Lumbago – a sharp shooting pain in the lumbar spine. It often occurs when lifting weights, awkward movement, a quick change in body position.
Sometimes lumbago can be provoked by being in an uncomfortable position for a long time, for example, if you work, sitting in an uncomfortable chair or spend a lot of time driving. A predisposing factor for the development of lumbago is overweight and a sedentary lifestyle, malnutrition, poor posture, the manner of sitting in a cross-legged position, etc.
According to international studies, this disease is very widespread. Almost every third person at least once in his life felt the symptoms of lumbago.
Symptoms and course:
- Sudden onset of acute burning pain in the lumbar region. The pain is felt deep in the spine and back muscles. Pain makes you take a forced position, in which you feel weaker, hinders movement. The duration of the attack is from several hours to several days. It may pass as suddenly as it appeared.
- Sometimes back pain radiates (spreads) to the lower extremities on one or both sides, taking on a pulling character. In this case, they talk about the attachment of ischalgia.
- Sometimes lumbago takes on a chronic character with periods of improvement, when lower back pain practically does not bother, and periods of exacerbation occur that occur after physical exertion, hypothermia, etc.
Causes of lumbago:
- Pathology of the spine (hernia of the spine and disc protrusion, osteochondrosis, congenital anomalies of the vertebrae).
- Excessive load on the spine, resulting in overstrain, inflammatory changes in the muscles and ligaments of the back.
- Arthritis, spinal injuries, infections, tumors, severe systemic diseases.
Prevention:
To prevent back pain, we recommend:
- Lead an active lifestyle with regular, everyday moderate physical activity: morning exercises, swimming, hiking. “Explosive”, excessive loads on the spine should be excluded.
- It is not recommended to wear high heels, this leads to an uneven load on the spine.
- Hypothermia must be avoided.
- To unload the spine – the fight against excess weight.
- Avoid prolonged monotonous work in one position, do gymnastics during breaks, stretch. Try to maintain correct posture.
- It is necessary to sleep on a hard flat surface, on a low pillow.
- Wellness massage courses and hardening have a good preventive effect.
Treatment:
With the development of an acute attack of lumbago, strict bed rest is recommended. To ensure rest, the muscles of the spine need to lie on a hard, flat surface.
To reduce pain, you can slightly bend your knees and put a cushion under them from a blanket or pillow.
On the skin of the lower back, you can stick a pepper plaster or mustard plaster, grind with warming ointments (“Finalgon”, “Kapsin”). You can use other anti-inflammatory ointments (indomethacin, orthophenic, etc.).
Inside, as well as in injections for the treatment of lumbago, various medications are used: analgesics, antispasmodics, anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamins (especially B12). Their appointment should be agreed with the doctor.
According to the indications, it is recommended to wear special fixatives – corsets, manual therapy, therapeutic massage, physiotherapy exercises in the recovery stage.
