Back pain in the lumbar region - causes and treatment

Various diseases can cause back pain in the lumbar region.

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

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

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

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

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

Also, pain in the lower back can appear due to muscle strain or muscle spasm. Muscle spasm can occur if you make sudden movements with a load on the lower back:

• making sharp turns;
• sudden weight lifting;
• when playing sports.

Osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine

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

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

Most often, back pain with osteochondrosis is:

• in pain;
• outbreak;
• 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 cough 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, manifested by dystrophy and deformation of the intervertebral discs.

The high-risk group of developing lumbosacral osteochondrosis includes:

• overweight people;
• lead an inactive lifestyle;
• having poor posture.

Also, 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 suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and other inflammatory joint diseases often get 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:

• medicines;
• manual therapy;
• physiotherapy methods;
• Physiotherapy;
• surgical methods.

In the treatment of osteochondrosis of lumbo-sacral osteochondrosis, such drugs are used as:

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

It is necessary to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid hormones with great care, as they have many contraindications and side effects.

There are many 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 acute period of the disease is stopped 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. One of the most effective methods of treating osteochondrosis are physiotherapy exercises. Physical education should be carried out after proper 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 back muscles, which will relieve some of the load from the intervertebral discs.
4. Thermal treatments (radon baths, therapeutic muds, etc. ) have a good effect on osteochondrosis.

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

Prevention of osteochondrosis

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

When carrying weights and playing sports, care should be taken not to over-stretch the back and damage the spine.

Back pain with intervertebral hernia

A spinal hernia, or intervertebral hernia, is a disease in which the intervertebral disc is deformed, the outer part of the disc ruptures at the same time as the inner part of the disc protrudes outside the vertebral body.

Lumbago

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

Low back pain is the sudden onset of acute lower back pain at the time of physical exertion, weight lifting.

Back pain in this case has a tearing, stabbing, shooting character. It is associated with a strong prolapse of the intervertebral disc and irritation of the nerve endings found in the fibrous ring.

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

This manifestation of disc herniation of the lumbar spine is most often found in men between the ages of 30 and 40.

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 down the back of the leg.

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

Back pain symptoms with intervertebral hernia

Table - Symptoms for herniated disc

The main symptoms	Peculiarities
Long-term pain in the lower back.	It can last up to several months. They wear a sore, pulling, burning character.
Dysfunction of the pelvic organs.	Urinary incontinence or 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 the motor nerves in the spinal roots.
Paralysis (complete lack of movement) or paresis (partial lack of movement) in the legs.	Compression and damage to the spinal cord.
Pale skin, increased sweating, white or red patches.	Compression of the 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 detecting intervertebral hernias:

• 48% of herniated discs occur between the last (fifth) lumbar vertebra and the sacrum.
• 46% are located 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. Disc herniation is often a complication of osteochondrosis.
2. Postponed injuries of the spine: compression fractures of the vertebrae, subluxation.
3. Increased loads on the spine: with constant work sitting or standing in a monotonous posture, improper carrying of weights, 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. Vibration action. Most often this is due to industrial risks. Under the influence of vibration, the structure of the intervertebral disc is disturbed, it weakens.
9. Bad posture, scoliosis.

Disc Herniation Treatment

According to statistics, in most cases with 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.

Disc herniation medications are aimed at relieving back pain.

Hernia is mainly treated with the following drugs:

• non-steroidal 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 is trying to get rid of the herniated disc with his hands.
2. Kinesitherapy. This is a type of physiotherapy exercises. Normalizes muscle tone, restores blood circulation and increases tissue regeneration.
3. Hirudotherapy.
4. Cryotherapy. This is a low temperature treatment 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: decreased sensitivity, muscle tone and strength, paralysis and paresis;
• urinary incontinence, impotence in men (if it is caused by the compression of a hernia of the spinal cord).

Back pain treatment with blockade

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

The block is performed by injecting anesthetics.

The therapeutic effect of the blockade is characterized by:

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

Contraindications for blocking:

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

Diagnosis of the disease for back pain

If your back hurts in the lumbar region, the first step is to see a doctor and undergo an examination.

The doctor can prescribe spinal examinations with the help of:

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

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

Therefore, the cause of lower back pain is almost always the displacement of the vertebrae, muscle spasm or intercostal neuralgia.