Pain in the lower back
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Pain in the lower back is perhaps one of the most common health problems caused by technological advances and computerization. A characteristic feature of modern patients is their age: painful sensations in the back are increasingly complained not so much by older people as by teenagers and people 30-50 years old who spend a lot of time sitting at the computer. So, what character can this pain acquire, why it arises and how to treat it?
[Why does pain occur in the lower back?
There is no definite cause of pain in the lower back, as various diseases can cause it, however, they are often associated with musculoskeletal diseases. So, most often there are such causes of soreness:
- Osteochondrosis,
- spondylosis,
- spondylarthrosis.
The factors that cause these diseases are diverse, but they can be reduced to the following groups:
- A sedentary lifestyle, a long time spent at the computer, improper organization of the workplace;
- Heavy loads, lifting weights;
- Lack of regular physical education;
- The presence of bad habits (excessive use of alcohol, smoking), addiction to "harmful" food with a lot of salt, seasonings and spices, as well as chronic overeating.
What characterizes the pain in the lower back?
Painful sensations can arise abruptly, suddenly. This so-called radicular, "shooting" the nature of pain, it occurs with careless movements, the torso of the trunk. In this case, a person can remain in a bent position, in which his pain is overtaken, without being able to straighten.
The local character of the pain is different in orientation and concentration in a particular area. The intensity, the strength of such pain, can change in cases of a change in the position of the body. In addition to local, the pain may have an iridative character, spreading to internal organs and throughout the spine.
Muscular, reflex pain in the lower back, accompanied by familiar to all restrictions of movement of a certain part of the spine, called spasms. The cause of spasms may be hypothermia, excessive stress, insufficiently comfortable position of the body.
Diagnosis of lower back disease
In determining the cause of pain you will help a doctor-therapist. The most commonly used diagnostic methods are MRI of the spine, X-rays, computed tomography of the spine. You should not use alternative rubbers when treating them - they will not relieve you of the disease!
How to get rid of pain in the lower back?
The treatment prescribed by doctors in the occurrence of such pains is almost the same and includes the following aspects:
- Compliance with bed rest;
- Physiotherapeutic procedures;
- Drug treatment: use of anesthetics, muscle relaxants;
- Massage, therapeutic gymnastics.
How to prevent pain in the lower back?
After getting rid of back pain, it is unlikely that you want to make the discomfort repeat. In order to rid yourself of them, you need to follow several tips:
- You need to sleep on a fairly hard bed;
- Go in for sports: do exercises, sign up for the pool;
- Take walks in breaks between work;
- Watch your food: do not eat a lot of sweet, salty and spicy;
- Do not wear weights;
- Do not smoke much!
Despite the fact that pain in the lower back is quite common, avoiding it is easy enough. You just need to monitor your health and not work 24 hours a day!