Pain in the lumbar region is a clinical symptom of pathological changes in various tissues. At a young age, muscle spasms and overstrains appear in this way, at a more mature age - osteochondrosis and its complications. In the elderly, any pain against the background of developing osteoporosis can be evaluated as a sign of a compression fracture of the vertebral body.
The causes and methods of treating back pain discussed in this article are for informational purposes. There is only a general idea of what might be going on inside your body. However, it does not replace advice from a specialist. If you experience discomfort in the lumbar and sacrum areas, seek immediate medical attention. It is best to make an appointment with a vertebrologist or neurologist. These doctors have the necessary expertise in the treatment of diseases of the spine.
For these purposes, we recommend that you choose a manual therapy clinic in your place of residence. As a rule, doctors who have extensive practical experience in working with patients suffering from diseases of the spine and other parts of the musculoskeletal system work there.
Before you start treating back pain at home, it is necessary to make 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 impact on bone tissue - fractures and cracks of the vertebral bodies and their processes;
- Elongation and microscopic tears of fibers in ligaments, tendons and paravertebral muscles;
- the formation of hematomas after soft tissue injuries - they put pressure on the nerve fiber;
- inflammation - may be due to a prolapse of the intervertebral hernia, an aseptic reaction to trauma, the introduction of an infectious agent (for example, with tuberculosis of the spine);
- degenerative dystrophic process of destruction of intervertebral discs;
- ruptures of fibrous rings of intervertebral discs;
- Tissue ischemia against the background of disruptions in blood supply and innervation;
- Compression (for example, due to the instability of the position of the vertebral bodies or their displacement).
The spine is an anatomically complex structure. It consists of the vertebral bodies, intervertebral discs and separating endplates. Around the spine are longitudinal and transverse ligaments, paravertebral muscles. The spinal cord is located within the spinal canal, which is formed by the vertebral bodies and arcuate processes. This is the central structure of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for the functioning of the entire human body. Innervation occurs through the lateral openings in the vertebral bodies by the radicular nerves emanating from the spinal cord.
The intervertebral disc holds the vertebral bodies at a certain distance, which it separates. And thanks to this, there is no compressive effect on the radicular nerves and their branches. They do not become inflamed and do not suffer ischemia due to impaired blood supply. If in the area of \u200b\u200bthe intervertebral cartilage, the activity of muscle fiber decreases, the quality of diffuse nutrition is sharply reduced. And cartilaginous intervertebral discs do not have their own blood vessels. This leads to 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 reasons for lower back pain
So let's start with the fact that there are a lot of large muscles in the lumbar region. Some of them are responsible for bipedal locomotion, supporting the body in an upright position and allowing various body movements (tilts, twists, turns, etc. ).
These muscles are made up of myocytes. To which cell does the nerve ending and its own blood vessel – the capillary – fit? With any violation of the innervation or blood supply, the performance of the muscle is greatly reduced. For example, if a person subjected their lower back to excessive physical activity, the muscle fiber would spasm. In this state, it is unable to conduct nerve impulses and has a compressing effect on capillary blood vessels. There are foci of ischemic reactions and trigger points (places where mismatched contraction and relaxation of myocytes occur). These conditions can go away on their own. However, in most cases, fibromyalgic pain syndrome can last for several years and requires the help of an experienced chiropractor.
Other possible causes of back pain include:
- degenerative dystrophic destruction of the cartilage fiber of the intervertebral discs (osteochondrosis);
- complications of osteochondrosis in the form of protrusion and extrusion of the intervertebral discs, hernia prolapse and sequestration;
- Instability of the position of the intervertebral discs and vertebral bodies in relation to each other in the form of weakness or deformity of the ligament and tendon apparatus;
- Displacement of the vertebral bodies by the type of antelisthesis, retrolisthesis or lateroslisthesis;
- curvature of the spine, violation of posture, including thoracic scoliosis, complicated by twisting and obliqueness of the pelvic bones;
- stenosis of the spinal canal, including due to prolapse of the dorsal intervertebral hernia or displacement of the vertebral body;
- Compression fracture of the vertebral body or rupture of its process;
- Elongation and rupture of the longitudinal or transverse ligament;
- deforming spondylarthrosis, in which the amplitude of mobility in the projection of the intervertebral joint may decrease;
- destruction of the iliac-sacral joints;
- destruction of the joint between the coccyx and sacrum;
- tumor and infectious pathologies of the tissues of the spinal cord and spine;
- inflammatory processes in the abdominal cavity and in the pelvic organs;
- Piriformis and cauda equina syndrome.
These are just some of the possible causes of lower back pain. Remember that only an experienced doctor can make an accurate diagnosis based on an examination and additional clinical examinations. Therefore, you should not engage in self-diagnosis and treatment. This can lead to sad consequences for your body.
Be sure to consult an experienced doctor. He will determine the reasons for the pain in the lower back and prescribe a treatment that will allow you to restore damaged tissues without harming your health.
What are the symptoms to look out for?
Any disease that causes back pain provokes the appearance of additional symptoms. You should pay attention to them so as 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 are also stiffness in movements and muscle tension in the lumbar region. Difficulty sitting or standing for long periods. 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, the anterior abdominal wall, there is an intestinal disease, there are areas of numbness of the skin, it is advisable to consult a neurologist. This means that a nerve fiber is pinched. Only a neurologist can determine at what level the nerve has been damaged and how to quickly and safely eliminate this compression.
Treatment in the event that the back and lower back hurt due to a violation of the integrity of the tissues is carried out by a traumatologist. After restoring the integrity of the tissues, it is necessary to undergo a rehabilitation course with a manual therapist. So, if there was a traumatic effect, and after that there was a pain syndrome, the first thing to do is contact the emergency room.
If you have frequent urination, fever, muscle pain or headache, you should contact your local therapist to rule out the pathology of the urinary system. If possible, make an appointment with a nephrologist.
In women, lower back pain can be associated with damage to the genitals, requiring a gynecological consultation. Men are advised to see an andrologist or urologist. It is also always worth excluding damage to the tissues of the rectum and lower sections of the colon.
With back pain in the lumbar region, an X-ray of the lumbosacral region is prescribed. On it, the doctor can identify indirect signs of osteochondrosis, deforming spondylarthrosis, herniated disc, etc. An MRI scan is required to confirm or refute the diagnosis. After his conclusion, the doctor can make a diagnosis of an intervertebral hernia, stenosis of the spinal canal, etc. To exclude the pathology of the abdominal cavity and small pelvis, ultrasound and colonoscopy are performed.
Back pain treatment in the lumbar region
It is necessary to start the treatment of back pain in the lumbar region by eliminating the negative influencing factor. If this is a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc, it is necessary to stop the compression of the nerve fiber and the soft tissues surrounding the spine. The easiest way to achieve this effect is during the procedure of manual spinal traction. Already after the 2nd session, the patients feel a clear alleviation of their condition. However, this does not mean a full recovery.
In order to fully restore the damaged cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs, a full treatment should be carried out. It can include the following types of therapeutic effects:
- Massage of the muscular frame of the back and lower back - allows you to normalize the tone of muscle fibers, restore their performance, increase capillary blood supply and trophism;
- Osteopathy in the treatment of pain in the lumbar region allows you to get rid of infiltrative swelling of soft tissues, improving the processes of blood and lymphatic microcirculation.
- the reflex zone massage initiates regeneration processes by using the hidden reserves of the human body;
- therapeutic exercises and exercise therapy in the treatment of back pain in the lumbar region come to the fore and 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. The doctors there have gained a great deal of practical experience in the treatment of such patients. If you have back pain, in no case do not self-medicate. This is dangerous for your health.