When we talk about low back pain we are referring to one of the most frequent reasons for which consultations are made in the field of traumatology, In addition to the most common cause of limitations in daily activity in people over the age of 40 years. The lumbago It is a pain that originates in the lumbar region., that is to say, in the lower back, and that it can become a big problem due to the pain it causes and the lack of mobility that it can cause in the person who suffers it.
Index
What is the difference between lumbago and sciatica?
It is important to know how to distinguish between lumbago and sciatica. While in the case of low back pain the pain is totally focused in the lumbar region, without definite irradiation taking place in other parts of the body, in the case of the sciatica It is a lower back pain due to irritation of a nerve root in this region and it radiates to affect other areas of the body., such as the buttock area or the lower extremities.
Causes of low back pain
In regards to the low back pain, It is necessary to know the causes that can cause it, and it is that in the 50% of the occasions have their origin in contractures or degenerative alterations of the lumbar spine, and send in an approximate period of time between 7 and 10 days. The type of low back pain that lasts less than 6 weeks is called acute low back pain.
can talk about subacute low back pain in those cases in which it evolves in a time of 6 a 12 weeks, while it is considered that we are facing a chronic low back pain when the 12 weeks long. In these types of occasions, a study with complementary tests is necessary that can help us find the reasons for the pathology..
in addition, low back pain can be caused by different alterations in anatomical structures of the lumbar region of the spine, take place in vertebrae, ligaments, musculature, intervertebral discs, facet joints, and so on.
To distinguish the origin of low back pain, can be classified into two, Which are the following:
Lumbago Mechanical
The mechanical lumbago arrives because of a musculoskeletal dysfunction in the lumbosacral spine, that causes functional or structural alterations:
- Herniated discs.
- Scoliosis.
- spondylolysis / Spondylolisthesis
- Traumatic or pathological vertebral fractures (osteoporosis or metastasis)
- segmental instability (spondyloarthrosis)
- Deep gluteal space syndrome (pyramidal syndrome)
- canal stenosis / Estenosis foraminal
Non-mechanical low back pain
The non-mechanical low back pain is less frequent and the origin can be given by:
- bone diseases
- Inflammatory diseases
- circulatory disorders
- neuropathic pain
- infectious spondylitis
- Visceral
- Tumors
symptoms of low back pain
The main symptom of low back pain is pain. When this pain in the lower back is of mechanical origin, which is characterized by increasing considerably when physical activity occurs and which decreases when resting, analgesic-anti-inflammatory treatment, and the progressive increase in activity. It is not frequent that low back pain causes disorders when falling asleep, although in some cases it can completely hinder the comfort of sleep.
When it comes to a non-mechanical low back pain morning pain and sleep disturbance occur. In this type of case, rest is not usually enough to improve the patient, and diagnosis is essential to be able to treat the injury correctly.
Low back pain diagnosis
To make a correct diagnosis of lumbago, It is necessary to have a detailed medical history through a complete physical examination.
For this, the clinical history will be observed, investigating personal history and ongoing pathologies., in addition to identifying the causes of pain and having to discriminate between low back pain and lumbosciatica, in addition to contrasting different variables such as the evolution of pain.
During the physical examination, the patient is assessed., with aspects such as the type of gait, postural attitude and functional limitations. Active mobility will have to be assessed at all levels, in addition to evaluating possible root damage, perform root elongation tests and strength alterations, atrophies or alterations in reflexes.
Low back pain treatment
The treatment of the low back pain can be conservative or surgical. To choose one or the other, it is crucial to take into account the pathology that triggers it, as well as the intensity and duration of the pain, since the surgical operation is carried out when the pathology is a sciatica or lumbar hernia.
In principle, low back pain is usually treated with painkillers, anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants, with the support of an active physical rehabilitation. In this case, Contrary to what you might think, absolute bed rest should be avoided as well as passive maneuvers, bad postural habits, lowering body weight and smoking. Similarly, it is necessary to maintain an adequate effective muscle tone of the back, lumbar and abdomen, so as to avoid relapsing into the same problem.
Depending on the duration of the process and its intensity, as well as the recurrence of the problem and if conservative treatment fails, it could become necessary to opt for surgical treatment.
Secondly, There are different sports activities that are recommended to be able to deal effectively with low back pain.. to get started, It is advisable You need to know how to do in order to promote recovery from lumbago, but also practice swimming and yoga. It's advisable, in any case, resort to the services of professionals who can offer the appropriate advice and indications to be able to deal with this health problem.
In each case it is necessary to treat the pathology in a particular and personalized way., In addition to indicating the different exercises that can be performed at home in order to deal with low back pain that can cause significant problems and pain.. In certain cases it can also indicate the use of lumbar belts for lumbago recovery.