Lower back pain, i.e. pain in the lumbar spineis a very common problem. It can be caused by muscle or tendon strain in the back as well as disc injuries and skeletal problems. It most commonly affects people between the ages of 30 and 50. It is important to know that the most effective ways of treating it are adequate rest, medication and physiotherapy.
Lower back pain - causes
The lower part of the spine called the lumbar spine is made up of five vertebrae and is quite a complex structure. As we age, its pain becomes more common and affects more than 50% people over the age of 60. They most often present with so-called non-specific pain, which cannot be attributed to a specific causative factor.
In most cases, lumbar spine pain is the result of mechanical damage to the vertebrae, intervertebral discs, intervertebral joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments or nerves, and is sometimes caused by:
- overloading of muscles, tendons or ligaments,
- discopathy,
- postural defects,
- degenerative changes,
- vertebral fractures,
- rheumatic diseases,
- infections,
- tumours,
- diseases of the abdominal and pelvic organs,
- muscle and ligament injuries caused by lifting, exercise, falls or car accidents,
- osteoarthrosis - degenerative joint disease,
- Compression fractures of the vertebrae - due to osteoporosis,
- intervertebral disc herniation,
- lumbar spinal stenosis,
- chiropractic,
- fibromyalgia,
- spondylitis,
- spinal tumour,
- autoimmune diseases - such as ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
Lower back pain - contributing factors
The occurrence of lower back pain is favoured by:
- age between 30 and 60,
- poor physical condition,
- obesity,
- work performed long periods of sitting at a desk or heavy physical work,
- smoking,
- a history of back pain,
- psychological factors,
- coexistence of other diseases.
Lower back pain - types.
There are many varieties of lumbar spine pain. They are most commonly divided into pain:
- localised occurring in a specific area of the back, usually caused by a disc injury, arthritis or muscle sprain and strain. It can be aggravated or alleviated by a change in position.
- radiating moving from the lower back down the leg, dull or sharp and intense. It may indicate compression of the nerve root due to a hernia, sciatica, osteoarthritis or narrowing of the spinal canal. It is sometimes accompanied by leg muscle weakness, a tingling sensation or even loss of feeling.
- relocated - felt in a different place to the actual cause of the pain.
- Psychogenic - resulting from chronic stress or depression.
Lower back pain - treatment
Ways to relieve lumbar spine pain depend on the cause. Finding the source of the pain by making a correct diagnosis is a prerequisite for appropriate treatment.
In the acute phase of pain, treatment consists primarily of rest and pharmacotherapy with agents to relieve pain and inflammation. In an exacerbation situation, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, ketoprofen and corticosteroids are most commonly used. Common treatments include epidural injections, injections into the intervertebral joints of the spine and into the sacroiliac joints. In the most severe cases, surgery is sometimes necessary.
For those suffering from recurrent lumbar back pain, prevention is also extremely important, which includes regular physical activity and adherence to recommendations for maintaining correct posture.
Treatment of lumbar spine pain - physiotherapy
One way to treat a case of lumbar back pain is through physiotherapy. Most commonly, specific exercises are used to strengthen and stretch the back and to strengthen the core muscles Treatment of spinal pain can also be carried out with various therapies: cold and hot compresses, and ultrasound. Other relatively common methods of lower back rehabilitation include manual therapy and myofascial massage.
