Lower back pain in the English-language sources call pain in the lower back (lower back pain). The pain often contributes to the tension in the lumbar spine, limitation of motion, and antalgic scoliosis. Acute back pain last from several days to several weeks.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors for low back pain
Low back pain occurs in almost every man at least once in your life. It should be noted that the pain can be in any part of, but, however, pain in the lumbar spine occurs most frequently. This is due to the fact that the lumbar vertebrae bear the greatest load to the weight of The body.
The lower back pain the second, the number of visits to a physician immediately after a viral infections.
You may feel the pain in the lower back after lifting heavy weights, sudden movements, after finding that for a long time in one position or after spinal cord injury.
Sharp pain in the lumbar spine is most commonly caused by displacement of inter-vertebral disk, spinal cord injury.
The causes of back pain:
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine
- Inter-vertebral hernias, protrusion of the intervertebral disc
- Spondiloarthrosis
- Spondylosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Compression fracture due to osteoporosis, multiple myeloma, hemangioma vertebra
- A tumor in the lumen of the spinal canal
- Fracture of the spine after injury
- Persistent muscle tension
- Anatomically narrow spinal canal
- Curvature of the spine (scoliosis, kyphosis, kyphoscoliosis, disease President UIA)
- Aortic aneurysm
- Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis
- Spinal infection - osteomyelitis, discitis, tuberculosis of the spine
- Pyelonephritis, urolithiasis
- Complicated course of pregnancy
- Gynecological diseases (endometriosis, ovarian cyst, ovarian cancer etc.)
The symptoms of low back pain (pain in the lower back)
The pain can be varied: sharp, dull, pulling , burning, may be accompanied by tingling, formication, numbness.
The intensity of the back pain can vary greatly from mild to unbearable pain that interferes to the slightest movement. The pain can be combined with pain in the hip, the pain, the shins, the pain in the feet.
Diagnosis of low back pain
First, you need to seek the advice of a doctor-neurologist. The doctor asks questions about the nature of the pain, the frequency of repetition. The doctor will try to determine the cause of the pain to begin the treatment of simple methods (ice, moderate pain relievers, physical treatment is necessary, exercise).
In most cases, such treatments can reduce the back pain. During the test, the doctor determines the exact location of the pain, radiation, neurological reflexes. Most people the pain the lumbar spine back within 4-6 weeks.
Diagnosis includes magnetic resonance imaging (eng. MRI) of the lumbar spine, computed tomography of the lumbar-sacral spine, x-rays of the spine.
Since the most common cause of back pain inter-vertebral hernia lumbar-sacral spine, the first thing you need to do a MRI of the lumbar spine. This study will also help to eliminate most of the causes of pain, such as tumor in the lumen of the spinal canal, tuberculosis of the spine, spinal fracture, multiple myeloma, anatomically narrow spinal canal, spondylolisthesis, other types of scoliosis, spondylosis, spondylosis. If The neurologist gave Me an MRI, do it yourself. The power of the MRL should be 1 Tesla or more.
Don't start diagnosis x-ray, computed tomography, these methods are not safe. You can make them in the first place, just the suspicion of a fracture of the spine.
Here are a few tips on what to do when back pain:
- Reduce physical activity for the first two days after the attack. This will help reduce the symptoms of the disease, swelling, pain.
- Don't sit down, bend forward until the pain is completely gone.
- Painkillers only in case of unbearable pain. It is better to intramuscular injection than drinking the anesthetic. This protects the wall of The stomach into direct contact with an inflammatory agent. Try to avoid the excessive intake of the drug. Do not use to treat hormonal, if low back pain is not associated with autoimmune disease.
- Sleep in the fetal position, a pillow between the legs. If you usually sleep on your back, put a pillow under your knees
- A common misconception is the idea that you need to limit your physical activity for a long time. Bed rest is not recommended!!! If there is no fever, weight loss, involuntary urination, defecation, stay active as much as you can. Reduce your activity only for the first two days after the incident the pain. Start light aerobic exercise. Walk on a treadmill, swimming helps to improve blood flow to the muscles of The back. Talk with your doctor about the selection of exercises that, not because intense the pain syndrome.
Forecast:
Most people feel much better after the first week of treatment. After 4-6 weeks, a significant proportion of the patients the pain completely disappears.
In some cases, consult a doctor immediately:
- Lower back pain with pain in the lower leg, foot pain
- The pain would not allow that the service of the
- The pain together with urinary incontinence, faecal incontinence
- The combination of the pain in the lower back, the numbness in your buttocks, thigh, leg, foot, groin
- If you've had back pain before
- If the pain lasts more than 3 days
- If you are taking hormones
- If the pain appeared after the injury
- Previously diagnosed cancer
- If you lost weight recently for unclear reasons