When back pain appears, the thought of radiculitis immediately arises. In fact, even pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract can become the cause of discomfort in the lower back. Therefore, before drawing up a therapeutic regimen, doctors carefully examine the patient. When the back hurts in the lumbar region, only a neuropathologist can decide how to treat the pathology. Often, doctors of narrow specializations are involved in the therapy - a gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, oncologist, gynecologist, urologist. Depending on the diagnosed diseases, further treatment is carried out at home or in a hospital.
Basic principles of treatment
Pain affecting the lumbar spine can be nagging, nagging, or violent and violent. If, during examination, the patient does not have pathologies of organs of other vital systems, then the following measures are included in the therapeutic scheme:
- taking pharmacological drugs to relieve inflammatory processes, eliminate pain, restore damaged bone and joint tissues;
- carrying out physiotherapy procedures to accelerate the regeneration of the vertebrae and skeletal muscles;
- physical therapy or gymnastics.
In case of sharp and severe pain that restricts movement, patients are prescribed drugs for intramuscular injection. As a rule, in this case, hospitalization is performed in a hospital. After improvement of the patient's condition, he is discharged for further recovery at home.
The correct approach to treatment
The main cause of lower back pain is destructive-degenerative damage to the vertebrae or a formed intervertebral hernia. No matter how successful the treatment is, doctors recommend that patients eliminate the factor that provoked the pathology from their usual way of life. Otherwise, the disease will return after a while or turn into a chronic form, dangerous for its relapses.
Begin to treat acute or pulling back pain should be in bed. When the inflammatory process becomes the cause of the pathology, then even insignificant physical activity contributes to its spread. Neuropathologists advise purchasing an orthopedic pillow and mattress. They will reduce the load on a sore back, prevent squeezing and pinching of muscles and nerve roots. If it is not possible to buy special devices, then you need to choose a mattress and a pillow of medium hardness for sleeping.
To accelerate recovery, you should adhere to the following medical recommendations during treatment:
- avoid any physical activity and active sports. At the stage of rehabilitation, you can do yoga, swimming or just take a long walk in the fresh air;
- Eliminate fatty and fried foods from the diet. They negatively affect the condition of the blood vessels located in the lumbar spine, contribute to the deposition of harmful cholesterol. Deficiency of nutrients and biologically active substances is one of the causes of bone tissue destruction;
- do not drink or smoke. If it is impossible to overcome the harmful addiction completely, then at least for the duration of the treatment you should forget about it. Poisonous resins, nicotine, ethanol have a detrimental effect on veins, arteries and capillaries, slow down the restoration of bone, articular and cartilage tissues in men and women.
The intake of balanced complexes of vitamins and microelements will help speed up recovery. Some of them contain increased amounts of calcium, but such drugs can only be taken as directed by a doctor. Therefore, it is advisable to purchase simple medicines.
Pharmaceuticals
Despite the effectiveness of folk remedies and physiotherapy procedures, only pharmaceutical preparations can quickly eliminate severe back pain. If the discomfort is poorly expressed, a course intake of capsules, pills and tablets will help. And with intense pain, neuropathologists prescribe intravenous and intramuscular injections to alleviate the patient's condition. Many of the drugs used to treat lower back have serious side effects and many contraindications. To avoid negative consequences will allow strict adherence to medical recommendations regarding the dosages used and the duration of the course.
Solutions for injection
For the treatment of lumbar pain, injectable forms of preparations containing B vitamins are almost always used. They exhibit neurotropic activity:
- normalize the innervation of the skeletal muscles;
- restore the transmission of nerve impulses;
- promote the regeneration of the affected nerve fibers;
- speed up the metabolism of substances;
- increase the functional activity of the central and peripheral nervous system.
The preparations also include analgesics, therefore preparations of B vitamins have moderate analgesic properties.
Drugs for injection are prescribed for acute pain, which is often called "lumbago". And when the pathology becomes chronic, their use does not bring the expected result. Vitamins are used both as a single drug and in combination with anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs. It is NSAIDs that are becoming the first choice in the treatment of low back pain. Solutions for intramuscular administration within a few minutes stop inflammation, reduce the severity of discomfort, and eliminate swelling of soft tissues.
Some drugs are structurally analogous, but they may differ in the intensity of the therapeutic effect and the number of side effects. When choosing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the doctor takes into account many factors. For example, certain drugs have a pronounced analgesic effect, but they severely damage joints and cartilage. And there are drugs that, unlike others, do not disrupt the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
Despite the effectiveness of NSAIDs in the treatment of back pain, neuropathologists prescribe them with caution, especially in injectable forms. The fact is that even a single intramuscular injection of the solution can cause ulceration of the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. It is strictly forbidden to use NSAIDs in injections or tablets for people who have been diagnosed with gastritis, as well as ulcerative lesions of the stomach and duodenum. Treatment of low back pain in men and women with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should be combined with any proton pump inhibitors.
Tablets, capsules, dragees
NSAIDs and B vitamins after a course of injections, the patient takes in tablets or capsules to consolidate the result of therapy. If the lower back hurts, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in injections are contraindicated, then the doctor prescribes pills with such active ingredients.
For the treatment of pathologies of the spinal column, drugs with a combined composition are often used.
Pain in the lumbar region of the back occurs with muscle spasm.
The nerve roots are stretched, provoking the development of secondary radicular syndrome. Muscle relaxants help to normalize the innervation of nerve impulses and stop the spasm. In case of acute pain, a short course of injections is given, and then the patient continues treatment with pills.
During the rehabilitation period, it is recommended to take chondroprotectors. The tablets usually contain stimulants for the regeneration of cartilage tissue, extracts from shark cartilage and medicinal plants that help restore the bone structures of the spine. Before treating lower back pain with chondroprotectors, the doctor assesses the degree of damage to the articular and cartilage tissues. When diagnosing serious destructive changes, therapy with these drugs can last more than a year.
Ointments, gels, creams, balms
Along with drugs for parenteral and oral administration, neuropathologists prescribe drugs for external use. They are applied to the lumbar region several times a day until the painful sensations are completely eliminated. Some ointments contain bee and snake venom, paprika extract, and essential oils.
All these organic substances have a warming effect. Patients with sensitive skin may experience burns and symptoms of allergic reactions. And before treating low back pain provoked by an inflammatory process, you should consult your doctor about the safety of using such external agents. As a rule, neuropathologists prescribe the following ointments and gels:
- homeopathic. They contain plant extracts and chemical compounds that improve metabolism and have an analgesic effect. Many doctors are skeptical about homeopathy, but patients who do not consider it a pseudoscience can be cured. One of the serious disadvantages of such ointments is the long duration of therapy;
- NSAIDs. Ointment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is well absorbed by the skin and quickly penetrates into the damaged area. After a single application, the severity of the pain syndrome decreases, the mobility of the vertebrae is restored.
Effective stimulation of the normalization of tissue metabolism and relief of dystrophic changes occurs after a course of use of external agents with chondroprotectors.
It doesn't matter if one vertebra is ill or the inflammation has affected the entire lumbar region - ointments with chondroprotectors help to restore joint and cartilaginous tissues damaged by the pathological process.
Physiotherapy procedures
Most of these treatments are not prescribed for patients with pain caused by acute inflammation. The procedures are started after its relief with pharmacological drugs. Physiotherapy is used to normalize tissue metabolism, regenerate tissues, and prevent further degenerative changes in the lumbar spine. What physiotherapy procedure can you use to get rid of back pain:
- electrophoresis. Therapeutic manipulation is designed to ensure rapid delivery of drugs (NSAIDs, analgesics, anesthetics, chondroprotectors) to the damaged areas of the lumbar spine. In the process of electrophoresis, cotton swabs soaked in a medicinal solution are placed on the patient's back. On top, special plates are superimposed through which current is passed. Under the influence of electrical impulses, chemical molecules quickly penetrate the area of inflammation;
- ultrasound therapy. The oscillation of ultrasonic waves stimulates blood circulation in the lower back. Nutrients and biologically active substances, as well as molecular oxygen, begin to penetrate into damaged tissues. After 5-10 procedures, the patient's pain disappears as a result of relieving muscle spasm and increased metabolism;
- laser therapy. Laser polarized light is used in the treatment of destructive changes in the lumbar intervertebral discs. Under the influence of infrared radiation, the blood supply to the articular and cartilaginous tissues is restored, the metabolism is normalized.
Physiotherapy helps to remove toxins, toxins, end products of the inflammatory process from the spinal column; - magnetic therapy. During the procedure, the patient is exposed to a wave magnetic field to stimulate blood circulation in damaged tissues.
Medical manipulation is prescribed to relieve further damage to the lumbar vertebrae and prevent the spread of inflammation to healthy tissues. The result is the disappearance of painful sensations and the restoration of full range of motion.
For the treatment of severe pain that can radiate to the leg, arm, tailbone, physiotherapy procedures are combined with the intake of pharmacological drugs. And during the rehabilitation period or during remission of chronic pathologies of the spine, patients are recommended mud therapy, baths with mineral water, classical and precise massage, acupuncture.
Traditional Healer Recipes
Traditional healers recommend drinking plenty of fluids to treat low back pain. Pure water, chamomile and rosehip tea, compotes from berries and fruits will help to quickly remove the end products of inflammation, toxins and toxins from the spine. As a plentiful drink in folk medicine, infusions and decoctions of medicinal herbs are used. Useful plants contain biologically active substances with anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antiseptic properties.
How to cure back pain with healing infusions:
- Pour 3 tbsp into a thermos. tablespoons of lingonberry leaves, St. John's wort and marigolds, pour a liter of boiling water and leave for about an hour. Strain, drink aromatic infusion instead of coffee and tea;
- in an enamel or glass container, place a handful of dry rose hips, blueberries and juniper berries, pour 2 liters of hot water. Simmer in a water bath for 30-40 minutes, strain and drink 0. 5 cups of infusion before each meal.
Back pain can be treated with a compress or ointment made from natural products. How to make a potion:
- Melt 3 tbsp in a water bath. tablespoons of natural honey, cool and mix with 2 tbsp. spoons of pharmacy alcohol.
- Gently add 100 ml of petroleum jelly into the mixture and rub into the damaged areas of the lower back.
This remedy is also used for medical compresses for back pain. To do this, the mixture should not be rubbed, but distributed in a thin layer on the skin. You need to put a plastic wrap on top, and then wrap it with a warm scarf. The duration of the procedure is 3-4 hours.
Treatment of low back pain is usually done at home. Only when an acute inflammatory process is diagnosed, the patient is admitted to the hospital. Depending on the cause of the pathology, therapy takes from two weeks to several months. But if medical recommendations are followed, recovery is significantly accelerated, as evidenced by the reviews of cured patients.
- “One morning I just couldn't get out of bed, I even thought I was paralyzed. But the pain refuted such an assumption, it was so strong that it gave to the legs. They were treated in a hospital with injections of NSAIDs and a muscle relaxant, and then drank them at home for about a week. The pain was gone already on the second day, but the doctor ordered to be treated until a victorious recovery. "
- “My pain got worse gradually, as I suspect, after swimming in a cold river. The lower back simply did not unbend, I had to go to sick leave. I followed all the doctor's advice, drank NSAIDs and muscle relaxant, smeared with anti-inflammatory ointment, glued mustard plasters on my back. She was cured in five days. "
- “The doctor warned that pain is not the worst thing. During the diagnosis, it turned out that my vertebrae are rapidly collapsing. For about a year I took chondroprotectors and rubbed them on my back. For pain, I drank NSAIDs with a proton pump inhibitor. After a new examination, the neuropathologist was pleased that no new injuries were found. "