Back pain in the lumbar region: 30 reasons for treatment

When your back hurts in the lumbar region, discomfort appears that varies in strength and character.The cause may be muscle fatigue, but most often lower back pain is the first signal of a serious illness.

Regardless of the duration and intensity of the symptom, the pathological condition is a reason to consult a doctor.A medical specialist will conduct a thorough diagnosis of the spine and abdominal organs, and then prescribe effective back treatment.

In the article we will tell you in detail about all the causes of lower back pain, what each type of pain means (severe, acute, etc.), when to see a doctor, how to treat it (tablets, injections, ointments, patches), photos.I promise it will be interesting.

Reasons

According to statistics, more than 85% of the world's population experienced lower back pain.This fact is due to the heavy loads that the lumbar spine experiences every day.In a standing position, the pressure on the intervertebral discs is about 100 kg; in a horizontal position, the load decreases to 50 kg, and if posture is impaired, it reaches 220 kg.

Sometimes the cause of lower back pain is excessive load or prolonged stay in an unusual position.The main feature of such pain is the absence of concomitant manifestations, such as deterioration of the general condition, hyperthermia, spread of the pain reaction to neighboring areas of the body.

In most cases, pain indicates a pathological process that can affect not only the spine, but also internal organs.The main causes of pain in the lower back include:

• osteochondrosis;
• old injuries;
• pancreatitis;
• radiculitis;
• infections (tuberculosis, brucellosis);
• malignant neoplasms and their metastases;
• curvature of the spine - scoliosis, increased lumbar lordosis or thoracic kyphosis;

• kidney pathologies – pyelonephritis, kidney stones;
• Reiter's syndrome;
• spondylolisthesis;
• abscess in the epidural area;
• rheumatoid arthritis;
• intervertebral hernia.

Among the atypical factors that provoke a pain reaction are diseases of the intestines or genitourinary system.

In women

Due to physiological characteristics and hormonal fluctuations, back pain in the fairer sex has a number of specific causes:

• adnexitis (inflammation of the ovaries);
• ectopic pregnancy;
• proliferation of endometrial cells (endometriosis).

Many women experience pain in the lower back during menstruation, as well as during inflammatory processes of the pelvic organs.Hormonal changes during menopause lead to the leaching of calcium and disruption of the mineral composition of bone tissue, causing the development of osteoporosis.

Along with the femur and pelvic bones, the vertebrae are also affected by osteoporosis, which threatens a pathological fracture of the spine even with minor trauma.

In men

Due to the nature of their work, men more often experience heavy physical activity, which leads to premature wear of the lumbar vertebrae.Excessive tension gradually causes morphological changes in the cartilage discs, which explains the frequent formation of hernial protrusion in men.The key manifestation of hernias in the lower back is acute pain in the lumbar region in the form of lumbago.

Distinctive causes of pain in men are:

• ankylosing spondylitis;

• spondylolisthesis – slipping of the vertebrae relative to each other;
• pinched sciatic nerve;
• inflammatory process of the prostate gland.

The negative impact of stress and a sedentary lifestyle cannot be ruled out.Lack of sufficient physical activity leads to impaired nutrition and gas exchange of spinal tissues.As a result, metabolic processes are disrupted, which leads to irreversible changes that cause pain.

Classification of pain

Based on the nature, intensity, duration and cause of occurrence, the pain symptom is divided into several types.

• If the discomfort bothers the patient for no more than one and a half months, the pain is considered acute.

• The duration of the syndrome from 6 weeks to one year is diagnosed as a subacute condition.
• The pain syndrome becomes chronic if its duration is more than one year.

Depending on the location, there are 3 types of low back pain:

1. Local - appear at the site of the lesion, most often after injury to the back muscles, tendons or bones.
2. Reflected - are a consequence of somatic pathologies, when in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (pancreatitis, stomach ulcers) pain is felt in the lower back.
3. Projected - a reaction of a neurogenic nature, when a pain impulse spreads to parts of the body along the nerve trunk.An example is pain when the sciatic nerve is pinched, which radiates along the entire leg.

The nature of the pain varies from aching and insignificant to sharp and impulsive.This characteristic depends on the disease that is the root cause of the symptom.

Strong

Intense pain appears when pain receptors in the paravertebral tissues are irritated or when there is a compression effect on large nerve trunks of the spinal cord.One of the key causes of severe pain is degenerative changes at stages 3-4 of osteochondrosis.

Morphological changes affect cartilage tissue and bone structures.Gradual softening of the intervertebral disc leads to the formation of a spinal hernia.A protrusion that is directed into the area of the spinal canal or at the exit of the nerve root leads to pain, combined with impaired sensitivity along the innervation of the affected area.

If the load on the vertebrae is incorrectly distributed due to degeneration of the cartilage disc, marginal osteophytes appear on the vertebral body.When the gap between the vertebral bodies is critically reduced, the growths create compression on the soft tissue structures.

Severe pain at the initial stage of the disease forces the patient to go to the doctor for diagnosis, which facilitates treatment and guarantees a favorable outcome.

A common cause of severe pain is sciatica of the lumbosacral region.The pain syndrome is caused by inflammation of the spinal cord root of the lumbar spine.The symptom is characterized by irradiation to the buttocks and lower extremities.

Constant

Chronic pain is muted.Such pain does not depend on physical activity and remains in a calm state.The symptom appears with spondylosis, and is often accompanied by atony of the muscles in the legs, paresis and loss of skin sensitivity.Ankylosing spondylitis, metabolic disorders, and neoplasms of various types are also accompanied by constant debilitating pain.

Sharp

Sudden pain, forcing a person to take a forced position, occurs with sciatica or lumbago.Usually the patient stands in a bent position, holding the lower back with one hand.Sciatica develops when the sciatic nerve becomes inflamed.A sharp pain impulse spreads along the back of the thigh, lower leg to the toes.

The cause of lumbago is most often the development of an intervertebral hernia, when pressure is placed on the spinal roots.Lumbago is a “lumbago” in the lower back, which in most cases is provoked by heavy physical activity.In this case, the pain is concentrated not only in the back, but spreads to the right or left lower limb.

Muscular

Spasms of muscle fibers in the lumbosacral region are the result of:

• unusual physical activity;
• sudden movements that cause muscle strain;
• static tension while in an unusual position;

• curvature of the spine - scoliosis;
• muscle imbalance in neurological diseases.

In addition, myofascial pain may occur after performing sports exercises.This pain is caused by the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscle fibers.

Aching

Unpleasant, aching sensations occur with myositis, when the back muscles become inflamed.Pancreatitis manifests itself as girdle pain in the lumbar region.Tugging sensations accompany diseases of the pelvic organs in men (inflammation of the prostate gland) and in women (damage to the internal genital organs).

Pregnant women complain of aching pain in the second half of pregnancy.These manifestations are due to an increase in body and abdominal weight with fetal growth.In this case, muscle tension appears in the lower back, causing a moderate pain reaction.

Acute

Acute pain syndrome is a consequence of pathological conditions:

• injuries – bruises, vertebral subluxations, compression fracture;
• hypothermia;

• lifting heavy objects;
• sharp slopes.

Acute pain can be caused by renal colic.To clarify the etiology and effectively eliminate the pain syndrome, a detailed diagnosis and visit to a medical specialist will be required.

When to see a doctor?

A visit to the doctor should not be postponed if the pain symptom does not stop for more than 3 days.A warning sign would be a fall on your back, which could cause serious injury.The spread of the pain impulse to the buttocks, thighs, and lower legs should not be ignored.

If there is a burning and tingling sensation on the skin, loss of sensation in the legs, groin area, large nerves are involved in the pathological process.Severe cases lead to disruption of urination and bowel movements.All of the above signs indicate a serious pathology that must be immediately diagnosed and treated.

Which doctor treats you?

Therapy for lower back pain is a complex task, the implementation of which will require consultation with highly specialized doctors.The initial diagnosis is carried out by a therapist, who refers the patient for consultation to other specialists:

• to a traumatologist - if a back injury is suspected;
• orthopedist - to examine joints and the entire musculoskeletal system;
• a vertebrologist who treats the spine;
• neurologist – to get rid of neurological symptoms;
• to a neurosurgeon, if surgical intervention cannot be avoided;
• rheumatologist – for autoimmune disorders.

If the functioning of the pelvic organs is disrupted, an additional examination is carried out by a urologist and gynecologist for women.Therapeutic tactics for lumbar pain are based on a set of diagnostic results.

What to do if it hurts a lot: first aid

Pre-medical actions are carried out with the aim of alleviating the condition and maximizing pain relief before seeking medical help.The first aid algorithm includes the following measures:

• Rest and bed rest, excluding stress on the lower back.To do this, the patient is placed on a hard surface.If a back injury is suspected, the victim is not allowed to move.

• Cold is applied to the affected area.To do this, use a heating pad with ice, chilled foods, which are pre-wrapped in cloth to prevent hypothermia.The cold compress should be kept for no more than 15 minutes and reused after 3-4 hours.
• Severe pain is a direct indication for contacting a doctor, so the patient must be taken to a medical facility as soon as possible.

General and local painkillers should be taken as prescribed by a doctor.Self-medication is dangerous to health and can lead to serious complications.

Uncontrolled use of analgesics dulls the pain, which complicates diagnosis.In addition, with the development of inflammatory processes or acute conditions affecting the functioning of internal organs, the course of the disease worsens.

The best drugs

The most effective method of treating back pain is drug therapy.Medicines prescribed by a doctor not only relieve the pain symptom, but also eliminate the etiological factor.

Acute sharp pains are blocked using local blockades performed by a neurologist or surgeon.At home, remedies are used in the form of tablets, ointments or injections.

Pills

For symptomatic treatment, the following drugs are prescribed:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that effectively relieve pain and inflammation.
• Glucocorticosteroids when NSAIDs are ineffective.
• Muscle relaxants for pain caused by back spasms.
• B vitamins to improve nutrition of muscle tissue and nerve cells.
• Chondroprotectors to inhibit degeneration in the joints and spine.

Injections

Injection of drugs is prescribed for severe forms of the disease to achieve a rapid therapeutic effect.Basic criteria for the use of injections:

• the time before the onset of the therapeutic effect of the drug is reduced;
• the drug is not subject to decomposition by gastric juice;
• used for patients who have contraindications for taking painkillers.

The manipulation must be carried out by a qualified specialist; self-administration of injections is not recommended.The choice of the drug and the prescription of its dosage is the responsibility of the attending physician, taking into account the degree of the disease and the presence of concomitant diseases.

Ointments

Topical treatments can help improve the condition at home.Depending on the active ingredient, the ointment eliminates pain, relieves swelling and inflammation:

1. Anti-inflammatory drugs with analgesic effect.
2. Combined with anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-edema effects.
3. Ointments and creams with an irritating effect have a warming effect.
4. Cooling medications for pain relief.

When using warming agents for local treatment, it is important to remember that during inflammation and in the first two days after injury, their use is strictly prohibited.

Plasters

This is the most convenient form of local remedies.The advantage of patches is that you just need to stick them on the painful area and wait for the effect.The entire time the product is on the skin, it is effective.List of the most effective patches:

1. A patch containing an anesthetic that works well against inflammation and mild pain.Cannot be used for more than 5 days.The patch is valid for 12 hours.
2. NSAID patch.Has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.Use no more than 10 days.The effect of one patch is 24 hours.

How to treat at home

Therapeutic measures at home consist of strict adherence to doctor’s prescriptions.After the acute period is over, massage sessions are recommended to normalize muscle tone and improve blood circulation in the lumbar region.

Therapeutic exercise helps reduce pain, strengthens the muscular corset of the back, and restores the mobility of the spine.A set of exercises is selected individually by a physiotherapist, taking into account the general functional state and age of the patient.

Traditional medicine is used as an addition to the main treatment.Cabbage with honey has an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.To do this, wash a leaf of white cabbage and grease it with liquid honey, then apply it to the sore spot.Fix the compress on top with cling film and cover with a warm blanket.The duration of the procedure can be up to 12 hours.

Vacuum massage cups are an effective treatment method that can be used at home.Thanks to the vacuum that appears when cupping is used, blood circulation increases, toxins are removed, and congestion goes away.This leads to a faster recovery of the patient.

If you are seriously thinking about treating your lower back on your own, then physiotherapeutic devices can greatly help you with this.With their help, many diseases of the musculoskeletal system can be cured in a short period of time.

Prevention

To prevent lower back pain from appearing, it is important to follow simple recommendations:

• eat right and lead an active lifestyle;
• engage in vigorous physical exercise;
• avoid heavy loads;
• carry out routine treatment of chronic diseases;
• wear quality shoes;
• correct deformities of the spine and feet.
• If pain syndrome appears, conduct preventive courses of massage and exercise therapy annually.

Whatever the cause, lower back pain cannot be ignored at any age.Most often, a pain symptom is a consequence of spinal pathology, chronic injury or a somatic disease.

When your back hurts in the lumbar region, early consultation with a doctor will help you prescribe effective treatment that will speed up recovery and restore back mobility.