Lumbago: Symptoms and Treatment

Lumbago is an acute pain syndrome that occurs when unsuccessful bends and tilts of the trunk or lifting of weights by an unprepared person. People call lumbago "lumbar lumbago" - it is in the lower back and localizes the focus of pain.Suffer from this problem mainly men, because they are more likely than women to perform heavy physical work.

Lumbago can also abruptly disappear, as well as appear.However, in most cases the pain does not go away, so the patient takes a forced posture( usually the one in which the pain has caught him) and becomes absolutely helpless.

Table of contents: Causes and mechanisms of lumbago development Symptoms of lumbago Which doctor should be treated with lumbago?First aid for lumbago Treatment of lumbago Prevention of lumbago

Causes and mechanisms of lumbago development

The main cause of lumbago is the entrapment of nerve fibers or irritation of the nerve endings of the fibrous capsule of the intervertebral discs in the lumbar region, leading to a very painful pathological muscle tension.

What can jam and irritate nervous structures?First of all, deformed or displaced vertebrae, which is very typical for neglected osteochondrosis.In addition, the appearance of acute pain in the lower back can be accompanied by intervertebral hernias.

However, for the appearance of lumbago, one sick spine is not enough.If a person with osteochondrosis or a disc herniation does nothing( for example, just lies on the couch), the loin will not "shoot through". Pain( "lumbago") appears in the following situations:

• during or immediately after an awkward movement( usually tilt with the next turn of the trunk);
• when lifting weights( especially if the waist is bent);
• after a prolonged static tension of the back muscles.

Another provoking factor is staying in a draft with a bare loin. Particularly unfavorable in terms of the appearance of lumbago are situations in which a person physically works and sweats, and then abruptly undercooled by the action of cool air.The mechanism of lumbar lumbar development is somewhat different: the muscles are strained not because of irritation of the nerve fibers, but because of a strong vascular spasm.

Symptoms of lumbago

Lumbago always begins acutely with severe back pain.The beginning of the attack the patients describe in different ways:

• Like a sharp push in the back.
• Like a lightning or current stroke.
• Like a feeling of something rushing inside.

The nature of the arising pain is more often constricting, bursting or shooting.In addition, there is a feeling of numbness or "crawling" on the skin in the lumbar region.Unpleasant sensations can spread to the pelvis and hips.

The second sign of lumbago is congestion in a forced posture. This is usually the position in which the attack began.However, the fact that the patient can not move does not mean that he is paralyzed.Simply in response to pain, there is a strong defensive reaction of the muscles, which simply does not allow the person to return to normal position.

Pain in lumbago can persist for several days or even weeks - it all depends on the severity of the underlying pathology and what treatment the patient is receiving.

Which doctor should I use with lumbago?

A patient with lumbago should be examined by a neurologist. This specialist is advisable to contact the nearest time after the onset of pain.The ideal option - to call a doctor at home, because a person with acute pain in the lower back to get to the hospital will be extremely difficult.

A neuropathologist is needed not only to extinguish the pain syndrome and to restore the patient's motor activity, but also to detect the factor that provoked the appearance of pain.If this reason is not affected, the lower back will sooner or later "shoot through". That is, without diagnosis and treatment can not do.

If there is a suspicion of the pathology of the intervertebral discs, the neuropathologist will give direction to magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography.Ordinary radiography of the spine for diagnosis of hernias and disc protrusions is not enough.

First aid for lumbago

Before examining the doctor, the patient can do the following:

• Do not try to straighten up, overcoming the pain.In general, any body movements should be kept to a minimum.
• Call someone from close people to help.Independently prepare a bed for yourself, to reach it and lie down is unlikely to succeed without increasing pain.
• Adopt a position in which the muscles of the back can relax.Ideal for this position - lying on his back, with his legs bent at the knees and raised to the dais( twisted blanket, chair, pillow, etc.).If the mattress on the bed is too soft, it is better to lie on the floor, and raise your legs on the bed.
• Drink anesthetic drug from a home medicine chest.

But what is strictly forbidden in the acute period of the lumbago, is:

• Self-massage and gymnastics.Bath and contrast dousing.
• .Such procedures can further strengthen muscle tension.
• Drinking alcoholic beverages along with medicines.For example, the network can be found a lot of information that the best remedy for muscle spasm is 50 g of cognac and several tablets No-shpy.This is an erroneous recommendation. Alcohol should never be mixed with medications.

Treatment of lumbago

In the acute period, the patient is usually prescribed:

• Analgesics is a non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drug with a pronounced analgesic effect.For example, Diclofenac, Ketonal, Ibuprofen, Dexalgin.Many of these drugs are manufactured in forms for external use, which allows for combined treatment.
• Spasmolytics .Such as Baralgin, Papaverin.These drugs can reduce the painful muscle spasm.
• Diuretics for reducing swelling of tissues in the lumbar region.The most commonly prescribed Furosemide.To prevent the development of a deficit of potassium, which is washed away from the body by the action of diuretic drugs, patients are prescribed Panangin in parallel.
• Special bandage for fixing the affected area of ​​the spine.

At the end of the acute period, patients are prescribed physiotherapy, massage, reflexology and exercise therapy.These medical measures help to finally eliminate muscle spasm and restore normal mobility to the waist.

If during the examination of the patient some pathology of the spine was revealed, after the pain syndrome has been eliminated, it is necessary to treat it.In the case of intervertebral hernias and displacement of vertebrae, even surgical intervention may be required.

Prevention of lumbago

If a person has any problems with the spine, to prevent the development of lumbago is:

• If possible, do not heavily strain the lower back.
• If you have to do some work, lift the weights correctly( sitting down, not bent) and each time to put on a special fixing belt.In the garden and around the house, it is also advisable to work without bending over, and sitting down, without making the body of sudden movements to the side.
• Beware of drafts and supercooling of the waist.

Well, the best prevention of lumbago is not to allow the development of osteochondrosis. There are a lot of recommendations here, but among them one can distinguish the most important ones: tracking posture, comfortable sleeping and working space, daily morning exercises, swimming, proper nutrition and normalization of body weight.

Zubkova Olga Sergeevna, medical reviewer, epidemiologist doctor