If a person experiences pain in the spine, the symptoms indicate irritation of the nerve endings. Degenerative-dystrophic lesions often develop between the vertebrae, compressing the muscles, blood vessels, and fibers of the NS. If a patient has back pain in the lower back, a neuropathologist, vertebrologist, and chiropractor will help determine the causes and treatment.
There are several main factors that influence the development of lower back discomfort. These include:
- Any type of curvature of the column;
- Hypothermia of the back, legs;
- Muscle tissue overload (lifting weights, working in the same position);
- Insufficient physical fitness of the musculoskeletal system;
- Lack of vitamins, malnutrition;
- Overweight;
- Smoking, alcohol abuse and other bad habits.
Pain in the lumbar region is the most common complaint of patients visiting the doctor. According to statistics, approximately 70% of all people who have reached the age of 30 already face these types of problems. Since the lumbar region is located below the thorax and above the sacrum, the central area of the spine assumes the maximum load.
Pain can be of a different nature. It depends on the reason for the appearance. Pain sensations are described as painful, burning, cutting, sharp, fuzzy. Sometimes the pain spreads to other parts of the back and even the lower extremities. It appears gradually or suddenly. There are excruciating pain, but often it also depends on the psycho-emotional state and age-related changes.
There are the following types of low back pain:
- Lumbago- characterized as an acute lumbago (appears as a result of hypothermia or physical overload);
- Lumbodynia- characterized by chronic pain (people often experience sedentary activities);
- Lumboischialgia- is determined by the spread of pain to the legs (often a sign of a hernia).
CT or MRI scan is used to diagnose the cause of spinal discomfort. Sometimes an X-ray of the affected inflamed area is enough. Also, doctors make a diagnosis based on complaints and an external examination of the patient's body.
Causes of back pain in the lumbar region: common pathologies
Basically, the uncomfortable sensations are manifested due to pathologies of the lumbar spine. If they appear, you should definitely consult a specialist and not allow the disease to progress. Osteochondrosis, hernia and bulge often become the cause of pain. All of them are characterized by an increase in symptoms during movements, body turns and curves.
Much less often, the causes of back pain in the lower back are more serious and even life threatening. For example, there are disorders of the lumbar spine due to metastases from cancerous growths, infections of the vertebrae, internal organs, metabolic disorders in bone and muscle tissues, and fractures.
Studies have shown that 90% of lower back pain is associated with myofascial disorders, that is, with the tightening or overloading of the muscles that surround the vertebrae. And only 10% are pathologies that are caused by true vertebrogenic changes. The formation of osteochondrosis has been found to be associated with early displacement of the vertebrae.
The most common causes of pain are:
- Injuries;
- Stretching of muscles, ligaments;
- Displacement of the vertebrae;
- Compression of nerve endings due to hernia, osteochondrosis, stenosis;
- Fractures, spinal deformities;
- Pregnancy.
Much less pain occurs after infectious injury, spondylitis, deformation changes and diseases of the abdominal organs.
If pain persists for more than three days, consult a doctor. Since the discomfort is most often felt against the background of overload of the spinal muscles, the problem can be corrected in a short time with the correct choice of treatment methods.
Back pain in the left lumbar region: what's behind them?
If a person has severe pain or discomfort in the lower lumbar spine, the cause of this phenomenon is most likely irritation of nerve fibers, muscle tension, or irradiation of a symptom of theinternal organ affected. But mainly back pain in the lumbar region on the left develops through disorders of the functions of the musculoskeletal system.
In terms of frequency, pain on both sides of the spine occurs at approximately the same percentage. But patients often see a specialist even when diseases are neglected and require long-term treatment.
If the pain radiates to the left side, then, as a rule, it is caused by inflammation of the internal organs. The lumbar area on the left side projects diseases of the kidneys, intestines, stomach, pancreas, ovary. If the disease is acute, it is accompanied not only by the spread of pain to the left side of the lumbosacral region, but also by fever, discomfort in the abdominal cavity, defecation or urination disorders, and menstrual irregularities.
Women who complain of low back pain should consult a gynecologist. If the problem occurs in men, then to the urologist. It is imperative that you be examined by a therapist, ultrasound of your organs, and tested. If no abnormalities are detected during diagnosis, a spinal examination is prescribed. The most reliable method is MRI, which helps to determine the cause of back pain on the left.
By spreading pain, you can determine which part of the lumbar spine is affected and what will be the consequences of the pathology.
- If painful sensations on the left side of the lower back pass to the lower limb or gluteal muscle, the nerve roots at the bottom of the section are affected. Distant pains indicate a neglected disease affecting the entire root.
- When pain radiates to the groin or abdomen, the pathology is located in the upper part of the lumbar vertebrae.
- If distant pain affects the appearance of numbness in the extremities, then over time such a violation can cause paralysis.
- If discomfort spreads to the leg when walking, there is a possibility that the sciatic nerve is inflamed.
A specialist will make an accurate diagnosis and direct the patient to all necessary investigation methods.
How to treat low back pain? Effective methods
After diagnosis, doctors will prescribe medications or physical procedures that will help eliminate the symptoms of pathology caused by disorders in the lumbosacral region. The exact prescriptions depend on the true cause of the pain. Consider the most basic methods of treating the symptoms of various diseases or pathologies.
Ointments
This type of medicine is effective mainly because it can be used at home without the help of other people. The ointment relieves local inflammation caused by sprains or compression of the nerve roots. It also warms up muscle tissue if back pain occurs due to hypothermia.
There are several types of ointments:
- Anti-inflammatory painkillersthat relieve irritation, pain and have a cooling effect.
- Combination funds,used for back injuries. They can have healing, pain-relieving, cooling, and anti-inflammatory effects.
- Irritant medicationsaimed at vasodilation in the affected area to improve blood flow.
- Chondroprotectorsare used to treat pathologies of the cartilage tissue.
How to treat low back pain, only a doctor can know. What kind of ointment should be used, the specialist will determine only after the diagnosis of the spine.
Injections
With the help of injections, pain in the lower back can be relieved in a very short time. Intramuscular or intravenous solutions are more effective than oral medications, because they bypass the gastrointestinal tract and enter the bloodstream directly at the site of the inflammatory process. But injecting yourself is not always convenient, so the patient will have to visit the clinic every day or call the medical staff at home. Almost all lumbar injections are available by prescription.
Heating
This method of therapy is more related to folk recipes and is used only for non-inflammatory pain in the back. It is used for osteochondrosis, hernia, muscle strain, curvature of the spine. If the pain is caused by an infectious lesion, heating will only intensify the symptoms and worsen the patient's health. For a positive effect, apply dry heating pads or warm compresses up to 10 times a day.
Physiotherapy exercises
It should be appointed by a physical therapist who, after diagnosing the cause of low back pain, will be able to select the optimal exercises. The goal of these exercises is to strengthen the back muscles to correct posture and reduce pain during physical activity.
Massage
Well relieves pain in the lumbar spine, but should only be done by an experienced specialist. With the help of effective massage movements, it is possible to improve blood circulation in the area of 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.