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Lumbago causes, treatment and home remedies
Lumbago - acute pain on the back
The colloquial term lumbago stands for sudden acute back pain (usually in the lumbar spine), which are often associated with significant movement impairments. As a rule, the symptoms disappear as suddenly as they occurred, which probably also contributed to the formation of a concept. The acute back pain was attributed in medieval society to the arrow shot or spell of a magical being such as a witch.
contents
- Lumbago - acute pain on the back
- definition
- causes
- Symptoms in lumbago
- What to do with lumbago
- diagnosis
- treatment
- Lumbago and naturopathy
definition
A lumbago describes the medical complaints of the so-called ischial syndrome (sciatica) and the lumbar syndrome (lumboischialgie). In the professional world, lumbago is also known as lumbago.
A lumbago is accompanied by sudden onset of pain and restricted mobility. (Image: Stasique / fotolia.com) causes
While low back pain or low back pain can have numerous causes, the potential triggers for a lumbago are rather limited. Most commonly called compression (bruising) of the sciatic nerve. Tension in the muscles, shifts in the vertebral bodies or intervertebral discs lead to narrowing of the nerve tracts and corresponding sciatic pain.
If the sciatic nerve is trapped, those affected often complain of concomitant symptoms such as buttocks pain and pain in the back of the thigh.
Under certain circumstances, jerky turns, too high loads, colds and accidental injuries also lead to a bruising of the sciatic nerve and a lumbago. If the nerve is pinched, this usually causes an automatic tightening or tensioning of the back muscles.
Damage to the sciatic nerve by tumors that press on the surrounding tissue or infections with herpes zoster viruses (causative agent of chickenpox and shingles) can cause the occurrence of a lumbago. Furthermore, the so-called piriformis syndrome (compression of the sciatic nerve between the pelvic bone and piriformis muscle) is the cause of the complaints into consideration.
Symptoms in lumbago
Typical for a lumbago is the massive, sudden onset, pulling pain in the lumbar spine (also lumbar spine). This is usually associated with a significant restriction of movement and may be accompanied by a misalignment of the lower back and the pelvis.
With rotating, bending movements, the pain increases significantly. Erecting in a bent position is often particularly painful for those affected. In general, the symptoms of a lumbago are often position-dependent. Localized is the lumbago mostly between the lowest lumbar vertebra and the sacrum.
Erecting from the stooped posture causes particularly severe pain in a lumbago. (Image: Antonioguillem / fotolia.com) Many lumbago patients also have significant pain when sitting and lying down. They wake up increasingly at night and suffer from corresponding tiredness, can not sit in the office for long and even in the evening on the couch not really relax.
What to do with lumbago
Although those affected by a lumbago in everyday life massively limited, but fortunately, the complaints usually go over just as suddenly as they came. This is not always the case.
If the pain persists for a long time, radiates to other parts of the body or is accompanied by numbness, urination or defecation problems, a more urgent medical examination should urgently be carried out as more serious illnesses may trigger the symptoms.
diagnosis
In a lumbago, muscle hardening around the lumbar spine is often palpable. The description of the symptoms provides further information on the causes of the pain. Also, some simple exercise exercises can help narrow down the diagnosis. As part of the diagnosis, it is particularly important to exclude more serious diseases such as a herniated disc or even cancer as a trigger of the symptoms. This is done in case of doubt with the help of imaging techniques such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.
treatment
Basically, the affected person is recommended to rest. They should spare their backs. Comprehensive treatment is not necessary with a normal lumbago, as the symptoms usually disappear on their own after a few days. However, various measures can help alleviate the symptoms. This is especially necessary in patients who take a restraint due to the pain, which in turn can lead to further impairment.
First aid with lumbago: put your legs up!
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Muscle relaxing, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs are commonly used in conventional medicine to allow the lumbago patients a largely symptom-free everyday. Since heat is thought to have a relaxing effect on the musculature, heat compresses, hot water bottles, thermal ointments and the use of red light are also used in the treatment.
A soothing immediate measure in a lumbago is a hot water bottle on the back. (Image: absolutimages / fotolia.com) Physiotherapy and massages are other options for lumbago therapy. Rolfing and osteopathy offer special approaches to manual treatment. Chiropractic also relies on manual lumbago treatment. Other treatment options include acupuncture and acupressure.
If the lumbago is the cause of more serious illnesses, in spite of the many treatment options, only one operation can possibly help. For example, a herniated disc can usually be treated successfully with the help of conventional methods, but some sufferers still require surgical intervention today.
If the lumbago is not caused by serious illnesses, it usually disappears after a few days on its own, so that raises the question of the extent to which the treatment options mentioned can even have an effect. Often the lumbago is already gone before an appointment with the specialist is released. However, the mentioned means of external application can also be applied immediately after the onset of the complaints at home.
Lumbago and naturopathy
Envelopes with diluted arnica tincture and oils with Aconitum or St. John's wort as well as Swedish bitters and ointments containing bee venom or cayenne pepper are suitable for external application. The extracts of stinging nettle, devil's claw and willow bark, the "natural aspirin", are also credited with a promising effect. A tea based on the above-mentioned plants, according to the naturopathic treatment approach to help alleviate the symptoms.
As physical therapy, warming applications, e.g. recommended as red light irradiation or fango pack. Medical full baths are particularly effective when a hay flower extract is added to the water (see below for use in sciatic pain).
Soothing hay flower bath
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Natural help with lumbago and low back pain can offer hot stone massages, neural therapy, body and ear acupuncture, as well as classic exfoliation techniques such as cupping and Baunscheidtherapie. Basically, it is recommended that those affected sit as little as possible. Lying and walking and, if necessary, standing are to be preferred. Prolonged immobilization is rather negative, as it breaks down the muscles.
A massage with warm stones ("hot stone massage") can relieve the lumbago symptoms. (Image: WavebreakmediaMicro / fotolia.com) To support the self-healing of the organism, should be temporarily switched to low-salt and low-protein diet. If well tolerated, pure raw food can also boost healing. Under certain circumstances, a nutritional therapy is considered, which not only contribute to the balance of the acid-base balance, but generally strengthen the immune system.
Other naturopathic starting points for lumbago therapy are offered by stone healing, homeopathy and the use of Schüssler salts. Known homeopathic remedies for lumbar discomfort include, for example, Arnica, Agaricus aconitum, Carboneum sulfuricum and Hypericum.
In the course of mineral therapy with Schüßler salts, the salts Nos. 4 and 7 are frequently used. (Tf, fp, nr, last updated on 14.6.2017)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)