Back pain in the lumbar region is a common occurrence. By the age of 30, these sensations occur in 70% of people indifferent to the type of job, lifestyle and physical activity. Ignoring back pain is fraught with undesirable consequences for health, since this symptomatology already indicates disturbances in the functioning of the body.
On consultation with a neurologist:
- Conduct an inspection;
- Listen to the patient's complaints
- Make a preliminary diagnosis;
- If necessary, send for further research;
- prescribe an individual therapeutic path.
Causes of back pain
The causes of back pain in the lumbar region differ in the etiology of origin, require the definition of a pain zone and the analysis of nature. It is customary to differentiate:
- epicritic pain - severe back pain in the lower back with a clearly defined focus;
- protopathic pain - pulling and aching pain, which is a reflection of diseases of other anatomical areas.
The frequency of onset, the duration of painful sensations and the area affected by them are significant. Often the back breaks down due to:
- age-related changes, in which the ability of the spine to perform depreciation functions is reduced;
- loads when carrying a child;
- displacement of the vertebrae, injuries and compression fractures;
- spinal deformities;
- intervertebral hernia, osteochondrosis, compression of the nerve roots of the spinal cord.
If low back pain limits mobility, prevents flexion, then we're talking about stretching. A feeling of numbness, increased pain when coughing, sneezing, a sensation of spreading to the lower limbs are neuroradicular syndromes. Increasing pains of a long-term nature are explained by problems with internal organs.
Back pain in the lumbar region on the right occurs due to muscle spasms, irritation of nerve fibers, problems with the musculoskeletal system or the spine. There are problems with the liver, right kidney, right ovary (in women), intestines, gallbladder. Similar reasons lead to the fact that a person has back pain in the lumbar region on the left. 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 the back in the lower back or the right side in the morning after sleep and a long immobility, this indicates spondylarthrosis. Severe pain during a drop in temperature (in the shower or due to hypothermia) is a manifestation of acute back pain.
With aching pains, it is advisable for men to go to a urologist first, for women to a gynecologist. You will need to conduct 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 a number of reasons:
- kidney disease;
- heart disease (angina pectoris, myocardial infarction);
- pleurisy;
- pneumonia;
- diseases of the esophagus;
- appendicitis;
- inflammation of the gallbladder.
The back hurts a lot above the waist with:
- radiculitis;
- osteochondrosis with disc displacement;
- injuries of the spine and ribs;
- myositis (muscle inflammation).
Back pain below the waist is caused by morphofunctional musculoskeletal changes - osteochondrosis or spondylarthrosis. In this case, patients have severe back pain below the waist.
How to relieve pain in the lower back
If you have experienced severe pain in the lower back, you can relieve the discomfort with the help of simple actions. You should lie down on a horizontal surface and relax. Please note that a soft comforter that falls a lot under your weight will not work. The legs should be placed on an elevation, relieving the load from the spine.
After the discomfort has stopped being felt, you should gently roll onto your side and get on all fours. The meaning of such "gymnastics" is to minimize the load on the back. You need to straighten and stand, using the support, holding it with your hands. The back pain relief belt in the lower back allows you to secure this part of the body, also reducing 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 relieve inflammation. They can be used as tablets or as injections for back pain and low back pain (in this case block injections are performed only in a clinical setting).
After the elimination of symptoms, you should definitely contact the clinic. Self-medication is unacceptable. Using a back and lower back pain ointment and a belt, the patient can endure the pain for a long time, aggravating her condition. As a result, the back muscles weaken and the pain passes into a chronic stage. Overuse of analgesics can be addictive.
Treatment of back pain in the lumbar region
If your lifestyle causes periodic muscle spasms (sports or physical work can lead to this), then muscle relaxants should be in your home medicine cabinet. But these medicines should also be prescribed by a doctor after consultation. In the treatment of low back pain, depending on the diagnosis, various measures are used:
- Reflexology.It includes acupuncture (injections with special needles in certain areas) and electroacupuncture (use of electrical pulses). It can also be implemented in the form of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (suppression of the pain signal entering the brain).
- Physiotherapy.Methods of magnetic and laser therapy are used, as well as drug electrophoresis, phonophoresis, which increase the effectiveness of the use of drugs.
- Therapeutic exercise and massage.These measures are effective in spinal diseases and in rehabilitation after injuries. It requires the supervision of a specialist.
- Surgical intervention.It may be needed for hernias that cause spinal cord or spinal root compression.
Often, the treatment is complex, combining different approaches. The duration and effectiveness of therapy depend on the timeliness of treatment.