Lower back pain

Acute and chronic lower back pain

Lower back pain is divided into acute and chronic:

Acute back pain occurs suddenly and often does not last more than a few days or a couple of weeks.

The most common cause of acute pain is mechanical damage (falls, sudden movements and stretching). Patients describe this pain as stabbing or mild and moderate, and this lower back pain is usually accompanied by limited mobility and difficulty getting up.

Specialist treatments for lower back pain in Fizionova

In our Center, we offer the possibility of treating and repairing the consequences of other diseases that can cause pain in the lower back. We have the opportunity to offer you treatment for over 50 different diseases and injuries, many of which have to do with lower back pain. There is a team of experts at your disposal who will suggest the best treatment for your individual case.

The treatment plan at our Center may include individual treatments if they are appropriate for your case, or our Protocols that combine different types of multiple treatments to treat your injury or condition in the best possible way, and to achieve a quick and lasting result.

If you have experience with back pain that interferes with your daily activities or that is chronic, call our Center and make an appointment with our specialists who will give a diagnosis and suggest a treatment plan for your particular case. For an accurate diagnosis, the specialist will first look for the causes that led to the pain.

Lower back pain - the most common causes

The causes of lower back pain can be mechanical, organic or idiopathic. At times spinal conditions are congenital or acquired, which means that the disorder developed later in life.

Mechanical lower back pain often appears due to a certain movement of the spine and includes spinal structures, such as facet joints, intervertebral discs, vertebral bodies (vertebrae), ligaments, muscles or soft tissues. The causes are conditions such as:

• degenerative disc disease

• ligament sprains

• muscle tension

• disc herniation

• sciatica

• lumbar radiculopathy

• excessive curvature of the spine (scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis)

• spinal stenosis

Organic lower back pain is attributed to diseases such as:

• spinal cancer

• abdominal aortic aneurysm

• discarthrosis 

• fibromyalgia

• kidney stone

• osteomyelitis (bacterial inflammation of the bones)

• osteoporosis

• rheumatoid arthritis

Lower back pain - treatment

In order to successfully treat lower back pain, the most important thing is to determine the causes that led to this condition. Treatment consists of neutralizing the causes and repairing the consequences resulting from those causes. 

Low back pain that keeps returning as a result of improper body mechanics can be prevented by avoiding movements that strain the back, holding the body properly, and lifting objects correctly.

Many injuries, which are related to certain occupations, can be caused or aggravated by various factors such as: lifting loads, contact stress, vibrations, movements that are often repeated, as well as bad posture. In that case, it is necessary to introduce certain changes that will prevent the appearance of back pain.

Recommendations for a healthy back

• Exercise regularly to keep your back muscles strong and flexible. Consult the Fizionova Center’s team of experts who will suggest a series of exercises for strengthening the lower back and abdomen muscles, all of which are tailored to your age category and your specific case.

• Maintain a healthy body weight and take care that your diet is balanced and varied, as well as that it provides a sufficient intake of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D, which are important for bone health.

• Use ergonomic equipment and furniture at home, but also at work. Make sure all your work surfaces are at a comfortable height.

• If your job involves a lot of sitting or standing, it is important to change your sitting positions frequently, to take occasional breaks for short walks and slight stretching, and thus relieve muscle tension. When you sit for a long time, it's a good idea to raise your legs on a foot stool or to use a footrest. Also, a pillow or wrapped towel placed behind the back can provide support for the lumbar region.

• Always wear comfortable shoes with low heels.

• Sleeping on your side with your knees bent in the fetal position can be useful, thus relieving the pressure and curvature of the spine.

• Always sleep on a firm surface.

• Pay attention to the way you lift heavy objects. First, squat with your legs spread so that your spine is not bent. Tighten the abdomen, tighten the abdominal and back muscles. Lift the load slowly all the while making sure you keep the objects as close to you as possible. Also, do not twist when lifting.

• If you are a smoker, quit the habit. Smoking reduces blood flow in the lower part of the spine, which can contribute to the degeneration of the spinal disc. Smoking also increases the risk of osteoporosis and prevents bone healing. A cough that results from long-term smoking can also be a trigger for back pain.