The low back pain, sometimes tooéno call lumbago son tégeneral terms that refer to the lower back pain, and both of youéterms are used interchangeably.
The underlying causes of low back pain can be complex and are not always obvious.. When looking to determine the underlying cause of lower back pain, Two main factors help guide the méI say to do a diagnosisópreliminary stico:
- The type of lower back pain – what a description meansóno of cóhow does the pain feel, what makes it better or worse, When it occurs, and
- The ábad distributionóno pain – that is to say, where do you feel the pain, if it is limited to the lower back, or if the pain that accompaniesñto the leg is worse than lower back pain, or if the pain radiates to other parts of the body.
It is artíass isá aimed at helping patients understand cócome on médicos evalúan el ábad distributionóNo pain management to help diagnose the source of a patient's low back pain and determine initial treatment options.
Index
Principles of low back pain
Before discussing the specific typesílower back pain symptoms, it is important to understand some important principles.
Pain does not always reflect the magnitude of the dayñO. The severity of pain from back problems, often unrelatedón with the magnitude of the dayño fíphysically present.
For instance, a simple tear in a múlower back muscle can cause excruciating pain that can limit the ability to walk or even stand, while even a great herniated disc can be totally painless.
The diagnosisóStico is usually difficultícil. There are many anat structuresómicas in the lower back that can cause severe back pain and/or pain that radiates down the legs and/or feet. These include:
- The soft tissues, así like the múdogs, ligaments and tendons.
- Bones, that provide the building blocksón structural spine.
- The joints facet, that allow spinal movement
- The discos (the outer edge of the disc, the ring, they can be a source of significant lower back pain due to their rich innervationón and tendency to suffer dañO)
- The nerves that branch out from the méspinal cord in the regionón lumbar and innervate the legs and feet
All of the above structures areán intertwined to form the structure of the spine.
During embryonic developmentólogical there is a high degree of overlapón of innervationón of all these structures making it almost impossible for the brain to distinguish between problems of a specific structureífaces another.
For instance, a herniated or ruptured disc can feel idéntica to a múbruised century or torn ligament.
You specify itón diagnóethics is important
I get itón of a diagnosisóaccurate diagnosis of the underlying cause of the pain, is important if there are warning signs or “red flags” gifts.
These include weakness in the legs, significant numbness, at péloss of bowel or bladder control, fever or chillsío pésignificant unexplained weight loss.
If these areíntomas no isáno present, then conservative treatment can be started without the need to obtain a diagnosticóimmediate stic with a magnetic resonanceética.
By úlast, It's important to put attention on – unlike many other health problems – the experience of low back pain tends to be different for many people.
For instance, two people can have the exact same status, but for one it can be disabling and for the other it is a simple annoyance.
In fact, for the eldestíto of people a spinal abnormality (as a degenerated disc that can be seen on an MRIética) it is painless.
Además, there are other factors: psychológicos, emotional and even financial that often contribute to and influence a person's experience of back pain.
Diagnóaesthetics and treatment of low back pain
When determining the underlying cause of lower back pain, both in the type of lower back pain (a descriptionóno of cóhow does the pain feel) and the ábad distributionóno pain (where do you feel the pain) help guide theéI say to do a diagnosisópreliminary stic and determinationón of the appropriate treatment plan.
I get itón of a diagnosisóPrecise diagnosis of the cause of low back pain is often moreás difíeasier than many expect and, often implyá one combine usón of a classic storyínica meticulous and an examination fíphysical, así like diagnostic testsóstico.
The history and exam fíare used to help determine if a patient's low back pain is moreás likely to be caused by soft tissue (múcentury , ligament or tendonón ) problem that will probably cure itselfí same or a conditionón méunderlying dica n —ás grave, like a fracture, infectionóno tumor.
For the moment a méI say orderá diagnostic testsóstico, like an x-rayíto or an MRIética, since they usually have a strong suspicion about the probable cause of the patient's low back pain and the diagnostic testóStico is used to confirm and provide más details.
It is important to note that patients with the following síntomas podrístill have a conditionón médica serious and should be evaluated immediately:
- Fever and chillsíos
- background of cáncer with pérecent weight loss (o péunexplained weight loss)
- severe trauma
- Significant weakness of one or both legs
- sudden bowel incontinence and/or bladder – either difficulty urinating or defecating, o péreturn of control of the fuseóno bowel movement
- Severe ongoing abdominal pain combined with back pain.
