?Low back pain? is the name given to a type of pain that reaches the lower back in the pelvis, also known as the "lower back". and it can have numerous causes. It usually begins as a minor nuisance in the area, which gets worse over time, while developing some degree of muscle contracture.
Low back pain is not considered a disease but rather a symptomatic sign. The most common cause is bad posture in the daily activities that an individual develops. Do people currently spend much of the day sitting at the computer, usually in positions that impair spinal alignment? and pain arises as a consequence of this incorrect posture, as if the body were? complaining? by repeating a habit that causes an injury.
Disc hernias, arthrosis, infection, and inflammation are some of the medical causes of this pain, which can also be caused due to emotional problems. The worsening of symptoms is influenced by factors such as smoking, obesity, physical inactivity and even the period of pregnancy. Can pain sometimes reflect? with or without numbness? in the lower leg, but most often low back pain is not a serious health problem.
Can bouts of pain begin and disappear in cycles of a few days? in this case low back pain is known as acute low back pain, and tends to reappear when postural patterns are repeated again; another form of the problem is called chronic low back painIn which case the pain is almost constant, without improvement or large variations in intensity.
Diagnosis
Because this is an essentially physical problem, a good clinical examination with an orthopedic surgeon is usually enough to diagnose low back paintaking into account the characteristics of the symptoms. Tests such as MRI may be ordered by your doctor to determine the size of the lesion as well as the exact region in which it is located.
Treatment
When we talk about pain, the first idea that comes to mind is that physical exercise is ideal to help combat it. However, when it comes to low back pain and back pains In general, exercise is not recommended and should even be avoided, at least during the painful crisis, as it may cause an intensification of pain, leading to a blockage or reduction of the movements of the region.
This is because exercise rubs the already damaged spinal bones and may worsen inflammation due to incorrect postural habits or joint problems.
Thus, the recommendation for the low back pain treatment It is absolute rest. The patient should lie flat, preferably on firm but not completely hard mattresses, and the most recommended position is the fetal position. Analgesics and anti-inflammatories may be used and any kind of action involving movement in the affected area should be avoided in the acute phase of pain. This includes massage, stretching and role playing. Past the pain phase, physical activity can help prevent further seizures and is even recommended by doctors.
Although not all cases of herniated disc require surgical procedure, if low back pain is caused by this type of problem the exams should be thorough and the treatment followed strictly under medical advice. Most of the time, even in these cases, the pain regresses with the patient's rest, because the patient allows the hernia to shrink and stop compressing the nerves. If the pain does not subside within three to six weeks, however, surgery may be the best option.
Prevention
The best way to prevent low back pain It is to strive for a good posture during daily activities, maintain healthy lifestyle habits, avoid smoking and excessive alcohol and adopt the practice of stretching at least twice a day.
Like all health problems, low back pain should not be overlooked. In either case, diagnosis and treatment should be accompanied by an orthopedic surgeon.
What causes back pain? And what treatments can help? - George Pan, MD | UCLA Pain Center (April 2024)
- Prevention and Treatment
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