Causes and treatment of back pain in the lumbar region: what to do if it radiates to the leg

It turns out that back pain in the lumbar region is a very common phenomenon.

According to biologists, this symptom is a consequence of our upright posture, in which the load falls mainly on the lumbar region and is not distributed evenly throughout the spine.Pain in the lower back can indicate very serious problems not only in the spine, but also in internal organs.

If the pain is sharp and accompanied by fever, call an ambulance.

If such symptoms are not observed, for an accurate diagnosis you should consult a therapist.Let's find out why these symptoms occur, how to treat and prevent them.

The main causes of pain in the lumbar region.

First, let's find out the causes of such unpleasant symptoms.Pain can be primary in pathologies of the spine or secondary in diseases of the internal organs.

Along with the causes, it is important to identify the factors that increase the pain syndrome.

Here they are:

1. Characteristics of the profession: intense physical activity for builders and loaders and lifting heavy objects for athletes.
2. Prolonged stay in a sitting position.
3. Excess weight and sedentary lifestyle.
4. Poor nutrition and lack of protein, calcium and phosphorus in the body.
5. Bad habits: alcohol and liquor.

Even reducing the impact of these factors, you will significantly improve your condition and the health of your spine.

Primary factors

The primary factors are associated with degenerative-dystrophic processes in the spine.

These include:

1. Osteochondrosis are changes in the cartilage and intervertebral discs that cause herniation or deformation of the discs.
2. Spondylosis is characterized by the formation of bone spurs in the vertebrae.With this growth, the muscles around the spine go into spasm, limiting their mobility.The appearance of injuries in the lumbar area.
3. Spondyloarthrosis is the degeneration of the articular surfaces of the vertebrae, as well as its involvement in the pathological process of ligaments, joints and muscles.In this case, a deformation of the intervertebral discs occurs and the mobility of the spine is limited.
4. Spondylolisthesis is manifested by the displacement of the vertebrae, as a result of which the lumen of the spinal canal changes.
5. Herniated intervertebral discs.
6. Radiculopathy is damage to the nerve root.

Secondary factors

Secondary ones occur with concomitant pathologies:

1. Problems with metabolism.
2. Curvature of the spine.
3. When malignant tumors are located near the spine.
4. Infectious diseases: spinal osteomyelitis, tuberculous spondylitis, spinal epidural abscess.
5. Spine injuries.
6. Autoimmune diseases.
7. Painful symptoms of a psychogenic nature.
8. Diseases of the digestive system.
9. Diseases of the pelvic organs.
10. Menstrual pains.

Additionally, spinal problems can be affected by flat feet, that is, the flattening of the arch of the foot.

Pregnancy can also cause pain.In the early stages they appear when progesterone affects the ligaments and muscles, also when there is a threat of spontaneous abortion or during an ectopic pregnancy.

After childbirth, pain may appear as a result of stretching of the pelvic muscles or with increased load on the spine, frequently carrying the child in your arms.

What diseases does this pain indicate?

The location of the pain is also important.

So, let's look at each case:

• Pain on the right side and above the lower back may indicate lung pathology.These symptoms are accompanied by difficulty breathing, cough and fever.Also on gallbladder or liver problems.At the same time, the nature of the pain is stabbing;
• if you feel discomfort above the left lumbar area, this may be a sign of pancreatitis, myocardial infarction, pericarditis or left-sided pleurisy;
• symptoms of pain in the lumbar region indicate osteochondrosis in this area, intervertebral hernias and compression fractures;
• A symptom of pain under the lower back that radiates to the lower abdomen is a sign of diseases of the pelvic organs.These diseases include fibroids, endometriosis, prostate pathologies, colon diseases and infectious gynecological diseases.This may also indicate that the kidneys are not in order.

Which doctor will help?

Most often, lower back pain occurs temporarily.Only in rare cases do these symptoms indicate complex diseases.

In any case, it is worth knowing which doctor can help in such a situation.Often acute pain occurs with increased physical activity.

In other cases, you can seek the help of a surgeon, urologist or even a chiropractor, who will make a more accurate diagnosis and prescribe how to treat such a problem.

Also, with such pain, you may need to consult a traumatologist, orthopedist, gastroenterologist, infectious disease specialist, proctologist or gynecologist.

Treatment features

Depending on the causes of your back pain, your doctor will prescribe the following treatment options:

• pharmacological treatment with analgesics and hormones;
• blocks, which are injections into the intervertebral joints;
• manual techniques;
• physiotherapeutic procedures;
• therapeutic exercises;
• acupuncture.

If conservative treatment does not help, surgery is used.

In the treatment of a herniated disc due to osteochondrosis, in addition to the main treatment, physiotherapeutic methods are used.

Therapeutic blocks are used when other methods do not give the desired effect.Very often, for this, anesthetics are injected into the lumen of the affected joint.

Acupuncture is recommended for disc protrusions, osteochondrosis or hernias.If the pain radiates to the leg, physical therapy is also used.

Wearing a special corset allows you to limit movements in the lumbar region.This helps reduce pain in the area of joint inflammation.

For back pain, your doctor may give you the following recommendations:

1. Bed rest on a hard surface for 2 to 5 days.
2. Wear a special bandage.
3. The use of anti-inflammatories and analgesics.
4. To get rid of muscle spasms, muscle relaxants are prescribed.Special medications are also used to help relax the muscles.
5. To improve blood circulation and reduce swelling, vascular drugs and diuretics are used.
6. All types of gels and ointments are used as local therapy.
7. To consolidate a positive result, physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed.It can be electrophoresis, phonophoresis and magnetic therapy.

Therapeutic exercise and special massage help to improve blood circulation, relieve muscle tension, and also eliminate the inflammatory process.

If pain in the lumbar region is not associated with complex diseases, yoga classes will help alleviate the condition.

You can do similar exercises at home and they won't take much time.

Pain from hypothermia.

Did you know that a common cause of back pain is hypothermia?At the same time, you don't even have to freeze, just sweat and get under the air conditioning.

In this case, the hot surface of the body will come into contact with a stream of cold air.And the next day it will be difficult to straighten or get up.

In such a situation, the pain becomes constant and painful.

First of all, you need to warm up your back.A hot ointment is suitable for this.If there is no remedy, regular alcohol will also be useful.After rubbing, the lower back should be wrapped in something warm.

A similar procedure is performed every day.If the pain is severe, you should seek help from a doctor.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to relieve pain.

If you frequently suffer from hypothermia, purchase a belt made of dog or sheep wool.

What to do with lower back pain?

This pain occurs during intense physical exertion.A sharp pain appears that extends to the leg when bearing weight.

A similar symptom is characteristic of lumbosacral radiculitis, which is called lumbago or lumbago.In such a situation, you should lie down on a hard surface.

To relieve pain, take a pain reliever.

Remember that if you have these symptoms you should not take a hot bath or steam in a sauna.In this case, dry heat will help more.

For example, a special ointment.It is also advisable to limit salt and fluid intake for several days.

What will help with a hernia?

With a hernia, a sharp, constant pain occurs that increases with any movement.Relief occurs only in the supine position.

You may also feel numbness in your lower back.To reduce pain, it is necessary to ensure bed rest and take pain relievers.Then you need to call a doctor.

In the acute period, serious and qualified treatment is necessary.

What to do for prevention?

Don't wait for severe pain to appear, start taking preventive measures.

Here they are:

1. Identification and treatment of concomitant diseases that can cause low back pain.
2. Adequate nutrition with sufficient amounts of phosphorus, calcium and other vitamins.
3. Strenuous physical activity and lifting heavy objects should be avoided.In this case, the load must be distributed evenly.Don't make sudden movements.
4. Lead an active lifestyle.Try walking, swimming, or doing yoga.
5. Take therapeutic massage courses periodically.
6. When you work sedentarily, take a break every hour and get some exercise.
7. The bed should be comfortable, for example with an orthopedic mattress.

For prevention, you can use special elastic belts, posture correctors or bandages.

These devices are recommended during pregnancy and intense physical activity.

It is important to control weight, since high body weight increases the load on the spine.Get rid of bad habits and also have a preventive examination every year.

therapeutic gymnastics

To strengthen your back muscles and prevent pain, exercise at home.Physical exercise should be done regularly.

A well-designed set of exercises will help improve posture, increase muscle tone, and also activate blood circulation.

In such a complex you can use the following movements:

• the body leans in different directions.First left and right, and then forward and back;
• turning the body to the sides;
• in the kneeling position, in the elbow position, you need to bend your back up and down;
• lying on your back with your knees bent, raise your pelvis up;
• from a lying position, straight legs should be bent at the knees and stretched towards the chest.

Perform each exercise 8 to 10 times.

Do not ignore the symptoms of pain in the lumbar region, go to the doctor and take preventive measures that will help normalize your well-being and improve your health.