The pain in the back, tension and stiffness in the lower back, the problems that sooner or later, in the face of most people.
The more often sore lower back, as well as the lumbar spine has greater mobility and carries the weight of the upper half of the body. The pain in the lumbar region has a name — lumbago, if she goes into the leg sciatica. Less of a pain and in the department of back. If the pain is acute and spread (makes) in the coast or in the hand, it is called "back pain" or "sciatica". This type of pain is related in general to compression of blood vessels in disc herniation nerve.
The pain in the back and the waist may appear suddenly after the lifting of heavy loads, if awkwardly to turn around. Sometimes, an uncomfortable feeling in the back develop gradually due to years of charge or poor posture. Rarely the cause of the pain fails. The pain may worsen at night, during charging or after an extended period of time in an uncomfortable position, for example, after a long journey by car. The more often the pain goes away in the supine position on a rigid surface.
In most cases, the back hurts for several days or weeks, and then a state of health improves, and the mobility is completely restored. Accelerate healing assist the painkillers and a certain mode of motor activity: rest in the first 1-2 days of particularly intense pain, and then a gradual return to an active life. However, in some cases, the back or the kidneys sore for a long time, over 6 weeks. It is said on the development of chronic back pain and prescribed further treatment.
Plays an important role on your mood. Because of the pain you may be difficult to maintain a good state of mind, but as the studies show positive people, generally, not heal more quickly than those who live in the depression.
Causes of pain in the back
Health of the back depends on a coordinated work of a complex mechanism of bones, muscles, nerves and joints. Often to identify the cause of the pain is sometimes difficult. Fortunately, serious diseases or injuries to the back are rare. The more often the pain in the lower back or the back occurs as a result of contusions, lung, muscle, surge, stretching muscles and ligaments, of the suspension and of the inflammation of the nerves. An unpleasant sensation in the back can appear suddenly or develop gradually crescendo. The possible causes of the pain in the back and lower back:
- clumsy movement: tilt or rotation of the hull;
- the rise or the migration of heavy objects, long inclinations of the body;
- poor posture when walking or a seat;
- excessive stretching of the muscles of the back;
- a long journey behind the wheel without stopping.
Sometimes, the back starts to disease without apparent reason, for example, in the morning, after sleep.
Risk factors for pain in the back
Certain risk factors increase the likelihood of back pain or lower back:
- The excess weight on the spine of the responsibility of an additional charge. To understand if your weight is normal, calculate the body mass index.
- The smoking is it can cause damage to the tissues of the back, and the smokers tend to less lead a healthy life.
- Pregnancy — the spine of the woman is exposed to an additional load, which increases with the increase in the volume of the abdomen.
- Sustainable of the receipt of medicines that reduce bone density, for example, corticosteroids.
- The stress is considered, that the constant excitation causes tension in the muscles of the back and neck, which can cause pain.
Diseases that can cause pain in the back and the size:
- The osteochondrosis and its complications, for example, a hernia of the spine — degenerative diseases, where collapse of the cartilage intervertebral, which leads to the appearance of pain. These diseases are more likely to develop with age, especially in people who experience more stress on the back.
- The stretching of the ligaments and muscles — which is often the case after a physical effort excessive or awkward movement.
- The different types of arthritis, inflammatory diseases of the joints. In this case, most of the pain is celebrated in the morning stiffness in the joints, a disorder of the motility.
- Kidney disease, for example, pyelonephritis can cause pain in the lower back.
There are also more and more dangerous, but very rare causes of pain in the back. For example, cancer, tuberculosis of the spine, aneurysm of the aorta (beam-bulk of the wall of blood vessel), and the other they are usually diagnosed during an investigation from a doctor.
The diagnosis of pain in the back and lower back
With the pain in the back and the size is the more often you can cope at home with drugs that are sold in pharmacies without a prescription. The hospital treatment is not usually necessary. If the pain is expressed, contact your doctor therapist. If the pain does not give you the full move, you can call the doctor.
During the examination, the doctor will ask you to sit, stand, walk, turn up legs, and will examine the range of motion in the back. It may ask you for an injury or illness, your way of life and the nature of the work, as well as:
- When started the pain?
- Where it hurts?
- You are very concerned about the spin in the past?
- Can you describe the pain?
- That the pain worsens or password?
In the course of the investigation and examination, the doctor will try to exclude the possibility of an infectious disease and of the fracture, but they are very rare. In the case of controversy, the diagnosis, you can be looking additional: magnetic resonance imaging (fmri) or x-rays of the spine. In order to exclude kidney disease doctor may prescribe a urine analysis.
In most cases, the pain in the back unable to file in a few days. If the treatment does not work, the pain in the back that lasts longer than 6 weeks (so-called chronic back pain), or the cause of the disease is a serious illness, the therapist will refer you to a specialist. The more often the treatment of pain in the back or lower back is involved in a neurologist. In addition, treatment can connect doctors such as the osteopath, reflexologist, physiotherapist.
The treatment of the back and kidneys
The treatment of pain in the back can vary, depending on the duration and severity, as well as your preferences and personal needs. The more often you can relieve the pain with the help of non-prescription drugs and home care.
Engine mode. In previous years, it is believed that when the pain in the back need to rest. It is now recognized that people who start earlier fully to move quickly to cope with the pain in the back and the waist. The quiet and bed rest is indicated only on 1 or 2 days in the acute period, when the pain is extremely strong and does not move. By doing this, it is recommended to lie on the hard and flat surface. As soon as the condition improves slightly, you must gradually return to a mobile way of life, increasing the range of motion a little each day.
Little by little, you will be able to move around the house or go shopping. You have to put up with some discomfort and learn to avoid anything that causes pain. A few days later, you can return to work without waiting for the time where the pain in the back or lower back will take place entirely (if, of course, your work is not linked to any unnecessary burdens on the spine). Early activation will help you to return to the daily routine and get out of the pain.
The pain killers. These drugs relieve pain, inflammation and swelling. Depending on the severity of health, the doctor may prescribe these medications by injection, tablets or the means — the ointments of the pain in the back. Usually, the treatment starts with injections of a recall. As soon as the pain subsides, the introduction of drug stop, if necessary, take pills, or use of ointments. These tools have a number of contraindications, so before you consult your doctor and in detail, read the instructions. Tablets pain relievers it is best to take after meals, drinking their milk.
The muscle relaxants — these are drugs that relieve the spasm of the musculature skeletal system, relax the muscles. Their is prescribed in cases where excess tension in the muscles of the spine increases the pain, for example, may be during the exacerbation of the degenerative disc disease or herniated discs. The muscle relaxants have also side effects, a lot of them, you can't take the steering wheel. Therefore, the need of consulting a doctor.
The treatment by heat and cold. Some of relieve the pain using heat, for example, a warm bath or hot on the wound. Also relieve the state may, and the cold, for example, attach it to the back of the ice or a package of frozen vegetables. Do not apply the ice directly on the skin, as this can cause frostbite. Wrap it in a damp towel and attach it to the wound. You can also alternate heat treatment to the cold, by putting alternating ice and heat.
The posture of sleep. The change in the posture of sleep can relieve tension in the back and relieve the pain. If you sleep on your side, slightly squeeze the legs towards your chest and place a pillow between the legs. If you the back on your back, place a pillow under your knees to maintain the natural curve of the spine in the lumbar region.
Relaxation is an important component of the fight against pain, because if you are worried, it will trigger the muscle tension that may aggravate the pain. Like the studies show positive people in general to recover more quickly. The pain never goes into a chronic. There are a variety of relaxation techniques. Generally, it is recommended to master the breathing exercises, and simple exercises with alternate tension and relaxation of different muscles of the body.
Physical exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Try to eliminate the cause of the pain in the back, in order to avoid the return in the future. The most common causes of pain in the back — a excess weight, bad posture and stress. Regular exercise and an active lifestyle can help your back be strong and in good health. Most often, people prefer to do this, walking, swimming and yoga. The most important thing — to choose what you like and do not cause pain. Sometimes, the lessons are in groups under the supervision of a qualified instructor. Usually, on the studies carried out exercises to strengthen the muscles and improve the posture, as well as aerobics and stretching exercises.
The treatment of chronic back pain
If the back pain lasts more than 6 weeks (so-called chronic back pain), pain relievers, and muscle relaxants are applied, as described below, the methods of pain control. These means of treatment to help those who have pain in the back prevents them from doing the things and triggers the alarm.
The manual therapy is performed with the therapist or osteopath, and includes a variety of techniques including manipulation, mobilisation and massage.
The Alexander technique — helps to remove excess muscle tension, to teach, to how to sit or stand, as rationally move. You will learn how to keep the balance of the body and posture.
Acupuncture (acupuncture) — the ancient Chinese method of treatment that, in the various body parts injected with fine needles. It helps relieve the back pain and the lumbar vertebrae.
Antidepressants are given during the chronic low back pain in cases where pain medications and other methods do not. Most often, it is recommended to receive tricyclic antidepressants, e.g. amitriptyline in a small dose. These drugs are originally designed for the treatment of depression, but they have proven to be effective for treating some types of pain.
Psychotherapy may have an impact on the pain in the back and lower back, even in cases where other methods of impotence. The pain in the back is a very real, but what you think and how to think of it, may strengthen or weaken. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) will help you relieve the pain in the back, for a change of attitude. As studies show, people who have followed a course of psychotherapy, less in pain. They have the motivation to lead an active life, making regular physical exercises, which, in turn, reduces the severity of the pain.
Surgery is usually shown that in cases where all other treatments have not given result. The surgical intervention has been used when the pain in the back is so strong or is constant, which deprives them of sleep and rest. The type of operation will depend on the type of pain and its causes.
For example, a hernia of the spine prescribed a special procedure. Today, surgeons can perform the surgery through a very small incision, using micro surgical tools. These operations are considered a little traumatic. Read more about this in the section "Treatment of the hernia of the spine".
Spinal Fusion is complex and less frequent. Its results are not always consistent with expectations. For example, after the operation, you can still feel the pain. Spinal Fusion leads to a decrease of the mobility of the spine, so that when the intervention of several vertebrae, causing pain, still strengthen them through the implementation of them living bone. After the healing, the vertebrae sustainable weld, this is why when driving is no longer an attack of the nerves located nearby. It alleviates the pain syndrome. Before accepting the operation, you will need to discuss in detail all of the risks and benefits neurosurgeon.