Back pain in the lumbar region - causes and treatment

Various diseases can cause back pain in the lumbar region.

The main diseases causing back pain are joint injuries of the spine or the hip.

Most often this symptom is due to diseases of the lumbosacral spine.

The lumbar spine is movable, which causes more frequent injuries to that 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, hip joint, or internal organs near the lower back.

If you have back pain in the lumbar region, the reasons may be as follows:

• pain can occur as a result of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine;
• painful sensations may be due to an intervertebral hernia;
• ankylosing spondylitis;
• displacement of the vertebrae;
• rheumatism;
• inflammation of the back muscles (myositis);
• inflammation of the sciatic nerve;
• vertebral fracture;
• osteoarthritis of the hip joint and other diseases of the spine and hip joints.

In addition, lower back pain may appear due to muscle tension or muscle spasm. Muscle spasms can occur if you make sudden movements with a load on your lower back:

• make sharp turns;
• sudden weight lifting;
• while playing sports.

Lumbosacral spine osteochondrosis

With lumbosacral osteochondrosis, back pain in the lumbar region can be associated with symptoms such as:

• increased urination;
• urinary incontinence;
• chronic and often exacerbated diseases of the bladder;
• diseases of the genitals;
• rectal problems.

Most often back pain with osteochondrosis are:

• painful;
• burst;
• pulling;
• sometimes the pain is burning.

Often the pain in the lumbar region in this case disappears when 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 high mobility and can withstand heavy loads in everyday life.

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

The high risk group for developing lumbosacral osteochondrosis includes:

• overweight people;
• lead an inactive life;
• have bad posture.

In addition, this disease can develop with excessive exertion in professional athletes and even with improper exercise at home.

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

People who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and other inflammatory joint diseases often get sick with osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

Treatment of osteochondrosis of the sacro-lumbar spine is aimed at slowing down the process of destruction of the intervertebral discs, restoring the functions of the nerve roots and eliminating pain.

To do this, apply:

• medications;
• manual therapy;
• physiotherapy methods;
• physiotherapy;
• surgical methods.

In the treatment of osteochondrosis of lumbosacral osteochondrosis, drugs such as:

• chondroprotectors (to restore cartilage tissue);
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• immunomodulators;
• steroid hormones;
• vitamin complexes.

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

There are several other methods of treating osteochondrosis:

1. Manual therapy helps restore the functions of the lumbar spine and its anatomical structure. Massage for osteochondrosis helps strengthen the muscles of the lower back and improve metabolic processes in the tissues.
2. Physiotherapy is carried out after the end of the acute period of the disease with the help of drugs. The most useful for osteochondrosis will be: electrophoresis, paraffin therapy, phonophoresis and magnetotherapy. To achieve a tangible effect, it is recommended to perform 3 cycles of 10 physiotherapy procedures with a two-week break between them.
3. Physiotherapy exercises are one of the most effective methods of treating osteochondrosis. Physical education should be carried out after an appropriate consultation with a doctor and, preferably, under the supervision of a specialist. A series of exercises designed specifically for the treatment of lumbosacral osteochondrosis will help strengthen the muscles of the back, which will relieve some of the load on the intervertebral discs.
4. Spa treatments (radon baths, therapeutic mud, etc. ) have a beneficial effect on osteochondrosis.

If you ignore the symptoms of osteochondrosis and do not seek medical help, it will lead to the development of the disease and soon the back pain will become so severe that you will always have to see a doctor for help.

Prevention of osteochondrosis

For the health of the spine, you need to eat well, watch your posture, and lead an active lifestyle.

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

Back pain with intervertebral hernia

Vertebral hernia, or intervertebral hernia, is a disease in which the intervertebral disc is deformed, the outer part of the disc is ruptured simultaneously with the protrusion of the inner part of the disc outside the vertebral body.

Lumbago

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

Lumbago is the sudden onset of acute low back pain during physical exertion, when lifting weights.

Back pain in this case has a heartbreaking, stabbing and pulling character. It is associated with acute prolapse of the intervertebral disc and irritation of the nerve endings located in the fibrous ring.

A reflex is triggered, as a result of which the tone of the lumbar muscles is significantly increased. The patient freezes in a monotonous position, cannot straighten his back and turn around.

This manifestation of herniated discs of the lumbar spine is most often found in men aged 30 to 40 years.

Sciatica

Sciatica (sciatica) - irritation of the sciatic nerve due to pinching of the hernial protrusion of the spinal roots.

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

These symptoms usually occur on one side, depending on the position of the herniated disc.

Symptoms of back pain with intervertebral hernia

Table - Symptoms of herniated discs

The main symptoms	Particularities
Long-term pain in the lumbar region.	Can last up to several months. They carry a painful, pulling and burning character.
Pelvic organ dysfunction.	Incontinence or urinary retention. Violation of defecation. In men, a hernia can affect potency.
Weakness of the muscles of the legs, decrease in their tone, decrease in reflexes.	Compression of motor nerves in the spinal roots.
Paralysis (total lack of movement) or paresis (partial lack of movement) of the legs.	Compression and damage to the spinal cord.
Pale skin, increased sweating, white or red spots.	Compression of nerves in the spinal roots, which regulate blood vessels, sweat glands, and other autonomic functions.

With intervertebral hernia, in most cases, pathological changes develop in the lumbar spine.

Identification of herniated discs

Statistics for the detection of intervertebral hernias:

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

Reasons for the development of intervertebral hernia

A herniated disc develops due to:

1. Degenerative changes of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. A herniated disc is often a complication of osteochondrosis.
2. Delayed lesions of the spine: compression fractures of the vertebrae, subluxation.
3. Increased loads on the spine: with constant work while sitting or standing in a monotonous posture, improper weight bearing, excessive physical exertion, overtraining in athletes.
4. Sedentary lifestyle.
5. Infectious diseases in which the spine is affected.
6. Overweight.
7. Congenital malformations of the spine.
8. Vibratory action. Most often, this is due to industrial risks. Under the influence of vibrations, the structure of the intervertebral disc is disturbed, it weakens.
9. Bad posture, scoliosis.

Herniated disc treatment

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

The body is able to recover spontaneously after 24 weeks. Therefore, there are not always indications for surgery.

Medications for herniated discs are aimed at relieving back pain.

The hernia is mainly treated with the following drugs:

• nonsteroidal pain relievers;
• steroid hormones.

Physiotherapy for intervertebral hernias is used as directed by a doctor.

There are other methods of treating intervertebral hernias without surgery:

1. Manual therapy. The chiropractor tries to remove the herniated disc with his hands.
2. Physiotherapy. It 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 affected area. This improves blood circulation in the tissues.

Herniated disc surgery

Surgical treatment of intervertebral hernia is prescribed in the presence of:

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

Treatment of back pain with blockage

Hernia repair is a procedure that aims to numb the affected area and relieve muscle spasms.

The block is performed by injection of anesthetics.

The therapeutic effect of the blockade is characterized by:

• fast pain relief - relief takes 1 to 2 minutes;
• elimination of muscle spasms, which intensifies painful sensations;
• relieve inflammation, especially with the administration of corticosteroids;
• reduction in soft tissue edema, which causes pinching of nerve fibers.

Contraindications to blockage:

• an infectious lesion of the spine;
• fever;
• mental illness;
• cardiovascular failure stage 2-3;
• weakness;
• blood clotting disorders;
• renal and hepatic failure;
• tendency to convulsions;
• pregnancy.

Diagnosis of back pain disease

If you have back pain in the lumbar region, the first step is to see a doctor and have a test.

The doctor may order examinations of the spine using:

• computed tomography;
• X-ray of the lumbosacral spine;
• Magnetic resonance imaging;
• electroneuromyography;
• vascular dopplerography, etc.

An examination and palpation of the lumbar region and spine is mandatory. Consultation with a neurologist or vertebrologist is required.

So, almost always the cause of low back pain is displacement of the vertebrae, muscle spasms or intercostal neuralgia.