Lumbago: Acute and chronic backlash? causes, symptoms, treatment

Back pain mainly affects the young productive population, but even the elderly cannot avoid it. Back problems are among the most common causes of incapacity for work.

Generally about back pain

Back pain can come from a variety of causes. It can be of functional or organic origin.

Although a functional disorder of the spine is unpleasant and painful, it is not one of the serious life-threatening conditions. The opposite is its organic form.

We will spend the following time with the functional cause of lower back pain, which is also referred to as lumbago. Lumbago bears the popular name of chopping in the back or crosses, known from neighbors as the houser or shot.

Back pain is one of the most common causes of seeking professional help.

It is said that almost every person has experienced this unpleasant experience at least once in their life.

The origin of the difficulties can be found, for example, in degenerative processes on the spine, which has various causes, but also in non-serious blockages, ie cuts of the spine.

It often cuts us in the neck or in the lumbar and sacral spine.

We most often encounter this type of slash in the productive period of life. The problem is based on sedentary work, inactivity, or inadequate spinal overload.

An example is a  Sudden and careless movement.

The acute form is characterized by a sharp flare. Difficulties go away after a few days or weeks. We call it acute lumbago.

The opposite is chronic pain, which lasts longer than 3 months. 

Acute pain is unpleasant, but chronic pain leaves traces on the psyche and quality of life in general.

Back pain is divided according to length into:

1. acute pain - usually lasts less than 6 weeks and no serious course is expected, the need to rule out another disease, usually does not require special treatment procedures
2. subacute pain - 6 to 12 weeks
3. chronic pain - persists for more than 3 months, requires special procedures in diagnosis and treatment
   • recurrent pain that returns - recurring, with a break of less than 3 months between worsening difficulties

The table shows the division of back pain

Second part: Aimed at Lumbago

You ask: And what is Lumbago?

As lumbago defined pain in the lumbar region.

Pain is caused by contraction, that is, contraction of the paravertebral muscles (muscles surrounding the spine - vertebrae). The reason may be overloading the muscles of the body area.

It is located in the lumbosacral region, ie the lumbar-sacral part. And that place of lumbosacral transition or sacroiliac joints. However, the pain can radiate all the way to the lower limb, through the sitting area, ie the buttocks.

Pain in this area may also be referred to as lumbalgia.
Lumbar, ie lumbar and algia suffix indicating pain. 
Acute lumbar pain in English terminology: Acute non-specific low back pain.

The pain in the lumbar region comes suddenly or gradually worsens over several hours. In most cases, it occurs after a sudden movement and change of position.

This often happens in the case of a quick forward bend or a heavy lifting of a heavy load.

Lumbago is a simple - non-specific type of back pain, with no root irritation (signs of nerve compression). In addition to acute lumbago, which lasts up to 6 weeks, it also occurs chronically. This indicates pain without an obvious organic cause lasting more than 3 months.

Lumbar spine

According to the name, it is clear that it is part of the spine in the stem. The lumbar spine has 5 vertebrae, which are referred to in the literature as lumbar vertebrae 1 to 5.

L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5.

From the top it is bounded by the thoracic vertebra Th12 and from below by the cruciate vertex S1.

This part of the spine is exposed to a high load, which is significant in static and dynamic terms. The highest load is standing and sitting.

Non-specific back pain takes up to 85% of the total number of back problems.

Lumbago is mostly a long-term result of a disorder of stability, statics, and dynamics, ie muscle imbalance in the back and shaft in general.

Poor posture, a sedentary lifestyle that results in the weakening of the muscles of the spine, but also the core of the body. Nowadays, the well-known designation of the body's core is the English term - core.

The body's core is made up of muscles such as the diaphragm, the abdominal muscles, and the muscles of the pelvis and pelvic floor, plus the muscles of the spine - a deep stabilizing system.

It ensures posture, balance, but also strength.

Behind spinal pain may be a structural impairment or a functional problem. The cause of the problem is said to be multifactorial. So it is an interplay of several factors.

It is most often stated that behind acute difficulties is the overload of the spine and rapid movement with rotation - rotation. Especially during forward bending and incorrect lifting of the load.

Intervertebral disc overload:
In a supine position = 25% 
Standing =  100%
Sitting =  150% 
In a forward bend = 200% 
When lifting a load from a forward bend with balanced lower limbs = 1000% 

Among the causes of lumbago include, for example:

• a sudden change of position with a component of rotation, ie the rotation of the spine
• spinal overload
• improper lifting of loads in the forward bend
• poor posture and muscle imbalance
• body vibration
• hard work
• sudden load on the untrained
• sports activities with sudden and uncoordinated movement, such as ball games, tennis, football, basketball, handball, and others
• sedentary lifestyle and inactivity
• sedentary job
• cold spine
• injury mechanisms, such as slipping and uncoordinated movement
• psychological factors
  • stress
  • long-term mental stress
  • neurotic and psychotic disorders

A cold spine can also be caused by air conditioning in the car or in the living space. Learn how air conditioning affects our health.

The exact cause is not always obvious. Then a significant multifactorial effect is expected.

The basis of difficulties is the stretching or tearing of ligament attachments, muscle fibers, or muscle sheaths (muscle fascia). Especially in a group of untrained people, spasms occur - contractions of the muscles that are located around the spine.

Sedentary lifestyle and inactivity negatively affect the adequate nutrition of intervertebral discs.

A complication is a blockage between the vertebral joints and in severe cases, there is also damage to the intervertebral disc.

With back pain, we may encounter causes such as:

• discopathy, ie damage to the intervertebral disc
• spondyloarthritis - degenerative changes due to arthrosis of intravertebral joints - vertebral joints
• spondylolisthesis - displacement of two vertebrae
• osteoporosis - weakening of bone tissue
• Ankylosing spondylitis - Bechterev's disease
• spinal stenosis - changes leading to narrowing of the spinal canal
• inflammation in the spine - mostly from another place of inflammation, blood flow, rheumatological disease, or inflammation after invasive surgery in the spine
• injury
• tumor - benign (benign) tumor, but also malignant (malignant)
  • primary tumors of the spinal cord or vertebrae are rather rare but severe
  • optionally as metastases (MTS) to the spinal area

Also read: Sciatica, ie inflammation of the sciatic nerve and other causes of back pain.

Sudden intense pain in the area of ​​the shaft, most often preceded by lifting a load or a sudden change of position from a forward bend. An affected person may also experience a rupture or slap in the back.

The person in question, while blocking the lumbar spine, holds the block position of the body. And in a slight forward bend and possibly with a deviation to one side. Which causes pain relief.

The pain is sudden, sharp, and intense, even cruel.

Of course, the main symptom of lumbago is pain. This is exacerbated by any movement. It is accompanied by a blockage in the affected part of the lumbar spine, ie a restriction of movement.

However, that is not all.

Pain occurs in the lumbar or sacral region. Sometimes he fires into the area of ​​the sciatic muscle, ie the buttocks and through the back of the thigh muscle.

The main symptom of an acute lumbago is a sudden sharp and unpleasant pain.

The pain may persist or be fluctuating. It usually manifests itself on one side.

It is exacerbated by movement, but also by increased pressure in the abdominal cavity when coughing, sneezing, or defecating (when pressure on the stool). The spine is blocked, which also causes the body to be held in the so-called antalgic position. This is a position that relieves pain.

The analgesic position is usually in a slight forward bend with the lower limbs bent at the knees. Or, conversely, a protruding posture with a tilt in the lumbar region to the unaffected side.

There is no root irritation in the lumbag , an association of neurological disorders due to nerve compression .
Neurological deficit such as: muscle weakness or weakening of the skin's sensitivity in the area of ​​innervation.

Summary of lumbago symptoms:

• lower back pain, which may be permanent or paroxysmal
• aggravation of pain when moving
• the pain may radiate to the buttocks or lower limbs
• relief posture - anthalgic position
  • forward bend with bending of the lower limbs in the knees
  • stretching, stretching of the spine with a sway to the side in the hips
• dysfunction of the spine, ie blockage and inability to move or restriction of movement
• muscle tension in a given locality

Lumbago can prevent the plate from popping up.

Diagnosis focuses on anamnesis and clinical examination.With history, the victim trusts the doctor about his problems, their origin, and the nature of the difficulties. 

The expert then evaluates the gait, posture, posture, and relief position. The clinical examination also includes an orienting neurological examination and motility of the spine.

Other methods include X-rays, CT, MRI, EMG, and other special tests. This is especially the case if the difficulties persist for a long time or if they recur.

The task of the examination is also differential diagnosis and differentiation from other causes of difficulties. As we state in the section on the causes of lumbago.

Lumbago usually starts acutely, as a result of a sharp movement with rotation in the spine, a sudden jump from a forward bend, or as a result of the improper lifting of heavy loads.

However, in some cases, it takes longer than 3 months. Then it is called chronic.

Persistence of cutting difficulties in the crosses in days, but also in months.

In the case of an uncomplicated course, the pain occurs only at the site of involvement of the musculoskeletal system. It happens that they radiate into the buttocks or the back of the thigh.

Pain impairs movement. But also tension in the muscles of the torso, when coughing, sneezing, or defecating.

This can be either partially or completely limited. Characteristic is also the posture of the body, which the affected person tries to relieve from pain.

In case of difficulties such as muscle weakness, tingling sensation and sensory disturbances in the lower limb, nerve compression, and radicular syndrome should be considered.

Do not delay professional examination.