Pinched the lower back, what to do? Such a question is often heard by neurologists from their patients. All actions will depend on the cause of this symptom. In addition to pharmacotherapy, pinching is eliminated using osteopathic and manual techniques. Physiotherapeutic methods increase blood flow, improve metabolic processes and relax muscles. The pain syndrome is well stopped by acupressure or acupuncture. In rare cases, resort to surgery. The main thing is not only to eliminate pinching, but also to restore the function of the affected tissues.
What does pinched nerve mean?
If the lower back is pinched on the right, what should I do? First, let's try to figure out what a pinched nerve means. It is also important to understand why such a pathology occurs. Pinched in other words is the compression of the nerve roots of the lumbar spine with adjacent vertebrae. In addition, infringement can be triggered by:
- Herniated intervertebral.
- Protrusions.
- A tumor.
- Muscle spasm.
In humans, when a nerve is pinched in the lower back, not only severe pain is observed, but also the pelvic organs malfunction and the sensitivity of some muscle groups decreases. From what kind of nerve is squeezed, the disturbances occurring in the patient's body will also depend. For example, with the defeat of vegetative and sensitive endings, severe pain occurs. If motor nerves are affected, then individuals turn to the help of doctors late, as they associate their condition with problems in the limbs and try to cope with them on their own. This increases the risk of serious consequences - death of nerve tissue and paralysis. As a result, the quality of life is deteriorating sharply.
So, a nerve pinched in the lower back, what should I do? If you suspect this condition, you should visit a doctor. Self-correction of pinching, for example, using folk remedies, leads to serious complications. The doctor will find out the cause of the compression and select the right therapy.
Factors leading to pinched nerve in the lumbar region
Pinched the lower back, what to do? Search for the cause of the pathology, and then take a course of complex therapy. Nerve compression is provoked by:
- Permanent physical activity, including those associated with work.
- Displacement of the vertebrae in the lumbar region.
- Lifting and carrying heavy loads.
- Hypothermia.
- Overweight.
- An unbalanced diet.
- Pregnancy and childbirth.
- Protrusion.
- Tumors
- Spinal injury - subluxation or displacement of the vertebrae.
- The consequences of spondylosis.
- Infectious pathologies.
- Scoliosis of the spine.
- Hernia of the intervertebral disc.
- Inactive lifestyle.
- Inconvenient bed.
If the back in the lower back is pinched, what should I do? Of course, look for the cause, since quite often a pinched nerve is provoked by an exacerbation of osteochondrosis. Due to the narrowing of the gap between the vertebrae, compression of the nerve endings occurs. This process is exacerbated by muscle hypertonicity. The individual at the same time experiences even greater discomfort. In addition to nervous tissue, blood vessels also suffer. If pinching is observed for a long time, then certain parts of the dermis or body lose their sensitivity, and nerve tissue dies. In addition, with radiculitis, the development of an inflammatory process in a pinched nerve is possible.
According to the observations of practicing doctors, one of the most common causes leading to pinching is considered to be a degenerative change in the intervertebral discs and in the spine. In addition, age-related changes also cause pinched nerves.
Symptoms of pinched nerve in the lumbar
If a nerve is pinched in the back (in the lower back), then the manifesting pain syndrome will depend on which nerve was affected:
- Motor - sensitivity in the lower extremities is impaired, which affects the gait.
- Vegetative - provokes a malfunction in the functioning of internal organs. Pain occurs in the intestines and stomach.
- Sensitive - the patient has continuous severe pain.
As you can see, the strength of the pain syndrome directly depends on the cause that caused pinching. The pain can last from several minutes to weeks, while it can abruptly disappear and also appear unexpectedly. After the acute stage, signs of compression appear:
- Slight numbness in the legs.
- Tingling in the lower back.
When pinching, the following conditions may occur:
- Cervicalgia - pain radiates to the cervical region and upper limb.
- Lumbagia - back and lower back hurts.
- Ishalgia - pain is concentrated in the sacrum, gives to the buttock and back surface of the lower limb.
- Lumbar ischialgia - the pain is localized in the lumbar region and passes to the back surface of the leg.
In addition to pain, the symptoms of the disease are manifested by the following clinical picture:
- Impaired gait.
- Lower limbs weaken and numb.
- Increased pain when coughing, sneezing, laughing, or moving.
- Failure of blood flow in the brain, which is manifested by a sharp drop in pressure, dizziness.
- Burning in the lumbar region.
The symptoms listed above cannot be ignored, as they subsequently lead to serious complications in the form of inflammation of the spinal cord.
Diagnostics
I got a backache in the lower back, what should I do? The first step is to diagnose. To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor recommends the patient to undergo the following types of examinations:
- X-ray of the spine. It is effective in cases of suspected compression of nerves by bones. In addition, this method allows you to see pinched nerves in any part of the spinal column.
- MRI is prescribed for suspected compression of the nerve with soft tissues. Also, using tomography to determine the condition of the internal organs of the individual and the presence of consequences that appeared due to compression of the nerve.
- CT is used as an additional type of examination.
- Myelography is an X-ray with a contrast agent.
The above studies will help the doctor identify the cause of the disease, make an accurate diagnosis and select the necessary therapy.
Pinched a nerve in the lower back, what to do? This question is often addressed to the doctor by men aged about thirty years after hard physical work. This phenomenon leads to injury to the muscle tissue of the lower back and is accompanied by severe pain. Therefore, differential diagnosis is needed to rule out other abnormalities of the lumbar region.
Pinched the lower back - what to do at home?
This question is often asked by patients at the doctor’s appointment. When the nerve is pinched, a rather severe pain appears that prevents it from moving and leading an active life. After diagnosis and with the consent of the patient, it is possible to conduct treatment on an outpatient basis. Undergoing therapy at home implies the strict implementation of all the doctor's prescriptions. In order to prescribe the right treatment and figure out what to do if the lower back hurts and it hurts, the doctor needs to find out the type of pinching: lumbar ischialgia, lumbago, sciatica, cervicalgia. Since pain syndrome can provoke various diseases, the doctor selects the therapy for each patient individually. In all cases, this is an integrated approach:
- Taking medication.
- Physiotherapy.
- Massage.
- Preventive actions.
- Spa treatment.
- Physiotherapy.
- Surgical intervention (if necessary).
Sciatica
The nerve in the lower back is pinched and gives in the leg? This is most likely lumbar ischialgia. This term refers to several diseases in which the sciatic (right and / or left) and spinal (in the lumbar region) nerves are affected. The doctor will make the final diagnosis after the results of radiography, CT or MRI. Lumbar ischialgia is considered one of the signs of a pathology of the lower back. In addition to pain, which may be different in nature and intensity, there is stiffness of the lower extremities and movements in the lumbar region. Patients present such complaints to the doctor:
- A nerve in the lower back was pinched, giving pain is felt in the back of the thigh.
- In different places of the lower extremities there is a violation of sensitivity, numbness, tingling, itching.
- Pain in the lumbar region intensifies after exercise.
- In the morning, the muscles of the lumbar region are constrained and tense.
- The inability to stay upright for a long time.
The severity of symptoms is affected by the degree of impaired function and the mechanism of the disease. Lumbar ischialgia manifests itself when provocative factors affect the human body. Among them, it should be noted heavy physical labor, hypothermia, lower back tension, athletic stress, pregnancy and old age.
General measures for the prevention of risk factors
For any disease, if the lower back is pinched and gives back to the leg, it is recommended to reduce the risk factors that provoke this condition. As a result of the following measures, the general condition will improve and there will be no relapse. You need to follow these recommendations:
- Take vitamin complexes.
- Limit lumbar loads.
- Do not strain your back.
- Avoid stress.
- Adjust the diet to maintain normal body weight.
- Walk more.
- Do not catch a cold.
- Eat more vegetables and fruits.
Treatment
Pinched the lower back, what to do? Of course, to carry out treatment. Conservative therapy includes:
- Taking NSAIDs, such as Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Voltaren, Nurofen, Movalis, which remove inflammation and pain.
- Blockades with Novocaine have an analgesic effect. Acute attacks are removed with hormonal agents. Muscle relaxants - “Sirdalud”, “Midokalm” relax the muscles of the skeleton, reduce spasm and pain, and also improve blood circulation in the affected muscle tissue.
- Reception of drugs of group B - "Milgamma", "Oktolipen". In the early days of the disease, they help restore nerve function.
- Warming ointments - “Capsicum”, “Fastum”, “Apizartron”, “Viprosal”, compresses.
- Allowed the use of sleeping pills and sedatives.
- Dietary food is an exception to the diet of spicy, smoked and salty foods. During the period of exacerbation, it is forbidden to use fatty broth from meat, alcohol-containing drinks.
Strongly pinched the lower back, what to do? When the acute period subsides, then auxiliary therapy is connected:
- Physiotherapy exercises, swimming, yoga - they will relieve tension and spasm.
- Water treatments - have a relaxing effect.
- Massage - will relieve muscle tension in the lumbar region. A course of ten or fifteen sessions will be required. During this procedure, compression of the nerves disappears, blood flow is restored, tissue nutrition improves.
- Acupressure Tibetan massage.
- Reflexotherapy
- Physiotherapeutic treatment - electrophoresis, UHF, acupuncture.
- Manual therapy.
All treatment is aimed at stopping pain, improving blood flow and reducing edema. In the chronic stage of the disease, sanatorium treatment is indicated.
What to expect from treatment with pinched nerve
The therapy conducted by the doctor is aimed at:
- Elimination of edema.
- Removal of inflammation.
- Eliminate muscle spasm.
- Pain relief.
Unfortunately, many people, when such a situation arises, do not think about what to do at home? I got a pain in my lower back - so I need to urgently anesthetize. Typically, people make this decision and start drinking different medications without thinking about the consequences. As a result, the pain will go away, but the inflammation and swelling will remain. After a certain period, the situation will repeat again, as the cause is not eliminated and the wrong treatment was carried out.
How to determine the effectiveness of therapy
Pinched the lower back ... What if the treatment does not help? First you need to find out what is meant by the effectiveness of treatment. The results of a successful therapy are:
- The absence of pain.
- Restoration of blood circulation in the affected area.
- The disappearance of the inflammatory process.
- Recovery of nerve impulse transmission and nerve release.
- Improving health, improving the condition and quality of life.
- Lack of relapse.
It is important to remember that pinched nerve does not go away on its own. If the pain subsided, then this does not mean a complete cure. Be sure to find out and eliminate the cause that led to this condition. Doctors very often hear from patients that their nerve was pinched and their lower back hurts. What to do in such cases? Definitely visit a doctor. In the absence of such an opportunity, it is necessary to lay the person on any hard surface, give an anesthetic medication, and call a doctor at home. The lack of treatment leads to serious complications, lengthens the process of treatment and recovery. Self-medication of pinched nerve is unacceptable.
A nerve pinched and a sore back? What to do if there are no positive results from conservative treatment? The reason most likely lies in the intervertebral hernia. In such cases, doctors recommend resorting to surgical intervention. During the operation, deformed tissues that pinched the nerve are removed. The recovery period lasts from two weeks to three months.
Treatment with folk remedies
Pinched a nerve in the lower back? What to do at home? You can use herbal remedies. Traditional medicine offers quite a few effective recipes to eliminate the symptoms of pinching. Before using them, you should consult your doctor. In addition, it should be remembered that no methods and methods can replace traditional therapy. Below are some of the most popular herbal recipes:
- Fir oil and infusion of valerian are used for grinding. After applying these funds to the affected area, cover the lower back with a warm cloth.
- Honey and flour. Of these ingredients, taken in equal amounts, make a cake. Then, it is applied to a sore spot, bandaged, covered with warm material and left overnight. Take off in the morning.
- Celery juice. Use inside a tablespoon before meals and make a compress with it.
- Bay leaf. Tincture from this plant is used to rub into the affected area of the lower back. Method of preparation: take 17 leaves of laurel, pour them with 200 ml of vodka and leave for 3 days. Then use as directed.
Home Assistance
Pinched the lower back? What to do at home? When an acute pain syndrome occurs, a person should be laid on any hard surface. The first rule to remember is the ban on any warming up procedures for two days. This is due to the fact that thermal exposure increases the flow of blood to the affected area, causing swelling and increased pressure on the nervous tissue.
To reduce pain, you can use peppermint essential oil. It is diluted in a 1: 1 ratio with sunflower oil and applied to the lower back. To reduce swelling, you should limit the use of fluids and salt. From NSAIDs, any ointments and gels are suitable. On the third day, the use of warming ointments and a pepper patch is allowed. Self-administration of injectable or tablet medications is undesirable. If this condition arose earlier, then with intolerable pain, you can take a tablet of "Ketorol" or "Ibuprofen." Do not forget to call a doctor if a nerve is pinched in the lower back. What to do at home before he arrives, you already know.
What happens to the nerve when pinched
The process development mechanism is as follows:
- Initially, a factor arises that reduces the space for the nerve and its membranes, which contributes to its compression.
- The nerve responds to the stimulus with edema.
- The further picture depends on which nerve is damaged.
- If adjacent muscles are involved in the inflammation process, then a stable spasm is formed in them, leading to malnutrition. As a result, ischemia develops. Therefore, a person against the background of shooting acute pain in the back causes a dull and aching pain in the surrounding area, which gives unpleasant sensations on palpation.
Physiotherapy
Pinched the lower back, what to do? Stretching exercises (in addition to drug treatment) will ease the patient's condition and speed up the healing process. It is allowed to do exercises only in the period of remission and at a slow pace, gradually increasing the load. Exercises are performed while lying, sitting and standing. The following are some examples:
- Take a horizontal position, bending the limb where the pain is felt, pull it to the shoulder. Hold in this position for about thirty seconds, straighten. Repeat all movements with the second limb, then simultaneously with two.
- Lying on a hard surface, put one foot on the other. Grasp a healthy limb with your hands and pull yourself up, linger in this position for thirty seconds and return to its original state. Repeat two times.
- Lying on your back, put your hands under your buttocks, raise your legs and perform movements that mimic a ride on a bicycle.
- Take a horizontal position, hands spread apart. Take the lower limbs, bent at the knees, in one and the other direction.
- Take a horizontal position, bend your knees and pull to the chest. Buttocks should not be torn off the floor.
- Lean your hands on the back of the chair, spread your legs slightly, do half squats.
- Spread legs apart, lower hands. Make hips circular movements in different directions.
- Lie on the floor on your stomach. Raise the torso to the lower back and arch the back, then return to the starting position.
If the back is jammed in the lower back, then regular exercise is a very effective way to deal with compression in the lumbar region. Thanks to them, congestion in the muscles is eliminated, blood flow is stimulated. Doctors recommend doing these simple exercises during treatment. They will help to cope with pain faster.
Pinched nerve in a pregnant woman
Pinched the lower back during pregnancy, what should I do? First off, do not panic. Calm down and take the knee-elbow position, which helps to reduce the intensity of pain. To do this, kneel, lean your elbows and forearms on a hard surface. In this position, it is advisable to stay for about twenty minutes. During the day, it is recommended to take this pose several times. Be sure to purchase a bandage and wear it. Sleep lying on your side, and put a pillow between your legs to support the abdomen. Get up gently, roll to one side from the back, then lean on your hands, lower your legs and slowly take a vertical position.
When walking and sitting, try to keep your back straight. This position reduces the load on the spine. When sedentary work every thirty minutes to get up and walk a bit. Prefer comfortable shoes with a small steady heel. The doctor recommends painkillers only as a last resort, as they will harm the unborn baby. Pinched nerves during the period of expectation of a baby occurs in women who have this problem before pregnancy. Also, such a condition can develop with latent edema, multiple pregnancy, obesity.
Prevention of pinched nerve
Pinched the spine in the lower back? What to do to prevent this situation from happening again? Compliance with the following measures will significantly reduce the risk of nerve damage. Preventive measures include:
- Posture correction - you need to follow it from early childhood. Not only the frequency of pinching, but also the health of the spinal column depends on it.
- An increase in motor activity is especially important for people who have sedentary work.
- Normalization of weight - the spine suffers from its excess. Excessive body mass provokes the formation of hernias, a tightening of the intervertebral discs, which leads to pinching of the nerves. In patients with overweight, despite the ongoing therapy, pinched nerve is constantly observed.
- Avoid personal injury and safety precautions when performing various tasks.
- Do not make sudden movements, especially after prolonged rest.
- Avoid unilateral pressure on the spine, for example, carrying a bag on one shoulder, since with such a constant load, a nerve can be pinched.
- Give preference to special devices for sleeping - purchase an orthopedic mattress and pillow.
- Do not delay a visit to the doctor at the first sign of a pinched nerve and the appearance of pain in the spine.
Conclusion
A nerve pinched in the back, in the lower back? This is a fairly common phenomenon that occurs when the nerve roots of the spinal cord are clamped. This phenomenon occurs against the background of a narrowing of the gap between the vertebral discs due to a hernia of the intervertebral disc, protrusion or muscle tension. From time to time, pain in the back is present in a large number of people. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of patients seek qualified medical help. Therefore, frequent relapses and serious complications arise, leading to a significant deterioration in the quality of life. Pinched a nerve in the lower back, what to do at home? First aid is to take a lying position by choosing a hard surface. Drink anesthetic medication from the NSAID group - Ketonal, Ibuprofen.
It is allowed to take a sedative to relieve extreme stress experienced by the body. In addition, to remove the load from the spine, you can put a roller under the knees and smear the affected area with anti-inflammatory ointment. Of course, do not forget to consult a doctor, since it is possible to free the nerve, relieve inflammation and pain only under the supervision of doctors.