Low back pain is a common occurrence. By the age of 30, these sensations appear in 70% of people who are indifferent to the type of occupation, lifestyle and physical activity. Ignoring lower back pain is fraught with undesirable health consequences, as these symptoms already indicate disorders in body function.
At the consultation with a neurologist:
- Conduct an inspection;
- Listen to the patient's complaints
- Make a preliminary diagnosis;
- If necessary, send further inquiries to;
- prescribe an individual course of treatment.
Causes of back pain
The causes of back pain in the lumbar region differ in the etiology of formation, require the definition of a pain zone and analysis of the nature. It is customary to distinguish:
- epicritic pain - severe back pain in the lower back with a clearly defined focus;
- protopathic pain - aching, aching pain that reflects diseases of other anatomical areas.
The frequency of occurrence, the duration of the pain sensations and the area affected are essential. Often the back fails due to:
- age-related changes, in which the ability of the spine to perform the functions of depreciation is reduced;
- stress 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.
When lower back pain restricts mobility, prevents bending, then we are talking about stretching. Numbness, increased pain when coughing, sneezing, sensation 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 is caused by muscle spasms, irritation of nerve fibers, problems with the musculoskeletal system or spine. There are problems with the liver, right kidney, right ovary (in women), intestines and gallbladder. Similar reasons lead to the fact that a person experiences back pain in the left lumbar region. But 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 behind in the lower back or the right side in the morning after sleep and a long period of inactivity, this indicates spondylarthrosis. A sharp pain during a temperature drop (in the shower or due to hypothermia) is a manifestation of acute back pain.
In the case of aching pain, it is advisable for men to first consult a urologist, for women - a gynecologist. You 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 a number of reasons:
- kidney disease;
- heart disease (angina pectoris, myocardial infarction);
- Pleurisy;
- Lung infection;
- diseases of the esophagus;
- Appendicitis;
- inflammation of the gallbladder.
The back hurts badly above the waist with:
- radiculitis;
- osteochondrosis with herniated disc;
- Injuries to the spine and ribs;
- Myositis (muscle inflammation).
Back pain below the hips 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 felt severe pain in the lumbar region, you can relieve the discomfort with simple measures. You should lie on a level surface and relax. Please note that a soft duvet that sags a lot under your weight will not work. The legs should be placed on an elevation to relieve the spine.
After the discomfort subsides, you should carefully roll onto your side and get on all fours. The importance of such "gymnastics" is to minimize the stress on the back. You need to straighten up and stand on your feet, using the brace and holding it with your hands. The belt for the back with lower back pain allowsallows 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. At the same time, analgesics can be used to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. They can be given as tablets or as injections atBack and lower back pain are used (in this case, blockade 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 pain for a long time, which aggravates his condition. This weakens the back muscles and the pain goes into a chronic phase. Analgesic abuse can be addictive.
Back pain treatment in the lumbar region
If your lifestyle causes periodic muscle cramps (exercise or physical work can cause it), muscle relaxants should be in your medicine cabinet. But even these drugs should be prescribed after consultation with a doctor. Depending on the diagnosis, various measures are used in the treatment of low back pain:
- reflexology.Includes acupuncture (injections into specific areas with special needles) and electroacupuncture (use of electrical impulses). It can also take the form of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (suppression of the pain signal entering the brain).
- Physical therapy.Methods of magnetic and laser therapy, as well as drug electrophoresis and phonophoresis, which increase the effectiveness of drug use, are used.
- Remedial gymnastics and massage.These measures are effective in diseases of the spine and in rehabilitation after injuries. Specialist supervision required.
- Surgical intervention.May be necessary 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 therapy depends on the timeliness of treatment.