Lumbago

The common signs and symptoms of lumbago are:

• Pain in the lower back that do not radiate down to the legs
• Constant pain which can be sharper on some movements and positions
• Stiffness in the back particularly in the mornings

Lumbago may be caused by many things

Sudden onset of lumbago can be due to:

• Lumbar disc herniation
• Muscle strains
• Spondylolysis
• Facet joint pain

Gradual onset can be due to:

• Postural problems as scoliosis or lordosis
• Spinal canal stenosis
• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Sacroiliac joint pain
• general weakness in the back muscles
• Muscle imbalances
• poor driving position

The common risk factors for lumbago are athletic activity, heavy lifting, moving luggage, pregnancy, traumatic injury, kidney infection, osteoporosis, and aging.

Lumbago is diagnosed on the basis of the history of the illness and physical examination as well as underlying medical conditions. Apart from the routine abdomen, rectal and pelvic examinations may be done. After that blood and urine tests, imaging tests as X-ray tests, CT scan, MRI and tests of the nerves as Electromyogram (EMG) and nerve conduction velocities (NCV) are done.

The treatment of lumbago depends upon its exact cause. The focus of medicinal treatments is to decreases the pain however these medicines do not change the basic source of pain. Medical treatments are prescribed by the doctor along with a physical therapy program. Common medicines used in the treatment of lumbago are:

Medicines

• Muscle relaxants: These medicines work as a depressant on the central nervous system and enhance the mobility of tense muscles. It also helps to relieve the pain due to muscle spasms or tightness. Muscle relaxants do not show effects in chronic pain management.
• Narcotic pain medications: Narcotic medications are also known as opioid or painkillers which can later the perception of brain for the pain by weakening the signals. Narcotic medicines are generally used for the treatment of severe, short-term pain, as acute pain after a surgery. Narcotics are used to treat long-term pain in rare cases because they show numerous side effects and can be proved addictive.
• Epidural steroid injections: in this injection a steroid is administered directly into the outer part of the dural sac that surrounds the spinal cord. In this case fluoroscopy is used to direct the needle to the correct region. The focus of the injection is to relieve the pain for the time being by decreasing inflammation in the region of a compressed nerve root.

Medical treatments are generally used in conjunction with other methods. For instance, an epidural steroid injection can provide sufficient short term pain relief so as to allow the progress in physical therapy.

Surgery Choices

Surgery may be an option if your disc problem causes pain in leg that hinders you from doing routine tasks. You may suffer pain, tingling and numbness through your buttock and down to the back of leg or in the front of thigh.

There are many types of back surgeries. They may help the people that have severe symptoms. Following are the different types of back surgeries:

• Discectomy
• Percutaneous discectomy
• Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty
• Laminectomy for spinal stenosis
• Spinal fusion
• Surgeries for tumors and infection

Alternative Treatments

• Kairali Massage: Massage can decrease the low back pain. It is most effective in case you do exercises for your back. Ayurvedic massages as Podikkizhi (Herbal powder massage), Kativasthi (Pooling medicated oil in the back), Ilakkaizhi (Herbal leaves massage) and Pizhichil (Pouring medicated oils as a stream) are highly beneficial in relieving pain and strengthening the muscles of back. They show no side effects and offer long term relief.
• Ayurvedic medicines: Dhanunthram Kashayam, Prasaaranyaadhi Kashayam and Dhanadhanayanaadhi Kashayam are helpful in relieving the pain.
• Homeopathic medicines: Rhus Tox, Bryonia Alba, Aesculus Hippocastanum, Kali Carb, Arnica Montana and Hypericum Perforatum, Cobaltum and Phosphorus, Colocynthis and Magnesium Phosphorica are the commonly used homeopathic medicines for lumbago.
• Acupuncture: Acupuncture can help you to reduce the pain and enhance the capability to be active temporarily. Acupressure uses pressure on some points in the body to reduce the symptoms.

Dietary Supplement for Lumbago

Dietary supplements which contain minerals, herbs, vitamins or other products have a significant role in the maintenance of health. They are formulated as pills, energy bars, drinks, capsules, and powders.

• GLME (Green Lipped Mussel Extract): GLME is the most recommended dietary supplement for lumbago. It is extracted from the green lipped mussels, which is grown in the farms of New Zealand.

GLME (Green lipped mussel extract) has a brilliant role in the treatment and management of lumbago because:

• It lubricates the joints and increases the joint mobility. It prevents the joint deterioration and repairs the cartilages that are damaged. It helps other medicines to show their maximum efficacy.

Seatone is the best preparation of GLME (green lipped mussel extract) which is accessible as capsules. Seatone is the safest GLME product because:

• It is extracted only from the premium quality of fresh mussels that are harvested at the best times of year.
• A number of tests are conducted to prevent the toxicity of Seatone.

Seatone is better than all the other treatments for arthritis because:

• Seatone is obtained from natural product thus it does not show any side effects while the other medicines for lumbago show numerous side effects.
• Blood clot or infection can occur after surgeries.
• Seatone is safe even at higher doses but the other medicines for lumbago show side effects at higher doses.

Following are the ways to mange with the condition of lumbago:

• Chill it: Ice is best remedy to reduce the inflammation. It helps to ease the pain and relax the muscles.
• Keep moving: Stay active and if you are feeling better then do regular aerobic exercises as walking, swimming and bicycling to keep yourself more mobile. But do not overdo it.
• Watch your posture: Bending makes it difficult for back to support your body weight. Be careful about your posture while lifting heavy objects. Never bend from the waist. Bend and straighten over from the knees.
• Back braces: Some patients can get comfort and reduction in pain with the use of back brace. Use of an inelastic corset-style brace in combination with a physical therapy daily can speed up the healing and reduce pain. A back brace is also helpful after back surgery.
• Wear low heels: Wear flats because high heels can cause unbalanced posture and increased pressure on lower spine.
• Quit smoking: Smoking can elevate the risk for osteoporosis of the spine and other problems. Osteoporosis may result in the compression fractures of the spine. According to a research smokers are more susceptible to have low back pain as compared to nonsmokers.
• Reduce body weight: Excess body weight exerts more stress on spine.
• Use over-the-counter pain reliever: NSIADS as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen sodium can help you to decrease back pain.

To prevent lumbago you must avoid injury to the low back. Moreover, you must follow exercise programs designed for the strengthening of lumbar area and adjacent tissues. This will help you to reduce the risk of injury to the low back. Some of the programs are designed to relieve and prevent back pain. They can be designed with the help of health-care professionals and physical therapists.

The outlook for lumbago mainly depends on its exact cause. For instance acute strain injuries usually get healed completely with minimal treatment. On the other side, bony abnormalities which irritate the spinal cord may require surgical repair and the outlook is based on the surgical result.