Low back pain - causes, treatment and prevention

If your lower back hurts, then this could be the result of a long list of reasons. One of the most harmless options is physical fatigue. In more serious situations, hernias, extensions, or damage to the bone apparatus may occur.To find out what causes back pain, you should have a medical examination. After the diagnosis is made, appropriate treatment is prescribed to relieve the symptoms and eliminate the root cause of the pain.

Why my back hurts: classifying painful sensations

If there is severe pain in the lower back in any part of the spine, this may indicate certain pathological changes. The doctor assesses not only the nature and severity of the pain, but also the other accompanying signs of problems in the lumbar region. A complete collection of history is required.

Pain syndrome is classified as follows:

1. Nonspecific pain of a benign nature. In most situations, chronic or acute benign pain does not impose a difficult diagnosis. These unpleasant symptoms in most cases are reversible. Such unpleasant sensations are used to diagnose dorsopathy. Previously, the diagnosis looked different - osteochondrosis. This is not a dangerous disease that occurs in any elderly person, which is characterized by the collapse of the intervertebral discs due to the action of gravity and muscle weakness.
2. Radiculopathy (radicular syndrome). The condition is accompanied by squeezing or irritation of the nerve root in the interdisciplinary space. Such pains may indicate an inflammatory process, compression of the vertebrae of the intervertebral disc, manifestations of elongation and hernias. They greatly impair the patient's quality of life, especially during the acute period with any physical activity.
3. Specific or alarming back pain. The symptoms of such a concern alone are difficult to diagnose, so an additional examination is often prescribed, which may include the exclusion of cancer, tuberculosis, kidney disease or fractures, injuries. Examples are pyelonephritis with fever, in pregnant women, lower back pain, lower abdominal pain with diseases of the female reproductive system. In men, urological symptoms should be ruled out.

The general classification of pain is divided into:

• strong;
• spicy;
• hurts;
• chronic;
• moved.

Back pain hurts - reason

The lower back hurts badlywith manifestations of osteochondrosis. Unpleasant sensations torment the patient almost all the time - while walking, sitting and even lying down. The lower back hurts more intensely during the day due to movements. Exacerbated by coughing, sneezing, weight bearing. Less often, in the lower back, the pain radiates to the legs, which is manifested by paresthesias - a feeling of numbness and dullness in the legs.

If a patient has sciatica, then the pain radiates to the lower body - buttocks, pelvis, thighs or bottom of the leg. Discomfort increases with active body movements, as in the case of dorsopathy. When such symptoms appear, it is necessary to consult a neurologist as soon as possible.

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

Often the causes of low back pain in women are related to their periods. Pain in the lower back in women due to uterine cramps. To combat painful periods, you should take NSAIDs or use hormone therapy. Rarely, the condition of ovulatory syndrome is observed. In addition to discomfort in the lower back, a woman notices alternating pain in the middle of the cycle on the right or left side. Why this condition occurs is not yet fully known.

During pregnancy, the lower back aches due to displacement of the center of gravity and muscle weakness. The condition returns to normal after birth. Unpleasant sensations are noticed at any time. It is important to be able to distinguish when the back hurts from the load and when with pathology. If at any stage of pregnancy, in addition to pain in the back and lower abdomen, there are discharges such as menstruation, you should urgently consult a doctor.

In men, painful sensations in the lower back and below the waist, which radiate to the perineum, indicate the development of inflammation of the prostate. If, in addition to these symptoms, a man has an increase in body temperature and a deterioration in well-being, you should contact a therapist or urologist. Treat inflammation with antibiotics.

Acute low back pain occurs in situations like this:

• spasm or inflammation of the back muscles;
• long stay in analgesic behavior;
• if you suddenly lift a lot of weight;
• sharp side or body curves, injuries;
• draft or hypothermia.

What to do if your back hurts: When the condition shows physical damage, you should see a traumatologist. The specialist will prescribe drug therapy in the acute period to relieve the unpleasant symptoms. Initially, systemic action NSAIDs are used, and then switch to external forms of release. It is useful to take vitamin preparations, to inject neurotropic drugs. During the recovery period, physiotherapy, massage, gymnastics are indicated.

Why Unpleasant Symptoms Appear - Low back pain occurs due to inflammation of muscle fibers or myositis. The condition is not pleasant, as the patient feels stiffness under the waist, and normal body movements are difficult. To temporarily alleviate the condition, you should take a warm shower and then wrap yourself in warm clothes. Often back pain in the lumbar region after injuries, falls. It is also recommended to use heating oils. If after a few days the condition does not improve, then it is better to see a doctor.

Pulls and pain in the lower back during spondylosis. The patient constantly has a pulling pain in the lower back, and over time has problems with the legs. Loss of sensitivity and weakness is observed. Deformity spondylosis is dangerous if the symptoms are not taken into account because the disease takes a long time to develop. Other causes of back pain withdrawal are ankylosing spondylitis, other diseases, pain from which radiates to the back or cancer. You can not withdraw with such symptoms, you should immediately seek help from a specialist.

Sometimes the patient is tortured by "displaced pain", the nature of which he does not know. The patient has discomfort in the spine, but this condition is not associated with the development of pathology of the spine. Radiation pain is associated with problems in the pelvis, stomach or duodenum, kidneys.

In which situations should you contact a specialist urgently:

1. The pain syndrome is intense and the discomfort does not go away after 2-3 days, or even intensifies.
2. Unpleasant sensations have arisen after injury or as a result of an accident. There was a drop in the back or a blow.
3. With the simultaneous appearance of pain in the lower back, lower leg, hips, pelvis.
4. Sensation in the limbs, pelvis, buttocks, thighs, legs, feet and groin is lost due to unpleasant sensations.

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

Treatments and ways to relieve back pain

Once the diagnosis has been made, therapy is chosen according to the individual characteristics of the patient. Treatment aims to alleviate unpleasant symptoms and prevent relapse. Usually, conservative therapies are combined with the principles of physiotherapy and rehabilitation. In advanced situations, surgical intervention may be required.

Drug therapy

Medication use is the broadest branch of back therapy. Of the spinal medications, NSAIDs or analgesics, antispasmodics, neurotropic vitamins, and muscle relaxants may be prescribed. Each group of medicines will be discussed separately. These remedies are intended for symptomatic treatment - relieving pain during an exacerbation. They have no effect on the root cause of the disease.

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) face several tasks at the same time during the symptomatic treatment of back pain. Funds effectively facilitate and eliminate 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 in the acute period for a short time to relieve severe pain syndrome.

Diclofenac and Movalis are the gold standard in the treatment of back pain. Rarely, Indomethacin or Ketorolac are prescribed. After a few days of therapy, the patient is transferred to the use of external forms of release, which can be used much longer. Diclofenac gel, Naproxen, Ketorolac trometamol, Piroxicam anesthetize perfectly.

Antispasmodics can be used to treat a patient if the patient does not tolerate muscle relaxants. Classic antispasmodics are drotaverine hydrochloride or papaverine hydrochloride. They are prescribed to relieve smooth muscle spasm, as a result of which radiant back pain can occur. Such funds are more easily tolerated than NSAIDs, but also have a weaker effect.

Central muscle relaxant drugs include tizanidine, tolperisone hydrochloride or baclofen. The most common treatment prescribed for muscle spasticity is tolperisone hydrochloride, although tizanidine is more potent and has fewer side effects. Balofen is a prescription drug prescribed for really advanced cases. It is not a first-line medicine as it exhibits many side effects. The average duration of therapy when taking muscle relaxants is 1–1, 5 months. If during this period the spasticity has not disappeared, then the medication is removed.

Methods of rehabilitation physiotherapy

In this branch of medicine, it is customary to use the following recovery methods:

1. Electrophoresis. The drugs are injected through the skin under the action of a galvanic current. Usually, injection B vitamins, nicotinic acid, chondroprotectors are used. This is a consistent method of treating back pain, but it is effective and helps well in the rehabilitation period. Galvanic current has good conductivity, delivering drugs locally where blood flow is disrupted. The drugs are active for 15 hours.
2. Laser therapy aimed at reducing pain. With the help of tuned infrared radiation, the method aims to relieve pain, eliminate spasms, stimulate regenerative processes, improve microcirculation in tissues, relax and increase immunity. Laser therapy is especially effective in treating osteochondrosis, hernias, elongation.
3. Acupuncture is an ancient therapeutic method officially approved by the WHO. Contraindications to the procedure are the period of pregnancy, age up to 1 year and after 75 years. With the help of acupuncture, pain syndrome to varying degrees is eliminated. The essence of the method is the effect of a needle on the nerve ending of the affected area. The average course of therapy is from 10 to 12 sessions. Effectively and quickly relieves pain in any part of the back - on the side, left or right of the spine.
4. Physiotherapy is one of the most popular methods of rehabilitation for back pain. If there are no contraindications to the procedure, then special exercises are selected by a rehabilitation therapist, aimed at restoring back mobility, eliminating muscle pain, strengthening hypotonic muscle structures. By strengthening the muscular corset, the pain disappears.

Traditional medicine methods are also used, but research has not proven their beneficial effects on health. Any method of self-medication should be discussed with a neurologist.

Prevention of low back pain

Maintaining spinal health is important from an early age. In the early period of maturation of the body, the body is formed intensively - the limbs grow, the position of the organs changes, the skeleton elongates. If, at an early age, you teach your child the correct posture and regular exercises, you will be able to avoid many back problems in the future.

The child is taught to do exercise therapy at home several times a week to get a permanent effect. In order to avoid mistakes in execution, you should consult a good rehabilitator. The specialist will show you how to do back exercises correctly 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 full stretching and warm-up.

Good habits to prevent lumbar disease in childhood and adulthood:

1. Prolonged and inappropriate sitting in the workplace is fraught with scoliosis with displacement to the left or right side. You should get up every 15-20 minutes and do stretching - tilting your neck and lower back forward, sideways will tone tired muscles, improve blood flow.
2. It is important to avoid prolonged exposure to analgesic behavior. Static ridge overload is fraught with pain.
3. Do not make sharp turns of the neck or back. If you do this several times, there is a high probability of injury. Most often, back injuries are caused by immediate and unusual stress on the body.
4. Sit on your feet when working from home. When you bend to the right or left side in a sitting position, an incorrect muscle load occurs. The result is uneven muscle tension with alternating hypertension or hypotension in any part of the back.
5. it is necessary to exclude carrying the bag to the left or right on one shoulder. An alternative is a backpack that evenly loads the shoulders without distorting right or left.
6. At home, it is recommended to perform a stretching complex for tired muscles. After a long day at work, the muscles lose their elasticity. The heat stretch is also beneficial for ligaments and joints. Bending the neck to the side and forward, light static loads are beneficial.

One of the best ways to prevent lower back discomfort is by going to the pool. Just swim 1-2 times a week to feel relief in your back. If you have existing problems, experts recommend visiting the pool at least 3 times a week.