In clinical practice, back pain is a fairly common syndrome. It will affect the lumbar spine, and the patient will feel "belt" pain. This is how the pathology of degenerative, musculoskeletal and dystrophy manifests itself in the form of osteochondrosis or spondyloarthropathy.
Low back pain-causes and symptoms
In medicine, the following causes of low back pain are traditionally distinguished:
- Infection and inflammatory processes in the spine;
- Muscle cramps or nervousness;
- The formation of intervertebral hernias;
- Spinal cord or spinal metastases;
- Scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis;
- Circulatory disorders (stroke, paralysis);
- Gastrointestinal pathology (atypical manifestations of appendicitis inflammation, biliary and intestinal obstruction);
- Kidney and reproductive organ diseases;
- In some cases, in the later stages of pregnancy, women may experience lumbar discomfort.
Low back pain can be acute or persistent (chronic). They can also "wander", that is, appear in another organ, but give to the lower back.
Acute pain comes on suddenly, is stinging, can hinder movement and is given to the lower limbs and buttocks. The patient's posture is forced and his movement is restricted.
Acute pain is diagnosed in the following cases:
- Stretch the long muscles of the back;
- Spinal fractures and disc outlets;
- Facet syndrome (clamping of nerve roots without displacement of intervertebral discs);
- Epidural abscess (patients need to be hospitalized immediately because the risk of spinal cord compression is high);
- Hip dystrophy is abnormal.
Chronic low back pain is characterized by loss of sensitivity, gluteal muscle "back pain", weakness of the lower limbs, and osteophyte formation.
Patients may experience postural disturbances, intermittent claudication, and foot deformities.
Chronic back pain occurs in:
- Osteochondrosis;
- Ankylosing spondyloarthropathy;
- Metastatic and intradural tumors.
Diagnosis and treatment of low back pain
The real cause of back pain can be diagnosed by CT (computed tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), X-ray or visceral ultrasound. The first two methods provide a comprehensive assessment of the status of bones and soft tissues. X-rays show the integrity of bones and the presence of tumors. Ultrasound examinations show diseases of organs and their systems.
The course of treatment is only prescribed by the attending physician. Depending on the diagnosis, it may include: taking analgesics, hormonal drugs, physical therapy procedures or manual therapy, and exercise therapy. If the pain is caused by a displacement of the intervertebral disc or develops in the context of osteochondrosis, wearing a rigid fixation tights is effective. It can significantly reduce the pressure on the lumbosacral area and prevent the formation of excessive muscle tension and spasms. The blocker has a good therapeutic effect-it is specially injected into the intervertebral joints. They can relieve pain and relax muscles.
In severe cases, surgery may be required. The important thing is not to self-administer medicine, but to seek qualified medical help in time.
During the recovery period, you need to perform regular physical therapy exercises, a course of massage and physical therapy. This will help relieve muscle tension, improve blood flow and relieve tightness.
General recommendations for sacral lumbar pain:
- Pay attention to bed rest. In this case, the bed should be a hard, flat surface. Strictly exclude soft feather mattresses.
- Put on a support bandage. This is especially important for pregnant women in the third trimester.
- Pain relievers are allowed.
- Wipe the back with an ointment containing warm and anti-inflammatory ingredients. Under no circumstances should you overcool; it is best to wear a woolen scarf or a warm belt during periods of increased pain.
Low back pain during pregnancy
If we talk about low back pain during pregnancy, they are related to the change in the center of gravity of the female body due to the development and growth of the fetus. In addition, due to hormonal changes (overproduction of relaxin), the hip-sacral joints relax, which can disturb balance. An enlarged abdomen and excessive arching of the spine can increase pressure on the lower back. The muscles are constantly overloaded, which becomes the main cause of pain.
The risk group included girls with hip muscle development problems, impaired posture, osteochondrosis, and neurological spinal disease before pregnancy. The painful sensation does not appear earlier than the second trimester, which starts from the fifth or sixth month. It can be relieved by a special set of exercises to strengthen the muscles. The sooner you start training your back muscles, the easier it is to tolerate a healthy child.