What is lumbago and why does it appear?

There are certain pains that are more disabling than others, and that can seriously affect actions as simple as walking or moving. Low back pain is the pathology we see most frequently at the Clínica del Dolor, and it is estimated that 80% of the population will suffer from it at least once in their lives.

These data make lumbago one of the most widespread pathologies worldwide, making it also one of the main causes of absenteeism at work because it affects walking and even makes it difficult to keep the back straight without pain.

What is low back pain and what are its symptoms?

Low back pain or lumbago is, simply put, pain focused in the lower back (lumbar region). This area of the back is responsible for supporting much of the weight of our body, and is an area where there is rotation and can move in various directions. This makes it more prone to injury.

This region is composed of 5 vertebrae (the largest of the entire spine), and yet, as we have mentioned, they are the most mobile. This is because their main function is to carry our weight, and also to absorb the impact of everyday actions such as walking, running or jumping.

Something that characterizes low back pain is that it is a type of pathology that can be suffered by young people and older adults without distinction, as well as by people with a high level of physical activity and sedentary people.

Symptoms of low back pain

The symptoms of low back pain are easily recognizable because they are focused on a very specific area, and may affect differently depending on the type of low back pain or the age of the person suffering from it.

This can cause to a greater or lesser degree:

• Difficulty in moving or standing upright
• Sitting pain in some cases
• Appearance of contractures
• Dull or severe low back pain
• Pain radiating to the groin area or upper leg (sciatica)
• Muscle spasms

Types of low back pain

Low back pain has a multi-causal origin, and broadly speaking the main causes are herniated discs, facet arthrosis or narrowing of the lumbar canal. There are different degrees of low back pain depending on the time of evolution, which we will see below:

 

• Acute or simple low back pain: The most common form and the one with the shortest recovery time. Acute low back pain is low back pain that lasts less than 6 weeks.

• Subacute low back pain: When the pain persists between 6 and 12 weeks.

• Chronic low back pain: If the low back pain lasts more than 3 months, it is called chronic low back pain.

We can also speak of different types of low back pain depending on the pain they present:

• Axial low back pain with or without referred pain: The most common, the main pain is in the mid lumbar area and has a mechanical rhythm. This means that it tends to improve with rest and worsens with movement. Sometimes there is referred pain to other areas such as the buttocks or extremities, but these are still very modifiable with movement. They are almost always acute cases.

• Lumbar radiculopathy (sciatica): Sciatica, as this pain is more commonly known, is due to compression or inflammation of the nerve roots that end up forming the sciatic nerve. This causes the pain to radiate down the leg, following the path of the nerve to areas distal to the knee, even becoming more intense in this area than in the lumbar region itself.

• Radiated low back pain or referred pain: Pain occurs in the lower back and also in the groin, buttocks or buttocks.

Treatment of low back pain

For the treatment of low back pain, and after performing a physical examination and the pertinent tests for its correct diagnosis, the type of low back pain should be taken into account.

It is of utmost importance to exclude alarm signs and symptoms that will guide the initial approach. For this, it is essential to consult a medical professional who will help us to identify them.

Rest: As the most common cases are usually acute and related to mechanical causes, parking physical activity for a short time is usually effective and allows the affected area to recover. It is recommended to resume daily activities without effort as soon as possible. Move and walk according to progressive tolerance.

Heat/cold: Helps reduce inflammation and relieves pain in many cases.

Medication: Always under the supervision of a professional, medication can help relieve symptoms and improve pain.

Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation can help recover muscle and joint elasticity. It should always be done under the supervision of a medical professional, who will help us to make controlled movements to mitigate the sensation of pain. We should refrain from following other types of recommendations, since the risk of aggravating the injury or increasing the pain is very present if we do exercises that do not suit us.

Infiltrations and other types of minimally invasive treatments: Some types of medication work best if they are injected directly, or close to the affected area or nerves that cause the sensation of pain. It may happen that the treatment is recurrent and a catheter is implanted with an infusion pump, or simply a catheter is placed to administer it several times in a simpler way.

Surgery: In cases in which the pain does not resolve with any other solution, options such as surgery may be considered, but pain as an isolated event is not considered a surgical indication. Your physician will consider other factors such as loss of motor function or sensation associated with nerve injury or lumbar instability.

These are some of the possible treatments for low back pain, but not the only ones. As we have said on several occasions, it must be a medical professional who performs a physical examination and the pertinent tests to be able to adapt the treatment to our needs.