Back pain

According to medical statistics, about 80% of people experience periodic lower back pain.It has a different character: the pain is sharp, radiating to the lower extremities.Most often, people between the ages of 30 and 55 complain of pain.

There are many causes of pain in the lower back, and not all of them are associated with pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.If anxiety appears regularly and reduces the quality of life, you should consult a doctor who will help determine its cause.It will disappear on its own after adequate therapy.As a rule, you can get rid of pain using conservative methods, but in advanced cases, surgery is necessary.Preventative measures will help protect your back health and prevent pain.

Causes of back pain

The question of why lower back pain is so relevant.The human spine is a complex structure consisting of vertebrae, discs between them, spinal cord, nerve roots and surrounding tissues (muscles, ligaments, tendons).When there is a problem with any of these components, back pain appears.In some cases, discomfort in the lumbar region occurs due to disorders of other organs.

A sprain is one of the most common causes of lower back pain.Discomfort occurs when muscles, ligaments or muscle spasms are damaged.The causes of sprains can be the following human actions:

• An object remains incorrect.
• Weights.
• Sudden movements.

Misalignment of the spine is another common cause of low back pain.Low back pain associated with structural problems is often caused by the following diseases:

• InterveBral disc herniation.When the integrity of the disc is damaged, the compression on the nerve bundles decreases, which manifests itself as pain.
• Protrusion (without rupture of the fibrous ring) or the shell of a disc without rupture of the intervertebral hernia) or intervertebral hernia.Then there is pressure on the nerve bundles in the lumbar segment, severe pain in the lower back and severe pain.
• Sciatica (compression or inflammation of the sciatic nerve) is often caused by a disc protrusion or herniation.Then the pain spreads from the bottom to the back of the thigh.
• Arthritis of the lumbar region.
• Scoliosis is a disease with a lateral curvature of the spine.
• Compression fractures (damage to the vertebrae due to compression) can also cause severe pain in the lumbar region.
• Osteoporosis is a pathology in which bone density decreases and the spine becomes porous.This disease increases the risk of compression fractures.

In addition, pain in the lower back can be caused by the following reasons:

• Cauda Equina Syndrome damages the bundle of nerves that originate from the terminal part of the spinal cord.Then the sensitivity in the lower back, upper back, pelvis, urination and defecation disappears.
• Spinal tumors can compress nerves that cause pain.
• Spinal infection (osteomyelitis, culture, spinal tuberculosis) provokes pain in the lower sphere, fever and hyperthermia.
• Infectious diseases, for example, cystitis or inflammation of the kidneys (glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, urolithiasis) also cause pain.
• Herpes Zoster is a viral disease that can damage the nerve bundles in the lower back.

In addition, pain in the upper back can occur with an atypical course of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).Often, anxiety is caused by sleep disorders or resting on a poor mattress that does not support the spine well.

Everyday activities also cause low back pain:

• Sitting for a long time in an uncomfortable position.
• A person often pushes or pulls something.
• Lifts or carries objects.
• Your back also hurts when you stand for a long time.
• Prolonged bending or frequent turning.
• Excessive tension or overexertion of the muscles in the lower back.

Severe discomfort in the lower back appears with prolonged tension in the forward-directed neck if a person is sitting at a computer or driving.

ReferenceLumbago is a sharp pain that occurs when the back or under a dynamic load.Lumbodlia is a painful, aching sensation caused by prolonged static loads.Lumboischialgia is a pain syndrome that descends from the bottom to the leg due to an intervertebral hernia.

Risk group

Most often, pain in the back is provoked by the following factors:

• frequent stress;
• pregnancy associated with an enlarged uterus and tension of ligaments;
• prolonged sitting associated with work characteristics;
• aging and associated changes in the spine;
• mental disorders;
• Excessive body weight;
• smoking;
• hard physical work.

ReferenceAccording to statistics, women suffer from lower anxiety sooner than men.

The likelihood of back pain increases after long-term use of steroids, drug addiction, and patients aged 30 to 55 years.

Symptoms

If you have lower back pain, pay attention to the nature of the pain;It can be sharp, dull, painful, burning.Sometimes unpleasant sensations such as tingling and numbness appear.Pain in the lumbar region can go down the back of the leg, down the leg.The severity of the pain syndrome also differs: from mild to unbearable to immobility.

Often, the patient may feel pain in the lower back due to kidney pathologies.Pay attention to your symptoms to determine if this sensation is caused by a kidney problem.With kidney disease, pain is not associated with physical activity, fever (from 37.5 °), urine becomes weak and urine becomes cloudy.When you hit the kidney area, severe pain appears.

As mentioned, atypical forms of pancreatitis can be accompanied by severe pain in the lower back.

With osteochondrosis, aching pain radiates to the legs, intensifies when walking, and sometimes "lumbago" occurs.Over time, the sensitivity of the lower body (hips, groin, legs, feet) is impaired.Lower extremities quickly freeze and sweat production is disturbed.There is no fever with osteochondrosis.

With neuralgia, the pain spreads along the affected nerve.The pain is sharp, burning, appears quickly and subsides suddenly.In the affected area, the color of the skin changes, sweating increases during the attack, and the muscles tremble.

If you have back pain and at least one of the following symptoms, you should seek medical attention:

• weight loss;
• increase in temperature (from 37.5 °);
• swelling in the lumbar region;
• The pain does not stop even when the patient is sleeping;
• The pain radiates over the legs;
• You recently injured your lower back;
• control with urinary and defecation impairment;
• The sensitivity of the groin area, hips or legs is disturbed.

Have a medical examination to understand what is wrong and what are the reasons for the anxiety.

Diagnostic measures

If you have back pain, you should see a therapist or orthopedist.If you suspect neurological disorders, visit a neurologist.Physical examination and medical history often help in making the diagnosis.

If injuries, diseases of the spine or other organs, or neuralgia diseases are suspected, the doctor prescribes instrumental studies:

• X-ray will thus help to determine inflammation of the spine, inflammation of the spine and imbalance of the elements of the spine.
• Magnetic resonance or computed tomography will show structural disorders of the spine, problems of surrounding tissues (nerves, muscles, blood vessels), intervertebral hernias.
• Bone scintigraphy is used to detect bone tumors and compression fractures.During the study, after touching the inside of a vein, a radioactive drug is used and it accumulates in areas with eliminated metabolism.
• Electromyography is effective for determining the compression of nerve bundles that occurs against the background of intervertebral hernia or spinal stenosis.This diagnostic method allows determining any damage to the neuromuscular system.

If an infectious disease is suspected, the patient will be prescribed laboratory blood tests.

If the pain in the lower back is related to problems with the kidneys, pelvic organs or the pancreas, the doctor determines with the appropriate set of tests.

Conservative treatment

If you do not know how to get rid of lower back pain, consult a doctor first.With timely diagnosis, treatment is carried out at home.Analgesics are used excessively to relieve pain.

Patients should know how to relieve pain if it surprises them.If the discomfort is caused by osteochondrosis, then you should act according to the following plan:

• the lower back is warmed with a fleece or belt;
• lying on a hard surface;
• take NSAIDs;
• Look back with anti-inflammatory ointment.

Carefully.Do not take NSAIDs if you have problems with your digestive system because they damage the mucous membranes.

NSAIDS and antispasmodics will help relieve pain from neuralgia.In addition, complete rest should be observed.If the pain is very severe, the patient should be hospitalized.

If you have back pain caused by kidney disease, you should call an emergency room immediately.The patient sleeps and must take antipyretic (antipyretic) and antispasmodics to normalize the temperature.Blood pressure and body temperature should be monitored whenever possible.Further measures are taken by the doctor.

Carefully.It is strictly forbidden to use hot compresses or take a hot bath if you have kidney inflammation!

Due to inflammation of the pancreas, the pain in the lower back (atypical form) is very strong.You should call a doctor during an attack.Before the arrival of the doctors, it is not allowed to eat;In small hairs, you need a comfortable position and drink water.It is advisable to have someone close to the patient.The knee-elbow or fetal position will help reduce discomfort.

Regardless of the cause of the pain, the patient should rest for 1-2 days.Longer rest threatens to weaken the muscles, then episodes can be repeated more often.

Sharp pain in the lower back appears suddenly and lasts a maximum of 12 weeks.During the chronic process, persistent pain develops slowly and lasts for 3 months or more.Many patients present with both acute and chronic pain, making diagnosis very difficult.

If home remedies for low back pain are ineffective, doctors prescribe prescription NSAIDS to patients.Narcotic pain relievers, such as codeine or hydrocodone, relieve severe pain.However, these drugs are used only in extreme cases and the doctor must monitor the patient's condition.Your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant such as Amitriptyline to relieve symptoms.

Treatment can be supplemented with physiotherapeutic procedures.Electrophoresis, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, magnetic therapy, etc.It has an excellent therapeutic effect.These procedures accelerate metabolic processes, blood circulation, improve tissue trophism, accelerate the healing of damaged areas, and help relax spasmodic muscles.

Therapeutic exercises can help strengthen muscles and ligaments, making them more flexible and correct posture.The complex for each patient is drawn up by a doctor taking into account age, symptoms, pain and the cause of the general condition.When the external syndrome subsides, training should be carried out in the remission phase.With regular exercise, the patient will be able to prevent repeated attacks.

Cortisone injections (synthetic corticosteroid) will help relieve pain if the above methods are ineffective.After the procedure, inflammation decreases and discomfort disappears.The therapeutic effect lasts for 6 weeks.

The following methods can help relieve pain and improve your general condition:

• Osteopathy helps restore the structure of the musculoskeletal system using the hands of a doctor.
• Chiropractic is a manual method of correcting spinal deformities.
• Acurressure - Impact on energy points with the fingers and elbows of a specialist to relieve discomfort and relieve muscles.
• Reflexology is the application of special needles to the biologically active points of the body.After the procedure, endorphin production is stimulated and pain decreases.
• Yoga.When performing certain poses and movements, the muscle corset is strengthened and posture is improved.However, exercises should be performed under the guidance of a specialist, otherwise the pain syndrome may intensify.

The decision on how to treat lumbar pain is made by the doctor after a thorough diagnosis and determination of the causes of the discomfort.

Surgical intervention

The question is what to do if your lower back is constantly relevant for a long time (more than 6 months).In this case, doctors can perform an operation.As a rule, surgical intervention is indicated, especially if the disease is associated with neurological disorders (groin, legs, forced urination, forced urination, defecation).

The following surgical methods will help to treat serious diseases of the lumbar segment of the spine accompanied by pain:

• Spinal fusion is an operation to fuse two or more adjacent vertebrae into which an implant is inserted.The unstable elements of the spine are fixed with special fastening materials (metal plates, screws).
• InterveBral disc replacement.During the procedure, the destroyed disc is carved out and an artificial one is installed in its place.
• A discectomy is the removal of a portion of a nerve bundle or disc that is compressing the spinal cord.
• A laminectomy is the removal of a vertebral arch that compresses the roots of the nerves exiting the spinal cord.

There are more surgical techniques that will help stabilize the displaced vertebrae, free the nerve bundles and other tissues from compression, and restore the functionality of the spine.

Prevention of lower back pain

To prevent pain in the lumbar region, you should follow these rules:

• Do exercises to strengthen your muscles and develop flexibility.
• Stop smoking, because people with this bad habit suffer more pain than their non-smoking peers.
• Control your weight and eat right.
• Monitor your posture while standing or sitting.
• If you sit a lot at work, then get up every 2 hours and do exercises for your back.
• Set up your workplace correctly, buy a chair with an orthopedic back.
• Sleep on an orthopedic mattress.
• When lifting heavy objects, shift your weight from your back to your hips and legs.
• Wear orthopedic shoes.

These rules will help maintain back health for a long time.

The most important thing

As you can see, back pain can be caused by various causes, cancer, cancer, infectious diseases of the spine, daily activities, poor posture, etc.If the pain syndrome is accompanied by fever, swelling in the back or neurological disorders, then you should urgently seek medical help.Treatment tactics depend on the cause of anxiety.Conservative methods are most often used.If the pain does not go away for a long time or there are neurological disorders, surgery is prescribed.Remember, lower back pain is easier said than done.