Everyone has experienced back pain at least once - from mild discomfort to excruciating chest pain (pain in the lower back, chest region). Annoying ailments in the lower back from time to time can be one of the manifestations of a wide range of diseases.
The most common cause of pain is osteochondrosis of the spine, which occurs in most people after 35-40 years. However, it does not explain the severity and duration of the pain. To understand the nature of the disorders, it is necessary to understand the problem and its origins in detail.
Reasons
There are many answers to the question of why your back hurts. The main mechanisms of the pain syndrome remain dystrophic and degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs. As a result, subluxation of the joints and compression of the nerve endings in the spine increase symptoms.
Let's take a look at the various causes of low back pain:
- Primary diseases of the spine: intervertebral hernias, osteochondrosis, spondylosis, kyphosis, scoliosis, arthritis.
- Injuries, bruises, fractures, tumors. They are indicated as secondary causes of the pain syndrome.
- Cardiovascular diseases.
- Nephrology: sand or kidney stones.
- In women, pain can also manifest itself with gynecological problems and also during menstruation.
Triggers for pain syndrome:
- sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work. This article includes a long stay behind the wheel of a car or computer monitor;
- overweight, obesity;
- pregnancy includes a combination of weakened back muscles and weight gain;
- excessive physical activity (in everyday life or in the gym);
- hypothermia of the body.
Possible diseases
The nature of the pain directly depends on the disease that caused the symptom. In primary pathology (arthritis, intervertebral hernias), the lower back hurts monotonously: the pain increases or decreases with a change in the position of the body. It is accompanied by a sensation of goosebumps, burning, alternating numbness of the lower limbs. The dull pains observed with lumbosacral radiculitis are felt by the patient not only in the back, but also in the buttocks, legs and thighs.
Diseases of internal organs (angina pectoris, pyelonephritis)are characterized by a more pronounced and prolonged nature of pain that persists after rest or a change in body position. So with gynecological problems, the lower abdomen is further worried, and with cardiovascular pathologies shortness of breath and lack of air are noted.
Important! Specific pain in the lumbar region in combination with high fever can be a manifestation of emergency conditions: renal colic or gallstones, unstable angina pectoris.
Aggravated osteochondrosisis manifested by sharp, stabbing pain - low back pain ("low back pain"), which radiates to the leg, pelvis when coughing or moving rapidly. Herniated discs have characteristic features:
- tilting is impossible without first squatting;
- difficult to lift without support (chair, knee);
- In the prone position, the patient is forced to put on a pillow.
Inflammatory processes (myositis, radiculitis)proceed with aching pain and inability to perform elementary actions, since the simplest movements are constrained by the pain syndrome.
Fractures and dislocationsare accompanied by intense and increasing pain, swelling of the damaged area. The skin above the painful surface changes color to blue or red (depending on the nature of the injury).
How to get rid of low back pain
Excessive physical activity or prolonged exposure to drafts in the near future will cause back discomfort. Let's take a closer look at the quick and easy help for familiar and annoying pain.
If the pain syndrome occurs after hypothermia or inflammation of the roots of the spinal cord (sciatica), a warm shower will help. Any physical activity is contraindicated after bath procedures. Pain relieving ointments provide warming, decongestant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Pain in osteochondrosis can be reduced thanks to anti-inflammatory ointments and gels, as well as special exercises to relieve the intervertebral discs and muscle corset.
Bruises or sprains cause increased swelling. A dry cold pack (ice from the freezer wrapped in a cloth) will help reduce or prevent it. Apply every couple of hours for two days on the painful focus for half an hour.
It is worth remembering that only a specialist can correctly diagnose the cause of pain and draw up a treatment program. Therefore, if you are experiencing any alarming symptoms, it is recommended that you register for a consultation at our clinic.
Treatment and prevention of back pain
Western medicine is represented by three main therapeutic areas:
- medicated;
- non-pharmacological;
- surgical.
Drug treatment involves taking pills and external application of ointments, gels, patches. The main groups of drugs:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - NSAIDs (relieve pain, inflammation);
- heparin ointments (relieve swelling, improve venous outflow);
- papaverine ointments (relieve pain, relieve pain spasm, dilate blood vessels);
- chondroprotector (restores cartilage tissue);
- muscle relaxants (eliminates muscle tension).
For the prevention of chronic conditions, a course of injectables is prescribed. The course of treatment of lower back pain almost always includes injections of vitamins of group B. They improve metabolic processes and the restoration of nerve fibers, stabilize the work of the central and peripheral nervous systems and restore the transmission of impulses. Analgesics are added to the composition of the drug to enhance the therapeutic effect. Vitamins are combined with NSAIDs.
In acute conditions, doctors perform therapeutic blocks. Most often they are used for diseases of the spine and joints. The doctor injects both anti-inflammatory drugs and adrenal hormones. Prednisolone or dexamethasone (the main representatives of the group) anesthetize the affected area, relieve swelling.
Non-drug therapy involves physiotherapy: massage, cold treatment (cryotherapy), warming of the affected areas. Physiotherapy is usually prescribed in subacute conditions or in remission.
Surgical treatment. Surgical intervention is used in extreme cases - for malignant tumors, destruction of the spinal cord, compression fractures. Surgical treatment of herniated discs causes professional disputes: the positive effect of the operation is often not justified and the risk of complications is too high.
Preventive measures:
- Do morning exercises, be sure to include exercises to stretch the muscles of the lower back.
- Proper nutrition. Fried, salty, starchy, alcohol-rich foods should be excluded - everything that contributes to the development of gastrointestinal diseases. It is necessary to add fiber, vitamins to the diet, cook steamed or baked meat and fish. To improve blood circulation and the production of interarticular fluid, it is recommended to drink up to 1. 5 liters of water (in the absence of contraindications).
- Check your posture.
- Walk or exercise periodically in case of sedentary work.
- It is recommended to sleep on orthopedic pillows and mattresses.
Treatment at the Tibetan medicine clinic
Traditional Tibetan medicine sees lombodynia as a violation of the three constitutions. Outraged dosha Bile spasms the back muscles. Excited mucus leads to endocrinological problems, metabolic disorders. An excess of the Wind constitution (responsible for the nervous system) aggravates the disharmony of the other two constitutions.
Oriental doctors help not only to eliminate the symptoms, but to understand the cause of the disease and to deal with it.
In the clinic, you will not be offered to "clog" the problem with pills, hormones and injections. After diagnosing the disease using ancient oriental techniques, the patient will receive an individual treatment plan. Basic example of treatments used by Tibetan medicine doctors:
- Correction of nutrition and restoration of mental well-being, emotional background.
- Herbal medicine. Herbal and herbal preparations will address the problem from the inside. Multicomponent Tibetan preparations restore the balance between the three constitutions "Wind", "Slime", "Bile". Unique collections stop not only the symptom, but also have a healing effect on the whole body as a whole.
- Acupuncture. The effect of needles on bioactive points relieves vascular and muscle spasm, increases blood flow to the damaged areas of the back.
- Massage with acupressure. The specialist presses his fingers on the points of the energy meridians, working with chronic diseases of the internal organs.
- The cupping massage (vacuum) improves the microcirculation not only of the painful areas, but of the whole organism.
- Moxotherapy. The absinthe cigar restores the balance of the three doshas, the integrity of the whole system. Stone therapy. Cold and hot stones neutralize swelling and inflammation.
- Tsubotherapy is one of the acupuncture options that use metal balls. Small balls are applied with patch to the bioactive points for up to 2 weeks.
- Hirudotherapy: cleansing of a flayed body with leeches, normalizing the metabolic processes of the body.
The effectiveness of Tibetan methods in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system has been proven and confirmed by our patients.