According to WHO statistics, more than 85% of the world's population suffers from various types of osteochondrosis.
Such figures prove that almost every person of working age has experienced discomfort in the back at least once in his life. Especially often, due to high loads, the lumbosacral region suffers. But in addition to degenerative processes in the spine, a number of pathologies can cause unpleasant sensations in it. Back pain in the lumbar region is associated with impaired kidney and liver function and inflammation of the central nervous system. Furthermore, it may signal the development of cancer and genitourinary infections.
Causes of back pain in the lumbar region
There are dozens of factors that can cause discomfort in the lower back. The vast majority of them lead to the development of life-threatening pathologies. Therefore, at the first sign of back pain in the lumbar region, you should go to the hospital to find out the reasons. The most common pathologies that provoke such symptoms, according to doctors' observations, are:
- arthritis;
- osteochondrosis;
- gastrointestinal tract dysfunctions;
- intervertebral hernia.
Also, quite often spasms are observed as a result of hypothermia. The sciatic nerve is the largest in our body. With hypothermia, it can be suppressed, resulting in severe pain. In addition, common factors that contribute to the onset of anxiety in the lumbosacral region are:
- stress;
- passive lifestyle;
- weight lifting;
- trauma;
- poor nutrition.
Also, back pain in the lumbar region may indicate urolithiasis. Ignoring such pathology is known to be life threatening. In addition, the same symptom is observed with severe sexually transmitted diseases. It is worth noting that unpleasant sensations of this nature do not always indicate an illness. Spasm in the lumbar region is considered normal if it occurs for the following reasons:
- pregnancy;
- menopause;
- menstruation.
But even in such cases, when pain appears, it is better to consult a specialist. After all, persistent spasms usually indicate the development of an inflammatory process and are often associated with impaired blood circulation. More often than not, overweight people suffer from this symptom.
Diagnosing
In total, there are more than 40 reasons that can provoke back and lumbar pain. Even an experienced doctor can not determine the pathology that caused such a symptom without a series of examinations. Usually, for lower back concerns, doctors use the following diagnostic methods to make a diagnosis:
Basic methods for diagnosing girdle back pain in the lumbar region
Also, in cases of symptoms of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and genitourinary system, an endoscopic examination of the intestines or uterus may be required. If you suspect the presence of neoplasms, a biochemical blood test is also performed.
Which doctor should I go to?
When the first unpleasant sensations appear in the lumbosacral region, you should immediately contact a therapist. He will give you a recommendation for a number of initial examinations and tell you which specialist you should contact for further treatment. The following doctors can usually help with these symptoms:
- Surgeon
- Neurologist
You may also need to consult a nephrologist, gastroenterologist or traumatologist. Specialists will quickly determine the most likely causes of back pain in the lumbar region. Preliminary diagnosis should be confirmed by test results and medical history. Despite the variety of specialist profiles, there are a number of questions that each of them asks:
- Has the patient received a back injury in recent months?
- Has the patient been hypothermic?
- Has any of the patient's relatives suffered from degenerative spinal disease?
- What kind of life does a person lead?
- Does the patient have a chronic illness or allergy?
Also, the doctor will definitely explain how long ago there was discomfort in the lower back, he will ask, after what actions does the spasm intensify? Based on the information received, he will be able to determine the nature of the disease and the most effective ways to eliminate the unpleasant symptoms.
treatment
To alleviate a patient's urge, doctors use both conservative medicine and physical therapy procedures. In some cases, for example, when the discomfort is caused by pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, experts even prescribe a diet. Most often, the treatment of back pain in the lumbar region involves taking the following types of medication:
- non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- antispasmodics;
- general and local sedatives;
- vitamins.
It is also worth noting that if the disorder is accompanied by any degenerative process in the bone tissue, then the elimination of the disease is impossible without taking chondroprotectors. Physiotherapeutic procedures that should be prescribed in the treatment of back pain in the lumbar region include:
- UHF;
- relaxing baths;
- electrophoresis;
- laser therapy.
Specially created massages and therapeutic exercises are also recommended. Such procedures help relieve inflammation and strengthen the back muscles, which contributes to the rapid recovery of the patient.
Traditional methods of treatment
Sometimes the effect of a course prescribed by a specialist can be enhanced with the help of natural remedies. But they should be used only after approval by the attending physician. For the most popular traditional methods of treatment:
- Squeeze incense and apple cider vinegar.Mix the ingredients in a ratio one by one, dip a woolen cloth in them and place on the sore back to quickly relieve the inflammation.
- Alcoholic infusion of dandelion.Mix 0. 5 liters of dandelion with 500 ml of vodka. Helps to warm the back well.
- Soup.Mix 3 teaspoons of parsley root with 500 ml of water. Boil and take 3 times a day to prevent osteochondrosis.
Prophylaxis
As you know, it is better to avoid the problem than to fix it. Therefore, to prevent back pain, a number of preventative measures must be followed. The main ones include:
- increasing the amount of calcium-rich foods in your diet;
- removal of excess weight;
- long walks or daily jogging (avoiding a sedentary lifestyle);
- exclusion from the diet of smoked meat, which increase the load on the liver and contribute to the development of degenerative processes in bone tissue.
If, however, it was not possible to avoid back pain in the lumbar region, the causes of this phenomenon should be discovered as soon as possible.