Neuralgia of the lumbosacral spine: symptoms and diagnosis, treatments

The cause of back pain is often neuralgia of the lumbar sacral spine. Over time, the spine begins to develop degenerative processes that lead to inflammation and subsequent destruction of the tissues of the intervertebral discs. The treatment is performed exclusively by a doctor to prevent the development of complications. The main symptom of pathology is pain, and the sooner you receive treatment, the easier it will be to overcome the illness.

Causes

Aching and drawing pain in the lower back, which can around the clock to accompany the man, complicates his life. Neurological syndrome in the lumbosacral provoked pathological changes in the vertebrae. Most often this condition is the result of a long physical activity or regular concepts of weights.

Women, Amateur high heels, drivers and drivers, individuals long time performing work in a sitting or bent position, are at risk for the development of neurology in the lumbar spine.

The prerequisites for the development of this pathology are:

• Severe hypothermia;
• Inflammation of the nervous processes;
• The weakening of the immune system;
• Hernia or prolapse of disc in the spine;
• Prolonged constipation;
• Infectious diseases;
• The formation of a tumor in the spine;
• Diseases of the joints;
• Injuries and curvature of the spine;
• Diabetes.

Neuralgia in the sacral region of the spine leads to the inflammation of the sciatic nerve, causing pain radiates to other parts of the body.

• Please read: a sore lower back after lifting weights

Symptoms and diagnosis

Neuralgia often affects the lumbosacral spine. This is due to the fact that this region accounts for the largest load, whether during exercise or sports, normal walking or active movements. Under their influence occurring degenerative processes, which, in turn, cause inflammation of the nerve roots. This results in the following symptoms:

• Pain in the lumbar region, which occur at any load, during tilting after prolonged standing and heavy lifting;
• Irradiation of pain into the lower extremities, most often in the thigh or buttocks;
• Numbness and tingling in the leg;
• With pressure on the affected bone of a vertebral pain is felt;
• Discomfort with prolonged standing;
• Pain when trying back extension at the time of the attack.

Symptoms related to sensation of pain in the lumbosacral region, are the main manifestation of neuralgia of this division. This happens because squeezing and pinching the nerve. In addition, the lumbar neuralgia is characterized by such symptoms as increased pain with sudden movements, swelling of the muscles and reflex reductions in the occurrence of painful sensations.

If you experience pain in the lumbar region it is necessary to conduct diagnostic activities and to determine the exact cause of this condition. Identification of neuralgia in the lumbar-sacral region of the spine is carried out using such methods as:

• An x-ray. With this method, is excluded or confirmed the presence of bone abnormalities that can cause the disease under consideration. It is vertebral fractures, spondylolisthesis, spondylosis, osteophytes.
• Computer or magnetic-resonant tomography. It is a modern and highly informative diagnostic methods that allow us to accurately detect pathology in its early stages of development.
• Electromyography. This method allows to assess the speed of electrical impulses at the moment of excitation of muscle fibers.
• Is a lumbar puncture. Applies if neuralgia is caused by infectious causes.

If necessary, possible to use other diagnostic methods to confirm the diagnosis.

• Also read: neuralgia of the back

Treatment

If the cause of pain in the lower back has become painful, then get rid of it is not very difficult. Treatment of lumbosacral neuralgia should be conducted in conjunction with the following measures:

• Drug therapy;
• Physiotherapy;
• Therapeutic exercise and massage.

• See also: fracture of the vertebrae of the lower back and sacrum.

Treatment is appointed individually, taking into account the presencecomorbidities. With medication, which includes pills, ointments and injections can resolve the inflammation syndrome, and to relieve painful symptoms. To reduce pain syndrome appointed painkillers and anti-inflammatory non steroidal drugs. Of muscle relaxers taken antispasmodics. If the patient's condition is nervousness and there is a tendency to depression, illness, appropriate use of antidepressants. If the patient suffers from severe attacks of pain, the doctor will prescribe potent analgesics to block pain.

Physiotherapeutic methods effect on the inflammatory process, eliminating him. Through the thermal effect decreases the inflammatory response. To treat neuralgia can help treatments such as ultrahigh-frequency therapy (UHF), ultraviolet irradiation (UVI), electrical stimulation, phonophoresis, electrophoresis.

It must be remembered that the presence of infectious processes of the physiotherapy were not appointed, because it can complicate the course of the disease.

• See also: How to treat contusion of the lumbar spine.

Physiotherapy and massage are an integral part of the treatment of neuralgia. The result will stop getting rid of symptoms and reducing muscle tension. The pain due to the relaxing sore and tense muscles fabric, which clamp the nerve. In addition, these measures contribute to improving the metabolism in inflamed tissues.

The treatment will have great effect in the early development of the disease. Highly inadvisable to self-medicate, since every drug has contraindications. In addition, the process of treatment should be under medical supervision.

To reduce the risk of disease or retry after a course of treatment it is necessary to observe some rules. It is important to avoid hypothermia. You need to follow in order not to be a long time in one position. It is recommended to perform daily light exercises to keep the muscles of the spine in good shape and at the first sign of sickness to seek medical attention.