Do you spend a lot of time sitting due to work or hobbies, or do you work out a lot in the gym?Everything was fine before, but now you have frequent back and lower back pain?So perhaps you should see a doctor for help?What causes back pain?Which doctor should I contact and how to deal with the sore?We'll talk about this and much more later in the article.
What causes pain?
So, “What to do if your back hurts and what could cause it?” Let’s look at this issue in more detail.There could be more than enough reasons for this.The fact is that pain in the back and lower back can signal a number of diseases, both of the spine itself and of the internal organs.This is due to the fact that many nerve endings extend from the spine, which surround all internal organs.Therefore, based on the localization of pain in a particular area of the ridge, we can talk about some specific diseases.
Causes
What do lower back pain mean and which doctor should you consult for it?The causes of pain in the lower back can be both habits and illnesses.The first include:
- Constant sedentary work.IT workers and drivers are at risk.
- Constant standing work.
- Frequent heavy physical activity.Athletes, especially weightlifters, are at risk.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Pregnant women and women who have recently given birth are in a separate risk group.
- Overweight.
As you can see, everything is simple with habits.As for the second case, often pain in the lumbar region can be caused by illness.Here we can also distinguish diseases of the spine itself and diseases in which pain in the lumbar region is only a symptom.The first include osteochondrosis, spondyloarthrosis, intervertebral hernia and protrusion.
The second group contains the following possible causes of lower back pain:
- Spine fracture due to trauma.
- Fracture caused by osteoporosis.
- A tumor localized in the spinal canal.
- Prolonged muscle strain.
- Narrow structure of the spinal canal (quite rare).
- Various complications during pregnancy.
- Various arthritis, for example, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis.
- Spinal deformities, for example, kyphosis, scoliosis, Scheuermann-Mau disease, kyphoscoliosis.
- Spinal tuberculosis, osteomyelitis, discitis.
- Urolithiasis, pyelonephritis.
- Ovarian cancer, endometriosis, ovarian cyst.
When should you see a doctor?
Minor pain in the back, which quickly passes and is a consequence of prolonged exercise, is the norm.But if the lower back hurts for quite a long period or the pain is periodic, then it arises by itself, then it disappears, then you should sound the alarm.You should also go to the hospital immediately after a severe back injury.It should be understood that lumbar pain may be accompanied by pain in the foot or lower leg.It is also possible that part of the leg or buttocks may become numb.In this case, you have something serious and should be examined as quickly as possible.
You are unlikely to diagnose yourself, so you should go to the hospital, but which doctor should you go to?Some will say to a chiropractor, while others will say that a neurologist is more experienced.Both options are correct, however, it would be more correct to contact a neurologist, because he will be the one who will be able to correctly prescribe and carry out the entire course of diagnosing the disease.And in this case, the cause will be identified more accurately and there is every chance of successfully dealing with it.So, taking the point of view of a neurologist, with lower back pain, based on the intensity and strength of the pain, you can roughly determine the cause of its occurrence.
Acute pain
Acute lower back pain in men and women is a consequence of a recent injury (fall, muscle strain, blow, sudden movements).Also, the cause may be working for a long time in one uncomfortable position or carrying and lifting heavy things for a long time.And, finally, don’t forget about a cold back, due to hypothermia or prolonged exposure to a draft.Here you can easily treat lower back pain with folk remedies.
Separately, the most common ones include lumbago and displacement of intervertebral discs.The first to suffer from the disease are people whose field of activity involves constant hard physical labor, which is why lower back pain occurs in men.Popularly the disease is called “lumbago”.It usually stops on its own with rest or after a few days.However, it can easily drag on for up to a month, so it requires at least treatment for lower back pain at home.
Acute and severe pain in the lower back also occurs when intervertebral discs are displaced.The disease can be caused by various injuries, heavy physical labor or a disease such as osteochondrosis.You can’t get treatment at home here anymore.Hospitalization and full diagnosis are required.It may even go as far as surgical intervention.
Severe pain
Severe pain differs from acute pain in that it is longer lasting and is a consequence of some disease associated with the musculoskeletal system.These include lumbosacral radiculitis and osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.With them, you feel a girdling pain in the lower back while sneezing, coughing, sitting, walking, in a word, your back hurts during any movement.Also, pain can radiate to the lower extremities and they may even go numb.Here you no longer need to run, but fly to the attending physician for an examination.
Aching
As a rule, the back can ache due to sudden strong tension in the spinal muscles.You can relieve lower back pain by simply resting for a couple of hours.But you shouldn’t fly in the clouds, you need to be on alert, because your back can ache due to severe hypothermia.Thus, the more chronic disease myositis may develop, in which the psoas muscles become inflamed.In this case, you need several days of rest, and also know how to relieve the pain.
Chronic
Often caused by spondylosis deformans.The main symptoms of this disease are girdling pain in the lower back, radiating to the buttocks or legs.Numbness of the lower extremities may also occur.Other diseases that cause similar symptoms include: cancer, metabolic disorders, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Displaced
Such pain is not a consequence of a back disease, but the result of a disease of some organ included in the spinal region.This includes diseases of the pelvic organs of both the male and female half, as well as diseases of the colon, kidneys, pancreas and various types of tumors.
How is the treatment carried out?
So, how to get rid of lower back pain?First, you should go to the hospital and make an appointment with a specialist for an examination.After the examination, the attending physician should send you for examination to confirm or refute his suspected diagnosis.To find out what it might be, you may be sent to have an x-ray of your spine.Today, a more advanced method is used, called myelography.
This method allows you to examine in detail the pathways conducting the spinal cord.Identifies all pathologies in the presence of decreased patency of pathways.It is worth knowing that before the X-ray, a xenon substance will be injected into your spinal cord using a syringe, which will highlight everything in the image.This method is quite expensive, but very effective and almost always helps to find out why your back hurts.In addition, MRI, ultrasound, ECG and CT may be prescribed.In additional cases, other tests may be required, such as a complete blood count, etc.
Medication
In most cases, medication is an excellent treatment option for lower back pain.It is aimed at relieving pain, eliminating and further preventing inflammatory processes, improving blood circulation and regenerating damaged tissues.Thus, after we have learned why the lower back hurts, we can get a general picture of how to treat lower back pain.
Conventionally, all treatment can be divided into 3 stages, namely: the start of treatment, the treatment itself and the end of therapy.At each stage, medications can be given both in the form of droppers and in the form of blockades and injections.Treatment of lower back pain at the first stage should eliminate the pain itself, reduce swelling and inflammation, relieve spasms and relax the muscles.At the second stage, you need to completely get rid of the cause of the disease.Here, treatment is carried out mostly locally.Ointments and mixtures for compresses are used.In addition, it is recommended to undergo physical therapy.
The third stage consists of injections that increase the regeneration of damaged tissues and nourish them with all the necessary components.Thus, the full functionality of the segment is restored.At all stages, the choice of medications and therapy depends on your diagnosis and the choice of your doctor.Self-medication is strictly not recommended.
Physiotherapy
When the exact cause of the pain is identified, treatment can be resorted to using physiotherapeutic methods.Based on their cause, the following treatment methods can be distinguished:
- Ultrasound.
- Laser therapy.
- Exposure to electric current, etc.
Physical therapy is more focused on how to treat back pain in the early stages.In later stages of the disease it may be recommended as an auxiliary treatment method.The therapy you need is prescribed only by the attending physician after examination.
Surgical intervention
In the vast majority of cases, back pain will not require surgery.However, if you have had pain for a long time and it only gets worse over time, and you flatly refuse to consult a doctor, then this method of treatment is also possible.In this case, most likely, general anesthesia will be used, where a lytic mixture is used, in order to completely immobilize the patient.The surgical plan itself will be developed by the surgeon based on diagnostic data.
Traditional methods
To the question “How to relieve lower back pain?”Traditional medicine can also answer.Here, depending on how severe the pain symptoms are, various homemade ointments, lotions, etc. can be used. The main purpose of such remedies is to relieve pain and inflammation.In most cases, treatment of the lower back with folk remedies is justified only as first aid.With prolonged self-medication, not knowing the main cause of pain can greatly aggravate the disease.Below are a few folk remedies.
- A compress of grated horseradish and radish mixed with sour cream is placed on the sore area of the lower back.The whole thing is covered with a paper napkin on top, and a scarf is tied around the entire lower back.This compress perfectly eliminates pain symptoms and removes muscle spasms.
- When your back hurts, hot compresses from an infusion prepared with a mixture of medicinal injuries will be a great help.These include thyme, chamomile, St. John's wort and black elderberry.The compress is applied at night.The painful area is wrapped in a warm cloth.It is advisable to carry out treatment at night.An identical compress is prepared from an infusion of dried burdock leaves.
- Another folk remedy treatment is based on the healing properties of horse chestnut.First, you need to grind the chestnut into powder.Then it is mixed with camphor oil and melted lard.The ingredients are given in approximately the same quantities.The resulting ointment is spread on a slice of black bread and applied to the sore back as a compress.This product can improve blood circulation and has nutritional and anti-inflammatory properties.
But remember, no matter how well the folk remedy proves to be, you still need to see a doctor.After all, self-medication is always carried out at your own peril and risk.In addition, it may turn out that medical procedures bring only short-term relief, after which the pain will intensify significantly.
Prevention
When your back hurts in the lumbar region, it’s too late to do prevention.But in order not to encounter such a problem for as long as possible, you need to think about how to prevent it and what leads to it?It has already been described above that people who lead a sedentary or sedentary lifestyle, athletes, especially weightlifters and overweight people are at risk.
Accordingly, the best prevention of the disease would be mandatory morning exercises, sports, therapeutic exercises, reducing the load on the back, massage, nutrition control, etc. Also, periodic scheduled check-ups with your doctor will help you get rid of what may be causing your lower back pain.
First aid
What to do if your lower back hurts very badly, and it’s a long way to get to the hospital?How to quickly relieve back pain so you can wait for the doctor?To do this, you need to know some first aid techniques.Of course, they will not have a therapeutic effect, but they will help cope with the pain.So, let's do everything step by step:
- We lie on our backs, on a hard bed or on the floor.The blanket from the bed must be removed.
- At the same time, the legs are raised and bent at the knees.For greater comfort, place a pillow or folded blanket under your raised legs.
- We take the usual dose of the painkiller or anti-inflammatory drug we have.
- We lie down and try not to make sudden movements.
- While performing the procedures, do not forget to call a doctor at home.
- In most cases, you will need rest and bed rest for the next few days.After the doctor's visit, call work and notify your boss.
- During and after treatment, try to avoid spicy and smoked foods.