Pain in the back and lower back - a harbinger of illness or a common occurrence? Proper sleep for lower back pain Pain in the lower back and spine
Pain in the back and lower back - a harbinger of illness or a common occurrence?
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Complaints about back and lower back pain are found quite often in emergency and outpatient medical practice. The seriousness of this condition is determined by the fact that acute pain severely limits people’s physical activity and ability to work. Most often complaints are about:
1. Back pain above the waist.2. Pain in the lower back.
3. Back pain below the waist.
Back pain above the lower back
This pain can occur periodically or be chronic. Sometimes the pain goes away, but may return again after lifting something heavy; sharp tilt of the body; sitting for a long time at an uncomfortable-height table.The main reason could be:
- Incorrect posture.
- Improperly arranged workplace.
- Myosfacial syndrome.
Lower back pain
The most common condition. It usually occurs in middle-aged and older people, but young people are not immune from the manifestation of similar symptoms. There is even a separate name for this condition, firmly entrenched in medicine - “ lumbago». Pain with lumbago occurs against the background of strong physical activity or with a sudden awkward movement and is so intense that the person seems to be “jammed” in one position. When you try to change your body position to a more comfortable one, the pain intensifies. In addition to physical exertion, hypothermia can affect the occurrence of pain.
The predetermining causes of lumbago are:
- Radiculitis.
- Lumbar hernia.
- Vertebral displacement.
- Intervertebral disc prolapse ( during very intense physical activity).
Back pain below the waist
Pain below the lower back often radiates to the legs. May be acute or chronic. Occurs against the background of physical exertion, after hypothermia.The reason may be:
- Ankylosing spondylitis.
- Radiculitis.
Symptoms:
the pain radiates to the stomach and genitals. Sometimes patients feel a strong urge to urinate.
Nature of pain – extremely sharp and intense. This is an emergency condition that requires immediate medical attention. In this case, the first thing you need to do is call an ambulance.
There are several types of back and lower back pain:
1. Pain of musculoskeletal origin.2. Pain due to injury.
3. Pain radiating to the lumbar region.
4.
Pain that begins in people under 50 years of age.
5.
Pain that begins in people over 50 years of age.
6.
Pain that appears during pregnancy ( is not a pathology, it occurs due to increased functional load on the body).
Pain in the back and lower back of musculoskeletal origin
All small ligaments, joint capsules, connective tissue membranes, bones - everything that, in the totality of their functions, allows us to move - has spatial and pain sensitivity. Factors of trauma, excessive stress, displacement of articular processes lead to inflammatory reactions, which cause pain.Back and lower back pain caused by injuries
Sudden, sharp stress on the muscles can lead to partial damage to the muscle or ligament. Even a healthy person can receive a minor injury due to a specific injury. The pain is usually accompanied by muscle spasms, which resolve within a few days for a mild injury or a few weeks for a more severe injury. The pain gradually becomes aching, not sharp.Pain radiating to the lower back and back
This pain is felt when stenosis occurs ( compression) nerve roots due to narrowing of the spinal canal and openings between the vertebrae or due to a herniated disc. Stenosis
The cause of stenosis is considered to be degenerative changes in the nerve roots. In some cases, decompression surgery is performed - laminectomy. This operation allows access to the spinal cord by cutting the vertebral arch. Thus, pressure on the nerve roots is relieved or even completely eliminated.Pressure on the roots occurs due to age-related changes, so young people are practically not susceptible to this disease.
Pain with stenosis occurs in the back, then radiates to the leg. A man walks with a limp. Accompanied by a feeling of numbness, dull aching pain.
Herniated disc
This disease develops gradually. According to statistics, acute attacks of pain due to a herniated disc occur in people thirty years of age and older. Symptoms manifest themselves differently in each person, but there are common signs: for example, a person limps, avoids putting too much stress on the affected side, and keeps the affected limb in a bent position. If, during an examination, the doctor asks you to bend, straighten, or rotate the sore leg, he will definitely note that the patient has a reduced range of motion.Back and lower back pain that occurs in people under 50 years of age
The group of diseases in which back and lower back pain occurs in young and middle age includes:- Spinal osteomyelitis.
- Spondylolisthesis.
- Fibrositis.
- Sacroiliitis.
Children also suffer from osteomyelitis. Bacteria that form pus spread to the bone tissue and periosteum and decompose the bone. In infants, bone damage leads to the formation of arthritis ( joint disorders).
Routes of penetration of the causative agent of osteomyelitis:
- Through the bloodstream.
- Through the source of inflammation.
- Through penetrating trauma ( for example, after a bone fracture or after operations on bone tissue, due to a traumatic surgical technique and violation of the principles of asepsis).
Main complaints: pain in the lower back, pain in the hips, legs; severe weakness. Due to muscle spasm, range of motion decreases. Any concussion of the spine increases pain, so the gait of patients becomes cautious and soft. Depending on the degree of displacement of the vertebra, there are four main stages, characterized by the percentage of displacement: up to 25%, from 25 to 50%, from 50% to 75%, from 75% and above.
Fibrositis is an inflammatory process in fibrous connective tissue. Symptoms of fibrositis: pain along the entire body, immobility of the spine, weakness in the morning after sleep. Pain intensity: moderate to very severe. According to statistics, fibrositis affects mainly middle-aged women. Patients often complain of problems with sleep, headaches that occur after overexertion, after emotional stress.
Sacroiliitis usually occurs in combination with rheumatoid arthritis and chronic inflammation of the intestinal system. This disease is not very common; Mostly young people suffer from it.
Symptoms:
- Pain in the back and lower back.
- Fever.
- Dramatic weight loss.
- Digestive disorders, in particular diarrhea.
Back and lower back pain that occurs in people over 50 years of age
The group of diseases that develop in older age after 50 years includes:- Osteoporosis.
- Spondylosis.
- Spinal tumors.
Spondylosis forms gradually due to wear and cracks of the intervertebral disc. Joints are stretched and dystrophic changes occur in the outer parts of the disc. The reasons may be excessive long-term stress on the musculoskeletal system and spinal trauma. Symptoms of spondylosis are lower back pain and an increase in the inflammatory process. At first, the pain is not too severe and occurs with prolonged physical activity; subsequently the pain becomes intense and occurs even when coughing. Exacerbation of pain is accompanied by spasms of the paravertebral muscles.
Spinal tumors- not a very common disease. In young people, benign formations develop that affect the posterior processes of the vertebra. In older people, malignant tumors develop that affect the anterior processes of the vertebra.
Damage to the spine by metastases is a common process. What is important is that in 25% of cases of metastatic lesions, the main symptom is back pain.
This fact once again reminds us that pain in the back and lower back is usually a sure sign of a disease.
Back and lower back pain during pregnancy
During pregnancy, many women experience constant nagging pain in the back and lower back. The mechanism of occurrence of this pain is an increase in the secretion of the hormone relaxin, the function of which is to soften the ligaments of the sacral region ( to prepare the birth canal for the passage of the fetus). Since relaxin does not have a selective effect, it affects all ligaments, which causes pain in the lumbar region, which is subject to increased stress due to the increase in weight of the pregnant woman.Increasing weight moves the center of the torso forward, tightening the psoas and pelvic muscles to balance the body. It is because of excessive stress that pain increases in these muscles.
- Move straight, smoothly.
- Try to avoid lifting weights, but if this is impossible, lift without jerking, not abruptly. Lift weights without bending, distributing the weight of the weight evenly on both hands.
- If you need to bend down to the floor, then smoothly lower yourself to your knees without bending your back.
- To get out of bed, you first need to turn on your side, then kneel down, rise, holding onto something stable - for example, the back of a sofa.
- Do not remove objects located high - you may lose your balance.
- Don't wear high heels.
Acute lower back pain from the 38th week of pregnancy may indicate the onset of labor. Therefore, in such a situation, it is necessary to urgently call a doctor.
Diagnosis of back and lower back pain
Since there are many causes of back and lower back pain, a situation often arises when it is difficult to differentiate one disease from another that has similar symptoms.Diagnostics is carried out using the following main methods:
- Computer or magnetic resonance imaging.
- Myelography.
- Radionuclide bone scan.
A computer study evaluates three main parameters: the condition of bone tissue, soft tissue and blood vessels.
Myelography is a radiopaque examination of the spinal cord pathways. Myelography is indicated for all pathological conditions in which the lumen of the spinal canal decreases - with tumors, stenoses, hernias. Contrast agent ( most often xenon gas) is injected into the spinal cord, then an X-ray examination is performed.
If the primary data obtained from the X-ray examination are uninformative, then it is indicated radionuclide scanning (scintigraphy). This method allows you to diagnose tumors, arthritis and other diseases. This method is quite expensive, so it is not always used.
Treatment of back and lower back pain
Treatment of back and lower back pain with unknown etiology is symptomatic and involves bed rest, sedatives, Adequate sleep for health and normal well-being is practically the main condition. But what kind of normal sleep can we talk about if the lower back hurts? It’s good if you’re just tired from working out or doing business, but if this pain is due to problems with the spine ?
Causes of lower back pain
Lower back pain can occur due to various reasons, and sometimes only an experienced orthopedic doctor or osteopath can understand its origins. There are two large groups. First - primary pain resulting from skeletal or muscular disorders of the spinal column.
These include problems such as:
- osteochondrosis, degenerative lesions of the cartilage and bones of the spine;
- spondyloarthrosis – damage to the intervertebral joints.
All other manifestations are to secondary pain when it is not the vertebrae directly that is affected, but the tissues around the lumbar region:
- infectious lesions in the vertebral area - tuberculosis, osteomyelitis;
- osteoporosis and softening of bones;
- inflammation of the joints in the spine - ankylosing spondylitis, arthritis;
- tumors in the paravertebral space;
- fractures, including compression fractures, of the vertebrae;
- spinal circulatory disorders;
- diseases of the pelvis and intestines, then the pain is of a reflected nature.
Many other diseases can cause one of the symptoms of lower back pain.
What should you sleep on?
If back pain has become a daily occurrence for you, start by changing your bed and mattress. First of all, get rid of feather beds and cotton mattresses, they are uncomfortable and increase pain, not giving normal rest to the lower back.
The bed should be hard with a strong orthopedic base, and if there are problems with the bone base of the spine, place a thick wooden board in combination with special springs or blocks under the mattress. The bed should not sag under your weight in the lumbar region, but it should conform to the curves of your body according to the shape of your spine.
Another mattress option could be a water mattress without waves and with adjustable density. When sleeping on such a mattress, the pressure on the body is distributed evenly, so you can sleep on it all night in a constant position.
Sleeping positions
For correct and good sleep you should choose the right posture. It is recommended to sleep on your back, with your legs slightly bent. Place a pillow under your head and neck, and place your shoulders and back on the mattress. When you stretch your legs, tension occurs in the tendons of the hip and buttock, which can increase lower back pain. Place a cushion or small pillow. You will immediately feel relief from lower back pain and relaxation.
Another useful sleeping position is the fetal position - lie on your left or right side, pull your hips towards your stomach, while arching your back. Place a small pillow between your legs; it will prevent you from rotating your hips and putting stress on your lower back.
Proper sleep for lower back pain
If you find it most comfortable to sleep on your stomach, place a small pillow or bolster under your groin and pelvic area to prevent your lower back from leaning forward or arching excessively. This will relieve pain and strain on the ligaments.
Sometimes it helps to tightly pull the lumbar area with a towel and form a knot in front before going to bed to keep the muscles and ligaments immobilized and reduce pain.
How to get out of bed if you have pain?
Sleeping properly is half the battle. When you wake up in the morning, you should get out of bed correctly without provoking an attack of pain. Before getting up, stretch your legs and arms: do some flexion and extension exercises. Roll smoothly onto your stomach if you were sleeping on your back, and lower one leg to the floor, placing it on your knee. Now transfer your body weight to this leg and your arms. Stand up smoothly, without making sudden movements, using the strength of your arms and emphasis on your legs.
You can also get up in another way - turn over on your side and bend your knees, lift your body on your arms, leaning on the edge of the bed, while at the same time lower your legs from the bed to the floor. Keep your lower back and back straight.
Today, most of the working population of our country aged 28 to 55 years suffer from acute back pain. Moreover, they often last not one or even a couple of days, but several weeks. However, people do not consider it necessary to seek help from a doctor and practice self-medication - they give a couple of injections and the pain goes away, which means everything is fine again (until the next attack). But such treatment is not able to eliminate the cause of pain - people do not know this and do not try to find out, refusing to undergo the necessary diagnostic methods. And this significantly worsens their situation. In this article we will talk about one of the main causes of lower back pain radiating to the leg - lumbar ischialgia.
What is lumboischalgia?
This is one of the many types of radiculopathy. With this disease, the sciatic nerve is damaged, which is why it is characterized by the presence of back pain radiating to the posterior surface of the buttock and lower leg (but the pain does not reach the toes). Painful sensations are often accompanied by a feeling of chilliness or heat. It should be noted that pain always appears suddenly, most often it is provoked by staying in one position for a long time or, conversely, by awkward movement or lifting something heavy. The pain can be of different types: increasing, aching or burning.
Most often in practice, four forms of lumbar ischialgia are distinguished:
Muscular-tonic form. The reason for the development of this form of lumbar ischialgia is irritation of the root by nearby structures. This leads to muscle-tonic spasm of various muscles and, accordingly, to compression of nearby vessels and nerves. The most likely causes of pain: pathology of the development of the hip joint, diseases of the pelvic organs and digestive system, excessive stress on the muscles;
Neurodystrophic form. Develops after the muscular-tonic form. It is characterized by the presence of trophic changes in the skin, and in rare cases even ulcers. Often accompanied by night cramps and pain. The pain is localized either in the popliteal fossa or in the lumbar region. When moving, patients note a feeling of limited movement in the hip joint. The main signs of the neurodystrophic form:
- Severe lumbar pain that continues for many years;
- Affects predominantly the hip, ankle and knee joints;
- A clearly visible connection between pain;
- Pain in the lower back radiates to the leg.
Vegetative-vascular form. It is characterized by the following specific symptoms: numbness of the foot, burning pain, feeling of cold and heat. Painful sensations develop due to forced incorrect position of the legs or cooling. With prolonged lumbar pain, there is a decrease in pulsation on the dorsum of the foot and paleness of the skin of the fingers;
Mixed form. Includes features of all three previous forms.
General symptoms of lumbar ischialgia
- All forms of lumbar ischialgia are characterized by the following classic signs:
- Restriction of movement and lower back pain;
- A sharp increase in pain with any change in body position;
- Often and unexpectedly, a person’s leg goes numb for no reason;
- The characteristic position of the patient is: he is slightly tilted forward and bent;
- Pain along the sciatic nerve;
- The lower back hurts and radiates to the leg;
- The skin on the leg changes color due to poor circulation;
- Feeling of chilliness and/or heat;
- Pain when the patient tries to stand on his leg.
Causes of lumbar ischalgia
As mentioned above, painful sensations with lumbar ischialgia appear suddenly and provoke awkward movements and excessive lifting of weights. However, all people experience heavy lifting and many do not have back pain. Therefore, there must be certain reasons for everything. The main factors influencing the occurrence of pain in the lower back and legs are:
- Age – after 30 years;
- Depression and stress;
- Excess weight and pregnancy. In these conditions, the center of gravity shifts significantly, as a result of which incorrect posture develops;
- Congenital pathologies of the spine;
- Professional sports or constant heavy physical work;
- Deforming osteoarthritis;
- Protrusion of the intervertebral disc;
- Disc herniation.
Diagnosis and treatment
In any case, only a doctor can make a final diagnosis. Based on the results of the surveys conducted. The most informative of them are:
- X-ray of the sacroiliac joints and hip joints;
- CT scan;
- Magnetic resonance imaging.
Treatment of lumbar ischialgia is prescribed only by a doctor and it must take into account the cause of the disease, as well as the stage of its development. The severity of symptoms and the presence of chronic diseases in the patient are also important.
During the acute course of the disease, the patient, first of all, needs complete rest.
Moreover, you should lie on a hard surface, in a position that is most comfortable. It is recommended to remain in bed for at least a week. After this, you gradually need to start doing light exercises without getting out of bed, then sitting, etc. But it is worth remembering that they should not cause pain to a person.
In the presence of acute pain, doctors usually prescribe drug treatment, which aims to eliminate pain and pathological muscle spasms. For this, NSAIDs and a special course of injections are most often prescribed.
Also in practice, drugs are often used that improve venous outflow and microcirculation of blood, and sometimes drugs that include B vitamins. Moreover, even after the pain disappears, the patient is recommended to continue taking vitamins and NSAIDs for several days.
Non-drug treatment methods are considered particularly effective. But they are used only after the pain syndrome has been eliminated. They include a course of physiotherapeutic procedures. One of the most popular methods is acupuncture together with pharmacopuncture. The latter is an injection of a drug using a needle into one of the pain points. This treatment method helps restore microcirculation and reduce swelling. As a result, irritation of the nerve ending and muscle spasm stop.
Any treatment must be accompanied by therapeutic exercises.
Manual therapy is also used in cases where the lower back hurts and the leg is pulled, but it has many contraindications. It can only be performed for certain types of lumbar ischialgia. All this applies to therapeutic traction. We should not forget about the cause of the disease and the accompanying chronic diseases. That is why only a specialist can recommend you a course of traction or manual therapy. You should not trust numerous advertisements in which would-be doctors promise a cure after the first session.
Outside the period of exacerbation, it is recommended to undergo a course of massage and physiotherapeutic procedures a couple of times a year. And also to engage in physical therapy on your own - this is very important for preventing the occurrence of new attacks of pain.
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Reviews of the Teraflex chondroprotector
“I was diagnosed with second-degree arthrosis.” The doctor prescribed Teraflex for me according to the therapeutic regimen. But then she said that for the best effect for prevention, it is better to take this medicine every day. When I first went to the doctor, the pain was very strong - it was impossible to walk, and most importantly, painkillers hardly helped.
After completing the treatment course, the pain noticeably decreased and became rare, and arose and intensified only during physical activity. And since there is no way to do without them (I am a big fan of dachas and working with the soil), I am very pleased with the results of the treatment. And after a year and a half, pain rarely occurred even during exercise.
I calculated that a package of 100 tablets is the cheapest, and it turns out that the medicine costs about 10 rubles a day, which is not that expensive for such a disease.”
“I started taking Theraflex a few days ago. I feel terrible: I have stomach pains, flatulence and diarrhea have begun, discomfort in the liver area, and I also go to the toilet very often - urination has noticeably increased. Apparently, I’ll have to give up this medicine and ask the doctor to prescribe another.”
“I have had problems with my spine for a long time. In the off-season, during attacks, the pain is such that it is not always possible to even get out of bed. The effects of the medications I had taken before were unstable, so one day, on the advice of a doctor, I decided to try taking Teraflex.
The medicine is expensive, and if you consider that you need to take it for at least six months, then the amount is quite decent - for the same money you can undergo a good course of massage and therapeutic exercises, as well as be pierced with long-proven supportive drugs such as neuromultivitis. But I decided to try anyway, and to be sure, I took Teraflex not for six months, but for ten whole months.
After that, I began my massage course as usual, and at the same time decided to take an x-ray to see if there were any changes.
Nothing. Neither from the side of the vertebral discs, nor from any other side. Absolutely no changes. Only minor negative changes have appeared, which, by the way, did not exist before.
As for the pain, teraflex did not relieve them, and it was also not possible to reduce the dose of painkillers, as promised in the annotation. Whether you take this medicine or not, it makes no difference.”
“When I was young, I suffered a meniscus injury, the doctors diagnosed “chronic inflammation of the meniscus.” Then, against the background of a decent weight gain and all sorts of age-related changes, problems with the knee made themselves felt more and more often. I took various painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, but the effect was incomplete and did not last long.
One day at the pharmacy I was offered to try Teraflex. The pharmacist is my friend, so I had no reason not to trust her. Despite the fact that the medicine is quite expensive and the big question is whether it will help, I still decided to try it.
I drank the entire course, as expected, but, unfortunately, I didn’t see any noticeable effect. After returning from sick leave, a lot of work and other things piled up. And only after some time I was surprised to discover that the pain in my knee stopped bothering me.
Probably five years have passed since then. Now I try to run (in the warm season), and in the winter I go skiing. Everything seems to be fine.
It is possible that my illness was not so serious, since only one course helped. But since he still helped me, I was very pleased.”
“I have had problems with my joints for a long time. On the advice of friends, acquaintances, and doctors, I took various medications and dietary supplements, but the results from them left much to be desired. I had heard about the medicine Teraflex for a long time, but some inner feeling of mine did not allow me to start treatment with it. But at some point I decided, okay, I’ll try. I started taking a course of treatment.
I felt the results of treatment with this chondroprotector after about a month: it became much easier to get out of bed in the morning, and the pain became less acute, although it did not go away completely, it still remained. I was happy and continued to take this drug.
But after about three weeks, I started having serious problems with my period. Since this happens to me from time to time, I didn’t pay much attention to it. But the next month the same thing happened, and even more severe. Then I realized that it had something to do with Teraflex, and I went to the doctor. On his recommendation, I had to abandon treatment with this drug. Which is very sad, because he helped me well.”
Svetlana
“Teraflex and other such drugs are like a poultice for the dead. I have been suffering from ankylosing spondylitis for a long time. I underwent a long course of treatment with this medicine, in addition, I used homeopathic medicines - Tzel T and Traumeel S. To no avail. The only thing that really helps me is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers.”
“My diagnosis is intervertebral hernia and spinal osteochondrosis. Frequent pain in the left hip joint, numbness in the fingers and toes, also on the left. In general, with all this bouquet of illnesses in the morning, I literally barely crawled out of bed on all fours.
The doctor prescribed treatment with teraflex. I took this medicine for the first three weeks, three times a day, one tablet, and then another 2 capsules a day for about five weeks. I am very pleased with the result: now I can freely get out of bed, the pain is not so strong and bothers me less often.
During this treatment, I do exercises every morning before getting up and undergo a massage course of 10 procedures once a month.
In 3-6 months I will undergo a second course of treatment with this drug.”
“I took Teraflex for two and a half years. There is absolutely no result!!! It all ended with me having to undergo joint replacement surgery!”
Without a signature
"I am forty eight years old. Over the past year, my joints began to hurt badly, not just one or two, but almost all of them! The doctor prescribed me to take Teraflex. I started taking this medicine according to the following scheme: 3 months of taking it, then three months off. At the same time, I inject Alflutop and Milgamma.
This is very strange, but I have a feeling that Teraflex is only making me worse. Has anyone encountered anything similar? At the moment (this is already the third month of treatment), my knees and hip joints have begun to hurt more than before treatment. Now I limp heavily when walking, although this was not the case 3 months ago. This is very strange: a medicine that is supposed to treat joint pain intensifies these pains...”
“My joint problems started after giving birth. The doctor diagnosed arthrosis of the knee joint. The x-ray shows bone spikes, which caused severe pain when trying to sit or stand up.
I started drinking Teraflex according to the scheme of taking it for three months, then taking a break for 3 months, and along with it I used a folk remedy for joints - an infusion of cinquefoil in vodka. Through their joint efforts, the pain began to subside and gradually go away, but this did not happen immediately - about one and a half to two months after the start of treatment. Now I can even squat almost painlessly.
One of these days I’ll go to the doctor to get an x-ray: I hope there will be some good changes.”
Let's sum it up
As you can see, having read the reviews above, the drug helped some, for some, even with a good effect, it caused severe side effects, and for some of the patients who shared their opinion, teraflex had no effect. What to do in such a situation? What decision should I make?
Probably the best advice we can give you is not to self-medicate, but to contact an experienced rheumatologist or arthrologist, who, after examining and collecting information about your disease, will prescribe treatment based on his wealth of experience.
As a rule, this brings much more benefit than trying to treat yourself without much understanding of the functioning of the human body and medicine. While you try to treat yourself, the disease progresses, and in the later stages it is more difficult to treat any disease!
Therefore, if you or your loved ones have joint pain, be sure to consult a doctor without wasting precious time.
Be healthy!
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The question of how to sleep correctly with a hernia of the lumbar spine seems ridiculous only at first glance. In fact, this is an important problem, the solution of which will help a sick person to indulge in normal sleep, and not jump up in the middle of the night from painful attacks. In a lying position with a sore spine, it is especially important to optimally distribute the load on it, which is what is meant by the correct positioning of the body on the bed at night.
The essence of the problem
Spinal pathology in the form of a hernia is an extrusion of the intervertebral disc beyond the vertebrae. With such an anomaly, any movement of the vertebrae relative to each other leads to compression of the bulging disc, incl. nerve roots, which causes pain of varying intensity. If these fibers are pinched, an acute attack develops, which requires taking appropriate measures.
Why is it important to learn how to sleep properly with a herniated disc? The fact is that in a dream, a person (especially a sick person) often changes the position of his body in search of a comfortable position, and such uncontrolled movements lead to movement of the spinal column, that is, to the mobility of the vertebrae in different parts of the spine. Naturally, such movements lead to pain and sleep disturbances, and sometimes insomnia.
The frequency and amplitude of instinctive movements of the body, in addition to the severity of the pathology itself, depend on a number of factors:
- bed features;
- the initial position occupied;
- use of orthopedic devices;
- carrying out preparatory activities;
- proper nutrition before bedtime;
- psychological balance.
The manifestation of the disease during sleep depends on the location of the lesion. Most often, intervertebral hernia develops in the lumbosacral and cervical spine. Accordingly, the factors that provoke its exacerbation also have their own specifics. When the lesion is located in the lumbar region, the characteristics of the mattress play a decisive role, and the complex therapy scheme includes recommendations for the use of orthopedic mattresses. In case of a hernia of the cervical spine, it is necessary to fix the area of the neck and head. In this case, the pillow is important.
How to prepare the bed
In case of development of a hernia of the lumbar, thoracic or cervical spine, one of the mandatory elements of treatment is the choice of optimal bed parameters. First of all, you should take care of purchasing a special orthopedic mattress that ensures proper fixation of the body and eliminates uncontrolled movements of the vertebrae. Its task is to uniformly redistribute the load from a person’s weight.
Which mattress is better (soft or hard) should be decided together with your doctor.
For a hernia of any location, moderate bed rigidity is recommended. It is especially important to exclude a hard base during an acute course of the disease. Increased softness is needed by people in old age, but for adolescents and young people, rigidity should be increased, but only in the remission phase of the pathology. In any case, one condition must be observed: the heaviest parts of the body should not press through the mattress, giving the person’s body a curved shape, i.e. in a supine position, a straight line of the spinal column should be maintained.
The pillow can also be orthopedic, and this is especially important if there is a disorder of the cervical spine. The right pillow is also useful for other problems with the spine, because... normalizes blood circulation in the brain, which improves sleep quality.
While lying down, the neck and head should be fixed in a neutral position, excluding uncontrolled, unnatural turns. The pillow prevents excessive elevation of the head relative to the plane of the mattress. If the cervical spine is affected, the head should be at shoulder level, while the space between the neck and the bed is filled with an elastic mass, which fixes its correct position.
An orthopedic pillow is selected according to individual parameters. Natural products are most preferred.
The importance of choosing a pose
In addition to the quality of the bed, an important factor ensuring normal sleep during intervertebral hernia is the body position (posture) that a person takes on the bed. With this pathology, you can lie on your back or side. Lying on your back reduces pain in the lumbar region. If you also raise your head in this position, you can improve your oxygen supply. It is not recommended for people to fall asleep on their back:
- with a tendency to snore;
- when drinking alcohol;
- with the development of upper respiratory tract diseases.
You should not lie on your back even if there is an inflammatory process in the lesion, because the resulting swelling can increase compression of the nerve endings.
Another useful position is on your side with your legs bent. This position reduces pain in the cervical spine. The “fetal position” is generally considered the optimal position during sleep. In this case, the tension of the nerve fibers decreases, which reduces pain throughout the spinal column.
It is quite dangerous to sleep on your stomach if you have a herniated spine. In this position, a person is forced to turn his head to the side, which can aggravate the pathology in the neck area. At the same time, for a hernia in the lumbar region, a position on the stomach with a raised leg on the side of the greatest protrusion of the disc is recommended while fixing a slight turn of the body and, most importantly, the head.
Particular attention should be paid to the choice of lying position during pregnancy. The following recommendations should be taken into account:
- 1st trimester - no specific restrictions are put forward;
- 2nd and 3rd trimester: you cannot sleep on your stomach, which is dangerous for the development of the fetus, and on your back, because excessive compression of internal organs occurs;
- the best option is to lie on your left side;
- At night, it is recommended to change position 4–5 times in a controlled manner.
What position should you take during an acute spinal hernia? Experts believe that pain can be soothed in this position on the bed:
- a position is taken lying on the side, and on the side where the maximum pain is felt;
- the leg on the bottom remains straight, and the leg on top bends at the knee;
- The arms are placed in this position: the upper one is stretched along the body or placed on the surface of the bed, and the lower one is placed under the pillow.
If, despite the measures taken, a painful attack of the hernia still appears, then you should not get out of bed abruptly. It's better to do it in this order:
- gently roll onto your stomach and smoothly move to the edge of the bed;
- slowly lowering your legs to the floor;
- the torso rises up with the help of support on the hands;
- assume a “sitting” position on the edge of the bed;
- standing up with the back fixed in a vertical position.
A herniated disc can cause insomnia with its painful manifestations, which provokes a complication of the disease. The ability to sleep properly will help in the treatment of pathology. To ensure this, it is necessary to properly prepare the bed and take the optimal position on the bed.
Sound and restful sleep not only ensures good health and performance during the day. It is also an indicator of health status. People often complain that their back hurts in the lumbar region after sleeping. This situation cannot be ignored, because... Its causes are not always harmless.
Uncomfortable position
During sleep, the spine and neck should be at the same level so that a straight line can be visually drawn between them. If, after waking up, the lower back is pulled, the cause, first of all, should be looked for in the sleeping place. The mattress should be such that the spine does not bend and is not in tension, i.e. Products that are too hard or too soft are not suitable.
In addition, it is important to pay attention to your body position while sleeping. The following positions provoke the appearance of discomfort in the lower back:
- The back muscles are forced to be constantly under tension, and a rotated one creates additional stress.
- Lying on your back with straight legs. The curvature of the spine in the lumbar region increases, due to which muscle spasm occurs, accompanied by pain.
In the first case, it is recommended to remove the pillow from under the head and place it under the stomach, in the second, place it under the knees. But the ideal sleeping position is the fetal position - lying on your side with your legs bent. In this case, the spine rests, acquiring a natural curve.
Osteochondrosis
It happens that the sleeping place is arranged correctly, but the pain continues to bother you. If you regularly feel lower back pain in the morning, the cause may be a pathology of the intervertebral discs. In a person suffering from osteochondrosis, the skeleton is less mobile, due to which it becomes more vulnerable to various physical activities. Staying in one position for a long time only makes the situation worse.
The diagnosis is made to most people who complain that their back hurts in the lumbar region after sleep. This sign is one of the first symptoms of the disease.
In addition, it is indicated by:
- a constant feeling of fatigue that appears even after light physical activity;
- the nature of the back pain is pronounced, aching;
- a state of discomfort in the lower back appears with almost every turn or bend of the body;
- sneezing or coughing is accompanied by acute back pain.
If these symptoms appear, you should consult a specialist. After carrying out diagnostic measures, he will draw up the most appropriate treatment regimen, which may include:
- Manual and reflexology.
- Massage course.
- Therapeutic gymnastics.
Back pain is one of the most common complaints of patients over the age of 27 years. If you do not eliminate, but endure acute pain, it becomes chronic, which significantly reduces the quality of life. The main task of a doctor who is approached with acute back pain is to provide the patient with quick and reliable pain relief.
For acute and moderate back pain, Dialrapid will help. The main advantage of Dialrapid is its accelerated action, quickly relieving acute and intense pain. The combination of potassium diclofenac and potassium bicarbonate allows the analgesic to be quickly absorbed in the stomach and penetrate into the blood. The result is felt within 5 minutes after taking the drug.
As a rule, after this the back pain in the lumbar region stops after sleep due to the strengthening of the muscle corset and spine.
Kidney disease
Only a doctor can determine the cause of morning lower back pain. In practice, the most common diagnosis is osteochondrosis or pyelonephritis. They can be distinguished by the nature of pain. In the first case, they appear immediately after an attempt to make any bodily movement, in the second, there is no relationship between discomfort in the lower back and physical activity.
There are also the following symptoms of pyelonephritis in women and men:
- chills;
- high body temperature;
- frequent urge to urinate, the process itself is painful.
The patient's condition is characterized as serious. In women, symptoms of pyelonephritis additionally include: swelling, severe burning in the urethra.
The disease is very insidious: it often proceeds hidden for years and is discovered by chance during a routine medical examination, when it has already entered the chronic stage.
If you regularly experience pain in the lower back, it is important to consult a doctor as soon as possible. After receiving the results of a urine test and ultrasound, he will prescribe antibiotic therapy.
Intervertebral hernia
Often this disease is a complication of osteochondrosis, but it can also arise for other reasons. Due to decreased mobility of the spine at night, the back in the lumbar region after sleep hurts much more than during the day.
The essence of the pathology is as follows: the hard shell of the disc ruptures under the influence of any factors. A semi-liquid substance leaks through its cracks, pinching the nerve endings of the spinal cord. In this case, the disc bulges, resembling a compressed balloon.
Hernia of the lumbosacral region is the most common type of disease, accounting for 80% of all cases. The causes of the pathology can be very diverse: from an unhealthy lifestyle to osteochondrosis and serious injuries.
Symptoms of lumbar disc herniation are:
- pain radiating to the buttock or leg;
- less often there is a feeling of numbness in the limbs.
Treatment of this disease cannot be delayed; it is fraught with serious consequences:
- disorders in the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
- gastrointestinal disorders;
- radiculitis;
- chronic bronchitis.
At an advanced stage, the risk of paralysis of the limbs and stroke increases significantly.
Pancreatitis
The development of the inflammatory process in the pancreas is always accompanied by the appearance of pain in the lumbar region. It can occur at any time of the day, but is more pronounced in the morning, after waking up. The nature of the pain with pancreatitis is aching, it surrounds the entire lumbar region. This is the main difference between this disease and other possible pathologies.
Other symptoms of pancreatitis are:
- pronounced pain in the upper abdomen, which does not disappear after taking antispasmodics or analgesics;
- nausea, vomiting;
- deterioration in general health;
- gastrointestinal disorders;
- loss of appetite;
- rapid loss of body weight.
The disease is severe and often provokes complications:
- pancreatic abscess;
- internal bleeding;
- diabetes mellitus;
- peritonitis.
If left untreated, it can be fatal.
Spondyloarthrosis
This disease is characterized by the appearance of degenerative changes in the joints of the spine, which leads to a sharp decrease in its mobility. The causes of the pathology can be both external (excessive physical activity) and internal (heredity, autoimmune processes, etc.).
The main signs of spondyloarthrosis are:
- pain in the lower back immediately after waking up in the morning, which does not disappear for a long time;
- discomfort in the same area can be disturbing both during movements and at rest;
- crunching in the joints of the spine.
Treatment of the disease is carried out with the help of medications, gymnastic exercises and orthopedic products.
Other Possible Causes
Morning lower back pain can be a concern not only due to the presence of the above diseases. Its regular occurrence may be due to the following conditions and pathologies:
- insufficient physical activity;
- psycho-emotional disorders;
- malignant neoplasms;
- pregnancy;
- inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system;
- diseases of the respiratory system;
- overweight.
In any case, consultation with a doctor is necessary. He will help you figure out why your back hurts in the morning and prescribe the most appropriate treatment.
First aid
There are several exercises with which you can get rid of unpleasant sensations in a short time. If your back hurts in the lumbar region after sleep, your doctor will tell you how to treat it. The goal of gymnastics is to temporarily reduce the intensity of pain; it does not eliminate the need to visit a doctor.
After waking up, you need to do the following exercises:
- Get on all fours, relaxing your back muscles as much as possible. As you exhale, you need to bend it upward, and as you inhale, return it to its original position. Repeat 20 times.
- In the same position, you need to simultaneously stretch your left leg back and your right arm forward. Then they need to be changed. Repeat 20 times.
- Lying on your back, bend your knees. Place your arms along your body. As you exhale, you need to slowly raise your pelvis, and as you inhale, lower it. Repeat 20 - 30 times.
These exercises also serve as excellent prevention for many diseases and allow you to maintain a high level of performance throughout the day.
Finally
Complaints of lower back pain in the morning after sleep are not uncommon. It is important to understand that it can be a sign of an improperly equipped sleeping place, or serve as a symptom of serious diseases. If pain occurs regularly, you need to contact a specialist who will prescribe the necessary diagnostic tests and, based on their results, create the most effective treatment plan.
There are contraindications. It is necessary to consult a specialist.
