Severe pain in the lower back: possible causes, symptoms, doctor consultation and treatment

It is impossible to independently determine the cause of lower back pain.Back and waist pain is medically known as lumbago.This feeling in the lower back is accompanied by muscle cramps and other unpleasant symptoms.Acute low back pain can have a variety of causes and can last from a few minutes to a few months.As a result, a person becomes accustomed to severe pain in the waist and back.However, if a doctor's help is not sought in time, a person's health will greatly deteriorate and the chance of recovery will be reduced.It's important to consider the causes and treatments of low back pain.

Lesion description

Feelings of severe pain, tension, and stiffness in the back and waist are common symptoms that many people experience sooner or later.

In most cases, pain syndromes occur in the lower back, since the lumbar spine is characterized by high mobility and carries half of the body's weight.Lifting heavy objects or making sharp turns may cause lower back pain.

In some cases, unpleasant symptoms develop in the lower back over time due to regular exercise or incorrect posture.In some cases, the cause of the pain syndrome cannot be determined.The pain is most severe at night, when weight is placed on the lower back, or after being in an uncomfortable position for a long time, such as after a long car journey.In most cases, back pain in the lower back will go away if a person lies on a hard surface for a while.

In most cases, the pain lasts for a few days or weeks, after which the patient's overall health improves and the condition of their lower back recovers.You can speed up recovery by taking painkillers and optimizing your daily physical activity: rest only for the first few days and then gradually return to normal.But in some cases, discomfort and discomfort in the lower back indicate the onset of a chronic disease that requires complex treatment.

A person's emotions also play a special role in this process.The patient's general condition may deteriorate significantly due to pain, but statistically, people who are in a good mood recover faster than those who are in a bad mood.

The main cause of this syndrome

The condition of your back directly depends on the function of your bones, nerves, muscles and joints.In most cases, pinpointing the cause of pain is quite difficult.Rarely, serious illness or injury to the spinal area can occur.

In most cases, back pain in the lower back occurs due to minor injuries, muscle strains, sprains of ligaments and muscles, pinched nerves, and the beginning of the inflammatory process.Unpleasant back symptoms may occur suddenly or worsen gradually.Causes of back and waist pain:

• Movements that are too sudden: leaning or turning to one side;
• Lifting, carrying heavy objects, bending for long periods of time;
• Incorrect posture when walking or working at your desk;
• Severe strain on back muscles;
• Long car rides without breaks.

In some cases, there is no specific reason for the pain in the area, such as after waking up in the morning.

main factors

There are some factors that can cause severe back and lower back pain.Experts have identified a large number of these; they can have a negative impact on the condition of the back.Mainly include:

• Heavy Weight – In this condition, the spine is subject to extreme overstrain.To determine whether body weight affects the spine, the overall mass index should be calculated.
• Smoking – It negatively affects the back tissue, causing pain.
• Pregnancy – In this condition, a woman’s spine is put under tremendous pressure, which only gets stronger as her belly grows.
• Long-term use of drugs that reduce bone density, such as corticosteroids.
• Excessive psychological and emotional tension and stress - Frequent anxiety can cause severe tension in the neck and back muscles, which can lead to pain.

Main diseases

Conditions that may cause low back pain and back pain include:

1. Osteochondrosis and its complications, such as spinal hernias, are degenerative processes in which intervertebral cartilage is destroyed, causing pain.This condition is more common in older people, especially those who put severe pressure on their backs.
2. Ligament and muscle sprains - most common after prolonged physical activity or sudden movement.
3. Certain types of arthritis are an inflammatory disease of the joints that can cause, in addition to pain, joint stiffness and problems with mobility in the morning
4. Kidney disease, such as pyelonephritis, can cause back pain on the right or left side of the lower back.

Carry out diagnostic activities

Severe back and waist pain can be treated at home by taking special medications, which can be purchased at pharmacies without a doctor's prescription.Clinical treatment is usually not required.

If back pain radiates into the lower back and causes severe discomfort, then the patient should definitely see a doctor.He will perform an examination and develop a treatment plan.

If pain in the left lower back prevents you from resting and moving normally, you should call your doctor at home.

When checking the condition, the doctor will ask the patient to sit, stand, walk, alternate leg lifts, and determine the overall range of motion of the back.He will also ask for information about possible recent illness or injury, lifestyle and work characteristics, and ask questions such as:

1. When did the pain start?
2. Where is the pain most common?
3. Has your back ever hurt before?
4. How do pain syndromes manifest?
5. Why does pain get stronger or weaker?

During the examination, the doctor will try to rule out possible infections and fractures, as these are rare.If there are questions about the diagnosis, the doctor may ask the patient to take additional diagnostic steps: a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or a spine X-ray.A urine test is done to rule out kidney disease.

In many cases, spinal pain is gone by the third day of treatment.If treatment does not improve the condition and the pain persists for six weeks (chronic process), or if a serious illness caused the lesion, then the doctor will refer the patient to a specialist.In most cases, treatment for back and lower back pain is prescribed by a neurologist.Additionally, other doctors may be involved in examining the patient's condition: osteopaths, chiropractors, and reflexologists.

Basic treatment methods

Treatment of a pain syndrome depends on its duration and severity, as well as the individual characteristics of the person.In most cases, pain can be relieved with simple medications at home.

Main treatments:

• Liquidity.Previously, doctors believed it was important to remain calm when experiencing lower back pain.It is now well established that the sooner patients begin mobilizing, the faster their pain goes away.Complete rest and bed rest should only be observed during the first few days of acute pain, when the pain is severe and prevents normal activities.In this case, the patient should lie on a firm, level bed.After the condition returns to normal, you should gradually resume your normal lifestyle and previous load, and increase more and more activities every day.Over time, the person will be able to walk normally around the house or visit public places.But he has to endure some discomfort and try to avoid anything that might cause pain again.After a few days, a person can return to work without waiting for the severe pain in the back and waist to completely disappear (of course, if the person's job does not put pressure on the waist).Early mobilization will help with recovery and reduce the severity of pain.
• Take painkillers.When treating severe back pain above or directly in the lower back, doctors will prescribe painkillers.These products help eliminate pain and inflammation.Depending on the severity of the lesion, specialists can prescribe various forms of medication: injections, tablets, topical preparations - ointments, gels and creams to relieve back pain.Most commonly, initial treatment involves injections.After the pain syndrome disappears, stop taking the medication and, if necessary, start taking tablets or special ointments.There are some contraindications to this type of drug, so you must consult your doctor and study the instructions before starting to take it.Painkillers are best taken with milk after meals.
• muscle relaxants- Medications that help eliminate muscle spasms and relax muscles.Their use is required when severe tension in the spinal muscles aggravates the pain syndrome, such as in the acute phase of osteochondrosis or herniated discs.Muscle relaxants also have different side effects; for example, they are prohibited from being taken while driving a car.It is important to consult your doctor first.
• Treat with hot and cold compresses.In some cases, pain can be relieved by taking a warm bath or applying a heating pad to the painful area of the body.You can also improve your overall condition with cold meals or a bag of frozen vegetables.But you should remember that you should not apply ice cubes to your skin as this may cause frostbite.The previously cold object should be wrapped in a towel and applied to the affected area of the body.You can also alternate between hot and cold treatments, applying ice or heating pads to your body.
• Choose a sleeping position.Changing your sleeping position will help relieve tension and pain.If the patient sleeps on their side, they should pull their legs up to their chest and place a pillow between their legs.If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees to allow for the natural curvature of the spine in your lower back.
• body relax– This is a very important component in combating severe back pain on the left side of the lower back, as pain syndromes will only worsen with severe anxiety and overexertion.People who are in a good mood have been shown to recover faster and their pain does not become chronic.There are special techniques that can help people relax and temporarily forget about back discomfort.For this purpose, special breathing exercises are recommended, as well as a simple set of exercises in which the muscles of the body alternately tense and relax.
• Be physically active and follow a healthy lifestyle.It is important to eliminate the underlying causes of severe back and lower back pain to avoid its recurrence.The most common causes of pain in this area include excess weight, poor posture, and frequent emotional outbursts.In this case, you can achieve positive results if you start adopting an active and healthy lifestyle, such as walking more or going to the swimming pool.The main thing is to choose your favorite activity.In some cases, classes are conducted under the guidance of a trainer.Most commonly, a series of exercises are used to help strengthen the back muscles and ensure straight posture and extension.
• If the pain syndrome does not disappear within six weeks of treatment, it automatically enters the chronic stage.In this case, in addition to painkillers and muscle relaxants, you will need to start complex treatment.

Chronic pain treatment

In this case, the doctor will take the following measures:

• Manual therapy is performed by a chiropractor or osteopath and involves the use of a variety of therapies, massages and mobilization methods.
• Alexander Technique - helps to remove severe tension in the muscles and teaches a person how to correctly assume and move the body in various situations.This technique will help you learn to maintain body balance and straight posture.
• Acupuncture treatment is an ancient Chinese treatment method in which fine needles are inserted into various parts of the body to help relieve pain and normalize a person's condition.
• Take antidepressants.Such drugs are prescribed to patients when painkillers and other treatment techniques fail to bring positive results.Doctors recommend taking tricyclic antidepressants in small amounts.Such treatments were originally designed to combat depression and neurological problems, but they can also suppress certain types of pain.
• Meet with a psychiatrist.This surgery can achieve positive results when other treatments have not helped.Severe back pain in the lower back is a real thing.The way a person treats it can make it stronger or, conversely, significantly weaken it.Cognitive behavioral therapy can help eliminate back pain on the right or left side of your lower back by changing your attitude toward pain.Statistically, people who undergo psychotherapy experience much less pain.In this case, a person will be motivated to lead an active lifestyle and exercise regularly, thereby reducing pain.

perform operations

In most cases, surgery is used only when all other treatments for back and lower back pain have failed.This surgery is performed when the pain syndrome is so intense or persistent that it prevents the patient from working or even resting.The method of surgical intervention chosen will depend directly on the type of pain syndrome and the cause of its occurrence.

For example, if the spine is herniated, a doctor may prescribe a discectomy.Currently, doctors are able to operate through the smallest incisions using specialized microsurgical instruments.Although this type of surgery is complex, it is characterized by being minimally invasive.

Spinal fusion is a complex and fairly rare surgical procedure.The results are not always as expected.For example, after surgery, a person may continue to experience severe back pain below the lower back.

With spinal fusion, the overall mobility of the spine is significantly reduced because the pain-causing vertebrae are held in one position with each other during the procedure by implanting living bone tissue between them.By the end of the recovery period, the bones are fully fused and when the person moves, the nerve endings located near them are not affected.It helps curb severe back pain in the left and right waist.Before deciding to undergo surgery, patients should obtain information from their neurosurgeon about all possible complications and positive effects of treatment.

additional treatment

Other alternative treatments are available when treating acute and chronic low back pain, but their effectiveness has not yet been proven in medical practice.Major non-traditional treatments include:

• Laser Therapy – Minimum power laser affects inflamed areas of the body and causes tissue regeneration;
• Interference Current Therapy - The lower back is exposed to medium and low frequency electrical currents, which stimulate increased production of endorphins (pain-relieving hormones) and actively repair damaged tissue;
• Ultrasound therapy - in this case, ultrasound is used to target the back surface: it ensures tissue repair and active healing, thus eliminating pain;
• Electrical stimulation of nerves through the skin - electrodes stuck to the surface of the skin send out electrical pulses of a certain intensity, triggering the active production of endorphins and helping to block pain signals from traveling down the spine to the brain;
• Lumbar brace - for this, special pillows, cushions and corsets are used to maintain the condition of the spine;
• Spinal traction is performed using specialized equipment and exercise sets;
• A special injection is given into the spine - medicine is injected into the space between the vertebrae.

Specialists can also send patients to "pain schools," where people are taught to cope with pain independently, perform special exercises, and live an active and healthy life.These facilities specialize in group therapy, relaxation and psychology.

Precautions

A healthy and strong back is the best solution to avoid any pain.Therefore, the most effective prevention is to engage in reasonable physical activity on a regular basis, maintain correct posture, and avoid lifting heavy objects.

If a person develops temporary back pain that radiates to the lower back, he should take the following precautions:

• Get rid of excess weight (if present): A large amount of excess weight can negatively affect the condition of the lower back, causing additional stress;
• Use correct, comfortable low-heeled shoes to help evenly distribute the load on the foot and avoid excessive tension on the spine when moving;
• It is also important to stop exercise suddenly as this may cause muscle strain;
• Learn to cope with stress, depression, nervous breakdown and not worry too much, as all of these can trigger pain.

Types of back exercises

A set of exercises is a great way to prevent and relieve lower back pain, but if the pain persists for more than 6 months, it's important to talk to your doctor before starting the exercises.

Walking and intensive swimming will help improve muscle condition and support the spine without overloading it, thereby eliminating possible sprains.Pilates and yoga will help strengthen your back muscles and increase your flexibility, but should be done under the strict supervision of a professional trainer.

The most common simple back pain exercises you can do at home:

1. Wall Squats – To do this, you need to stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.Next, perform squats until your body is in a 90-degree bent position.
2. Alternate leg raises.To perform this exercise, you need to lie on the floor and start lifting your legs one by one without bending them.Repeat this exercise 5 times.
3. Pelvic lift.This exercise is performed in the supine position.First, the knees are bent, then the pelvis is raised with tension in the abdominal muscles.It is important to keep your back straight when performing the exercise.Repeat 5 times.

Start with a few exercises per day, and over time increase the number to six, depending on how you feel.This complex helps warm up and strengthen the back muscles.Most commonly, people injure their lower back while performing everyday activities, such as lifting heavy objects or cleaning the house.Warming up your muscles thoroughly before performing work will help prevent injury.

pain caused by osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a disease of the joint cartilage that connects the vertebrae.With this disease, the roots of the spinal cord become pinched, causing pain.People over the age of 30 are particularly susceptible to the disease, which has recently been diagnosed more often in younger people.

The main causes of back and waist pain are lifting heavy objects and performing monotonous tasks in uncomfortable positions (for example, in the garden).Osteochondrosis can result from long periods of uninterrupted travel when a person sits for long periods of time.

No one is immune to this disease.It can be identified by the following symptoms:

• back pain;
• Waist pain, pain on the right (or left) side of the back, pain radiating to the legs;
• The pain only worsens with changes in position and load on the lower back;
• A person may experience a strong burning sensation and lower back pain;
• After maintaining an uncomfortable posture for a long time, it is difficult to change due to severe discomfort;
• Decreased sensitivity in the buttocks and legs, causing goosebumps;
• Problems with sweating and chills in the lower limbs occur.

If a person determines that the pain syndrome originates from the spine, then he should take the following treatment measures:

• Use a special woolen belt or scarf that you tie around your waist;
• Lie on a hard, flat surface;
• Start taking anti-inflammatories;
• Use anti-inflammatory ointments to treat lower back pain.

It is important to remember that painkillers should not be taken on an empty stomach as they can irritate mucous membranes and may lead to ulcers and gastritis.If a person is not sure about the cause of pain in the back and waist, it is important for him to see a doctor - taking anti-inflammatory drugs for gastric and pancreatic diseases is very dangerous, since they will only aggravate the overall condition.

What is prohibited?

Under no circumstances should the patient attempt to "straighten" the back on their own, as this will only aggravate the pain syndrome and cause great harm.If you have acute osteochondrosis, you should not take hot baths or go to bathhouses and saunas.

After warming up, a person may feel improved and have less pain, but then the condition will only worsen.If you have recurring back pain, it's important to get an MRI and seek help from a neurologist.