What to do if you have lower back pain

Low back pain

The feeling of back pain is familiar to everyone, and it is one of the most common reasons to see a doctor. In addition, approximately 80% of patients accurately complain about their lower back pain.

Sometimes, the cause of discomfort in the lower spine may simply be an uncomfortable posture for a long time. If the pain becomes regular, there are reasons to consult an expert.

Back pain can be a sign of many diseases: from osteochondrosis to malignant tumors.

The complexity of treatment should be based on the cause of this pain. Medicines and alternative medicines can be used.

Why does the waist hurt: the reason

There are many factors that can cause back pain. Only experienced specialists can make a correct diagnosis and prescribe an effective treatment plan based on the examination and other examinations of the patient. Distinguish between primary and secondary pain syndromes.

In the first case, due to degenerative dystrophic changes in the spine, lower back pain, such as:

  • Osteochondrosis-it is a disease of bone and cartilage tissue, which is malnourished in nature;
  • Spondyloarthropathy is a form of osteoarthritis, which is characterized by intervertebral joint disease responsible for the movement of the spine.

In the second case, the cause of low back pain is broader:

  • Scoliosis or curvature of the spine;
  • Inflammation, non-infectious (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter syndrome);
  • Various infectious diseases (tuberculosis, brucellosis, epidural abscess), among which vertebrae and intervertebral discs are damaged, are common causes of lower back pain;
  • Gastrointestinal diseases (acute appendicitis, intestinal obstruction);
  • Generally, back pain has reflex properties. This happens in the case of organ diseases (renal colic, venereal diseases, gynecological diseases) located in the pelvic area.
  • Tumors on the vertebrae or spinal cord can cause pain;
  • Stroke and pre-stroke conditions, in which the blood supply to the spinal cord is disrupted, which can cause lower back pain;
  • During pregnancy, the load on the spine is greatly increased, and related to this is lumbar spine pain;
  • Spinal fractures are the most serious cause of pain.

In addition, the lower back is often injured by muscle stretching, intervertebral disc displacement, and hip joint arthropathy. Suffering from acute pain, the patient is forced to adopt a physical posture, which severely limits his ability to move while walking. Usually, athletes or people whose work is related to physical activity face this problem.

When working for a long time in an uncomfortable posture, lower back pain may occur due to lifting or carrying heavy objects, falling, hitting, straightening quickly, hypothermia, or being in a draught state. All of these causes can cause inflammation or cramps in the deep back muscles.

Sometimes the lower back is painful due to pressure. The fact is that this part of the spine is one of the most psychosomatic parts of the body, so it reacts strongly to all kinds of worries and experiences. Anger, fear, and irritability can cause adrenaline to be released into the bloodstream, which in turn leads to increased spinal muscle tension. If there is not enough discharge, then the tense muscles will begin to tighten and become painful. Therefore, people who are mentally unstable often experience spinal pain.

Low back pain treatment

The sensation of waist discomfort or even pain may have different intensity-from slight trivial to unbearable pain, even small movements are difficult. It can also be sharp, dull, pulling, or burning, usually accompanied by tingling, goose bumps, and numbness. It is usually accompanied by pain in the hips, feet, or knees.

If you have lower back pain for more than 3 days, you must consult a therapist. Depending on the results of the examination, you may need to consult a specialist. Therefore, in order to assess the condition of the spine, back muscles or nervous system, if a urinary system disease is suspected, it is necessary to check a neurologist-consult a urologist system in the presence of a female reproductive system disease-by a gynecologist.

In addition, general analysis of urine and blood is usually prescribed to rule out or confirm the inflammatory nature of the disease, hip ultrasound, spine X-ray (MSCT or MRI), and other studies. Except for severe and advanced cases, the treatment of low back pain does not require surgery, and medications can be avoided.

Conservative treatment has three main goals:

  • Alleviate the suffering of patients;
  • Develop plans for treatment and preventive measures to reduce negative spinal processes;
  • Let patients return to a fulfilling life.
The man has back pain

If medication is given to give the fastest effect of low back pain. Usually used to treat:

  • Muscle relaxants. Once acute pain occurs, they should be used immediately. This allows you to relieve muscle spasms and eliminate the resulting compression (squeezing) of the spinal cord;
  • Anti-inflammatory analgesics can quickly relieve pain and inflammation. They can be used in the form of topical ointments and gels, as well as tablets and injections.
  • Chondroprotectants (including chondroitin and glucosamine drugs). These substances are present in the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral joints and discs;
  • Vitamin therapy.

However, if the waist is painful, it is not always possible to use medication. In the case of allergies, pregnancy and certain diseases, drugs are contraindicated.

In this situation, how can you help cope with back pain? Suggest:

  • Massage is one of the safest treatment methods. The only contraindication is the presence of cancer. Massage procedures can relieve muscle cramps, relieve pain, and improve blood flow to all tissues;
  • Physical therapy-exposure to a magnetic field, electric current can be considered the most effective method for the existence of spinal diseases. Pain is reduced, tissue nutrition is improved, and muscles are strengthened;
  • Manual therapy and acupuncture. These methods are similar to massage, but they work on a more subtle level of interconnected reflexes.

To reduce the risk of low back pain, you should sleep on a hard bed, a hard mattress, maintain the correct posture, and rest while playing on the computer or driving. During this period, you can do simple exercises, avoid weightlifting, try not to gain excess weight, and exercise regularly. . . . . .