Back pain in the lumbar region - causes and treatment

Various diseases can cause pain in the lumbar region.

The main diseases that cause back pain are damage to the joints of the spine or femur.

Most often, this symptom is caused by diseases of the lumbosacral spine.

The lumbar spine is mobile, causing more frequent damage to this particular area.

Causes of back pain in the lumbar region

Back pain is a signal that there is a problem in the body with the spine, thigh joint or internal organs near the lower back.

If your back hurts in the lumbar region, the reasons may be the following:

• Pain may occur as a result of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine;
• Painful sensations may be due to an intervertebral hernia;
• Ankylosing spondylitis;
• Spine movement;
• Rheumatism;
• Inflammation of the spinal muscles (myositis);
• Inflammation of the sciatic nerve;
• Spinal fracture;
• Arthrosis of the femoral joint and other diseases of the spine and thigh joints.

Also, pain in the lumbar region may appear due to muscle strain or muscle spasm. Muscle spasms can occur if you make sudden movements on a loaded back:

• Make sharp turns;
• Sudden weight gain;
• During a sports game.

Osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine

Back pain in lumbosacral osteochondrosis may be accompanied by symptoms such as:

• Increased urination;
• Urinary incontinence;
• Chronic and often exacerbated diseases of the bladder;
• Diseases of the genital organs;
• Rectal problems.

Most commonly, back pain with osteochondrosis is:

• it hurts;
• Explosion;
• Attraction;
• Sometimes the pain burns.

Often the pain in the lumbar region in this case disappears while standing or lying down and intensifies when sitting, especially on a hard surface, with coughing and physical exertion.

Causes of back pain with lumbosacral osteochondrosis

The lumbar spine is characterized by great mobility and can withstand heavy loads on a daily basis.

This is the main reason for the development of lumbar osteochondrosis, which is manifested by dystrophy and deformity of the intervertebral discs.

The high risk group for developing lumbosacral osteochondrosis includes:

• Overweight people;
• Leading an inactive lifestyle;
• Having the wrong posture.

Also, this disease can develop in professional athletes with excessive workload and even improper exercise at home.

Frequent stress and lack of sleep contribute to the development of osteochondrosis.

People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and other inflammatory diseases of the joints often get osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

Treatment of osteochondrosis of the sacro-lumbar spine aims to slow down the process of destruction of the intervertebral discs, restore nerve root functions, and eliminate pain.

To do this, contact:

• drugs;
• Manual therapy;
• Physiotherapy methods;
• Physiotherapy;
• Surgical methods.

For the treatment of lumbar-sacral osteochondrosis are used drugs such as:

• Chondroprotectors (to restore cartilage);
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• Immunomodulators;
• Steroid hormones;
• Vitamin complexes.

It is necessary to use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid hormones with great caution as they have numerous contraindications and side effects.

There are several other treatments for osteochondrosis:

1. Manual therapy helps to restore the functions of the lumbar spine and its anatomical structure. Osteochondrosis massage helps to strengthen the muscles of the lower spine and improve metabolic processes in the tissues.
2. Physiotherapy is carried out after the cessation of the acute period of the disease with the help of medication. The most useful in osteochondrosis will be: electrophoresis, paraffin therapy, phonophoresis and magnetotherapy. To achieve a tangible effect, it is recommended to conduct 3 courses of 10 physiotherapy procedures including a two-week break.
3. One of the most effective methods of treating osteochondrosis is physiotherapy exercises. Physical education should be carried out after appropriate consultation with a physician and, preferably, under the supervision of a specialist. A set of exercises designed to treat lumbosacral osteochondrosis will help strengthen the spinal muscles, removing some of the load from the intervertebral discs.
4. Osteochondrosis is well influenced by spa treatments (radon baths, healing mud, etc. ).

If you ignore the symptoms of osteochondrosis and do not seek medical help, then it will lead to the development of the disease and soon the back pain will become so strong that you will have to seek medical help again.

Prevention of osteochondrosis

For spinal health you need to eat right, control your posture and lead an active lifestyle.

When carrying weights and playing sports, be careful not to stretch your back too much and do not injure your spine.

Spinal pain with intervertebral hernia

Spinal hernia or intervertebral hernia is a disease in which the intervertebral disc deforms, with the rupture of the outer part of the disc parallel to the rupture of the inner part of the disc outside the body of the spine.

Lumbago

Often, back pain occurs in the lumbar region along with the lumbago.

Lumbago is a sudden onset of severe lumbar pain during physical exertion, while lifting weights.

Back pain in this case has a tear, sharp, shooting character. It is associated with acute prolapse of the intervertebral disc and irritation of the nerve endings located in the annulus fibrosis.

There is a reflex, which significantly increases the tone of the lumbar muscles. The patient freezes in a monotonous state, unable to straighten and rotate the spine.

This manifestation of lumbar disc herniation is most common in men aged 30-40 years.

Sciatica

Sciatica (sciatica) - Irritation of the sciatic nerve due to a stretch of the hernia at the roots of the spine.

Sciatica causes pain, burning, tingling, and numbness that extends from the lower back to the back of the leg.

These symptoms usually appear on one side, depending on the position of the hernia disc.

Symptoms of back pain with intervertebral hernia

Table - Symptoms for a herniated disc

The main symptoms	Features
Prolonged pain in the lumbar region.	Can last up to several months. They wear a painful, attractive, burnt character.
Dysfunction of the pelvic organs.	Incontinence or urinary retention. Defecation disorder. In men, a hernia affects potency.
Weakness of leg muscles, decrease in their tone, decrease in reflexes.	Compression of motor nerves in the roots of the spine.
Paralysis (complete lack of movement) or paresis (partial lack of movement) in the legs.	Spinal cord compression and injury.
Pale skin, increased sweating, white or red spots.	Compression of the nerves of the spinal roots, which regulate blood vessels, sebaceous glands and other autonomic functions.

In the case of intervertebral hernia, in most cases, abnormal changes develop in the lumbar spine.

Identify hernia discs

Intervertebral hernia detection statistics:

• 48% of herniated discs occur between the last lumbar spine (fifth) and sacral.
• 46% are between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae.

Causes of intervertebral disc herniation

Disc herniation develops for the following reasons:

1. Degenerative changes in vertebrates and intervertebral discs. Disc herniation is often a complication of osteochondrosis.
2. Delayed spinal cord injuries: Compression fractures of the spine, subluxation.
3. Increased load on the spine: sitting or standing in a monotonous posture with constant work, improper carrying of gravity, excessive physical activity, excessive exercise of athletes.
4. Sedentary lifestyle.
5. Infectious diseases in which the spinal column is damaged.
6. Excess weight.
7. Congenital malformations of the spine.
8. The action of vibration. Most often it is caused by industrial hazards. Under the influence of vibration the structure of the intervertebral disc is broken, weakened.
9. Poor posture, scoliosis.

Treatment of a hernia disc

According to statistics, in most cases of interstitial hernia, all symptoms disappear 6 weeks after the first attack and remission occurs.

The body can recover spontaneously after 24 weeks. Therefore, it is not always indicative of surgical intervention.

Herniated disc medication is aimed at relieving back pain.

The hernia is mainly treated with the following drugs:

• Nonsteroidal analgesics;
• Steroid hormones.

Intervertebral hernia physiotherapy is used as prescribed by a physician.

There are other methods of treating an intervertebral hernia without surgery:

1. Manual therapy. The chiropractor tries to remove the herniated disc with his hands.
2. Kinesitherapy. This is a kind of physiotherapy exercise. It normalizes muscle tone, restores blood circulation and increases tissue regeneration.
3. Hirudotherapy.
4. Cryotherapy. This is a low temperature processing technique. Liquid nitrogen is placed on the damaged area. This improves blood circulation to the tissues.

Herniated disc surgery

Surgical treatment of intervertebral hernia is prescribed:

• Severe back pain in the lumbar region that does not go away for a long time despite ongoing conservative treatment;
• Severe neurological disorders: hypersensitivity, muscle tone and strength, paralysis and paresis;
• Urinary incontinence, impotence in men (if it is caused by compression of a spinal cord hernia).

Treatment of back pain with blockade

Hernia repair is a procedure that aims to numb the damaged area and remove muscle spasm.

Blocking is done by injecting anesthetics.

The therapeutic effect of the blockade is characterized by:

• Rapid relief of pain - relief comes in 1-2 minutes;
• Eliminate muscle spasms that enhance painful sensations;
• Alleviate inflammation, especially by taking corticosteroids;
• Reduce soft tissue swelling, which causes nerve fibers to stretch.

Contraindications to the blockade:

• Infectious damage to the spine;
• Fever;
• Mental illness;
• Cardiovascular failure 2-3 stages;
• Weakness;
• Blood clotting disorders;
• Kidney and liver failure;
• Prone to seizures;
• Pregnancy.

Diagnosis of the disease for back pain

If your back hurts in the lumbar region, then the first step is to consult a doctor and get examined.

Your doctor may order a spine examination by the following means:

• Computed tomography;
• X-ray of the lumbosacral spine;
• Magnetic resonance imaging;
• Electroneuromyography;
• Vascular Dopplerography, etc.

Examination and palpation of the waist and spine are mandatory. Consult a neurologist or vertebrologist is required.

Thus, almost always the cause of low back pain is spinal displacement, muscle spasm or intercostal neuralgia.