Low back pain, which covers all pain in the lumbar region, can occur in many ways and negatively affect the person's life. Low back pain can be caused by factors such as strain on the lower back, pressure on the bones, nerve irritation, spondyloarthropathy, lumbar radiculopathy and many other reasons. People with low back pain should consult a doctor to find out the root cause and start treatment. At the same time, the person can strengthen this treatment with many exercises.
What is low back pain?
Low back pain, also called lumbago in medical language, refers to all pain that occurs around the waist. Low back pain, which can occur in the form of pain, pain, burning, stinging, can occur as a severe pain that occurs suddenly or it can also be mild. While it affects almost 80% of adult people, it also negatively affects the workforce at a serious level.
Causes of Low Back Pain
The lumbar spine, which makes up the 5 vertebral regions of the human body and is located in the lumbar region, has the function of supporting the body structure, assisting movement and protecting some body tissues. Low back pain can be caused by spinal structures in this area (bones, discs, ligaments, nerves...), muscles in the lumbar region, internal organs in the abdominal region and the skin that surrounds the lumbar region from the outside. Some of the main factors that cause low back pain can be listed as follows;
Waist Strain
It can be defined as damage to the muscle tissue, ligaments and tendons in the lumbar region due to strain as a result of a harmful factor. The soft tissues in the lumbar region may tear in small sizes that cannot be detected visually due to the aforementioned types of damage occurring in the relevant region. Lumbar strain is one of the most common causes of low back pain in the diagnosis process.
Pressure on the bones
Exposure of the vertebrae in the lumbar region to severe stresses such as displacement due to a cause or enlargement of the vertebrae as a result of various causes can narrow the restricted space in the spinal cord line and cause restriction of the area where the nerves are located.
Nerve Irritation
Nerve irritation is a common condition that can be caused by mechanical pressure on a section of the nerves in the lumbar part of the spinal column from the spinal cord to the outer skin layer, which can be caused by various causes.
Spondyloarthropathy
Spondyloarthropathy is a type of arthritis that affects the joints in the lower back and hip area directly. There are different types of spondyloarthopathy depending on the cause and consequences, and these types of spondyloarthopathy include Reiter's disease, hunchback, psoriatic rheumatism and inflammatory bowel disease.
Lumbar Radiculopathy
Lumbar radiculopathy, a specific type of nerve irritation, is caused by damage to the discs of the spinal cord in the lower back due to external or internal factors. Disc damage can be caused by damage to the outer ring of the disc due to different factors, up to and including abrasion. In addition, disc injuries caused by trauma are also among the causes of lumbar radiculopathy.
In addition to all of these, the following diseases can also cause low back pain;
- Congenital defects
- Joint inflammation
- Scoliosis
- Spina bfida
What is Good for Low Back Pain?
Low back pain is a discomfort that affects and disrupts both personal and professional parts of human life. There are many things that can be done at home to reduce low back pain and contribute to its treatment.
Exercise
People often find it difficult to stand and move when they have low back pain, but walking, meditation and yoga, swimming and other non-heavy sports activities are effective ways to reduce low back pain. With exercise and relaxation, tense muscles relax and endorphins, the so-called happiness hormone, are released. If a person's low back pain is chronic, a regular exercise plan under the supervision of a doctor can help the discomfort quite well.
Stretching Movements
In addition to the exercises listed, stretching movements such as touching the toes, cobra and child's pose should continue for half a minute or as long as the person feels relaxed. Stretching the harmstring muscles on the back of the leg, above the kneecap, by touching the toes reduces the strain on the muscles in the lower back. Lifting the chest and head with the support of the hands while lying face down is called the cobra pose and this position also helps to reduce tension in the lower back. The child's pose, which is created by sitting with knees bent, tilting the head forward and extending the arms in front of the head, also helps relieve pain in the lower back.
Cold and Hot Application
For low back pain after a back strain, it is very useful to apply ice to the affected area as soon as possible after the injury. By wrapping the ice in a towel, the acute inflammation that is expected to develop after the injury is prevented. At the same time, cold application also relieves sudden and intense low back pain. Cold application should not exceed 20 minutes at a time. Cold application for the first two days and hot application for the rest of the time will be very good for the pain. It is important that the ice is wrapped in a cloth or towel when applying cold and the temperature of the water during hot application.
Ergonomics
The environment in which the person works should be functionally prepared for spinal health. A person working in a seated position should not lean forward or slouch to see the computer screen or use the mouse and keyboard. Chairs and tables with a design that supports the waist should be preferred.
Giving Up High Heeled Shoes
High-heeled shoes cause the person to stand unsteadily and increase the pressure on the waist. Therefore, low-heeled or heel-less shoes should be preferred instead of high-heeled shoes.
How to relieve low back pain?
Acupuncture
It is a treatment method in which the latest cleaned and fine needles are inserted into certain specific areas of the body and the energy flows freely outwards.
Massage
A massage by a specialized physiotherapist can relax the muscles and help relieve back pain. Tai Chi and yoga, in particular, stretch and strengthen the back muscles.
Spinal Manipulation: (H3) Spinal alignment is regulated by the pressure applied to the body by specialized personnel.
PRP
The person's platelet-rich blood is injected into the relevant area. It is most effective in low back pain caused by disc disease.