If a person has pain in the spine, symptoms indicate irritation at the nerve endings. Degenerative-dystrophic lesions often develop between the vertebrae, which compress muscles, blood vessels and NS fibers. If the patient has back pain in the lumbar region, a neuropathologist, vertebrologist and chiropractor will help determine the cause and treatment.
There are several key factors that influence the appearance of discomfort in the lumbar zone. These include:
- All kinds of curvature of the spine;
- Hypothermia of the back, legs;
- Excess muscle tissue (lifting weights, working in the same position);
- Physical fitness of the musculoskeletal system is insufficient;
- Vitamin deficiency, malnutrition;
- Overweight;
- Smoking, alcohol abuse and other bad habits.
Pain in the lumbar region is a complaint of patients who frequently visit the doctor. According to statistics, about 70% of all people in their 30s already have such problems. Because the lumbar region is located below the thorax and above the sacrum, the central zone of the spine carries maximum load.
Pain may be different. That depends on the reason for its appearance. The sensation of pain is described as pain, burning, cutting, sharp, blurred. Sometimes the pain spreads to the other back and even to the lower limbs. It appears gradually or suddenly. There is unbearable pain, but often it also depends on psycho-emotional state and age-related changes.
There are the following types of lower back pain:
- Lumbago- characterized as sharp lumbago (appears due to hypothermia or physical load);
- Lumbodynia- characterized by chronic pain (people often experience inactive activity);
- Lumboischialgia- determined by the spread of pain in the legs (often a sign of a hernia).
CT or MRI is used to diagnose the cause of spinal discomfort. Sometimes it is enough to make an x-ray of the affected inflammatory area. Also, the doctor makes a diagnosis based on the complaint and external examination of the patient's body.
Causes of back pain in the lumbar region: common pathology
Basically, an uncomfortable sensation is indicated due to the pathology of the lumbar spine. If they do appear, you must definitely see a specialist and not let the disease continue. Osteochondrosis, hernias, protrusion are often the cause of pain. They are all characterized by an increase in symptoms during movement, rotation of the torso, bends.
More rarely, the cause of back pain in the lumbar region is more serious and even life threatening. For example, there are disorders in the lumbar spine due to cancerous growth metastases, infections in the spine, internal organs, metabolic disorders in bone and muscle tissue, and fractures.
Studies have shown that 90% of lower back pain is associated with myofascial disorders, that is, with tightening or muscle strain surrounding the vertebrae. And only 10% are pathologies caused by actual vertebrogenic changes. It has been shown that the formation of osteochondrosis is associated with early displacement of the vertebrae.
The most common causes of pain are:
- Injuries;
- Stretching muscles, ligaments;
- Spinal displacement;
- Compression of nerve endings due to hernia, osteochondrosis, stenosis;
- Fractures, spinal deformities;
- Pregnancy.
More or less pain occurs after infectious lesions, spondylitis, deformities, and diseases of the abdominal organs.
If the pain persists for more than three days, see a doctor. Since discomfort is most often felt against the background of too many spinal muscles, it is possible to correct the problem in a short time with the right choice of treatment methods.
Back pain in the lumbar region on the left side: what is behind them?
If a person experiences severe discomfort or pain in the lower part of the lumbar spine, most likely, the cause of this phenomenon is irritation of nerve fibers, tense muscles or irradiation of symptoms of affected internal organs. But basically, back pain in the lumbar region on the left side develops through dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system.
In terms of frequency, pain on both sides of the spine occurs in almost equal percentages. But patients usually turn to a specialist even if the disease is advanced and requires long-term treatment.
If the pain radiates to the left, then, as a rule, it is provoked by inflammation of internal organs. The left lumbar zone projects diseases of the kidneys, intestines, stomach, pancreas, ovaries. If the disease is acute, then it is accompanied not only by the spread of pain in the left side of the lumbosacral region, but also by fever, discomfort in the abdominal cavity, defecation or urinary disorders, and menstrual irregularities.
Women who complain of back pain must be seen by a gynecologist. If the problem occurs in men, then go to a urologist. You must be examined by a therapist, perform an organ ultrasound, and undergo a test. If no abnormalities are detected during diagnosis, then a spinal examination is prescribed. The most reliable method is MRI, which helps determine the cause of back pain on the left side.
With the spread of pain it is possible to determine which part of the lumbar spine is affected and what are the consequences of the pathology.
- If a painful sensation on the left side of the lower back inflates to the lower limbs or gluteus muscle, then the lower nerve root will be affected. Remote pain indicates a neglected disease that affects the entire root.
- When pain radiates to the groin or abdomen, the pathology is at the top of the lumbar vertebra.
- If long-term pain affects the appearance of numbness in the limbs, then over time, such violations can lead to paralysis.
- If discomfort spreads to the feet while walking, there is a possibility that the sciatic nerve is inflamed.
An accurate diagnosis will be made by a specialist who will direct the patient to all necessary research methods.
How to treat lower back pain? Effective method
After the diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe medication or physical procedures that will help relieve the pathological symptoms caused by the disorder in the lumbosacral area. The exact recipe depends on the actual cause of the pain. Consider the most basic methods of treating the symptoms of various diseases or pathologies.
Ointment
This type of medicine is especially effective because it can be used at home without the help of others. The ointment relieves local inflammation caused by sprains or nerve root compression. It also warms muscle tissue if pain occurs due to back hypothermia.
There are several types of ointments:
- Anti-inflammatory analgesic,that relieves itching, pain and has a cooling effect.
- Combined funds,are used for back injuries. They can have healing, analgesic, cooling, anti-inflammatory effects.
- Irritant,aims at vasodilation in the affected area to increase blood flow.
- Chondroprotectorsare used to treat cartilage tissue pathology.
How to treat back pain, only a doctor can tell. What type of ointment should be used, the specialist will determine only after the diagnosis of the spine.
Injection
With the help of injections, pain in the lower back can be overcome in a very short time. Intramuscular or intravenous solutions are more effective than oral medications, as they pass through the gastrointestinal tract and enter the bloodstream directly to the location of the inflammatory process. But injecting yourself is not always easy, so patients should visit the clinic every day or contact the medical staff at home. Almost all lower back injections are provided with a prescription.
Warming up
This method of therapy is more related to folk recipes and is only used for non-inflammatory pain in the back. It is used for osteochondrosis, hernias, muscle tension, curvature of the spine. If the pain is caused by an infectious lesion, warming will only worsen the symptoms and worsen the patient's health. To achieve a positive effect, use a dry heating pad or hot compress up to 10 times a day.
Physiotherapy training
Should be appointed by a physical therapist who, after diagnosing the cause of back pain, will be able to choose the optimal exercise. The purpose of this exercise is to strengthen the muscles in the back to correct posture and reduce pain while doing physical activity.
Sort
Good for relieving pain in the lumbar spine, but can only be done by an experienced specialist. With the help of effective massage movements, it is possible to increase blood circulation in the affected area and make the muscles more elastic and flexible. Massage relieves acute pain, removes toxic substances from cells, and stimulates nerve endings. It is good to combine massage treatments with a visit to the sauna.