How to relieve lower back pain. Quick relief of acute back pain (first day) How to get rid of lower back pain quickly

General information about the lumbar spine

The spine consists of three sections: cervical, thoracic and lumbar.

During our life, the lumbar spine experiences much greater loads than the other two sections. That's why people have problems with it more often.

Agree that many people complain about “sore lower back”, but few people talk about, for example, “sore chest” :)

The fact is that in order to support the lumbar spine in its physiological, natural position, not only the back muscles are involved in the work, but also the abs, lateral abdominal muscles, gluteal muscles and thigh muscles.

Therefore, in order to restore the lumbar region and make it stronger and healthier, you will need to use more muscles than for the thoracic and. There are many different physical exercises for this.

But before moving on to recovery with the help of exercises, you first need to understand what acute pain is and what needs to be done to eliminate this pain.

Among the people, and even in official medicine, there are several synonyms for acute back pain:

Exacerbation
Radiculitis
Nerve injury or
“Lack of pain” in the lower back

What causes back pain

Imagine that the spine is a multi-story building, where the floors are the vertebrae, the floor with the underlying ceiling are the intervertebral discs, the outer walls are the muscles surrounding the spine, and the windows are the openings between the vertebrae from which the nerve fibers emerge.

When everything works well in this building, there are no breakdowns or violations. This means there is no back pain.

But imagine the following. If the back muscles are weak, then a colossal and constant load is placed on the spine. What happens then? The intervertebral discs are the first to suffer from such increased pressure!

They begin to “settle”, crack and lose their main function and task - to cushion and protect the vertebrae from collisions. Because of this, the load on the spine increases even more.

Since the intervertebral discs are “crushed,” they begin to extend beyond the spinal column, forming protrusions - bulging discs.

Let me give you a clear analogy. Intervertebral discs are like balls of thick liquid located between two books. When there is constant pressure on them, they flatten out and go beyond the boundaries of these books - these are disc protrusions.

Further, if the load continues to act on the discs, then they are so flattened that they begin to break through in the weakest places - in the protrusions. Because of this, their contents come out. This is how spinal hernias form.

How to relate this to pain and at what stage does it appear?

Remember, above, I said that between the vertebrae there are holes where the nerve roots come out? So, when the disks “settle,” these holes also narrow. In addition, protrusions or hernias can get into these holes.

Pain occurs when there is pinching or irritation of a nerve root or nerve. The cause may be a narrowing of the intervertebral foramen, a protrusion or hernia entering this opening. This is the first cause of pain.

In addition, there are also muscles located around the spine. They also experience certain changes. They strain to somehow maintain a normal position, but they don’t always succeed.

The result is chronic muscle strain. And tight, inelastic muscles can also put pressure on the nerves and prevent nerve impulses from passing through them.

So, the second cause of pain is spasm, overstrain of the muscles surrounding the spine and their imbalance. Overextended muscles negatively affect the nerves that travel through the muscle fibers to the lower extremities.

How does exacerbation of lumbar osteochondrosis manifest itself?

A typical picture of exacerbation of lumbar osteochondrosis (also known as radiculitis or lumbago) looks like this:

• Acute, severe pain in the lumbar region. It can be local, or it can radiate (radiate) along the pinched nerve to the pelvic region, groin, thigh, buttock. The pain can intensify with any movement and in a standing or sitting position.
• Limited movement in the back up to complete absence due to severe pain
• Spasm of the muscles surrounding the spine, which reflexively block any movement in this department

There are a lot of variations in the manifestations of lumbar osteochondrosis, since it is the lumbar spine that ensures the work of the legs from the pelvis to the tips of the toes.

If the pain is not sharp and shooting, but more moderate, dull and appears/intensifies ONLY when turning or bending to the side, then there is no infringement. Such characteristic pains speak more about muscle imbalance, chronic overstrain, and sprained ligaments.

So how to get rid of lower back pain

During the further lessons that I will send you over the next few days, we will deal with this issue, develop a plan for getting rid of pain and gradually restore the lumbar region to its normal state.

But within the framework of this lesson, we must figure out what to do in case of a typical exacerbation and how to quickly relieve acute pain in order to continue restoring the lumbar spine.

How to relieve acute lower back pain

In case of exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, unlike, for example, the cervical spine, exercises CANNOT be performed for anatomical reasons.

If, for example, for the cervical region we can use isometric exercises to relieve pain, then such exercises are not suitable for the lumbar region.

Therefore, in aggravation, you need to follow the following plan:

1) Gentle mode

The first thing you need to do is be sure to stay in bed for at least one to two days. When you are in a standing or sitting position, the load on the lumbar region increases significantly. From this, the infringement will make itself felt even more.

In the lying position, the lumbar region is completely unloaded. The vertebrae do not put pressure on each other, the intervertebral foramina restore their size, nerve entrapment decreases, and the muscles relax as much as possible.

With acute pain, swelling of the nerve and surrounding tissues, muscle spasm, and inflammation appear. These signs further provoke deterioration of the condition. In a supine position, the pinching subsides, which means that inflammation, swelling, and muscle spasm decrease.

2) Correct styling

Another important condition is proper placement in bed. To relax all the muscles and surrounding tissues as much as possible, you need to maintain all the curves of the spine in a physiological position.

To do this, lie on your back, place a cushion under your neck, and a flat pillow or folded towel under your lumbar region. Do not overdo it with the height, otherwise there will be a bend in the lumbar region. The height of the pillow or towel under the lower back should be approximately 4-5 cm.

By the way, the bed should be hard so that there are no unnecessary bends in the spine and the muscles can be relaxed as much as possible.

3) Pain relief

For acute pain, some people take drugs from the NSAID group (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), which are actively advertised in pharmacies, TV, and newspapers. This makes sense, but there are the following important points to consider.

These drugs must be taken according to strict indications and for no more than two days.

Such drugs have a huge list of side effects, ranging from the skin to the nervous system. They adversely affect all systems of our organs, overload the liver, affect the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, and so on. You can read about this yourself in the instructions for a specific drug.

Yes, if the pain is severe, then pain relief is still necessary. But I advise you not to take pills, but rather to give painkillers as intramuscular injections. This way the drug will reach its destination faster.

In addition, the tablets simply may not be absorbed in the intestines due to many reasons (dysbacteriosis, impaired absorption, damage to the intestinal wall, etc.).

The basic rule for such injections is no more than twice a day and preferably only one day.

If you have the opportunity to visit a neurologist, be sure to do so. He can give you a novocaine blockade, which is much more effective than NSAIDs.

The blockade is more local and targeted. It has no such side effects. This method will work much better, safer and faster than other medications.

4) Local anesthesia if the pain is chronic

If your pain is not too strong, but rather dull, moderate and tolerable, then you can get by with local anesthesia - any warming or analgesic ointment for the lumbar region + Kuznetsov’s applicator.

Lie on your back and lie down for at least 20 - 30 minutes to relieve spasms and reduce pain.

5) Nervous system support

Since acute back pain affects nerve fibers, they definitely need vitamin support. During this period, I recommend taking B vitamins (for example, neuromultivitis).

But it is best to take B vitamins intramuscularly (thiamine, milgamma). The reason is the same as with tablets. Vitamins may not partially pass through the intestines. In addition, any medicine passes not only through the intestinal barrier, but also through processing in the liver.

Only provided that you have a perfectly functioning intestine and a normal liver, the medicine or vitamin will reach the necessary tissues and organs. To bypass all these steps and definitely get vitamin support, it is better to administer vitamins intramuscularly.

6) Exercises and gentle self-traction

Let's say you have already implemented all the above tips. Now you are lying on your back, they have given you painkillers and vitamins.

Now, so as not to just lie there, let’s do some exercises. But, as I have repeatedly said before, exercises directly for the lumbar spine and back muscles cannot be performed at this stage yet.

But you can and should do general light exercises for the muscles of the feet, hands, arms, and also perform breathing exercises. These types of exercises will help relax muscles and improve capillary blood supply to all tissues.

In addition, this will be a good prevention of physical inactivity. You lie down, don’t move, all processes slow down. This will make further recovery take longer.

You can also do gentle self-traction of the spine.

I give examples of exercises in the video:

The main condition for performing the exercises is smoothness, softness and maximum concentration of attention on the exercise and your own sensations.

This is the step-by-step plan you need to implement if you have acute back pain, lumbago, or exacerbation. This plan applies only to the first days, when there is severe and acute pain.

What to do next

As soon as the pain subsides, that is, the process moves into the subacute period (usually this happens on the third or fourth day after the exacerbation), be sure to add:

• Therapeutic exercises for the lumbar spine SO FAR ONLY lying on your back with warm-up and cool-down (according to all the rules of physical therapy)
• Wearing an orthopedic brace when you need to get up and go somewhere (for example, walk to the nearest store)

That is, when the subacute period begins, you actively perform therapeutic exercises while lying down, and when you walk or sit, you put on an orthopedic corset.

Why do you need exercises in the subacute period?

How most people are treated. Their back hurt, they rested, everything seemed to go away, and they continue to lead the same lifestyle that they led before the exacerbation.

But think about this. If your lifestyle has led you to an aggravation, does that mean it is somehow wrong? If he had been correct, the exacerbation would not have happened? Right? :)

It's very easy to avoid this! You need to start doing therapeutic exercises already in the subacute period. And when it passes, add more complex exercises and continue to practice further.

And it is in the subacute period that it is very important for you to begin active restoration of the spine, namely:

1. Restoring balance between all muscle groups
2. Relaxation of muscles and restoration of their normal tone
3. Removing swelling and restoring all spinal tissues
4. Formation of your own muscle corset and strong muscular support of the spine

From the subacute period, it becomes the main and main work to restore the health of the lumbar region. It should be built systematically - from simple to complex exercises, from the initial position lying on your back to the initial position of standing in an inclined position.

By choosing the right loads and wisely combining exercises with each other, you will achieve stable remission (no pain and other symptoms) and keep your back strong and healthy forever.

From the next lesson we will begin to analyze which muscles need to be included in the work first, in what sequence, what exercises should be used, why they are there, how to perform them correctly, where to start, and much more...

Spinal pain is an unpleasant and very common phenomenon.

It can arise unexpectedly: from a simple careless movement.

Of course, you should definitely see a doctor, but before you go to the hospital, you still need to get rid of the pain.

Causes of back pain

• Incorrect posture.
• Consequence.
• Sedentary lifestyle.
• Sedentary work.
• Myofascial syndrome is an overload of the spinal muscles, the nature of the pain in this case is constant.
• If it intensifies with bending and movement, the cause may be osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine.
• Pain in the middle part of the back, surrounding the lower back and combined with heartburn, vomiting, can be caused by diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: pancreatitis, organ tumors, duodenal ulcers, stomach.
• If the source of pain is located in the thoracic region and under the shoulder blade, general malaise, cough and high temperature are also observed, the cause may be tuberculosis, pneumonia and pleurisy.
• - also a consequence of gynecological diseases, prostatitis, pilonephritis.
• Sharp lumbar pain coupled with problematic urination is a sign of inflammation of the appendix, renal colic or urolithiasis.
• A “lumbago” in the lumbar area, in which a sharp pain radiates to the lower extremities, intensifies with breathing and movement - a consequence of radiculitis or herniated intervertebral discs.
• Tuberculosis of the spine (found only in children) causes constant spinal pain, intensifying towards the lower back. At the same time, the gait changes noticeably and a hump forms.
• The last trimester of pregnancy can cause nagging, constant lumbar pain.
• Obesity is also a cause of spinal pain. They occur in the lumbar region, accompanied by a crunch in the back, neck and heaviness of the occipital region.

The opinion that you need to lie down as much as possible during spinal pain is wrong. According to eminent doctors, every extra “bed” day will add a couple of weeks to the patient.

It is clear that lying position is the most comfortable. But it’s better to overcome yourself, get out of bed and start moving.

This rule is valid in the first two days when pain occurs. Only during this period of time is it necessary to limit the patient’s physical activity as much as possible.

To stop an attack of acute pain, you can apply ice to the source of its occurrence. Cold helps reduce swelling and prevent stretching of the back muscles. You can even do a kind of ice massage: apply ice to the sore area and massage for 6-8 minutes.

Ice treatment may relieve pain in the first two days. And then you need to apply heat to the source of pain: soak a towel in very warm water, wring it out and straighten it. The patient should lie on his chest, put a pillow under his hips, and place a warm towel on his back, in the painful area. Cover the top with a plastic bag and a heating pad.

You can also give the pain a kind of contrasting response: apply cold (ice) for half an hour, heat for half an hour.

To relieve pain, you can do stretching exercises for the back muscles. Starting position: lying down, knees pulled up to the chest. You need to put a little pressure on your knees, then stretch them out and relax. By repeating this exercise, you can stretch the muscles and “calm” them.

Beware of sudden movements when getting out of bed. It is better to get down from it slowly, carefully, as if “rolling down” from the edge of the bed. First, lower your legs and move like a spring, lifting your upper body in one motion.

Basic treatment methods

Injections

How do the injections work?

Allows you to relieve inflammation and get rid of pinched spinal nerve roots.

What effect is achieved with injections?

Thanks to injections, medicinal components are delivered directly to the source of pain, restoring the affected tissue, improving blood circulation and strengthening the immune system.

What active ingredients are included in the injections?

• analgesics;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• local anesthetics;
• chondoprotectors;
• steroid hormones;
• vitamins;
• immunomodulators.

Orthopedic corsets not only help maintain or correct posture, but also partially cope with pain sensations. We recommend paying attention to , and .

Ointments

Ointments are topical preparations and are divided into categories:

1. Preparations with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory substances(relieve pain): Fastum Gel, Finalgel, Voltaren and others.
2. Combination drugs(regenerate, anesthetize, relieve inflammation, have a thrombolytic effect) - Dolobene gel, Finalgon.
3. Drugs with local irritant effects- Efkamon, Capsicam, Finalgon, Nicoflex, Apizartron. Principle of action: exposure to heat on the skin, due to which the muscles relax and blood supply improves.
4. Chondoprotectors- restore cartilage tissue, regenerate bone tissue: Arthrocin, Chondroxide, Chondroitin.
5. Homeopathic preparations: improve metabolism, relieve inflammation. Mechanism of action: immunomodulatory, regenerating, anti-edematous. Examples: Tsel-T, Traumeel S.
6. Herbal remedies: relieve pain, relieve swelling, improve metabolism, regenerate cells: Dikul balm, Shungit cream, Comfrey ointment, Sophia cream, Arthrocin gel.

Sleep in an "S" shape

Place a pillow under your head and neck, lay your back flat on the bed, and also a pillow under your knees. This will reduce the strain on your hamstrings and prevent anything from putting pressure on your back.

Sleep in the fetal position

Sleeping on your side in a baby position will also relieve pain. Place a pillow between your knees.

Take one aspirin daily

Aspirin has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Try willow bark

Willow bark is a natural salicylate that enhances the anti-inflammatory effect of aspirin tablets.

Osteochondrosis is a degenerative disease of the spine, one of the most common human pathologies. The disease is characterized by gradual destruction of the cartilage tissue of the vertebrae: as the disease progresses, ligaments, muscles, and bone structures are involved in destructive processes.

The most indicative sign of pathology is back pain of various types - sharp, aching, acute, periodic and constant. It is useful for all patients with degenerative diseases of the spine to know how to relieve pain in osteochondrosis and eliminate inflammation in the acute stage of the disease.

Pain in degenerative diseases of the spine

Pain is the main, but not the only symptom of osteochondrosis. The destruction of cartilage tissue itself is not accompanied by pain, especially at the initial stage of the disease. Painful sensations occur when pathological transformations affect nerve endings, muscles and ligaments.

Disease processes lead to loss of elasticity and mobility of the intervertebral discs. At the progressive stages of osteochondrosis, cracks appear in the discs, and the fibrous ring changes its anatomical position. These processes lead to the occurrence of protrusions and herniations of intervertebral discs: these are the main and most dangerous complications of the disease.

Near the intervertebral discs are nerve endings, blood vessels and the spinal cord itself. Deformed discs compress nerve endings and injure them. This process is the primary cause of pain symptoms, inflammation, spasms of muscles and ligaments. Back pain often radiates to other parts of the body, since the nerve endings of the spinal cord are connected to all systems of the body.

Pain symptoms in lesions of various parts of the spine are extremely diverse. In the progressive stages of the disease, in addition to back pain, patients may experience neck pain, headaches, cervical, shoulder, stomach and intestinal pain. Unpleasant symptoms occur in the legs, feet, gluteal muscles, and pelvic organs (often with impaired functionality).

Signs intensify with:

• Physical activity;
• Fatigue;
• Staying in one position for a long time;
• Stress;
• Hypothermia;
• Infectious processes in the body.

With severe compression of the spinal cord and blood vessels, serious pathologies of internal organs are possible. Compression in the cervical and lumbar regions is especially dangerous. Often, the consequence of pathological processes in advanced osteochondrosis are such dangerous diseases as stroke, erectile dysfunction, infertility, loss of control of the functions of the digestive organs and bladder.

Causes and accompanying symptoms of pain syndrome

The main causes of pain in osteochondrosis:

• Compression of nerve endings when discs are displaced;
• Muscle spasms;
• Compression of blood vessels;
• Inflammatory processes in the soft tissues surrounding the vertebrae.

The most common location of pain is the lumbar region of the back. This is the most mobile part of the spine: it bears the main load during physical activity and heavy lifting. In the sacral zone there are the main nerve plexuses and parts of the spinal cord that control the internal organs.

Complications often occur cauda equina syndrome- inflammation of the nerve endings of the lumbar region. This syndrome is accompanied by severe pain in the lower back. They are partly due to reflex muscle tension. In order to reduce pain, the body tries to limit muscle activity, which leads to muscle spasm. Constant tension contributes to the accumulation of lactic acid in muscle tissue, which also increases pain symptoms.

Vertebral artery syndrome is often diagnosed in the cervical region. Impaired blood supply to the brain causes headaches of various locations (parietal, occipital, temporal). Since the pain is referred, conventional analgesics do not alleviate the condition. Other signs of compression of the vertebral artery are cervicalgia, reflex pain in the neck and arms.

Associated signs of pain:

• Tingling in the limbs:
• Numbness of certain parts of the body, loss of sensitivity;
• Limitation of range of motion;
• Muscular atrophy;
• Feeling of constant fatigue;
• Reduced performance.

Coughing, sudden movements, sneezing, laughter - all these factors increase pain or provoke its occurrence.

How to eliminate pain from osteochondrosis

How to eliminate pain from osteochondrosis? Most people will answer unequivocally - medications. On the one hand, this is true: analgesics play a certain role in pain relief. But medications provide only a short-term effect. Such treatment is purely symptomatic and does not affect the true causes of the disease.

Constantly numbing pain with anesthetics is a fundamentally wrong tactic. Qualified doctors use medications only at the initial stage of treatment. Further therapy depends on the stage of the disease, the current condition of the patient and other related circumstances.

After eliminating the acute stage of the disease, other treatment methods are necessarily practiced - physiotherapy, professional massage, therapeutic exercises, reflexology, osteopathy, complex sanatorium-resort therapy. By stimulating blood circulation and metabolism, strengthening the muscle frame and ligaments, we thereby prevent further degenerative processes and prevent the occurrence of new pain.

Non-drug help at home

Even at home, in the absence of medications, there are ways, if not to completely relieve the pain, then at least to alleviate the patient’s condition. There are special body positions that reduce painful manifestations and provide motor rest to the affected area.

For cervical osteochondrosis, resting on a special orthopedic pillow helps. It is important to ensure complete immobilization of the cervical region, so the pillow should be sufficiently hard and rigid. It's better to lie on your back. It's great if you have an orthopedic collar. Such devices can be purchased at medical equipment stores or made with your own hands from thick cardboard and soft fabric.

When pain is localized in the lumbar region, there are several options for correct positioning of the body to relieve pain:

• Lying on your back, bend your knees and hips (you can put a pillow under your knees for comfort);
• Lying on your side, bend your legs and pull them towards your chin (you need to put a small pillow under your head to align the axis of the spine).

For non-inflammatory pain, gentle heating of the affected area is allowed. You can use a warm heating pad, or simply cover your back with a woolen scarf or blanket. Complete rest relaxes the muscles and partially relieves spasm.

Medicines to relieve pain and inflammation

Inflammatory processes in the nerve roots require the mandatory use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This is a fairly extensive group of drugs, represented by various dosage forms - ointments, tablets, injection solutions. The most popular drugs are Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, ointments Voltaren, Fastum and others.

Local painkillers are also used - Finalgon, Capsicam: these ointments, in addition to the analgesic effect, accelerate blood flow and metabolism. There are complex medications (chondroprotectors) that partially restore cartilage tissue and slow down its destruction.

They try to prescribe perioral medications as rarely as possible: any medication, in addition to its beneficial effect, has side effects. The most popular and in demand tablet drugs are Diclofenac, Nimesulide, Ibuprofen, Ketalong, Movalis.

Such drugs are often prescribed in a course of 5-7 days (1 tablet three times a day). In the absence of a therapeutic effect, more radical treatment methods are required.

Clinical therapy

In hospitals, advanced cases of osteochondrosis with severe pain are treated with medicinal injections. The most effective method of this type is novocaine blockade. This method of pain relief is close to local anesthesia. When injected, the medicine penetrates directly into the nerve endings and blocks pain signals entering the brain.

Blockade is an effective, but exclusively symptomatic method of therapy. The injections do not cure the disease itself, but only stop its manifestations. Often such a procedure is prescribed for diagnostic purposes - doctors need to find out which nerve is inflamed and gives pain symptoms.

Drug blockade as a method of therapy has certain advantages:

• Fast-acting (analgesic effect occurs within just a few minutes);
• Minimal penetration of the drug into the general bloodstream (reducing side effects on the entire body);
• Possibility of frequent use (if necessary).

In addition to analgesics, to enhance the healing effect, antispasmodics, decongestants and substances that stimulate trophism (nutrition) and blood supply to the affected area are sometimes introduced into the body. Intramuscular administration of vitamin preparations is allowed.

The most relevant medications used for blockades: Lidocaine, Novocaine (anesthetics), Hydrocortisone (corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drug), B vitamins, ATP (for cell nutrition), Lidaza. Blockades can be epidural (made directly into the vertebral structures), paravertebral (injected into the surrounding tissues).

Other types of clinical therapy for the treatment of pain: medicinal electrophoresis or phonophoresis, magnetic therapy, hypothermia (exposure to cold), paraffin, ozokerite applications, kinesiotaping (application of therapeutic patches), reflexology - acupuncture.

Lumbar back pain syndrome is a very common symptom. It can arise for a variety of reasons. For some patients who experience low back pain, home treatment becomes a priority.

There is a group of patients who hesitate to see a doctor and do not trust traditional methods of treatment. They are confident that folk remedies can relieve lower back pain. Thinking about how to treat a problem area of ​​the back without leaving home can be quite justified. However, it is better not to experiment without a preliminary examination.

Symptoms

Lumbar pain syndrome most often appears in middle-aged and elderly people, but young people are also familiar with this symptom. Against the backdrop of excessive physical exertion, awkward movement, or after hypothermia, a person may begin to experience lumbago and acute pain, which in medical parlance is usually called “lumbodynia.”

If you have acute pain in the lower back, and you won’t be able to see a doctor soon, then it would be good to know what to do with this condition at home. Of course, if you have a lower back pain, then before starting treatment at home, it would be right to find out what probably caused it.

Lumbar pain syndromes are divided into acute, chronic and radiating. In addition, they can be permanent or periodic, primary or secondary, so they can be treated differently.

Treatment at home

Treatment of lower back pain at home should have 3 main objectives: relieve inflammation, relieve pain and soothe. Such therapy at home does not mean that the patient will use exclusively folk remedies. As a rule, patients combine drug treatment, exercise therapy, massage and traditional medicine. All this helps to quickly and effectively treat your lower back at home.

Pharmacological agents

If the patient certainly knows about his pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, then he can try the following therapeutic regimen:

1. the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory injections, tablets, ointments, patches, rectal suppositories (Diklak, Almiral, Revmoxicam, Voltaren, Movalis).
2. In parallel with NSAIDs, injectable and tableted muscle relaxants (Midocal, Tolperil, Midostad Combi) are prescribed. For lower back pain caused by muscle spasms, they are indispensable.
3. In order to restore damaged tissue in the diseased area of ​​the back, a course of B vitamins (Neovitam, Milgamma, Neurorubin) is recommended.

Most often, the described treatment tactics can effectively eliminate lumbar pain at home. But if positive dynamics are not observed when using the described scheme at home, then regional anesthesia is sometimes used.

Ointments

As practice shows, patients who have lower back pain do not really like injections or pills, but more often try to help themselves with various ointments. However, it is worth understanding that some ointments, while providing pain relief, do not solve the underlying problem. Although complex therapy usually includes them.

All ointments in this direction can be divided into several groups:

The patient will be able to choose an effective ointment for treatment at home only when he receives an accurate diagnosis.

Physiotherapy

After acute pain has been relieved, it would be good to do special exercises to treat different parts of the back. But an experienced physiotherapist should select therapeutic exercises for back pain.

Home conditions allow you to practice therapeutic exercises, but the patient must perform it very delicately. There should be no significant discomfort or pain when performing the exercises. If some exercise provokes the appearance of pain, then you need to reconsider the elements of its implementation or completely abandon it.

Massage

For lower back pain, massage is indicated only during remission. In addition, it is important to choose the right duration, intensity and frequency of massage. For pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, doctors recommend giving preference to vacuum massage with cups, relaxing or finger shiatsu massage.

And if the patient is interested in how to relieve acute lower back pain on his own at home, then massage therapists can teach him how to perform acupressure massage. In addition, Lyapko and Kuznetsov applicators, various rollers or belts are very appropriate for back pathologies.

Video

Video - treating lower back pain at home

Ethnoscience

Traditional methods for treating lower back pain are very popular among patients because they are simple and the ingredients for their recipes are quite affordable. Even if you can’t completely cure your back with folk remedies alone, they can significantly improve the patient’s condition. The attending physician, as a rule, willingly meets the needs of the patient, combining traditional therapy with non-traditional therapy.

Rubbing

The first thing that comes to a patient’s mind when he thinks about how to treat his back at home is rubbing. Due to this manipulation, the healing process is accelerated, since rubbing well enhances tissue blood circulation.

Popular recipes:

1. rubbing with vodka, honey and radish juice (1:2:3). The finished product is stored in the refrigerator. Use well-closed porcelain or glass containers.
2. Adam's root rub with vodka. Add 200 grams of grated Adam’s root to 500 ml of vodka, mix well, and then infuse for up to 5 days. Dark containers are suitable for this.
3. Multi-component rubbing on “Triple” cologne. To prepare it you will need: 2 bottles of valerian tincture, 5 red peppercorns, 2 bottles of iodine 3%, and a bottle of cologne. All ingredients are mixed, shaken well, and then left for 24 hours.

This procedure effectively relieves pain in the spine if, after applying the rub to the problem area, the area is wrapped in a woolen scarf overnight.

Compresses

Many patients were able to quickly cure their back at home using compresses.

Some patients have approved the following:

1. compress of grated horseradish or radish. Plant material will not cause a burning sensation if mixed with sour cream. The resulting mixture is applied in a thick layer to the problem area and covered with a napkin.
2. Mustard powder compress. Dry mustard is diluted with warm water so that the consistency of low-fat sour cream is obtained. The sore spot is generously smeared with mustard and insulated. But the procedure is continued for no more than 5 minutes to avoid burns.
3. Test compress. The sour dough is applied to the sore back over a thick layer of gauze and the compress is left overnight. The procedure is repeated 10 days in a row.

Compress, as a folk remedy for back and lower back pain, should not cause severe discomfort to the patient. Only moderate heat or slight tingling is allowed.

Tinctures, infusions and decoctions

For acute lower back pain, patients practice taking infusions, tinctures and decoctions orally.

As a general rule, all homemade oral medications are best taken 30 minutes before meals or 1 hour after meals.

Prevention

So that you don’t have to think about how to quickly relieve acute back pain at home, it is important to follow these recommendations:

1. perform a preventive set of stretching exercises.
2. Protect your spine while sitting and standing (guideline - ears, shoulders, hips and knees should be in line).
3. When sleeping on your side, place a pillow between your knees, and when sleeping on your back, place a pillow under your knees.
4. You should not wear high-heeled or flat-soled shoes; it is better to choose the “golden” middle.
5. Watch your weight. To do this, you need to eat right and lead an active lifestyle.
6. Quit bad habits (smoking, alcohol abuse). Tobacco smoking contributes to the development of osteoporosis and increases sensitivity to pain.
7. Nutrition should be balanced. You should consume sufficient amounts of Ca, P, and vitamin D.
8. Try to maintain a stable emotional state and avoid stressful situations.

Pain syndrome can greatly affect the quality of life and reduce the patient’s ability to work. But it is quite possible to cope with this problem without leaving home if you use an integrated approach and do not forget to consult with specialists.

The spinal column is the support of the human body. Back pain is caused by various factors, but always brings a lot of discomfort to a person. Body mobility decreases, the body’s condition worsens, and the patient experiences stress and depression. This situation requires immediate treatment, since problems with the spine are a direct path to disability.

The lower back is one of the most vulnerable places of the spine. Pain in this place begins to bother you from the age of 30-35. The intervertebral discs of the lower back begin to wear out earlier due to heavy loads, because the lower back is the main center of gravity of the body. Although pain in this area does not always indicate problems with the spine. It is often the result of problems with internal organs, such as the kidneys or gastrointestinal tract. The intervertebral discs in the lower back lose their elasticity due to osteochondrosis or other pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Pathologies that may cause pain:

• spondylosis;
• radiculitis;
• lumbago;
• injuries or sprains of ligaments and muscles;
• intervertebral hernia ;
• inflammation of the sciatic nerve;
• tumors in the vertebrae or spinal cord;
• infectious diseases;
• pre-stroke condition;
• diseases of the pelvic organs.

External factors that provoke pain in the spine:

hypothermia;

lifting loads;

sedentary lifestyle;

pregnancy;

overweight;

scoliosis;

avitaminosis.

Depending on the cause and factors that provoke discomfort, pain syndromes differ from each other.

The pain is sharp

Sudden acute pain in the lower back is a rather unpleasant symptom that disrupts a person’s usual way of life. It can appear suddenly when moving or at rest, and indicates a problem in the body. In medical practice, there are several groups of people in whom acute pain occurs most often:

• people leading a sedentary lifestyle;
• drivers;
• people who do hard work;
• professional athletes.

In rare cases, the patient can independently determine the cause of acute pain. But, basically, you need to visit several doctors to make a diagnosis.

The causes of lumbar pain can be divided into two types:

1. Spinal pathologies: osteochondrosis; intervertebral hernia, radiculitis, vertebral displacement, pinched nerves, ligament and muscle diseases.
2. Inflammatory processes in internal organs: kidney pathologies, urolithiasis, ectopic pregnancy, cancer.

Many doctors believe that lower back pain is caused by the anatomical features of a person, since the main load falls on this section. This is a kind of payment for walking upright. Therefore, pain syndrome is most often caused by problems with the spine.

Chronic pain

Low back pain that lasts more than three months is classified as chronic. Many patients do not pay attention to the discomfort and simply live with it. It is believed that chronic pain is associated with disorders in the nervous and psycho-emotional spheres. Damage to the spine or problems with internal organs rarely cause it. Possible reasons:

• complex operations;
• mechanical injuries;
• stress;
• suffered a heart attack or stroke.

Statistics show that most patients with depression suffer from lower back pain. What clinical signs accompany this syndrome:

• loss of sleep;
• constant weakness;
• feeling of hopelessness;
• low self-esteem.

To identify the cause, the patient should undergo examination by specialists of various qualifications. How to relieve lower back pain ? In addition to taking medications and physiotherapeutic procedures, the patient must take antidepressants and visit a psychologist.

Intermittent pain

Sometimes there are situations when lower back pain is not constant and has no clear localization. It can be sharp, blunt or shooting. Most often, this syndrome indicates a disease of the internal organs.

Among women:

• gynecological problems;
• menstruation;
• consequences after abortion;
• pregnancy;
• menopause

For men:

• prostatitis
• epididymitis.

Common reasons:

• tumors;
• spinal or vertebral injuries;
• appendicitis;
• pancreatitis;
• cholecystitis;
• lumbar tuberculosis;
• myositis.

Intermittent pain is typical for weightlifters or bodybuilders who incorrectly distribute the load on the spine.

Treatment methods

How to relieve lower back pain ? Depending on the cause and location of the pain syndrome, treatment methods are also distinguished. The best solution is to visit a doctor and have a full examination. If this is not possible, you need to know how to provide first aid for acute lower back pain.

How to relieve lower back pain:

1. Lie on a hard surface - the spine should be in the correct position.
2. Relax your muscles.
3. Apply ice to the sore spot;
4. If the pain is very severe, take a pain reliever (Diclofenac, Ibuprofen) and call an ambulance.

What not to do:

• use warming ointments;
• perform physical exercises;
• do massages or go to a chiropractor during an exacerbation;
• take a hot bath;
• drinking alcohol;
• take any medications without the consent of a doctor.

After examination and diagnosis, the doctor prescribes a course of treatment. If the problem is in the internal organs, therapy is aimed at eliminating the cause. For pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, the following methods are used:

• taking medications;
• dietary food;
• course of therapeutic massages;
• visiting a chiropractor;
• physiotherapy;
• acupuncture;
• magnetic therapy, UHF.

How to relieve back pain patients with chronic pain syndrome and depression? Such patients need emotional support and psychological and motor rehabilitation. It is recommended to attend recovery courses after suffering psychological and physical injuries.

Drugs

How to relieve pain in the spine ? Medicines with an analgesic effect will help here. The dosage and duration of use are prescribed only by a doctor. There are two main groups:

Which drugs have the maximum analgesic effect for lower back pain:

• Naproxen;
• Diclofenac;
• Ketorolac.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs give maximum effect when combined with muscle relaxants (reduce muscle tone):

• Mydocalm;
• Miolax;
• Tolperil;
• Myoxan.

Corticosteroids reduce the chance of the disease progressing to the chronic stage:

• Dexamethasone;
• Methylprednisolone;
• Diprospan;
• Budesonide.

How to relieve lower back pain if it is caused by stress:

• taking antidepressants;
• vitamin B injections;
• Milgamma injections;
• antiepileptic drugs.

To prevent future pain syndromes, chondroprotectors are used:

• Alflutop;
• Glucosamine;
• Chondroxide;
• Chondrolone.

These drugs only eliminate the symptoms and do not eliminate the true cause of the disease. Their effect is temporary; in addition, they have a number of side effects and contraindications.

Taking medications should be combined with physiotherapeutic procedures.

Ointments

Joint ointments for external use are considered one of the safest remedies for lower back pain. When they are used, only 10% of the active substances enter the bloodstream. It is not the pharmacist at the pharmacy who selects the ointment, but the doctor, who will take into account all the features of the disease. The course of treatment continues for up to 10 days. Rules of use:

• Apply the product to a clean, undamaged area of ​​skin.
• Rub the ointment in with light massage movements. The number of procedures is 2-3 per day.
• To improve the warming effect, the area where the ointment is applied should be wrapped in a warm scarf.
• In case of inflammatory infectious processes, warming ointment is prohibited.

How to relieve back pain with ointment? What they use:

Group of drugs	Properties	Name
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs	Pros: fast action for lower back pain, high efficiency Cons: a large number of side effects	Diclofenac, Nise, Fastum gel, Voltaren, Nimesulide, Ibuprofen
Warming ointments	Activate blood circulation, dilate blood vessels, have an analgesic effect	Finalgon, Capsikam, Viprosal, Efkamon
Chondroprotectors	Restore damaged ligaments and cartilage tissue	Chondroitin, Theraflex M
Homeopathic remedies	Improve metabolism, restore damaged cartilage	Traumeel, Zel T

Combination drugs are also used, which, in addition to the analgesic effect, relieve the inflammatory process, improve tissue regeneration, and have a thrombolytic effect. Among them:

• Dolobene;
• Arthrocin.

For back pain caused by sports injuries, hypothermia or pinching, use irritating ointments

• Finalgon;
• Nicoflex,
• Viprosal;
• Capsicam.

Before using any drug, you need to do an allergy test - apply a small amount of ointment to your forearm.

Intolerance to the components can cause urticaria, swelling and bronchial spasm.

Massage

One of the means of rehabilitation for diseases of the musculoskeletal system is massage. A course of massages is also useful as a preventive measure. The procedure will be useful for athletes and people leading a sedentary lifestyle. Massage will also help you recover after heavy physical activity. Benefits of massages:

• relieving pain in the lower back;
• stimulation of blood circulation and lymph flow;
• improvement of nerve fiber conductivity;
• elimination of joint swelling;
• stopping inflammatory processes.

Massage should only be performed by a qualified specialist, as one wrong movement can harm the patient.

The following types of massage are distinguished:

• Swedish massage;
• Acupressure;
• Deep penetrating;
• Japanese (shiatsu);
• Thai;
• Sports;
• Special massage for hernia;
• Massage for pregnant women.

To relieve pain, rubbing and kneading using special techniques are used.

It is a common belief that massage will not harm anyone. But this is fundamentally wrong. There are several contraindications that should be taken into account before visiting a massage therapist.

When massage is contraindicated:

• for hypertension;
• presence of intervertebral hernia;
• oncological diseases;
• allergic and purulent rash on the skin;
• tuberculosis;
• heart disease;
• for kidney pathologies;
• elevated body temperature;
• blood diseases;
• benign tumors;
• severe displacement of intervertebral discs;
• with thrombosis.

A massage session should not exceed 60 minutes. If the procedure did not help and the lower back continues to hurt, it is possible that the massage technique was chosen incorrectly or the massage therapist is not a professional.

Comfortable position

One of the possible causes of lower back pain is an incorrect sleeping position. The best sleeping position is considered to be on your back. But many people are unable to fall asleep like this or this position is uncomfortable for them. But there are alternatives:

1. Sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees. This position distributes weight evenly and preserves the natural curvature of the spine.
2. On your side with a pillow between your knees. To prevent strain in the lower back, place a firm bolster or pillow between your knees. Your knees should be bent.
3. Fetal position. Oddly enough, this is the position that will bring relief to people who have been diagnosed with an intervertebral hernia.
4. Sleeping on your stomach. This position is considered the worst for sleeping, but if you place a thin pillow under the stomach and hips, it will even bring relief to patients with degenerative disc pathologies. To avoid neck distortion, you can try lying face down, to do this, place a small pillow under your forehead so that you can breathe.

People with spinal problems should choose orthopedic mattresses and pillows.

How to relieve pain in the spine ? A few simple recommendations will help:

• It is better to refuse upholstered furniture;
• when working sedentarily, you should take breaks every quarter of an hour, get up and warm up;
• your back should touch the chair;
• when standing for a long time, you need to alternately shift your weight to your right and left legs;
• when lifting something from the floor, you should sit down or bend over with your knees bent;
• drivers are advised to place a small cushion under their lower back;
• when lifting loads, it is strictly forbidden to make sudden movements;
• During an exacerbation of pain, you should avoid the sauna.

Regular physical exercise will help strengthen your back muscles. You need to do it systematically, only then will there be a positive effect.

ethnoscience

Traditional medicine is not able to eliminate the main cause of pain in the spine, but using folk recipes it is possible to get rid of the pain itself. For this, a regular heating pad is often used. Dry heat properties:

• blood circulation improves;
• swelling decreases;
• helps with pinched nerves and minor sprains.

In addition to the heating pad, other heating methods are used:

• hot baths with the addition of essential oils;
• fabric bags with sand
• mustard plasters.

Dry heat should not be used unless the cause of the disease is certain. In case of inflammatory processes in internal organs, such procedures can only do harm.

Medicinal compresses and decoctions help well. Several effective folk methods:

1. Dilute mustard powder with water to the consistency of thick sour cream and apply to the lower back for no more than 5 minutes. The heat should be comfortable for the body; if there is a strong burning sensation, the compress should be removed;
2. Dissolve 100 grams of salt in a liter of hot water. Soak gauze or natural fabric in the solution and apply to the sore spot. Secure and leave overnight.
3. Wash the beets thoroughly and grate them on a fine grater along with the peel. Squeeze out the mixture and mix with a tablespoon of kerosene. The skin should first be protected with a piece of gauze. Wrap the mixture in natural fabric and apply to the sore spot. Secure the top with a warm scarf and leave overnight.
4. Squeeze the juice from agave leaves and rub it on your sore lower back. There may be a strong burning sensation. If skin irritation occurs, treatment should be discontinued.
5. Collect fresh nettles in a large bunch. The patient should be beaten on the lower back with this broom. The oven will be very hot, but the recipe is effective.

In fact, traditional medicine offers many recipes. But before using them, it is better to consult a doctor so as not to harm the spine even more.

Prevention

Almost 90% of people experience lower back pain. Therefore, it is better to prevent them than to treat them later. A few rules for a healthy spine:

1. Movement. Regular exercise, an active lifestyle, weight control - all this will strengthen your back muscles and significantly reduce the risk of injury.
2. Rejection of bad habits. Cigarettes have a detrimental effect on intervertebral discs, reducing their strength and flexibility.
3. Correct postures when sitting and sleeping. These factors should be controlled, since incorrect positioning puts extra stress on the spine.
4. Regular breaks during sedentary work. It is advisable to get up from your workplace every half hour and walk for 5-10 minutes and do a few simple exercises.
5. Reducing the time you use laptops, smartphones and tablets. Frequent use of gadgets creates additional stress on the spine and neck.