Back pain, tension and stiffness in the lower back are the most common problems sooner or later faces the most people.
Most often a sore lower back because the lower back is the largest of the movement and bears the weight of the upper part of the body. Pain in the lumbar region is a separate name — lumbago, if he gives leg — sciatica. Rarely, pain occurs in the thoracic spine. If the pain is acute and extends to the () side or arm, it is called "lumbago" or "sciatica". This type of pain is usually associated with compression of the spinal nerve.
Back pain and lower back pain can appear suddenly after heavy lifting, if difficult to translate. Sometimes discomfort in the back develop gradually by exertion or improper posture. Rarely the cause of pain cannot be determined. The pain may worsen at night, under load or long find it difficult, cause, for example, when on a long trip in the car. Often the pain will go away, lie on a flat hard surface.
In most cases, back pain a few days or weeks and then feel better, and mobility is restored. Speeds healing helps with pain medicines and a special mode of physical activity: the rest of only the first 1-2 days of special intense pain and then gradually return to an active lifestyle. However, in some cases, back or lower back pain lasts more than 6 weeks. Then we talk about the development of chronic back pain and prescribe additional treatment.
An important role in mood. Because the pain can be difficult to maintain a good mood, but studies show that positive thinking people usually recover faster than those who are depression.
The causes of back pain
Back to health depends on the proper functioning of the complex mechanism of bones, muscles, nerves and joints. Often to accurately determine the cause of the pain can be difficult. Fortunately, serious illness or back injury are rare. Most often back pain or back caused a minor injury, a muscle strain, stretching the muscles and ligaments, breaking and inflammation of the nerves. Discomfort can occur suddenly or develop gradually increase. Possible causes of back pain and lower back:
- tricky business: the tilt or rotation of the housing;
- lifting or carrying heavy objects, prolonged bending of the frame;
- incorrect posture when walking or sitting;
- excessive stretching of the back muscles;
- prolonged driving without stopping.
Sometimes the beginning of the disease without any apparent reason, for example, in the morning, after sleep.
Risk factors of back pain
Certain risk factors increase the likelihood of back pain or lower back:
- Overweight when the spine bears more load. To understand whether your weight is normal, calculate your body mass index.
- Smoking — it can harm the tissues of the back, and smokers are generally less likely to lead to a healthy lifestyle.
- Pregnancy — women of the spine are subject to additional load, which increases the volume of the stomach.
- Long-term intake of drugs that reduce bone density, for example corticosteroids.
- Stress — it is believed that the constant anxiety raises muscle tension back and neck, which can cause pain.
Diseases that can cause back pain and lower back:
- Osteochondrosis and its complications, such as disc herniation, spinal degenerative disease, in which collapse of the intervertebral cartilage, resulting in pain. These diseases often develop with age, especially for those people who are experiencing heavy load on the back.
- Stretching the ligaments and muscles — which often occurs after excessive physical exertion or awkward movement.
- Different types of arthritis — an inflammatory disease of the joints. In this case, in addition to pain, marked morning stiffness of joints, impaired movement.
- Kidney disease, such as pyelonephritis can cause pain in the lower back.
It is 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 hips
Back pain and lower back, you can often cope with home medicines sold in a pharmacy without a prescription. Hospital treatment is usually not required. If the pain is severe, seek help from a doctor doctor. If the pain does not let you move, you can call the doctor at home.
During the investigation, the doctor ask you to sit, stand, walk, alternately lift the legs and also to check the range of motion back. He may ask about previous illnesses or injuries in your way of life and the nature of the work, as well as:
- When the pain started?
- Where it hurts?
- Bothered back in the past?
- Can you describe the pain?
- Where the pain is not getting worse or goes?
Research and study, the doctor will try to rule out the possibility of infection and fracture, although they are very rare. If a controversial diagnosis, you may be referred to additional research: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or x-ray of the spine. To avoid kidney disease, the doctor will prescribe the urine.
In most cases, back pain will fail to remove in a few days. If treatment does not help, back pain lasts more than 6 weeks (the so-called chronic back pain), or cause disease is a serious illness, the therapist refer you to a specialist. Most often for the treatment of back pain and low back pain deals with the neurologist. In addition, the treatment can be connected with a doctor, like an osteopath, reflexologist, chiropractor.
For the treatment of back and lumbar
Treatment of back pain may depend on its duration and severity, as well as personal preference and needs. In most cases, the pain can be removed by using non-prescription medicines and treatment at home.
In the engine compartment. In previous years it was believed that when back pain need to rest. It is now accepted that people who wake up early to move faster to cope with back pain and lower back pain. Complete quiet and bed rest is shown only for 1-2 days in the acute stage, when pain is very strong and does not move. In this case, it is recommended to have a hard and smooth surface. As soon as the condition is slightly improved, you should gradually return to your mobile life, expand the range of motion a little bit every day.
Gradually you can move around the house or go shopping. You have to tolerate the discomfort and learn to avoid everything, which causes severe pain. A few days later, you can return to work without waiting for the moment when the pain in the back or lower back will be completely (of course, if your work does not involve excessive load on the spine). Early activation will take you back to normal daily routine and distract from the pain.
Painkillers. 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 back pain. Usually, treatment is started with injections. As soon as the pain subsides, the drug use is stopped, if necessary, take the pills or use the creams. These funds have a number of contraindications, so before you consult a doctor and read the instructions. Pills pain best taken after meals with a glass of milk.
Muscle relaxants are drugs that relieve the spasm of the muscles, relax the muscles. They are appointed in cases where excessive muscle tension of the spine increasing pain, which can, for example, when aggravation of degenerative disc disease or disc herniation. Muscle relaxants side effects, many of them can take the wheel. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
Treatment of heat and cold. Some of the pain to help the heat, for example, a warm bath or a heating pad to the sore spot. Also relieves the conditions can be cold, if, for example, is applied to the lower back ice or package of frozen vegetables. Do not use ice directly on the skin because it can cause frostbite. Wrap it in a damp towel and apply to the affected area. You can also alternative heat treatment cold, applying alternating ice and a heating pad.
Position to sleep. Change position to sleep to relieve the tension from the back and relieve pain. If you sleep on your side, slightly pull the leg to your chest and place a pillow between your legs. If you do not return back, put a pillow under the knees to support the natural curve of the spine in the lumbar region.
Relaxation is an important part of dealing with pain, because if you worry too much, it causes muscle tension, which can aggravate the pain. Studies show that positive thinking people tend to recover more quickly. The pain of them goes a long, chronic. There are a variety of relaxation techniques. As a rule, it is recommended to learn breathing exercises and simple exercises to alternate tension and relaxation of different muscles of the body.
Exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Try to remove the cause back pain to prevent it from returning in the future. The most common causes of back pain — being overweight, bad posture and stress. Regular exercise and active lifestyle will help you recover strong and healthy. Most people want to do this walking, swimming and yoga. Most importantly — choose what you want and don't cause pain. Sometimes classes are conducted in groups under the guidance of a qualified instructor. Usually the class will perform exercises to strengthen the muscles and improve posture, as well as aerobic exercise and stretching exercises.
Treatment of chronic back pain
If back pain lasts more than 6 weeks (the so-called chronic back pain), in addition to pain medications and muscle relaxants are used the methods described below deal with the pain. These treatments can help those who back pain prevent you from doing the usual routine and alarming.
Chiropractic is a chiropractor or osteopath, and includes a variety of techniques, such as manipulation, mobilization and massage.
Alexander technique — you can remove excess muscle tension, and teaches them how to properly sit or stand like a sensible move. You will learn to keep the balance of body and posture.
Acupuncture (acupuncture) — Chinese method of treatment where the various parts of the body is added to the thin needle. It 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, we recommend taking tricyclic antidepressants, for example. amitriptyline in small doses. These drugs were originally developed to treat depression, but they were effective in the treatment of certain types of pain.
Psychotherapy can have an impact on back pain and lower back pain even when other methods are powerless. Back pain is very real, but how you feel and how I think about it, can exacerbate or weaken it. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you ease back pain due to a change of attitude to her. Studies show that people who have undergone psychotherapy, less pain. They have the motivation to lead an active lifestyle, regular exercise, which in turn reduces the pain intensity.
Surgery is usually indicated only in those cases when all other treatment methods have failed. Surgery is resorted to only when the pain is so strong or constant, deprived of sleep and rest. The type of surgery depends on what type of pain and its causes.
For example, a herniated spine, prescribe a special procedure. Today the surgeon may perform the surgery through very small incisions using micro-surgical instruments. Such activity is considered to be less traumatic. Read more about this in the section "Treatment of a herniated disc".
Spinal fusion is a complex and less common activities. The results do not always meet expectations. For example, after surgery, you still can feel the pain. Fusion leads to a decrease in mobility of the spine, such as between the income of several of the vertebrae cause pain, there is still glued to each other planting between the life of the bone tissue. When healing, the vertebrae are tightly fused, so the business is no longer a violation of the nerves near. This weakens the pain. Before you agree to surgery, you should discuss all its risks and benefits, which the neurosurgeon.