Low back pain is a rather unpleasant phenomenon that can indicate the presence of serious diseases. The lower back is more heavily loaded compared to other parts of the spine, making it more prone to injury.
Spasm in the lower back can be a symptom of sciatica, osteochondrosis, scoliosis and many other pathologies.
Lower back pain: possible causes
This can occur after sports training, a long stay in one position, after an uncomfortable movement.
Risk factor's:
- obesity;
- maternity / recent childbirth;
- sports training;
- sedentary work (drivers, cashiers, etc. );
- work associated with significant physical exertion;
- work standing up
After an overexertion, the discomfort disappears by itself, it is enough to rest. Their periodic appearance indicates the presence of pathology. Without quality therapy, the condition can worsen significantly: sometimes only surgical intervention is indicated.
Diseases accompanied by discomfort in the lower back.
This symptom in medicine is classified into primary and secondary.
In the first case, the discomfort is directly caused by diseases of the back, in particular of the spine:
- osteochondrosis of this area (a third of all cases of pain);
- spondylosis/spondylolisthesis/spondyloarthrosis;
- protrusion of the intervertebral disc or intervertebral herniation.
They say of secondary pains when they are caused by injuries to other organs:
- osteoporotic fracture;
- spinal canal tumor;
- spinal fracture;
- muscle contracture;
- anatomical narrowing of the spinal canal;
- kyphosis/scoliosis/kyphoscoliosis/Scheuermann-Mau disease;
- arthritis (rheumatic, psoriatic, osteoarthritis);
- discitis, osteomyelitis, spinal tuberculosis;
- urinary system disorders: urolithiasis / pyelonephritis;
- gynecological diseases: ovarian cancer or cyst, endometriosis;
- complicated pregnancy.
types of pain
severe back pain
These are seen in osteochondrosis. Discomfort is present when moving, sitting, lifting heavy objects, and even coughing/sneezing. Unpleasant sensations in the lower extremities can occur. The patient urgently needs to see a neurologist.
Severe discomfort accompanies sciatica. The pain is dull or sharp, aching, usually one-sided.
It can occur in the buttock, thigh, and even lower leg; aggravated by changing position, coughing, walking. Radiculitis is treated by a neurologist. Patients are advised to rest on a firm mattress that supports the lower back.
acute low back pain
This can be caused by sitting in an uncomfortable position for a long time, carrying/lifting heavy things, falling, bumping, jerking, as well as drafts and hypothermia.
An acute attack accompanies the displacement of the intervertebral discs. The latter occurs with a fracture of the spine, osteochondrosis, hard physical work, lifting weights.
Displacement can also occur after surgery in this area. The diagnosis in this case is made by a neurologist. He also prescribes treatment.
Lumbar Spine Pain Pain
This happens with myositis - inflammation of the back muscles. The disease appears after a strong overvoltage or hypothermia. It is accompanied by rigidity of movements. The pain becomes sharp with movement.
Chronic (permanent) low back pain
Periodic attacks accompany spondylosis deformans. And the affected area may go numb. Also, sometimes there is weakness of the legs.
It should also be noted that chronic pain is characteristic of Bechterew's disease, oncological pathologies. They can also indicate a metabolic disorder.
displaced pains
Sometimes it seems to a person that his lower back hurts, but in reality the reason lies in the defeat of a completely different part of the body. This happens with diseases of the pelvic organs, pancreas, kidneys, colon.
Back pain: when to go to the doctor?
Do not hesitate to visit a specialist in the following cases:
- the attack lasts 3 days or more;
- discomfort arose after injury;
- at the same time, the lower back, lower leg and foot hurt;
- pain syndrome is combined with numbness of a limb.
What to do with severe spasms in the lumbar region.
If the causes are unknown, the temperature should be measured. An increase in this indicator indicates infection and inflammation. Other symptoms (violation of stool, vomiting, pain on one side) are also determined. Then you should call a doctor or an emergency team.
If the causes are known, such as a muscle strain or bruise, an anti-inflammatory medication should be taken first to reduce discomfort.
Relieve swelling, increase fluid circulation to remove harmful substances from the body, a single dose of a diuretic helps.
An orthopedic belt or even a regular towel will help restore muscles and bones to a stable state.
What not to do with lower back pain
It is forbidden to carry out warm-up procedures without making a diagnosis.
They cause blood flow, which is not always safe. With prolonged discomfort of an unknown nature, do not use painkillers. In this case, the disease will continue to progress, but without discomfort.
It is possible to place the vertebrae in any part of the back by a chiropractor only after examination, diagnosis and determination of the cause of the pathology. The vertebrae are not always displaced due to trauma, this can also occur as a result of dystrophic processes. Reduction can pinch the nerve and destroy the processes of the vertebra.
How to treat back pain at home: folk recipes.
An alcohol tincture of burdock or eucalyptus will help relieve discomfort. It can also be used for compresses. For a similar purpose, fresh horseradish leaves are applied to the affected area. They are changed daily as needed.
- Ointment with horse chestnut. The melted fat is mixed with dried horse chestnut herb and camphor oil. The components are taken in equal proportions. The agent is applied to thin pieces of black bread and applied to the affected areas;
- It can be treated with horse chestnut tincture. A cotton cloth or gauze is moistened, which is applied to the lower back;
- Effectively relieves joint discomfort and bone tincture of the golden mustache on "Bishofita". It is necessary to add 35-40 plant particles in ½ l of the latter. The mixture is left for 14 days. When time passes, it is filtered and applied at night as a compress.
Nutrition for back problems.
To strengthen the bone apparatus, you need to enrich the diet with healthy foods and reduce the amount of harmful foods.
Liver and fatty fish (eg salmon, sardine, mackerel) are very useful. These foods are rich in vitamin D, fatty acids and niacin.
Dairy products, meat, cereals, fresh fruits, especially garlic and lemons - all this should prevail in the diet.
A lot of potassium is found in cabbage and spinach, and vitamin C, in citrus fruits.
Vitamin A can be obtained from eggs, dark green leafy vegetables, red, orange and yellow fruits.
You should consume beverages with less caffeine, as well as sweet, spicy, fatty and fried foods.
exercises for the spine
With minor discomfort, as well as for the prevention of the same in the back area, it is recommended to perform a series of exercises:
- Lie on your back, place your hands along the body, bend your legs a little at the knees. The legs lean to the right and the body in the opposite direction. In this position, they freeze for 5 seconds and then return to their original position. Turn in the other direction in the same way. You must complete 10 approaches;
- Kneeling, place your hands on a chair in front of you. Then bend and arch your back as much as possible. Make up to 10 approaches;
- Lie on your back with your arms or legs straight. First, the right leg is raised about 15 cm from the ground, and it is kept elevated until a feeling of fatigue appears. Repeat the same with the left leg. You need to complete 5 sets with each leg.
Back pain prevention
To reduce the risk of problems, you must follow a few simple rules:
- Less time sitting;
- When sedentary work, every hour do a little warm-up for the spine, limbs;
- Lift / carry weights correctly: keep your back straight, do not lift sharply, divide the load into parts;
- Perform exercises to strengthen the muscular corset (support for the spine);
- The mattress should be moderately firm to adequately support the lower back;
- Watch your posture, don't slouch;
- Get on the wall more often, touching it with your heels, buttocks and shoulder blades. You must remain in this position for 3 minutes;
- It is recommended to play sports to strengthen the muscles that support the spine: walking, skiing, wushu / qigong gymnastics, swimming, yoga;
You should not practice running, boxing, tennis, martial arts, skiing, horse riding.