Lumbodynia. Symptoms and treatment with shock wave therapy in Kiev.

Lumbodynia is a subacute, less often chronic pain in the lumbar region, associated in most cases with degenerative changes in the lumbar spine. Lower back pain can be associated with injuries, osteoporosis, pregnancy, neoplasms, pathology of internal organs, inflammatory, infectious processes.

The very fact of bipedal locomotion, in which the lumbosacral region suffers from increased loads, is already a risk factor. The severity of painful manifestations varies from episodic pain to daily attacks. A thorough examination often does not reveal a serious somatoneurological pathology. Lumbar pain often occurs due to inadequate physical activity. The disease does not have any age or gender limits. ?? A sedentary and sedentary lifestyle, excess weight, smoking contribute to the progression of the disease.

After 3 months of continuous flow, a chronic form of lumbodynia develops. It is unfavorable in the prognostic sense and can lead to disability of the patient. Therefore, every patient with back pain should be under medical supervision.

As already mentioned, this syndrome in most cases is associated with degenerative pathology of the spine and adjacent tissues (muscles, ligaments, joints). Provoked by physical factors (hypothermia, overheating, heavy lifting). It can occur both at the time of the action of the provoking factor, and after a few days.

Lumbodynia is characterized by a long-term alternation of periods of exacerbations and remissions. More often men are affected by the disease. The nature of the pain in lumbodynia is mainly aching. Their main characteristics are presented below.

Lumbodynia symptoms

The pain is one-sided, prolonged static load (standing, sitting) increases the pain. Often the patient takes a forced position to relieve his suffering. As a rule, it is difficult to straighten out and have to use assistive techniques. Difficulties in performing actions while standing with a slight inclination are characteristic: washing, washing, ironing, cleaning. The patient often changes the position of the body, it is difficult for him to sit. The range of motion is very limited, in particular forward and sideways bends. The pain provokes straining, coughing, sneezing and other sudden movements. The peak of pain occurs on the 4-5th day from the moment of onset. With herniated intervertebral discs, there may be sensory disorders, decreased reflexes of the lower extremities on one or both sides, muscle weakness.

Diagnosis of lumbodynia

Diagnosis of lumbodynia includes:

clinical examination (consultation with a neurologist or orthopedist),
X-ray of the lumbosacral region in 2 projections,
computed, magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine.

Atypical cases of back pain, potentially associated with serious infectious, metabolic or oncological diseases, should cause special concern. Patients with neuroses can also have psychogenic causes of lower back pain. Treatment, even in typical cases, is complex, multicomponent, long-term, and, unfortunately, often ineffective.

Shock wave therapy (SWT) in the treatment of lumbodynia

For many years, the beneficial effect of physiotherapy procedures for chronic lower back pain associated with spinal pathology has been known. One of these techniques is shock wave therapy (SWT), which is now recognized as highly effective in this pathology.

Before undergoing a course of shock wave therapy, an appointment with a neurologist or orthopedist is required. Every patient with back pain should be evaluated to rule out the above-mentioned serious conditions that can also cause back pain, but require other treatments.

It should be remembered about such contraindications to shock wave therapy as infectious and oncological diseases, pregnancy, disorders of the blood coagulation system, the presence of a pacemaker.

The difference between SWT and other physiotherapeutic procedures lies in the complex mechanism of action on all components of the pain syndrome. Shock waves are capable of penetrating several centimeters deep into the tissues of the human body, thereby affecting those anatomical structures that may remain inaccessible for massage and other physiotherapy techniques.

Shock waves have:

anti-inflammatory,
decongestant,
analgesic effects,
improve the blood supply to the spine and back muscles, thereby helping to improve the trophism of the cartilage tissue and slowing down the degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs.

The SWT technique does not differ from that for osteochondrosis of the spine (see the article "Osteochondrosis"), the number of treatment sessions can be increased to 7-8 in order to consolidate the positive effect. On average, the full course of treatment takes 1-1.5 months (procedures are performed once a week).

After completing a course of shock wave therapy, the patient gets rid of back pain, notes an increase in mobility in the spine and an improvement in exercise tolerance, which contributes to a return to full-fledged physical activity. It should be remembered that lumbodynia is not an independent problem, but a consequence of degenerative changes in the spine, which are completely irreparable. Therefore, even with a pronounced positive effect of shock wave therapy, one should continue to pay careful attention to a healthy lifestyle, work and rest regime, physiotherapy exercises and perform special exercises for the spine every day in order to strengthen the back muscles and maintain correct posture.