Do you want to wear an orthopedic corset to get rid of back pain? Probably not.

Just like almost 80% of people with spinal problems, Beverly Hayes suffers from back pain. For some, pain is triggered by strenuous work such as cleaning the garden or lifting weights. Others simply bend down to pick up a pencil and their back immediately makes itself felt.

“It feels like your lower back is being poked with a screwdriver,” Beverly Hayes, a 46-year-old Chicago artist, talks about the pain she suffered after running half an amateur marathon. “She turned my life around. I couldn't bend over or sleep - my back was stiff and I thought I would never feel normal."

How to get rid of back pain?

Mary Ann Wilmarth, a member of the Association for Physical Therapy and chair of the Department of Physical Therapy at Harvard University, says people should see a doctor right away with an injury or any kind of back pain. “Early intervention will help prevent the development of chronic pathology and eliminate the need for treatment and surgery,” she says.

Through a combination of constant activity, strengthening exercise, and physical therapy, Hayes said the intensity of her symptoms decreased significantly over the year. Here are 12 ways to help relieve back pain.

1. Limit Bed Rest

Studies show that people with minor back pain who spend a lot of time in bed feel pain longer and have a harder time coping with daily activities than those who remain active.

“Patients should stay in bed for no more than three days,” says Mike Flippin, MD, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in back and spine problems at the San Diego Medical Center. “I encourage my patients to start moving as quickly as possible.”

2. Keep Exercising

Physical activity is often the best cure for back pain. “Simple exercise, like walking, can be very helpful,” says Wilmarth. “During them, the body is in a neutral upright position.”

“But remember to move in moderation,” Flippin reminds. “Avoid strenuous activities, such as gardening, and movements that first provoke pain.”

3. Keep Your Posture

Pain may appear after a long workout, but the tension that caused it most likely accumulated over many years. According to Wilmarth, most people have poor posture when they go about their daily activities. By doing this, they add extra stress to the back.

“Problems come from the little things,” she says. “You can increase the pressure on your spine by 50% just by leaning on the sink incorrectly while brushing your teeth. If you give the back the right curves, the pressure on the nerve roots will disappear, and back pain will decrease.

4. Visit a Specialist

According to D. Scott Davis, Physical Therapist, Sports Medicine Physician, PhD, Orthopedic Physical Therapist and Associate Professor at West Virginia University, developing a personalized exercise plan is important for managing chronic back pain.

“There is no magic pill you can take for lower back pain,” says Davis. – Some patients need to strengthen the muscular frame, although in general people stretch the muscles and improve overall flexibility. Find a physical therapist, exercise therapist, or chiropractor (chiropractor) who specializes in the spine and back in general. They will help you choose the right set of exercises.

5. Strengthen the Muscular Framework

Most people with chronic back pain will benefit from strong abdominal muscles.

“The core is a collection of many muscle groups working together,” says Frank B. White, Ph.D., professor of exercise physiology at Western Missouri State University. - If the abdominal muscles are weak, the other muscles are the same. Strengthening the abdominal muscles can significantly reduce the load on the lower back.

6. Improve Flexibility

Too much tension and tightness of the muscles can cause back pain. “Our goal in developing flexibility is to provide the same load on the entire body from the fingertips all the way to the head,” says Davis. – Here is one of the great exercises for this: sit on the edge of the bed, stretch one leg, and lower the other to the floor. Start stretching your hamstrings by leaning forward while keeping your back straight.”

7. Stop Wearing a Corset

The ability to support the back muscles from the outside looks tempting, but Davis says that the corset should be used with caution. “Corsets are useful for strenuous activities like weightlifting, but they can only be used for 15 minutes,” he says. “If you wear a corset all day, the muscles that it is supposed to provide stability will weaken and no longer support the spine.”

8. Apply Ice and Heat

Heating pads and cold compresses can help alleviate the condition. Most doctors recommend using ice for the first 48 hours after an injury—especially if there is swelling—and then moving on to heat. “But it's hard to say whether ice or heat works better,” says Flippin. “I encourage patients to use whatever relieves them most effectively.”

9. Sleep Properly

Sleep is very important, but just as important is the position in which you sleep. “Sleeping in a bad position or not on a pillow-top mattress can lead to back pain,” says Wilmarth.

Here are some hints:

• If you sleep on your back, you should place a pillow under your knees.
• If you sleep on your side, you should place a pillow between your knees to keep your spine in a neutral position.
• Sleeping on your stomach leads to unnatural curves of the neck and head, which lead to excessive load on the back.

10. Quit Smoking

Smoking not only harms the lungs, it can also negatively affect the spine.

“Nicotine causes small blood vessels to constrict, which reduces blood delivery to soft tissues,” says Flippin. “I tell all my patients to stop smoking, it can relieve their back pain.”

11. Try Psychotherapy

According to Alex Moroz, MD, assistant professor of rehabilitation medicine at New York University Langon Medical Center, back pain is often associated with issues such as depression and anxiety. “Your emotional state determines how you perceive pain,” says Frost. “Psychotherapy can be a very useful part of rehabilitation.”

12. Use Relaxation Techniques

Research shows that relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, tai chi, yoga, and more can work wonders.

“If you achieve deep relaxation, this will reduce the level of perception of pain,” says Frost.

Reading time: 4 min

Sooner or later, every person faces pathologies of the spine, and in 80% of cases we are talking about discomfort in the lower back. The main reason is a sedentary lifestyle and excessive load on this part of the spine. Here it is important to know how to get rid of lower back pain as soon as possible, and in which cases you need to immediately seek medical help.

Main reasons

There are a lot of reasons - from lumbago (backache) to an intervertebral hernia or deformation of the spinal column due to scoliosis.

The most common causes of back pain include:

• intense physical activity;
• weight lifting;
• obesity;
• sedentary work;
• pinched nerve.

A comprehensive examination - X-ray and MRI of the spine - will help to accurately identify the cause of discomfort.

When is medical attention needed?

Faced with chronic low back pain, it is recommended to consult a specialist who will help both quickly relieve discomfort and prevent its recurrence. Episodic cases of pain syndrome are successfully stopped at home.

It should be remembered that any short-term episode of back pain requires the utmost attention. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system develop very slowly, and intermittent short-term pain after a few months can become chronic.

It is necessary to consult a doctor to determine the cause of the pain syndrome. In addition to problems with the spine and a sedentary lifestyle, back discomfort may indicate inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs, which cannot be determined without a comprehensive examination.

Signs that require a doctor's consultation:

• sudden onset of severe lower back pain after heavy lifting;
• "shooting" pain syndrome, aggravated by a change in body position;
• discomfort in the lower back, accompanied by fever and general malaise;
• pain syndrome that does not go away within 5 days.

You should also contact a specialist if you receive a serious injury, for example, when playing sports or falling from a height.

Pharmacology

Medical treatments include:

• drug blockade;
• NSAIDs in tablets;
• warming and cooling ointments with NSAIDs in the composition.

The best way to relieve lower back pain is to use a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in both tablets and ointments. The choice of drugs is large, they are dispensed in pharmacies without a prescription, but they are unsafe, therefore they can be used for no more than five days. One of the effective remedies for back pain is Nimesil suspension. The advantage of the drug is the rapid action. Thanks to the liquid form of the drug, after 15 minutes the pain recedes.

A safer alternative to NSAID tablets is pain relief ointments. As a rule, they all contain the non-steroidal drug diclofenac in the composition. Examples of topical drugs are Voltaren and Diclofenac. They must be applied to the affected area and rubbed gently. The action begins in 30-40 minutes.

To eliminate pain in the lower back, you can use locally irritating ointments. Such drugs stimulate blood flow to the diseased area, thereby reducing swelling and eliminating discomfort. The advantage is a safe composition. Examples of drugs:

• Apizartron;
• Finalgon;
• Bainvel;
• Viprosal;
• DIP relief.

In case of pinched nerve, an effective method of pain relief is novocaine blockade. The procedure is carried out only by a doctor. A neurologist or rheumatologist injects an anesthetic directly into the area of ​​the affected nerve, thereby blocking the transmission of pain impulses for a period of 3-4 days to 2 weeks. During this time, the muscles relax, the pinching disappears. Then you can be sure that the pain will not return after the injection has expired.

back pain exercises

For chronic pain associated with sedentary work or a strong load on the lumbar region, physiotherapy exercises are recommended. Exercises are aimed at stretching the lumbar and can be performed at home.

1. Lie on your back, raise straight legs, at the same time tearing your shoulder blades off the floor and trying to grab your ankles with your palms.
2. Lying on your back, pull your legs bent at the knees to your chest. Stay in this position for 30 seconds.
3. Kneel down, rest your elbows on the floor, and then stretch as far forward as possible, while bending your lower back.
4. Lie on your stomach, at the same time raise your arms extended forward and straight legs.

Each exercise should be repeated 10-15 times. For lower back health, doctors recommend regular exercise. In addition to simple home exercises, yoga classes will come to the rescue.

Kinesiotherapy is a professional approach to the issue of spinal column health. These are special exercises for recovery after spinal injuries, which are carried out only under the supervision of a rehabilitation doctor.

Manual therapy, self-massage and other methods

Professional massage will help both relieve lower back pain and eliminate muscle clamps. To get the effect, you need a full course of treatment - at least 10 sessions. It is necessary to consult a doctor about the types of massage, as an individual approach is practiced here, and it all depends on the causes of back pain.

Self-massage is effective in the long run, but it will not be able to quickly get rid of discomfort. The problem is that it is difficult for a person to properly influence the muscles of his own lumbar region. There is a way out - the use of massagers or Kuznetsov's applicator.

Alternative methods of treatment include acupuncture (acupuncture), cupping massage, hirudotherapy and apitherapy. All these methods effectively eliminate pain, but do not cure the problem itself, but only mask it for a while.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine cannot offer a fundamentally new solution to the problem of pain in the spine. The same locally irritating agents are used here, and it is proposed to cook them yourself.

1. Grinding from pepper. It is necessary to take 5-6 hot peppers, chop with a knife, place in a glass container and pour 100 ml of vodka. Infuse for 2 weeks, then strain and use to rub the lumbar.
2. Adam's apple tincture: grate 200 g of Adam's apple fruit (second name - maclura), pour 200 ml of vodka, leave for 2 weeks. Use to rub the affected area.
3. Grate 1 horseradish root, mix equally with mustard powder, apply to the affected area and wrap with a towel or shawl for an hour.

Rubbing should be done every 3-4 hours, compress - 1-2 times a day.

We advise you to watch the video: "I pinched my back to relieve pain in 2 minutes"

Preventive measures

Once you figure out how to relieve low back pain, you should know how to prevent it from recurring. For this you need:

• exercise regularly;
• strengthen back muscles (both in the gym and at home);
• choose a comfortable mattress for daily sleep;
• get rid of excess weight;
• avoid heavy lifting and sudden movements;
• protect the lower back from drafts.

A strong muscular corset is the key to a healthy spine. It is recommended to regularly (2-3 times a week) perform exercises to strengthen the back muscles and stretch the lumbar. Getting rid of pain is simple, and for this you do not always need to see a doctor. Experts recommend taking an x-ray to exclude dangerous diseases and complications of home treatment.

Acute lower back pain is also known as lumbago. Pain syndrome worries people of middle and advanced ages.

The causes of acute pain in the lumbar region are various pathologies of the spinal column, diseases of internal organs, and injuries.

Pathologies of the spine

The first indicated group of diseases and pathological conditions includes:

• Osteochondrosis. This is a lesion of the intervertebral disc of a dystrophic nature, which also extends to the vertebral bodies adjacent to it. With such a pathological process, any unsuccessful movement can provoke compression of the nerve roots of the spinal cord, which causes acute pain in the lumbar region. Clinical manifestations do not disappear within a day. When lifting weights, the pain becomes burning, unbearable.
• Deforming spondylosis. Pathology is characterized by deformities in the lumbar vertebrae with parallel formation of bone growths, due to which the spinal canal narrows. Unpleasant sensations appear due to the pressure exerted by the growths on the roots.

• Facet Syndrome. Acute back pain in the lumbar region is associated with compression of the root at the site of its exit from the spinal canal. This syndrome is caused by an increase in the size of the upper and lower facets of the intervertebral joint, which narrows the intervertebral canal.
• Ankylosing spondylarthrosis. Severe pain, radiating towards the thighs, begins from below, in the back. Initially, there is a significant limitation of mobility, then the number of respiratory contractions of the chest decreases. As the pathological process progresses, the curvature of the thoracic part of the spine and its flexion occur.
• epidural abscess. This pathology is characterized by the accumulation of pus in the spinal cord. Abscess formation is due to urinary tract infections. It occurs in the thoracic spine. Acute pain in the back and lower back occurs when probing or tapping the affected area.
• Osteoporosis. Metabolic bone structure disorders.

• Kyphosis, scoliosis. Curvature of the spinal column.
• Protrusion or. It is difficult for the patient to move, because with unsuccessful movements, nerve endings are compressed, which causes sharp and sudden pain.
• Lesions of the elements of the spine of an infectious nature: brucellosis, tuberculosis.
• . This disease causes shooting pains that occur when bending or other sudden movements, as well as when lifting heavy objects, such as barbells.

Pathologies of internal organs

Lumbar pains of an acute nature also appear due to various ailments of the internal organs:

1. Urolithiasis disease. The pain syndrome has a pronounced character and is aggravated by walking or physical exertion. Additional manifestations are hematuria (blood in the urine), nausea, and bouts of vomiting.
2. Aortic aneurysm.
3. Prostatitis.
4. Infectious gynecological diseases (trichomoniasis, ureaplasmosis, chlamydia).
5. Cholecystitis.
6. Kidney disease - pyelonephritis.
7. Endometriosis.
8. Peptic ulcer, tumor processes in the duodenum and colon, as well as in the pancreas.
9. Ulcerative colitis.
10. Carcinoma of the ovaries or uterus.

Systemic pathologies often act as a source of pain in the lumbar region. This is a diffuse connective tissue disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Bechterew's disease.

Overload, fatigue, injury

Various injuries and damage to muscles, ligaments and vertebrae cause physical discomfort and pain. This group of factors includes the following problems:

• Acute sprain. With this diagnosis, discomfort in the lumbar region is localized in the long muscles of the back. This condition contributes to a significant limitation of mobility.
• Vertebral compression fractures associated with osteoporosis or trauma.
• Rupture of ligaments or muscles of the back.

Burning pain in the lower back often occurs in athletes, as well as in people engaged in heavy physical labor.

Other reasons

Other likely causes of low back pain include:

1. Neuralgia. This phenomenon is expressed in squeezing or irritation of the nerves. This diagnosis is often made to patients after hypothermia. Pain manifests itself in the form of seizures. Along with them, there is trembling, redness of the skin, increased sweating and swelling of muscle tissues.
2. Spinal stroke.
3. Tumor neoplasms and metastases in the spinal column. Malignant neoplasms of the kidneys, thyroid gland, lungs, prostate, mammary glands, and gastrointestinal tract can metastasize to this area.

An ectopic pregnancy can also cause severe pain in the sacrum. Shooting pains occur due to rupture of the fallopian tube.

Varieties

Depending on the cause that caused the development of the pain syndrome, pain is expressed in different signs.

Doctors distinguish the following varieties:

• . This is a paroxysmal, sharp pain in the lower back, manifested after physical exertion or sudden movements. Severe pain forces a person to be in a forced position: patients tilt the body to the side or forward, trying to transfer body weight to the healthy half. The attack lasts from 5 minutes to 2-3 weeks. Most often, this type of pain occurs with osteochondrosis.
• Lumbalgia. This term refers to not too pronounced, but regularly occurring lower back pain. They become more intense with colds, hypothermia, with physical overwork. Often seizures occur during movements with elements of extension or twisting. Pain is typical for pregnant women who short term gained a lot of kilos.
• Sciatica. Such pain is radiating in nature. It can give to the leg, buttock, coccyx, groin, lower leg, heel. The pains are not too pronounced, accompanied by numbness and the appearance of goosebumps. This type of pain syndrome is dangerous: due to the weak severity, the patient is in no hurry to see a doctor and drowns out the attacks with the help of analgesics. Meanwhile, the pathological process progresses, and the muscles of the thigh and lower leg become flabby and gradually atrophy. Lumboischialgia occurs when the back muscles are stretched, intervertebral hernia.

Elena Malysheva shares tips on how to get rid of back pain in the lumbar region:

The nature of acute pain in the lower back during gestation

Pain in the back, in the lower back, often worries women who are carrying a fetus. This does not always indicate the development of a pathological process, but, in order to exclude the likelihood of their presence, you should immediately consult a doctor.

There are the following probable causes that cause low back pain in pregnant women:

1. Pressure exerted on the nerve endings and blood vessels that surround the spine. This happens early in pregnancy when the uterus changes its size. In this case, there are pulling pains.
2. Uneven load on the spine. When the stomach increases in size, a woman has to bend her back more and more. The pains are irregular, weak and aching.
3. Synthesis of the hormone relaxin, the function of which is to prepare the body for childbirth. In this case, pain occurs in the sacral area. Pain is associated with stretching of the pubic joint and can continue for a long time.
4. Mechanical damage or chronic diseases of the spine, which were observed in a pregnant woman before conception. Pain is acute and occurs frequently.
5. . The pain is localized to the left or right above the lower back, but also has a bilateral character.

Also indicate the threat of miscarriage. In this case, there are additional pulling sensations in the lower abdomen, as well as spotting.

Diagnostic methods

To determine the cause of pain in the lower back, the following diagnostic measures are carried out:

• radiography;
• electromyography;
• osteoscintigraphy;

With pain syndrome spreading to lower part back, also take blood for analysis and detection of hemoglobin levels, calcium levels in the blood.

Methods for the treatment of acute pain

Treatment of acute pain in the lumbar region requires an integrated approach.

First aid

First aid for the manifestation of acute pain syndrome at home is as follows:

1. Limitation of physical activity. It is necessary to be in a calm state for 1-2 days after the attack.
2. Taking painkillers. It is shown to take over-the-counter analgesics that do not have a strong effect, for example, Analgin or Balargin.
3. Applying an ice pack or heating pad to the area where the pain is localized.

It is not necessary to endure sharp or dull pain: it is important to see a doctor to determine the cause of its source and start treatment.

How to relieve pain in the lumbar region with sciatica in 1.5-2 minutes, advises Professor Kartavenko:

Medical treatment

How can I relieve acute pain in the lumbar region? This can be done with medication. In this case, blockades or the following tablets are recommended:

• "Paracetamol";
• "Baralgin";
• "Sedalgin";
• "No-shpa";
• "Ketorol";
• Solpadein.

You can also use topical preparations that must be rubbed into the affected areas. With girdle pain, you can use Viprosal, Finalgon, Apizartron, or anesthetic injections (shots).

Topical gels and ointments for lower back pain

Massage

Massage is another method of therapy that effectively complements the medication course. Massaging helps even those patients who are unable to straighten up from the strongest attacks. It is necessary to perform massage for back pain when the patient is sitting, standing or lying down. The algorithm of actions in this case is as follows:

1. The palms are first warmed up by rubbing them and holding them between the knees. Having achieved the appearance of a pronounced sensation of heat, you must immediately apply to the affected area. Repeat up to five times.
2. Warmed palms are placed on the lower back, while the thumbs should be on the sides and point down, while the others lie obliquely. Gently but vigorously rub the area in which the pain is localized until warmed up.
3. The lower back is massaged with fingertips, moving from top to bottom. After that, the fingers are placed so that they are perpendicular to the vertebrae and slowly move sideways, by 2-3 cm.
4. The fingers are clenched into fists. Their back parts are carried out along the crest of the iliac bone.

Gymnastics

If the back hurts, the patient's condition can be improved with the help of therapeutic exercises. The following exercises are recommended:

• Rest your hands on the seat of the chair, take a deep breath. Draw in the stomach, bend the back. After that, exhale, trying to relax and bend your back as much as possible. Repeat this exercise 8-12 times.
• Rest your palms on the floor. Raise the right leg first, then the left. In this position, you need to linger for 5-7 seconds. Repeat for the opposite pair of limbs. Each time increase the exposure time (up to 1-2 minutes).
• Rest your palms on the floor, inhale. Slowly, without taking your hands off, turn your body and head to the right side. Exhale, then return to the starting position. Repeat the same complex for the opposite side. Exercise is performed 6-8 times.
• Read more about exercises.

Some exercises to relieve pain in the lower back

Treatment at home

You can also do the following at home:

1. Lubricate the affected area of ​​​​the back with horseradish juice, half diluted with alcohol.
2. Carry out water procedures with the addition of infusions based on chamomile or thyme to the bath. This should be done only during periods of remission of pain. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.
3. Apply saline compresses. It is necessary to dissolve 100 g of table salt in a liter of hot water and dip gauze folded in several layers into the resulting composition. Apply a compress to the lower back until the liquid has had time to cool. Can be left overnight.
4. Apply a compress from the dough. It is necessary to wrap the lower back with a thick layer of gauze, put a cake of sour dough on top, the layer of which is 2-3 cm. Apply such a compress before going to bed.

Acute back pain is not an independent disease. They act as a symptom of various pathologies. To determine the cause of this phenomenon, it is important to consult a doctor in time and start treatment.

In this video you will learn how to treat the lower back at home with folk remedies:

Osteochondrosis is a degenerative disease of the spine, one of the most common human pathologies. The disease is characterized by a gradual destruction of the cartilaginous 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 a different nature - 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. In itself, the destruction of cartilage tissue is not accompanied by pain, especially at the initial stage of the disease. Pain occurs when pathological transformations affect the nerve endings, muscles and ligaments.

Painful processes lead to a 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 herniated discs: these are the main and most dangerous complications of the disease.

Next to the intervertebral discs are nerve endings, blood vessels and the spinal cord itself. Deformed discs compress the nerve endings and injure them. This process and 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 body systems.

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

Symptoms are aggravated by:

• physical activity;
• fatigue;
• Prolonged stay in one position;
• stress;
• hypothermia;
• Infectious processes in the body.

With severe compression of the spinal cord and blood vessels, serious pathologies of the internal organs are possible. Compression is especially dangerous in the cervical and lumbar regions. 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 during displacement of discs;
• Muscle spasms;
• Compression of blood vessels;
• Inflammatory processes in the soft tissues surrounding the vertebrae.

The most common localization 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, weight lifting. In the sacral zone 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 tissues, which also increases pain symptoms.

In the cervical region, vertebral artery syndrome is often diagnosed. Violation of the blood supply to the brain causes headaches of various localization (parietal, occipital, temporal). Since the pain is referred in nature, 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 symptoms of pain:

• Tingling in limbs:
• Numbness of certain parts of the body, impaired sensitivity;
• Limitation of the amplitude of movement;
• Muscular atrophy;
• Feeling constantly tired;
• Reduced performance.

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

How to eliminate pain in osteochondrosis

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

Constantly drowning out pain with anesthetics is fundamentally the wrong tactic. Qualified doctors use drugs 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 methods of treatment are necessarily practiced - physiotherapy, professional massage, therapeutic exercises, reflexology, osteopathy, complex spa therapy. By stimulating blood circulation and metabolism, strengthening the muscular frame and ligaments, we thereby prevent further degenerative processes and prevent the occurrence of new pains.

Non-pharmacological care at home

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

With cervical osteochondrosis, rest on a special orthopedic pillow helps. It is important to ensure complete immobilization of the cervical region, so the pillow must be sufficiently firm and rigid. It is 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 by hand from thick cardboard and soft fabric.

With lumbar localization of pain, there are several options for the 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 up to your chin (you need to put a small pillow under your head to align the axis of the spine).

With a pain syndrome of a non-inflammatory nature, mild warming of the affected area is allowed. You can use a warm heating pad, you can just cover your back with a woolen scarf or blanket. Complete rest relaxes the muscles and partially relieves spasm.

Medications 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 large group of drugs, represented by various dosage forms - ointments, tablets, injection solutions. The most popular drugs are Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Voltaren ointments, Fastum and others.

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

They try to prescribe perioral drugs as rarely as possible: any drugs, in addition to beneficial effects, have side effects. The most popular and popular tablet preparations are Diclofenac, Nimesulide, Ibuprofen, Ketalong, Movalis.

Such funds 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 methods of treatment are required.

Clinical Therapy

In hospitals, advanced cases of osteochondrosis with severe pain are treated with drug injections. The most effective method of such a plan is novocaine blockade. This method anesthesia 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 injection itself does not cure the disease, but only stops 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:

• Speed ​​(an analgesic effect occurs in just a few minutes);
• Minimal entry of the drug into the general circulation (reduction of 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 drugs used in blockades: Lidocaine, Novocaine (anesthetics), Hydrocortisone (corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drug), B vitamins, ATP (for cell nutrition), Lidaza. Blockades are epidural (made directly into the vertebral structures), paravertebral (an injection is placed into the surrounding tissues).

Other types of clinical therapy for the treatment of pain syndrome: drug electrophoresis or phonophoresis, magnetotherapy, hypothermia (cold exposure), paraffin, ozocerite applications, kinesio taping (application of therapeutic plasters), reflexology - acupuncture.

And also from "lumbago" and other troubles with the lower back.

In this article, I will share my own experience, which helped to solve a lot of back problems, earned stupidly in the past, and which often interfered not only in sports, but also in everyday life. This is by no means an instruction for action, but only a set of recommendations and sets of exercises. Still, everyone has their own body, with its own "cockroaches" and features. In addition, I will talk about the basic rule for the back when working with weights.

Why does the lower back hurt

I decided to talk about the lumbar region of the back and spine, since basically the people (including the author in the past) have pain in it. The reason for this is the maximum load on him in everyday life, especially when the lifestyle of this life is sedentary. In addition, it is the lumbar region that is most easily injured during uncontrolled lifting of weights. Physiologically, the lower part of the spine bears the biggest load because of our upright posture, which is convenient, but you have to pay with the development of age-related degenerative processes in this part of the body.

By the way, what in our medicine is mistaken for a disease, in foreign practice has long been attributed to the age-related degenerative processes mentioned above. We are talking about changes in the intervertebral discs, when their tissue begins to protrude beyond the vertebra. That is, about protrusion of the discs (a vertebral hernia, of course, is a more serious thing). Over time, elasticity, tone, tissue trophism are lost, and if the lifestyle is sedentary, and the diet is unbalanced, naturally this will negatively affect the spine and its most loaded parts.

Of course, the problem is solvable (or can be controlled), and at any reasonable age, if there are no absolutely critical and irreversible changes. At least, I personally managed to solve my difficulties with the spine. And this despite the fact that in the past he managed to injure his lower back more than once and obviously did something bad there due to stupidity, youth and inexperience.

So the biggest joke is that in most cases it is impossible to accurately diagnose the cause of back pain. For example, a well-known specialist in this field, Dr. Augustus White(he is also the author of the book " your sore back”), I am sure that 85% of cases of back pain can not be sure of the accuracy of the diagnosis. That is, in his opinion, modern medicine is able to accurately diagnose only 15% cases of acute back pain. This is explained by too large a difference in patient complaints and test results. So, a person suffering from back pain on an x-ray can have an absolutely healthy spine, and vice versa, in many people (about 20–30%) who have never complained of back pain, “problem” discs are clearly visible in the picture.

In turn, MD and director of the Center for Arthritis and Back Pain in Santa Monica (USA), Robert L. Sweezy, I am sure that in 95% of cases of pain in the lower back are caused by sprains between the 4th and 5th lumbar vertebrae.

If we take the "average for the hospital", 80% of back pain cases are due to one of three causes: stretching of the muscles and ligaments in this section, disc herniation and deformation of the articular processes.

That's why it turns out that after the examination, doctors tell a person, they say, he can’t lift more than 3 kg, and a friend goes to the gym, carefully pumps his back and then not only 3 kg, but all 300 kg lifts without problems and wins championships powerlifting world. And vice versa, a citizen follows all the advice of doctors, but it only gets worse - his back hurts, there are frequent "lumbago" and other troubles.

By the way, when they say that all athletes working with weights have back problems and, in general, they are almost disabled in this regard, you should not believe this. As the practice and experience of familiar doctors shows, simple “unsportsmanlike” ordinary people have more back problems, office workers and other categories of citizens with a sedentary lifestyle who do not lift anything heavier than a pen, mouse or folders with papers. The lack of tone in the lumbar region leads to the fact that the intervertebral discs are destroyed faster, and muscle and ligament injuries occur more often in completely banal everyday situations - he stood up abruptly or stretched to the side, slipped, leaned heavily, pulling on a shoe or sock, etc. If if you follow the thought, you probably already guessed where I am leading in the issue of solving back problems. We'll talk about this in detail below.

How I solved my back pain problem

Playing sports and an active lifestyle is not always a guarantee that there will be no back problems. It happens and vice versa, if you do not pay due attention to this part of the body. It is even worse when you work with weights without observing the technique of performing exercises.

Actually, in past years, this was one of my main problems, leading to back injuries and, as a result, to the frequent refusal to work on strengthening it in general. This is a vicious circle - you injured your back, you begin to protect it as much as possible, pity and cherish it, but in fact it doesn’t get any easier. And if it does, you get the so-called "glass back", when at the most inopportune moment you can sharply "clamp" something there, after which you can neither bend nor unbend. In general, it is still lumbago are called. I'm sure many have experienced this. That's all good, then you bend over to the child or just to tie your shoelaces - click! - and you no longer want anything in life, just to get rid of the aching pain in the lower back and regain your usual mobility.

I personally have had different cases - you can bend, but it is very painful to unbend. On the contrary - to straighten up without problems, but to bend - through pain and suffering. Or even tin, when you can’t bend or straighten normally. All sorts of medications, ointments, muscle relaxants, blockades and other fast-acting remedies are good only as an emergency, but in the long run they will not help much, which has already been proven, at least by personal practice.

Going to specialists, x-rays and other tests are also good, but, as world practice shows, it is not a fact that you will really be given the correct diagnosis and determine the cause of the pain. In particular, this is aggravated by the fact that MRI and X-rays do not show injuries to muscles and ligaments. Although an experienced specialist can grope for an injured muscle, which is greatly reduced and becomes hard.

If you want results, do your back yourself and daily. And here's what I do for it.

Morning exercises for the back

Once again, when it “shot” in the lower back, and I complained on Twitter, they say, “ at the wrong time, now you have to suffer again for a week or two”, - one of the subscribers sent me such a charge for the back (clickable):

Yes, it looks a bit childish, frivolous and even funny, I myself was skeptical at first, but in reality it turned out to be a very effective practice. Literally in 3 days, performing this complex in the morning and in the evening through tolerable pain, I almost returned to normal, which in principle was amazing. Previously, using all sorts of ointments and warmings, I had to suffer after a “shoot through” with my back for at least a week, and then, my state of health remained worse than after three days of charging.

What is the reason for this? Yes, everything is simple - when you move, you make the back muscles work, they are filled with blood, which delivers useful substances to the site of injury and removes decay products. In addition, there is a warming effect, plus muscle tone improves and spasm is relieved. But it can persist, even if the nerve is no longer clamped, but you do not develop your back. As a result, the lower back continues to "whine." Even if the injury is associated with a non-critical muscle or ligament tear, charging can speed up the healing process. But, again, the pain during exercise should not be too strong. Tolerable, well tangible, but no more.

By the way, arm wrestlers use this principle to heal their injuries, whether it be an arm, a shoulder or some other part of the body, a ligament or a tendon. They select such a weight and such a movement that the pain in the injured part is well felt, but controlled, and they gradually pump it up with exercise, draw blood into the muscle and ligaments, and force them to work in a gentle mode. And these guys know a lot about getting rid of injuries. If bodybuilders during training destroy muscle fibers a little, after which they are restored with a margin, due to which growth occurs, then armwrestlers cause microtrauma to tendons and ligaments by their training, using the same principle of hypercompensation.

I’ll write a few exercises from the morning complex for the back, which I perform on a karemat (tourist rug):

1. Sipping- stretch to the string, pull your arms up, legs - down. So 3-4 times with a break of a second or two between repetitions
2. Bridge- lying on your back and resting your bent legs on the floor, lift your pelvis up, and the trapezium and arms remain pressed to the floor. Perform smoothly, at the top you can delay the movement for a second. There is no pause between repetitions.
3. At the same time, pull your left hand to your right leg and vice versa, while bending at the lower back. It is desirable to get the leg every time by hand. Do 3-5 times on each leg.
4. Bridge- lying flat and resting your heels and upper back on the floor, arch your back. Pauses between repetitions are not needed.
5. corner- simultaneously raise your arms and legs, folding into a "book".
6. Alternately pull the left and right knee to the stomach, lifting the torso.
7. Now roll over on your stomach and again sipping, similar to that in the first exercise, but already on the stomach.
8. At the same time, raise the left leg and right arm, lower it, then vice versa - the right leg and left arm, and so repeat five times for each pair without pauses between lifts
9. Cobra- rest your palms on the floor in the chest area or slightly lower (as convenient) and smoothly straighten your arms, arching in the lower back.
10. boat- raise your arms and legs up, arching, and swing back and forth in this position, maintaining a static load on the muscles of the lumbar region.
11. Cat- standing on all fours, bend as much as possible in the lower back, and then arch your back as much as possible. It is advisable to make a second pause, keeping the tension at the bottom and at the top. After that, I do a couple of circular movements with the lumbar region on both sides.

I do this exercise not only if my back starts to strain, which has not happened for a long time. It is important to do it every day, preferably in the morning and evening. There is no need to rest between exercises - do everything in turn. Physically, exercise is not difficult, rather it is tonic.

Japanese static back alignment exercise

I have been practicing this for several months. Now it’s not every day, but in the first couple of months I did it every day after the charging described above and felt a positive effect, and now I feel it too.

The exercise was invented by a Japanese doctor Fukutsuji about 10 years ago. He searched effective method correction of the figure and skeleton in particular. If the spine is in the correct position, then the organs will be located correctly.

The idea is to lie on a roll of a towel for five minutes, being in a stretched state and holding your hands and feet in a special way. The exercise must be performed on a hard surface or the same karemat, fitness mat, etc. So:

1. Roll a towel roll about 40 cm long and 7–10 cm thick.
2. Sit on the floor/car mat/fitness mat and place the roller behind you.
3. Slowly and gently lower yourself onto your back, holding the roller so that it is exactly across the body under the lower back - exactly under the navel (this is important).
4. Spread your legs shoulder-width apart so that the thumbs touch each other, and the heels are at a distance of 20-25 cm.
5. Put your outstretched straight arms behind your head, turn them with your palms down and connect your little fingers. (I can’t fully straighten my arms, but it’s okay, with half bent).
6. Make sure that the big toes and little fingers touch, as often they tend to disperse on their own. You have to control.
7. After spending 5 minutes in this position, get up very carefully, as the bones and joints move slightly during the exercise.

Although, it is unlikely that it will be possible to immediately lie down for 5 minutes. I started with 2.5 minutes and gradually brought the time up to five. If everything is done correctly, then in the process of doing the exercise, literally with your whole body you feel how the muscles begin to relax, and the spine takes a comfortable position for it. Although, maybe I made it up myself. But there is definitely a positive effect.

Core training

The muscles of the cortex form a kind of corset around the lumbar. These are the press, oblique abdominal muscles, extensor muscles of the back and glutes. If you want the spine to feel good, be sure to train them all in a complex. Trained core muscles hold the spine and relieve pressure on the intervertebral discs.

For most of my training experience, I practically did not pay attention to training the press, buttocks, and I trained the extensors in so far as - except perhaps with deadlift, which was far from always performed correctly and technically. So the effect was rather the opposite. In the last couple of years, I have been diligently training them all and have actually forgotten about the pain and discomfort in my back, including when doing heavy squats.

I train extensors with deadlift(a variation of the Romanian deadlift with emphasis on the back and with slightly bent legs, plus thrust from the level of the knees, when the bar does not fall to the floor completely) and hyperextension. I described them in detail in my .

Hyperextensions also train the buttocks, plus from time to time I do " deadlift": legs are straight, feet are parallel and at a short distance from each other, a slope with a barbell / dumbbells with a flat back arched in the lower back to parallel, at the end of the movement the projectile is carried slightly forward (and not held near the legs, as is the case with deadlift ). When we unbend (again, with a deflection in the lower back), we try to tighten the buttocks, and the barbell is next to the legs. It is not necessary to fully unbend, throwing your back back, only until you feel that the tension from the muscles is about to go away and the load will fall on the spine.

Press swing traditionally- twisting lying on a bench or on the floor, slightly bending the legs at the knees, lifting the legs, hanging on the horizontal bar or on the uneven bars. And I do a super series - first twisting, then immediately lifting the legs. Sometimes I vary and arrange for myself a super series only on the lower part of the press and oblique muscles, hanging on the horizontal bar: 5-7 seconds corner + 5-7 leg lifts on the oblique muscles on one side, on the other side and directly on the press. I hope to eventually bring the number of repetitions for each part of the exercise to 15.

I usually train abs/obliques a couple of times a week after the main strength training. Similarly, with hyperextensions - that is, alternating exercises for the press and hyperextensions.

The basic rule for the back when working with weights

The back in the lumbar region should always be in a natural deflection - keep it level, control it, do not slouch or round in any case (in other words, draw your shoulder blades together and avoid rounding the back). This applies to 99% of weight exercises. A hunched back is a direct road to injury.

A year without back problems

I do all the exercises described above with a constant frequency for last year, maybe a little more (excluding the Japanese exercise, I've been doing it for several months), and all this time I have no problems with the lower back or back pain. Moreover, the well-being of this department as a whole has greatly improved. Previously, I could not sleep on my stomach, I did not feel very comfortable lying on my back, I slept more or less normally only on my side. You walk for half an hour or an hour - your back hurts. Now there is no such thing - any lying position for the body is comfortable and convenient, I can walk for hours, and even with a backpack on my back, and my lower back feels good.

Even when I included in my regimen the daily exercises of 11 exercises, described above, which happened back in early 2013, it already got better. Although it “shot” from time to time, it was no longer so critical and recovered in 2-4 days after that, and not in 1-2 weeks, as before. When I connected heavy artillery in the form of active core muscle training, the problem was completely solved.

Share your experience

In my last two articles on the topic of sports (about and), the comments turned out to be no less interesting than the author's text itself. We had a great conversation, shared our experience, someone expressed their opinion, although not always positive, but often supported by reasonable arguments. This is cool and useful both for me personally and for readers. Accordingly, let's continue the tradition, especially since the back is such a little-studied thing and sooner or later disturbing everyone.

At one time, one picture with a charge actually changed my life for the better. I realized that you can solve back problems on your own, if there is a desire, diligence and a little bit of practical knowledge. This charger was sent to me. Nicholas Roy, for which a HUGE HUMAN THANK YOU to him.

This was the impetus for further study of the issue and, most importantly, for testing the found schemes and exercises in practice. But as often happens - you advise a person, but he does not believe, just waving his hand and saying: “ It just doesn’t happen, you need a miracle remedy, pills, something else". I didn't believe it either, but as you can see, it worked out in the end. I hope that my advice and recommendations will help someone else. The most important thing is to start, start at least with charging. And there, you see, even a small positive result it will inspire you, which will lead you to the treadmill, to the gym, to the pool and make life better and brighter in general.

And I will end this article with a very accurate quote from a brilliant doctor Nikolai Amosov.