Back pain in the lumbar region - Causes and Treatment

Various diseases can cause back pain in the lumbar region.

The main diseases that cause back pain are joint injuries to the spine or hip joint.

This symptom is most commonly caused by diseases of the lumbosacral spine.

The lumbar spine is mobile, causing more frequent injuries in this area.

Causes of back pain in the lumbar region

Back pain indicates that the body has a problem with the spine, the hip joint, or internal organs near the lower back.

If your back hurts in the lumbar region, it could be caused by:

• pain may occur due to osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine;
• painful feelings may be caused by intervertebral hernia;
• ankylosing spondylitis;
• movement of the vertebrae;
• rheumatism;
• inflammation of the back muscles (myositis);
• sciatica;
• spinal fracture;
• arthrosis of the hip joint and other diseases of the spine and hip joints.

In addition, lower back pain can occur due to muscle spasms or cramps. Muscle cramps can occur if you make sudden movements with a load on your lower back:

• making sharp turns;
• sudden weight lifting;
• while playing sports.

Osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine

In lumbosacral osteochondrosis, back pain in the lumbar region can be combined with symptoms such as:

• increased urination;
• difficulty urinating;
• chronic and often worsening bladder diseases;
• genital diseases;
• rectal problems.

The most common osteochondrosis back pain are:

• sore;
• crack;
• pulling;
• sometimes the pain is burning.

Often, lumbar pain resolves during standing or lying down and intensifies while sitting, especially on a hard surface, with coughing and physical exertion.

Causes of back pain with lumbosacral osteochondrosis

The lumbar spine is characterized by high mobility and withstands high loads on a daily basis.

This is the main cause of lumbar osteochondrosis, manifested by dystrophy and deformity of the intervertebral discs.

The high-risk group for the development of lumbosacral osteochondrosis includes:

• overweight people;
• leading an inactive lifestyle;
• with incorrect posture.

In addition, this disease can develop with excessive effort in professional athletes and even in the case of improper training at home.

Frequent stress and lack of sleep can contribute to the development of osteochondrosis.

Those with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and other arthritis often develop osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

Treatment of osteochondrosis of the sacro-lumbar spine is directed at slowing the destruction of intervertebral discs, restoring nerve root function, and relieving pain.

To do this, use:

• medicines;
• manual therapy;
• physiotherapy methods;
• physiotherapy;
• surgical methods.

Medications such as:

• chondroprotectors (for the repair of cartilage tissue);
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• immunomodulators;
• steroid hormones;
• vitamin complexes.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid hormones should be used with caution as they have many contraindications and side effects.

There are several other ways to treat osteochondrosis:

1. Manual therapy helps restore lumbar spine function and anatomical structure. Massage for osteochondrosis helps to strengthen the muscles of the lower back and improve the metabolic processes in the tissues.
2. Physiotherapy is performed after stopping the acute period of the disease with medication. The most useful for osteochondrosis are electrophoresis, paraffin therapy, phonophoresis, and magnetotherapy. In order to achieve a tangible effect, it is recommended to take 3 courses of 10 physiotherapy procedures, including a two-week break.
3. One of the most effective ways to treat osteochondrosis is through physiotherapy exercises. Physical education should be performed after proper consultation with a physician and preferably under the supervision of a specialist. Exercises specifically designed to treat lumbosacral osteochondrosis strengthen the muscles of the back, relieving the load on the intervertebral discs.
4. Bath treatment (radon bath, medicinal mud, etc. ) has a good effect on osteochondrosis.

If you ignore the symptoms of osteochondrosis and do not seek medical attention, this will lead to the development of the disease and soon the back pain will be so severe that you will still need to see a doctor.

Prevention of osteochondrosis

For spine health, you need to eat right, monitor your posture, and lead an active lifestyle.

When carrying weights and exercising, care should be taken not to extend your back or injure your spine.

Back pain with intervertebral hernia

A spinal hernia, or intervertebral hernia, is a disease in which the intervertebral disc is deformed, the outer part of the disc ruptures simultaneously with the protrusion of the inner part of the disc outside the vertebral body.

Lumbago

Back pain in the lumbar region often occurs with lumbago.

Lumbago is the sudden onset of acute low back pain during exercise and weight lifting.

The back pain in this case is tearing, stabbing, shooting nature. It is associated with a sharp loss of the intervertebral disc and irritation of the nerve endings in the annulus fibrosus.

It triggers a reflex that results in a significant increase in the tone of the lumbar muscles. The patient freezes in a monotonous position, unable to straighten his back and turn around.

This manifestation of lumbar spine disc herniation is most common in men aged 30-40 years.

Sciatica

Sciatica - irritation of the sciatic nerve due to pinching of the hernia of the spine.

Sciatica causes pain, a burning sensation, tingling, and numbness that extends from the lower back to the back of the leg.

These symptoms usually occur on one side, depending on the location of the disc herniation.

Symptoms of back pain with an intervertebral hernia

Table - Symptoms of Disc Herniation

The main symptoms	Peculiarities
Long-term pain in the lumbar region.	It can take up to several months. They wear a sore, pulling, burning character.
Dysfunction of pelvic organs.	Incontinence or urinary retention. Violation of defecation. In men, hernia can affect potency.
Weakness of the leg muscles, decreased tone, decreased reflexes.	Compression of motor nerves in the spinal roots.
Paralysis (complete lack of movement) or paresis (partial lack of movement) in the legs.	Spinal cord compression and damage.
Pale skin, increased sweating, white or red patches.	Compression of nerves in the spinal roots that regulate blood vessels, sweat glands, and other autonomic functions.

In intervertebral hernia, pathological lesions develop in the lumbar spine in most cases.

Identification of a disc herniation

Statistics for the detection of intervertebral hernias:

• 48% of disc herniation occurs between the last lumbar vertebra (fifth) and the sacrum.
• 46% are between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae.

Causes of intervertebral hernia

Disc herniation is caused by:

1. Degenerative changes in vertebrae and intervertebral discs. Disc herniation is often a complication of osteochondrosis.
2. Delayed lesions of the spine: compression vertebral fractures, subluxation.
3. Increased strain on the spine: constant work while sitting or standing in a monotonous posture, improper weight bearing, excessive physical exertion, overtraining of athletes.
4. Sedentary lifestyle.
5. Infectious diseases in which the spine is involved.
6. Overweight.
7. Congenital disorders of the spine.
8. Vibration action. This is most often caused by industrial hazards. As a result of the vibration, the structure of the intervertebral disc is damaged and weakened.
9. Bad posture, scoliosis.

Treatment of disc herniation

According to statistics, in most cases of intervertebral hernia, all symptoms disappear 6 weeks after the first seizure and remission occurs.

The body is able to recover spontaneously after 24 weeks. Therefore, there are not always indications for surgery.

The goal of medication for disc herniation is to relieve back pain.

Hernia is mainly treated with the following medicines:

• non-steroidal analgesics;
• steroid hormones.

Physiotherapy for intervertebral hernia is used as directed by your doctor.

There are other methods for treating intervertebral hernia without surgery:

1. Manual therapy. The chiropractor tries to remove the disc herniation with his hand.
2. Physiotherapy. This is a form of physiotherapy practice. Normalizes muscle tone, restores blood circulation, enhances tissue regeneration.
3. Hirudotherapy.
4. Cryotherapy. This is a low temperature treatment technique. Liquid nitrogen is applied to the affected area. This improves blood circulation in the tissues.

Disc herniation surgery

Surgical treatment of intervertebral hernia is prescribed in the presence of:

• severe back pain in the lumbar region that will not go away for a long time despite ongoing conservative treatment;
• severe neurological disorders: decreased sensitivity, muscle tone and strength, paralysis and paresis;
• urinary incontinence, impotence in men (if caused by compression of a spinal cord hernia).

Treatment of back pain with blockade

Hernia repair is a procedure designed to numb the affected area and relieve muscle cramps.

The block is performed by injecting anesthetics.

The therapeutic effect of blockade is characterized by:

• rapid pain relief - relief occurs within 1-2 minutes;
• elimination of muscle cramps, which intensifies painful feelings;
• alleviation of inflammation, especially with corticosteroids;
• reduction of soft tissue edema, which causes pinching of nerve fibers.

Contraindications to blockade:

• infectious lesions of the spine;
• fever;
• mental illness;
• cardiovascular insufficiency 2-3.
• weakness;
• coagulation disorders;
• renal and hepatic impairment;
• predisposition to seizures;
• pregnancy.

Diagnosis of the disease in back pain

If your back hurts in the lumbar region, the first step is to see a doctor and have an examination done.

Your doctor may prescribe a spine examination using the following:

• computed tomography;
• X-ray of the lumbosacral spine;
• magnetic resonance imaging;
• electroneuromyography;
• vascular dopplerography, etc.

Examination and palpation of the lumbar region and spine are mandatory. A consultation with a neurologist or vertebrologist is required.

Thus, low back pain is almost always caused by movement of the vertebrae, muscle cramps or intercostal neuralgia.