Lower back pain in English-language sources call the pain in the lower back (lower back pain). Pain often contribute to the excitement of the lumbar spine, limitation of motion, and antalgic scoliosis. Acute back pain can last from several days to several weeks.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors for low back pain
Lower back pain occurs in almost every man at least once in your life. It should be noted that pain can be any part of the back, but, nevertheless, pain in the lumbar spine occur more frequently. This is due to the fact that the lumbar vertebrae bear most of the weight of the load of the body.
Lower back pain is the second visits the doctor immediately following when the virus infection.
You may feel pain in the lower back, when lifting heavy weights, sudden movements, when I found a long time in one position or after spinal cord injury.
Sharp pain in the lumbar most often caused by the displacement of the intervertebral disc and spinal cord injuries.
The causes of back pain:
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine
- Intervertebral hernia and protrusion of intervertebral disc
- Spondiloarthrosis
- Spondylosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Compression fracture due to osteoporosis, multiple myeloma, hemangioma of the vertebra
- The tumor lumen of the spinal canal
- Fracture of the spine after injury
- Prolonged muscle tension
- Anatomically narrow spinal canal
- Curvature of the spine (scoliosis, kyphosis, kyphoscoliosis, disease President of the UIA)
- Aortic aneurysm
- Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis
- Spinal infection - osteomyelitis, discit, tuberculosis of the spine
- Pyelonephritis, urinary stone disease
- Complicated course of pregnancy
- Gynecological diseases (endometriosis, ovarian cyst, ovarian cancer etc.)
Symptoms of low back pain (pain in the lower back)
The pain can vary from sharp, dull, pulling , burning, may be accompanied by tingling and formication, numbness.
The intensity of back pain can vary greatly from mild to unbearable pain that interferes to make the slightest movement. The pain can be combined with pain in hips, pain in shins, pain in the foot.
The diagnosis of low back pain
First of all, You need to consult a doctor-neurologist. The doctor will ask questions about the nature of pain, its frequency of repetition. The doctor will try to find out the cause of pain and begin treatment simple methods (ice, moderate pain relievers, physical therapy and necessary exercise).
In most cases, such treatments reduce back pain. During the investigation, the doctor to determine the exact location of the pain, its radiating, neurological reflexes. Most people with pain in the lumbar back within 4-6 weeks.
Diagnosis include magnetic resonance imaging (eng. MRI) of the lumbar spine, computed tomography of the lumbar-sacral spine, x-rays of the spine.
Because the most common cause of back pain is Intervertebral hernia in the lumbar-sacral spine, the first thing You need to do an MRI of the lumbar spine. This research will also help to remove all causes of pain, such as tumor in the lumen of the spinal canal, tuberculosis of the spine, spinal fracture, multiple myeloma, anatomically narrow spinal canal, spondylolisthesis, different curvature of the spine, spondylosis and spondylosis. If the neurologist has not given You an MRI, do it yourself. The strength of the MRI machine should be 1 Tesla or more.
Don't start diagnosis x-ray and computed tomography, these methods are dangerous. You can make them in the first place only in cases of suspected fracture of the spine.
Here are a few tips on what to do when back pain:
- Reduce physical activity for the first two days after the attack. This helps to reduce the symptoms of the disease and swelling in the area of pain.
- Do not sit, bend forward until the pain has completely subsided.
- Painkillers only in case of unbearable pain. It is better to make muscle, than drink anesthesia. This will protect the wall of the stomach in direct contact with the anti-inflammatory agent. Try to avoid excessive intake of drugs. Do not use for the treatment of hormonal, if low back pain is not related to autoimmune disease.
- Sleep in a fetal position, put a pillow between your legs. If you sleep on your back, put a pillow under the knees
- A common misconception is the idea that You need to limit physical activity for a long time. Bed rest is not recommended!!! If you do not have fever, weight loss, involuntary urination and defecation, You should stay active as much as you can stand it. You can reduce your activity only for the first two days after the occurrence of the pain. Start doing light aerobic exercise. Walking on a treadmill, swimming can help to improve blood flow to the muscles of the back. Contact your doctor the choice of exercises, in order not to cause the pain syndrome.
Forecast:
Most people feel much better after the first week of treatment. After 4-6 weeks, a significant proportion of patients the pain disappears completely.
In some cases, you should immediately contact your doctor:
- Lower back pain along with pain in the lower leg and foot pain
- The pain does not give You service
- The pain is combined with urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence
- The combination of pain in the lower back, numbness in the buttock, thigh, leg, foot, groin
- If you have already had back pain before
- If the pain lasts more than 3 days
- If you are using hormones
- If the pain appears after injury
- Had previously been diagnosed with cancer
- If you've lost weight recently, for unclear reasons