Pain in the lumbar region is a clinical symptom of pathological changes in various tissues. At a young age, muscle spasms and excessive strain appear this way, at a more mature age - osteochondrosis and its complications. In older people, any pain can be considered as a sign of a compressive fracture of the vertebral body against the background of the development of osteoporosis.
The causes and methods of treating low back pain discussed in the article are fact-finding information. It just gives you a general idea of what can happen to your body. But this does not replace the advice of a specialist. If you have any concerns in the lumbar and sacral region, seek medical attention immediately. It is best to make an appointment with a vertebrologist or neurologist. These doctors have the necessary level of professional competence in treating spinal diseases.
For these purposes, we recommend that you select a manual therapy clinic in your area. Usually there are doctors who have extensive practical experience in working with patients suffering from pathologies of the spine and other parts of the musculoskeletal system.
Before you start treating back pain at home, it is necessary to establish an accurate diagnosis. The fact is that pain syndrome can be provoked by a variety of pathological reactions. The most common types of violations are:
- the consequences of a traumatic effect on bone tissue - fractures and cracks of the vertebral bodies and their processes;
- microscopic stretching and rupture of fibers in ligaments, tendons, and paravertebral muscles;
- formation of hematomas after soft tissue damage - they put pressure on the nerve fiber;
- inflammation - may be due to prolapse of the intervertebral hernia, aseptic reaction to trauma, introduction of an infectious agent (for example, with spinal tuberculosis);
- degenerative dystrophic process of destruction of intervertebral discs;
- fibrous disc ring ruptures;
- tissue ischemia against the background of disturbances in the processes of blood supply and innervation;
- compression (for example, due to instability of the position of the vertebral bodies or their displacement).
The spine is a complex anatomical structure. It consists of vertebral bodies, intervertebral discs and dividing end plates. Around the spine are the longitudinal and transverse ligaments, the paravertebral muscles. Inside the spinal canal, formed by vertebral bodies and arcuate processes, is the spinal cord. This is the central structure of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for the functioning of the entire human body. The innervation is performed due to the radicular nerves extending from the spinal cord through the lateral openings in the vertebral bodies.
The intervertebral disc holds the vertebral bodies at a certain distance, which separates them. And thanks to this, there is no compression effect on the radicular nerves and their branches. They do not become inflamed and do not experience ischemia due to impaired blood supply. If in the area of intervertebral discs there is a decrease in muscle fiber activity, then the quality of diffuse food is significantly reduced. And cartilaginous intervertebral discs do not have their own blood vessels. This provokes a decrease in their height, compression of the nerve fiber and other soft tissues near the spine. Of course, this process is accompanied by a strong pain syndrome in the lumbar region.
Next, let's talk about the possible causes of pain - diseases and risk factors for their development.
The main causes of back pain
So let’s start with the fact that there are a lot of big muscles in the lumbar region. Some of them are responsible for two-legged movement, support the body in a vertical position and allow different body movements (bending, bending, twisting, etc. ).
These muscles are made up of myocytes. In which cell fits the nerve ending and its blood vessel - the capillary. With each violation of innervation or blood supply, muscle performance is significantly reduced. For example, if a person subjected the lower back to excessive physical activity, then the muscle fiber burst. In this condition, he is unable to conduct nerve impulses and has a suppressive effect on capillary blood vessels. There are foci of ischemic reaction and trigger points (places where myocyte contraction and misalignment occur). These conditions can go away on their own. But in most cases, fibromyalgia pain syndrome can persist for several years and require the help of an experienced chiropractor.
Other possible causes of low back pain include:
- degenerative degenerative destruction of cartilaginous fiber of intervertebral discs (osteochondrosis);
- complications of osteochondrosis in the form of elongation and extraction of intervertebral discs, prolapse of a hernia and its sequestration;
- instability of the position of the discs and vertebral bodies in relation to each other in the form of weakness or deformation of the ligament apparatus and tendon;
- displacement of vertebral bodies by type of antilysterase, retrolistease or laterosysterase;
- curvature of the spine, postural disturbances, including thoracic scoliosis, complicated by twisting and tilting of the pelvic bones;
- spinal canal stenosis, including due to prolapse of the dorsal intervertebral hernia or displacement of the vertebral body;
- compressive fracture of the vertebral body or rupture of its process;
- stretching and rupture of the longitudinal or transverse ligament;
- deforming spondylarthrosis, in which the amplitude of mobility in the projection of the intervertebral node may decrease;
- destruction of the iliac-sacral joints;
- destruction of the node between the coccyx and the sacrum;
- infectious tumors and pathologies of spinal cord and spinal tissues;
- inflammatory processes in the abdominal cavity and pelvic organs;
- piriformis syndrome and cauda equina.
These are just some of the possible causes of pain in the lumbar region. Remember that only an experienced physician can make an accurate diagnosis based on an additional examination and clinical examinations. Therefore, you should not engage in self-diagnosis and treatment. This can lead to sad consequences for your body.
Be sure to contact an experienced doctor, he will determine the reasons why your lower back hurts and prescribe a treatment that will allow you to restore damaged tissue without harming your health.
What are the symptoms to take care of?
Any disease that causes low back pain provokes the appearance of additional symptoms. It is to them that you should pay attention not to waste time and contact the specialist who deals with the treatment of such diseases.
So let's start with the most common. This is osteochondrosis and its consequences. With such a disease, in addition to pain, there is stiffness of movements, muscle strain in the lumbar region. Difficulty standing or standing for long periods of time. I want to take a forced position. With such manifestations, it is worth making an appointment with a vertebrologist.
If the pain spreads along the lower extremities, radiates to the groin area, to the anterior abdominal wall, there is an intestinal disorder, there are areas with skin numbness, then it is advisable to visit a neurologist. This means that a crushed nerve fiber has occurred. Only a neurologist will be able to determine at what level the nerve is damaged and how this compression can be eliminated quickly and safely.
Treatment in case the spine and lower back hurts due to violation of tissue integrity is performed by a traumatologist. After restoring tissue integrity, it is necessary to undergo a rehabilitation course with a manual therapist. Therefore, if there has been a traumatic effect and after that a pain syndrome has appeared, then first contact the emergency room.
If you have frequent urination, fever, muscle aches, headaches, you should contact your local therapist to rule out urinary tract pathology. If possible, make an appointment with a nephrologist.
In women, back pain can be associated with damage to the genitals, so it is necessary to consult a gynecologist. Men are advised to visit an andrologist or urologist. It is also worth always excluding damage to the tissues of the rectum and lower parts of the colon.
If you have back pain in the lumbar region, an X-ray image of the lumbosacral region is recommended. In it, the doctor can see indirect signs of osteochondrosis, deforming spondylarthrosis, disc lengthening, etc. An MRI examination is required to confirm or rule out the diagnosis. Upon its conclusion, the doctor can establish the diagnosis of intervertebral hernia, spinal canal stenosis, etc. To rule out pathology of the abdominal cavity and small pelvis, ultrasound and colonoscopy are performed.
Treatment of back pain in the lumbar region
It is necessary to start treatment of back pain in the lumbar region by eliminating the negative impact factor. If this is a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc, then it is necessary to stop the compression of the nerve fiber and soft tissues surrounding the spine. The easiest way to achieve this effect is during the manual spinal traction procedure. Already after the 2nd session, patients feel a significant relief of their condition. But that does not mean a full recovery.
To completely restore the damaged cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs, a full course of treatment must be performed. May include the following types of therapeutic effects:
- massage of the muscular frame of the back and spine - allows you to normalize the tone of muscle fiber, restore its performance, increase capillary blood supply and trophism;
- osteopathy in the treatment of pain in the lumbar region allows you to eliminate infiltrative swelling of soft tissues by improving the processes of microcirculation of blood and lymph fluid;
- reflexology begins the processes of regeneration using the hidden reserves of the human body;
- therapeutic exercises and kinesitherapy in the treatment of back pain in the lumbar region take their proud place, allow you to fully restore the performance of all muscles;
- physiotherapy is used to improve metabolism at the cellular level.
We recommend treating back pain in manual therapy clinics. Doctors there have accumulated vast practical experience in treating such patients. If you have lower back pain, under no circumstances should you treat yourself. This is dangerous for your health.