Causes and treatment of back pain in the lower back: what to do if you give in to the leg

It turns out that back pain in the lower back is very common.

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

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

If such symptoms are not observed, for an accurate diagnosis, it is worth contacting a therapist. Let's see why these symptoms occur, how they can be treated and prevented.

The main causes of low back pain

First, let's find out the reasons for these unpleasant symptoms. Pain can be primary with spinal pathologies or secondary with internal organ diseases.

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

Here they are:

Characteristics of the profession: heavy physical activity for builders and loaders and weight lifting for athletes.

Extended session.

Overweight and sedentary lifestyle.

Inadequate nutrition and lack of protein, calcium and phosphorus in the body.

Bad habits: alcohol and alcoholic beverages.

Even by reducing the impact of these factors, you will visibly alleviate your condition and the health of your spine.

Primary factors

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

These include:

Osteochondrosis is a change in cartilage and intervertebral discs that leads to herniated discs or disc deformities.

Spondylosis is characterized by the formation of bony bulges in the vertebrae. With this growth, there is a spasm of the muscles around the spine, which limits its mobility. The appearance of lesions in the lumbar region.

Spondyloarthrosis is a 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, deformation of the intervertebral discs occurs and spinal mobility is also limited.

Spondylolisthesis is manifested by displacement of the vertebrae as a result of the change in the lumen of the spinal canal.

Disc herniation.

Radiculopathy is a nerve root injury.

secondary factors

The secondary appear with concomitant pathologies:

Metabolic problems.

Spinal curvature.

When located near the column of malignant formations.

Infectious diseases: spinal osteomyelitis, tuberculous spondylitis, spinal epidural abscess.

Spinal injuries.

Autoimmune diseases.

Painful symptoms of a psychogenic nature.

Diseases of the digestive system.

Pelvic Organ Diseases.

Menstrual pain.

Also, problems with the spine can be affected by flat feet, that is, flattening of the arch of the foot.

Pregnancy can also cause pain. In the early stages, they appear when progesterone is exposed to ligaments and muscles, also with the threat of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.

After childbirth, pain may appear as a result of stretching the pelvic muscles, or with increased stress on the spine, with frequent carrying the baby in the arms.

What diseases does this pain signal?

The location of the pain is also important.

So let's look at each case:

• Painful pain in the right and above the lower back may indicate pulmonary pathology. These symptoms are accompanied by shortness of breath, coughing and fever. Also about gallbladder or liver problems. In this case, the nature of the pain is acute;
• if discomfort is felt above the left lumbar region, it may be a sign of pancreatitis, myocardial infarction, pericarditis, or left-sided pleurisy;
• symptoms of pain in the lower back signal osteochondrosis in this area, intervertebral hernias, as well as compression fractures;
• a symptom of pain below the lower back, which radiates to the lower abdomen, is a sign of pelvic organ disease. These diseases include fibroids, endometriosis, prostate pathology, colon disease, and infectious gynecological diseases. It can also indicate that the kidneys are damaged.

Which doctor will help?

Most of the time, back pain occurs temporarily. Only in rare cases do these symptoms indicate complex illnesses.

Anyway, it's worth knowing which doctor can help in this situation. Acute pain often occurs with increased physical exertion.

In other cases, you may seek help from a surgeon, urologist, or even a chiropractor who will make a more accurate diagnosis and prescribe rather than treat a similar problem.

In addition, with these pains, it may be necessary to consult a traumatologist, orthopedist, gastroenterologist, infectious disease specialist, proctologist, or gynecologist.

Treatment characteristics

Depending on the causes of back pain, the doctor prescribes the following therapy options:

• drug treatment with analgesics and hormones;
• blockages, which are injections into the intervertebral joints;
• manual techniques;
• physiotherapy procedures;
• physiotherapy;
• acupuncture.

If conservative treatment doesn't help, then surgery is used.

In the treatment of herniated disc in the context of osteochondrosis, physical therapy methods are used in addition to the main treatment.

Heal blocks are used when other methods do not produce the desired effect. Most of the time, anesthetics are injected into the lumen of the affected joint to do this.

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 restrict movement in the lower back. This helps to reduce pain in the area of joint inflammation.

For back pain, the doctor can give the following recommendations:

Bed rest on a hard surface for 2 to 5 days.

Using a special dressing.

The use of anti-inflammatories and analgesics.

To get rid of muscle spasm, muscle relaxants are prescribed. Special medications are also used to help relax muscles.

To improve blood circulation and reduce edema, vascular drugs and diuretics are used.

All types of gels and ointments are used as local therapy.

To consolidate the positive result, physical therapy procedures are prescribed. This could be electrophoresis, phonophoresis and magnetotherapy.

Physiotherapy and special massage help to improve blood circulation, relieve muscle tension and eliminate inflammation.

If lower back pain is not associated with complex illnesses, yoga will help alleviate the condition.

You can do these exercises at home and they don't take long.

hypothermia pain

Did you know that hypothermia is a common cause of back pain. In that case, you don't even need to freeze, just sweat it out and go to the air conditioning.

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

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

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

A similar procedure is performed every day. In case of severe pain, it is worth seeking help from a doctor. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to relieve pain.

If you are often hypothermic, buy a belt made from dog or sheep wool.

What to do with the lower back?

This pain occurs with intense physical exertion. A sharp pain moving to the leg appears when using any weight.

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

Take a pain reliever to relieve pain.

Remember that with these signs, you cannot take a hot shower or a steam bath. In that case, dry heat will help more.

For example, a special ointment. It's also worth limiting your salt and fluid intake for several days.

What will help with a hernia?

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

Numbness in the lower back may also be felt. To relieve pain, you should take rest and analgesics. So you need to call a doctor.

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

What to do to prevent?

Do not wait for severe pain to appear, but start taking preventive measures.

Here they are:

Identification and treatment of concomitant diseases that can cause low back pain.

Adequate nutrition with sufficient amounts of phosphorus, calcium and other vitamins.

Heavy physical exertion and heavy lifting should be avoided. In that case, the load must be evenly distributed. Don't make sudden movements.

Lead an active lifestyle. Go hiking, swimming or yoga.

Take massage therapy courses from time to time.

When sedentary, take a break every hour and do some exercise.

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 for pregnancy and heavy physical exertion.

It is important to control your weight, as a large body weight increases the load on your spine. Get rid of bad habits and get a routine check-up every year as well.

Physiotherapy

Exercise at home to strengthen your back muscles and prevent pain. 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 moves:

• body leans in different directions. First left and right, then forward and backward;
• turns of the body to the sides;
• at the knee - in the elbow position, you need to bend your back up and down;
• lying on your back with your legs bent at the knees, the pelvis is raised;
• in the lying position, the straight legs need to be bent at the knees and pulled towards the chest.

Do each exercise 8 to 10 times.

Don't ignore the symptoms of lower back pain, go to your doctor and take preventive measures that will help to normalize your well-being and strengthen your health.