Back pain, tension and stiffness in the lower back are the most common problems sooner or later faces the majority of the people.
Most often a low back pain, because the lumbar spine has more mobility and supports the weight of the upper half of the body. Pain in the lumbar region has a separate title — lumbago, if it is given in the leg — sciatica. Rarely, pain occurs in the column thoracic. If the pain is acute and extends (gives) on the side, or arm, is called "lumbago" or "sciatica". This type of pain usually associated with compression of the spinal nerve.
Back pain and lower back pain can appear suddenly after heavy lifting, if uncomfortable to turn. Sometimes discomfort in the back develop gradually over many years of hard work or bad posture. Rarely the cause of the pain cannot be established. The pain may worsen at night, under load or after a long finding in an inconvenient pose, for example, after a long trip in the car. Often the pain disappears lying on a flat hard surface.
In the majority of cases, back pain in just a few days or weeks and then feel better, and mobility is fully restored. To speed healing help pain relievers and a specific mode of physical activity: rest only in the first 1-2 days of particularly intense pain and then gradual return to an active lifestyle. However, in some cases, the back pain or low back pain duration of over 6 weeks. After talking about the development of chronic back pain and prescribe further treatment.
Plays an important role in your mood. Because of the pain that can be difficult to maintain a good mood, but studies show that positive mind-of the people in general recover faster than those who are in depression.
The causes of back pain
Back health depends on the proper functioning of a complex mechanism of bones, muscles, nerves and joints. Often determine with precision the cause of the pain can be difficult. Fortunately, the serious illness or injury to the back are rare. Most often back pain or back light injuries, muscular tension, stretching of muscles and ligaments, the offence and the inflammation of the nerves. Discomfort in the back can occur suddenly or develop gradually, growing. Possible causes of back pain and lower back:
- clumsy movement: tilt or rotation of the housing;
- lifting or carrying heavy objects, prolonged bending of the trunk;
- incorrect posture when walking or sitting;
- excessive stretching of the muscles of the back;
- prolonged driving without stopping.
Sometimes, again starts the disease for no apparent reason, for example, in the morning, after sleep.
Risk Factors of back pain
Certain risk factors that increase the probability of back pains or lower back:
- The excess of weight, while the spine bear more load. To understand if your weight is normal, calculate the body mass index.
- Not — can damage the tissues of the back, and the rooms are in general less likely to lead a healthy lifestyle.
- Pregnancy of the woman's spine is subjected to additional load, which increases with the volume of the stomach.
- The prolonged intake of drugs that reduce bone density, for example, corticosteroids.
- Stress — it is believed that the constant anxiety increases muscle tension back and neck, which can cause pain.
The diseases that can cause pain back and lower back:
- Osteochondrosis and its complications, such as hernia of the spine — degenerative disease, in which collapse of the intervertebral cartilage, resulting in pain. These diseases often develop with age, especially in those people who suffer the heavy load in the back.
- Stretching ligaments and muscles — which often occurs after excessive physical exertion or awkward movement.
- Different types of arthritis — inflammatory disease of the joints. In this case, in addition to the pain, marked morning stiffness in the joints, disorders of mobility.
- The kidney disease, such as pyelonephritis can cause pain in the low back.
There are also more dangerous, but very rare causes of back pain. For example, cancer, tuberculosis of the spine, aortic aneurysm (separation of the walls of large blood vessels), etc. they are usually diagnosed during examination by a doctor.
Diagnosis of pain in the back and the rump
With the back pain and lower back can often be treated at home with medication sold at the pharmacy without a prescription. Hospital treatment is usually not necessary. If the pain is severe, seek the help of a medical doctor. If the pain does not give you to move, you can call the doctor at home.
During the exam, the doctor will ask you to sit, stand, walk, alternately lift the feet and also check range of motion in the back. You can ask about previous illnesses or injuries in their style of life and the nature of the work:
- When the pain began?
- Where is the problem?
- Bothered back in the past?
- Can you describe the pain?
- Since the pain intensifies or is it?
The survey and examination, the doctor will attempt to rule out the possibility of infection and fracture, even though they are very rare. In the case of the dispute of the diagnosis, which may be referred for additional study: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or x-ray of the spine. To avoid kidney disease doctor orders a urinalysis.
In the majority of cases, back pain does not get delete in a few days. If the treatment is not helping, back pain lasts for more than 6 weeks (the so-called chronic back pain), or because of disease is a serious illness, the therapist will refer you to a specialist. Most often the treatment of back pain and low back pain deals with the neurologist. In addition, the treatment can connect with a physician such as an osteopath, reflexologist, chiropractor.
Treatment of the back and lumbar
Your back pain treatment can depend on its duration and severity, as well as their personal preferences and needs. Most often, the pain can be removed by the use of non-prescription medicines and treatment at home.
Motor mode. In previous years it was believed that when the back pain need to rest. It is now accepted that the people who get up early to move faster to cope with back pain and low back pain. Complete quiet and rest is shown only for 1-2 days in the acute phase when the pain is very sharp and does not move. In this case it is recommended that they are in the hard and smooth surface. As soon as the state has improved a bit, he has gone back to mobile life, by increasing the range of motion a little bit every day.
Gradually, you will be able to move around the house or go shopping. You have to put up with some discomfort and learn to avoid anything that causes severe pain. A few days later, you can return to work without waiting for the moment when the pain in the back of the lower back will be completely (of course, if your work is not connected with excessive loads on the spine). Early activation will get you back to normal and the daily routine and the distraction of pain.
Analgesics. These drugs relieve pain, inflammation and swelling. Depending on the severity of the health of your doctor may prescribe these medications in the form of injections, tablets or external remedies — ointments of back pain. Normally the treatment begins with injections. As soon as the pain disappears, the introduction of the drug is stopped, if necessary, take pills or use creams. These funds have a number of contraindications, so before taking consult your doctor and read the instructions. Pills pain best to take after meals with a glass of milk.
Muscle relaxants are drugs that relieve spasm of skeletal muscles, relax the muscles. They are appointed in the cases in which excess muscle tension of the spine increasing the pain that might, for example, when the aggravation of degenerative disc disease or disc herniation. Muscle relaxants have side effects, many of them can't take care of the wheel. Therefore, it is necessary to consult with a doctor.
Treatment of heat and cold. A little bit of pain helps to heat, for example, a hot shower or heating pad in the wrong place. Also relieve the condition may cold, for example, if applied to the bottom of the back of ice or package of vegetables frozen. Do not apply the ice directly on the skin, as this can cause the freezing. Wrap it in a wet towel and apply to the affected area. You can also alternate heat therapy with cold, applying alternating ice and a heating pad.
The posture to sleep. A change of posture to sleep can ease the tension of the back and relieve the pain. If you sleep on your side, a little stretch your legs to your chest and put a pillow between the legs. If he returns back, place a pillow under the knees to give support to the curved nature of the back in the lumbar region.
Relaxation is a crucial component of dealing with the pain, because if you worry too much, will cause muscle tension, which can worsen the pain. Studies show that the positive-mind people usually recover faster. The pain of them enters a long chronic. There are various techniques of relaxation. As a general rule, it is recommended to learn breathing exercises and simple exercises with alternate tension and relaxation of different muscles of the body.
Exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Try to remove the cause of pain in the back to avoid the return in the future. The most common causes of back pain — excess weight, poor posture and stress. Regular exercise and active lifestyle will help you get back to being strong and healthy. Most of the people prefer to do this walking, swimming and yoga. The most important thing — choose what you like and does not cause pain. Sometimes, classes are conducted in groups under the supervision of an instructor qualified. Normally the classes run exercises to strengthen the muscles and improve the posture, as well as the aerobic exercise and stretching exercises.
Treatment of chronic back pain
If the back pain lasts for more than 6 weeks (the so-called chronic back pain), in addition to analgesics and muscle relaxants used below are described the methods of dealing with pain. These therapies can help people with back pain prevents them from performing usual routine and alarming.
The chiropractic is a chiropractor or osteopath, and includes several techniques, such as manipulation, mobilisation and massage.
Technique Alexander — allows you to remove excess muscle tension, and teaches how to properly sit or stand as a rational move. You will learn to maintain the balance of body and posture.
Acupuncture (acupuncture) — Chinese method of treatment in which various parts of the body is inserted a fine needle. Helps to relieve back pain and lower back pain.
Antidepressants prescribed for chronic back pain in cases where pain medications and other methods do not help. Most often, it is recommended to take tricyclic antidepressants, e.g. amitriptyline in small doses. These drugs were originally developed to treat depression, but they were effective for the treatment of some types of pain.
Psychotherapy can have an impact on back pain and low back pain, even in cases when other methods are powerless. Back pain is very real, but, how do you feel and as I think about it, it can worsen or weaken them. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (cbt) will help to relieve back pain due to the change of attitude towards her. Studies show that people who have undergone psychotherapy, less pain. Have the motivation to lead an active lifestyle and regular physical exercises, which in turn reduces the severity of the pain.
Surgery is usually indicated only in those cases when all other treatment methods have failed. The surgery is used only when the pain is so strong or constant, deprivation of sleep and rest. The type of surgery will depend on the type of pain and its causes.
For example, a hernia of the spine prescribe a procedure special. Today surgeons can perform surgery through very small incision with microsurgical instruments. These operations are considered to be less traumatic. Read more about this in the section "Treatment of herniated disc".
Fusion spinal is a complex and less common operation. The results do not always meet the expectations. For example, after the surgery, you can still kind of feel the pain. Fusion leads to a decrease in the mobility of the spine, as in the intervention of several vertebrae causing pain, still tied to each other by the implantation between the living bone tissue. After healing, the vertebrae are firmly together, so that the movement is not in violation of the nerves near. This weakens the pain. Before agreeing to the surgery, you should discuss all its risks and benefits with a neurosurgeon.