rest and take painkillers.Then you need to call your doctor.
In the acute phase, careful and qualified treatment is required.
What should be done to prevent it?
Don’t wait until severe pain occurs to start taking preventive measures.
Here they are:
- Identify and treat concomitant conditions that may cause low back pain.
- Proper nutrition, adequate phosphorus, calcium and other vitamins.
- Strenuous physical activity and heavy lifting should be avoided.In this case, the load should be evenly distributed.Don't make sudden movements.
- Live an active lifestyle.Try walking, swimming or yoga.
- Attend regular therapeutic massage sessions.
- When working sedentary, take breaks every hour and get some exercise.
- The bed should be comfortable, such as with an orthopedic mattress.
For prevention, you can wear special elastic bands, posture correctors, or bandages.
It is recommended to use such devices during pregnancy and during strenuous physical activity.
Controlling your weight is important because excess weight increases the load on your spine.Break bad habits and get a preventive check-up every year.
therapeutic gymnastics
To strengthen your back muscles and prevent pain, do some exercises at home.Physical exercise should be done regularly.
A well-designed set of exercises will help improve posture, increase muscle tone, and activate blood circulation.
In such a complex you can use the following actions:
- The body leans in different directions.First left, right, then front and back;
- Turn your body to the sides;
- In the knee position - in the elbow position you need to bend your back up and down;
- Lie on your back, bend your knees and lift your pelvis upward;
- Starting from a lying position, straight legs need to be bent at the knees and pulled toward the chest.
Perform each exercise 8-10 times.
Don't ignore lower back pain symptoms, see your doctor and take preventive measures that will help normalize your health and improve your health.