Today we will talk about:

General information about the lumbar spine

The spine consists of three sections: cervical, thoracic and lumbar.

The lumbar spine experiences much greater stress in the course of our life than the other two departments. Therefore, people have problems with it more often.

Agree that a lot of people complain about a "sore lower back", but few people talk about, for example, a "sore chest" :)

The fact is that in order to support the lumbar spine in its physiological, natural position, not only the back muscles are included in the work, but also the press, lateral abdominal muscles, gluteal muscles and thigh muscles.

Therefore, in order to restore the lumbar and make it stronger and healthier, you will need to include more muscles in your work than for the chest and. To do this, there are many different physical exercises.

But before moving on to recovery with exercise, you first need to figure out what acute is and what needs to be done to eliminate this pain.

In the people, and in official medicine, there are several synonyms that are called acute back pain:

Aggravation
Radiculitis
nerve injury or
"Punch" in the lower back

What causes back pain

Imagine that the spine is a multi-storey building, where the floors are the vertebrae, the floor with the underlying ceiling are the intervertebral discs, the outer walls are the muscles that surround the spine, and the windows are the openings between the vertebrae from which the nerve fibers exit.

When everything works well in this structure, there are no breakdowns and violations. So no back pain.

But imagine the following. If the back muscles are weak, then a colossal and constant load is placed on the spine. What happens then? From such increased pressure, the intervertebral discs are the first to suffer!

They begin to "settle", crack and lose their main function and task - to cushion and protect the vertebrae from impacts. Because of this, the load on the spine increases even more.

Since the intervertebral discs are “crushed”, they begin to go beyond the spinal column, forming protrusions - protrusions of the discs.

Let me draw a clear analogy. Intervertebral discs - like balls of thick fluid, located between two books. When they are constantly pressed, they flatten out and go beyond these books - this is the protrusion of the discs.

Further, if the load continues to act on the disks, then they are so flattened that they begin to break through in the weakest places - in protrusions. Because of this, their contents come out. This is how hernias of the spine are formed.

How is it related to pain and at what stage does it appear

Remember, I said above that there are holes between the vertebrae, where the nerve roots come from? So - when the disks "settle", then these holes also narrow. In addition, protrusions or hernias can get into these holes.

Pain occurs when there is an infringement or irritation of the nerve root or nerve. The reason may be a narrowing of the intervertebral foramen, a protrusion or hernia getting into this hole. This is the first cause of pain.

In addition, muscles are also located around the spine. They also experience certain changes. They strain to somehow maintain in a normal position, but they do not always succeed.

The result is chronic muscle strain. And tight, inelastic muscles can also compress the nerves and prevent the nerve impulse from passing through them.

So, the second cause of pain is spasm, overstrain of the muscles surrounding the spine and their imbalance. Overstressed muscles negatively affect the nerves that run through the muscle fibers to the lower extremities.

How does exacerbation of lumbar osteochondrosis manifest itself?

A typical picture of an exacerbation of lumbar osteochondrosis (aka sciatica or lumbago) looks like this:

• Sharp, severe pain in the lumbar region. It may be local, or it may radiate (radiate) along the pinched nerve to the pelvic region, groin, thigh, buttock Pain may intensify with any movement and in a standing or sitting position
• Limited movement in the back up to complete absence due to severe pain
• Spasm of the muscles surrounding the spine, which reflexively block any movement in this section

There are a lot of variations in the manifestations of lumbar osteochondrosis, since it is the lumbar spine that provides the work of the legs from the pelvis to the tips of the toes.

If the pain is not sharp and shooting, but more moderate, dull and appears / intensifies ONLY when turning or bending to the side, then there is no infringement. Such characteristic pains speak more about muscle imbalance, their chronic overstrain, sprains.

So how do you get rid of lower back pain?

In the course of further lessons that I will send you over the next few days, we will deal with this issue, develop a plan for getting rid of pain and gradually restore the lumbar to normal.

But within the framework of this lesson, we must figure out what to do with a typical exacerbation and how to quickly relieve acute pain in order to further engage in the restoration of the lumbar spine.

How to relieve acute lower back pain

With an exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, unlike, for example, the cervical spine, exercises CANNOT be performed for anatomical reasons.

If, for example, for the cervical region we can use isometric exercises to relieve pain, then such exercises will not work for the lumbar region.

Therefore, in exacerbation, you need to follow the following plan:

1) Gentle mode

The first thing to do is to observe bed rest for at least one to two days. When you are in a standing or sitting position, the load on the lumbar region increases significantly. From this infringement will make itself felt even more.

In the prone position, there is a complete unloading of the lumbar region. The vertebrae do not put pressure on each other, the intervertebral foramina restore their size, the nerve infringement decreases, the muscles relax as much as possible.

With acute pain, swelling of the nerve and surrounding tissues, muscle spasm, and inflammation appear. These signs further provoke a worsening of the condition. In the supine position, the infringement subsides, which means that inflammation, swelling, and muscle spasm decrease.

2) Proper styling

Another important condition is proper bedding. In order to relax all the muscles and surrounding tissues as much as possible, it is necessary to maintain all the curves of the spine in a physiological position.

To do this, lie on your back, put a roller under your neck, and a flat pillow or a folded towel under your lumbar. Do not overdo it with height, otherwise there will be an inflection in the lumbar region. The height of the pillow or towel under the lower back should be approximately 4-5 cm.

By the way, the bed should be hard so that there are no unnecessary kinks in the spine and you can relax your muscles as much as possible.

3) Pain relief

Some people with acute pain take drugs from the group of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), which are actively advertised by pharmacies, TV, newspapers. This makes sense, but there are a few important things to keep in mind.

These drugs should be taken according to strict indications and no more than two days.

Such drugs have a huge list of side effects, ranging from the skin to the nervous system. They adversely affect all systems of our organs, overload the liver, affect the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, and so on. You can read about this in the instructions for a particular drug.

Yes, if the pain is severe, then anesthesia is still necessary. But I advise you not to take pills, but it is better to give painkillers in intramuscular injections. So the drug will reach its destination faster.

In addition, tablets simply may not be absorbed in the intestines due to many reasons (dysbacteriosis, malabsorption, damage to the intestinal wall, etc.).

The basic rule of such injections is no more than twice a day and preferably only one day.

If there is an opportunity to visit a neurologist, then be sure to do it. He can put a novocaine blockade on you, which is much more effective than NSAIDs.

The blockade is more local and targeted. She has no such side effects. This method will be much better, safer and faster to work than other medicines.

4) Local anesthesia if the pain is chronic

If your pain is not too strong, but rather dull, moderate and tolerable, then it is quite possible to get by with local anesthesia - any warming or anesthetic ointment on the lumbar region + Kuznetsov's applicator.

Lie on your back and lie down for at least 20-30 minutes to relieve spasm and reduce pain.

5) Nervous system support

Since nerve fibers suffer in acute back pain, they definitely need vitamin support. During this period, I recommend taking B vitamins (for example, neuromultivit).

But it is best to put B vitamins intramuscularly (thiamine, milgamma). The reason is the same as with pills. Vitamins may partially not pass through the intestines. In addition, any medicine passes not only through the intestinal barrier, but also through processing in the liver.

Only under the condition that you have a perfectly functioning intestine and a normal liver, the medicine or vitamin will get into the right tissues and organs. To bypass all these steps and get exactly the vitamin support, it is better to put vitamins intramuscularly.

6) Exercise and gentle self-traction

Let's say you have already implemented all of the above tips. Now you are lying on your back, they put painkillers, vitamins.

Now, in order not to lie just like that, let's do some exercises with you. But, as I have repeatedly said before, exercises directly for the lumbar spine and for the back muscles at this stage cannot yet be performed.

But you can and should do general light exercises for the muscles of the feet, hands, arms, and also do breathing exercises. These types of exercises will help relax the muscles and improve the capillary blood supply to all tissues.

In addition, it will be a good prevention of hypodynamia. You lie, do not move, all processes slow down. From this, further recovery will take longer.

You can also do a gentle self-traction of the spine.

I give examples of exercises in the video:

The main condition for performing exercises is smoothness, softness and maximum concentration of attention on the exercise and your own feelings.

Here is a step-by-step plan you need to implement if you have acute back pain, backache, exacerbation. This plan concerns only the first days when there are strong and sharp pains.

What to do next

As soon as the pain subsides, that is, the process will go into a subacute period (usually this happens on the third or fourth day after the exacerbation), be sure to add:

• Therapeutic exercises for the lumbar spine YET ONLY lying on your back with a warm-up and a hitch (according to all the rules of physiotherapy exercises)
• Wearing an orthopedic corset when you need to get up and go somewhere (for example, walk to the nearest store)

That is, when the subacute period sets in, you actively perform therapeutic exercises lying down, and when you walk or sit, put on an orthopedic corset.

Why do you need exercise in the subacute period

How do most people get treated? Their back hurt, they rested, everything seems to have passed, and they continue to continue to lead the same lifestyle that they led before the exacerbation.

But think about this. If your lifestyle has led you to an aggravation, does it mean that it is somehow wrong? If he was correct, the exacerbation would not have happened? Right? :)

It's very easy to avoid this! You need to start doing therapeutic exercises already in the subacute period. And when it passes, connect more complex exercises and continue to practice further.

And it is in the subacute period that it is very important for you to start active restoration of the spine, namely:

1. Restoring balance between all muscle groups
2. Muscle relaxation and restoration of their normal tone
3. Removal of edema and restoration of all tissues of the spine
4. Formation of your own muscle corset and strong muscular support of the spine

From the subacute period, it becomes the main and main work on restoring the health of the lumbar. It should be built systematically - from simple exercises to complex ones, from the starting position lying on your back to the starting position standing in an incline.

Many are faced with a situation where suddenly the whole body is pierced by a merciless sharp pain in the lower back. How to remove the force of pain and get rid of pain completely? Is it possible? There is a whole range of measures that will allow you to forget about this scourge and prevent its reappearance.

According to statistics, approximately 85% of the inhabitants of our planet are forced to deal with tension, discomfort and pain in the lumbar region.

The cause of pain can be not only diseases and injuries, but also overweight, a sedentary lifestyle, and stressful conditions. By excluding diseases of the spine with the help of a doctor, you can fight pain with physiotherapy exercises and massage.

Possible causes of pain

The most common causes of pain in the lumbar region include:

Lumbago (lumbago) - this osteochondrosis syndrome can be characterized by sudden acute pain that occurs after a sudden movement, tilt, lifting of weight. The pain is very intense, radiating to the buttocks and lower limbs.

Lumbodynia - the pain is chronic, less acute. The reason may be the preservation of an uncomfortable posture, hypothermia. Pain may increase or decrease over several days.

piriformis syndrome- manifested by dull unpleasant sensations, as the sciatic nerve is infringed. More often, the disease manifests itself in an acute form. In this case, the patient experiences a "flaming" pain when trying to stand on the affected limb.

Herniated disc. It can be manifested by pains of a very different nature, from pulsating to pulling. In this case, pain can also occur in the lower extremities, even the toes.

To establish the correct diagnosis, you must consult a doctor. Depending on the type of disease and the recommendations of a specialist, a program of physical exercises will also be drawn up. It is exercises and massage that are one of the powerful factors in the prevention and treatment of pain manifestations in the lower back.

Acute period

If the pain caught suddenly, try to slowly move to the kneeling position (in a simple way, on all fours). Gently, moving your arms forward, lower your armpits to the floor. If at the same time the pain does not increase, linger in this position and try to stretch, stretching your arms forward and your buttocks back. Then slowly rise to an emphasis on your knees. Round your back, then arch it with minimal effort. Repeat several times.

If, when you try to stretch, the pain becomes pulsating, or even just gets worse, gently stretch the leg on the side where the pain is less. Slowly roll onto your side, then onto your back. Bend your legs at the knees, press your lower back to the floor.

With severe pain, any exercises are prohibited. It is necessary to provide rest to the sick segment of the back, take nimesil or inject Olfen. Since, in defense, the body is forced to react with muscle spasm, it is necessary to drink any of the muscle relaxants, for example, sirdalud. It is advisable to put a wet, hot linen towel under the lower back and lie down on it for 30-40 minutes. Also, a good effect will be obtained if you smear the lower back with honey, and then lie down on a linen cloth. Further exercises of exercise therapy can be continued after the reduction of pain and the onset of remission. And most importantly, after establishing an accurate diagnosis.

Initial period of remission

"Clock". We lie down on our back, spread our arms to the sides, palms rest on the floor. We stretch our legs and turn from the hip to the left and to the right.

"Spindle". We continue to lie on our backs. The foot of the right leg is under the left knee, the left palm is on the right knee. The right hand was taken to the side and rested with the palm on the floor. With the left hand, we press the right knee to the left, to the floor. Swap legs and arms and start in the other direction. Do not make sudden efforts. The exercise is performed smoothly.

"Rest on your side." Slowly roll over to the left side. With the right hand, grab the right knee, press it to the chest, release and straighten it. Then we press again. Then we do the same movements on the other side.

"Pendulum". Gently roll onto your stomach. Elbows are at shoulder level. Palms rest on the floor. We bend the shins perpendicular to the floor and slowly swing to the right and left.

"Scissors on the side." We are conveniently located on the right side, we put our head on the palm of a bent arm. We put the left hand in front of us, leaning on the palm. Raise your left leg all the way up and down. Slowly at first, then faster. We turn to the other side and perform the same number of times with the other leg.

"Plank push-ups". Standing in a plank position on our knees, we bend and unbend our arms at the elbows. At the start of remission, ensure that the angle at the hip joint is 90°C. During the period of stable remission, you can move on to performing with a straightened torso and even from the position of the classic plank. When doing any push-ups, it is important not to forget to strain the abdominal muscles. This will insure your back and make your stomach beautiful.

"Squatting". Stand so that your feet are under your shoulders. We put our hands forward, or behind our heads. Keep the body straight. Squat down slowly without lifting your heels off the floor. Try to stretch your pelvis to the floor lower. Then we calmly straighten up.

"Hedgehog". Imagine that you are a hedgehog who wants to curl up into a ball. From a standing position, slowly tilt our head, then twist the upper thoracic region, mentally directing the forehead to the stomach. We take out the pelvis a little forward and strain the gluteal muscles. Then we relax and return to the position from which we started the exercise.

"Facing East". We settle down sitting on our legs. We put our hands behind our backs. Slowly we lean forward with a straightened back, and then with the same back we perform a torso tilt back.

Freeze. From the previous exercise, we move to the position lying on the stomach. We put our hands under the stomach. Wave-like we strain and relax the muscles starting from the legs and ending with the shoulders. So we repeat several times, then relax and just lie down, restoring the pulse.

Period of stable remission. At this point, you can connect exercises that will cover different muscle groups. You can do them at a faster pace and with more effort.

"The cat is awake." FROM toya, move the pelvis slightly forward. The legs are half bent. We take our hands in the lock and stretch forward, rounding the back. We linger for a few seconds and return to the starting position.

"Round". We become, placing the feet under the shoulders. We put our hands behind our heads. We perform circular rotations of the pelvis, at first at a slow pace, and then faster and faster. Then we do the same rotations, but in the other direction.

"Mower". The position of the body, as in the previous exercise, only the hands are folded in front of him like a student at a desk. We make quick turns of the torso, lowering the arms to the level of the belt, then raising them to the level of the shoulders. We concentrate on active exhalation.

"Skier". We bend our legs slightly at the knees, we bring the pelvis forward. We take our hands up, straightening our legs, and stretching as high as possible, then we bend down with a round back, swinging our arms far back. And straighten up again. Repeat the exercise many times for 100 seconds.

"Pump". We spread our legs to a width of 20–30 centimeters. Do not forget to move the pelvis forward a little. We perform deep alternate tilts to the sides, without taking our hands off the hips.

"Ballet". Standing at some support and slightly holding on to it, we perform swing movements with the foot forward, backward, to the side. We do at least 50 swings with the left foot, and then with the right. Resist the temptation to hang onto a support. Don't arch your back as you kick back.

"Clew". We lie down on our backs, bring our arms forward, pull our bent legs to our chest. Pressing the lower back into the floor, raise the shoulders and head, and hug our hips with our hands. Hold this position for at least 100 seconds. Breathe freely. Focus on the tension of the muscles of the abdomen and lower back. Then relax and stretch out, lie down on the floor.

"Tumbler". Sitting on the floor, lift your legs off the mat, wrap your arms around your knees, and roll over from your left buttock to your right. Periodically roll over the vertebrae from the bottom up, moving the chest away from the knees. Perform the exercise until you feel a pleasant warmth in the coccyx area.

"Cobra". We sit down, folding our legs in Turkish. We put our hands on our knees. We perform circular rotations in the lumbar spine. 1.5 minutes one way and then 1.5 minutes the other way. Exercise is also an excellent prevention of diseases of the female genital organs.

Massage for back pain

In the acute period, with severe throbbing pains, only the use of the Kuznetsov applicator can be recommended, putting a linen cloth between it and the body.

It should be noted that in the pathogenesis of lumbalgia, the pain syndrome occurs due to the infringement of the arcuate meniscoids. If this is indeed an established fact, manual therapy can be used. The method of post-isometric relaxation is very useful and justified. Its essence lies in the stretching of blocked muscles, after static stress. For the lower back, the following exercise can be recommended, which is also an element of independent manual therapy.

To perform, you need a high table, sofa, or bed. The surface must not be soft. Lie on your side, on the edge of the table. If the pain syndrome manifests itself on one side, lie down on a healthy side. If the pain is bilateral, perform alternately on the left and right side. The back is slightly bent. The lower leg should be bent at the knee and hip. Upper - hangs from the edge of a table or sofa. The pelvis must be turned to the table. We turn the head and shoulders in the opposite direction from the hanging leg. Hold the far edge of the table with your upper hand. Exhaling, move your gaze to where you turned your head and shoulders. Relax. Under the weight of the leg, the lumbar region will come into a state of prestressing. If this happens, lift the limb a few centimeters, exhale slowly and deeply, hold your breath for 30 seconds. As you inhale, look towards the dangling leg. Then relax completely, lowering the leg under the force of gravity, and exhale.

How to give yourself a massage, without outside help?

Situations when there is no one next to a person who could give him a healing massage are quite frequent. If your back is seized, the best way out is to help yourself.

It is necessary to sit comfortably on a surface that is hard and even, to achieve the maximum possible relaxation. The thumb is firmly applied to the lower back, the knees are bent.

Careful stroking movements are made, you need to move from top to bottom, moving towards the coccyx. The further you can get it, the more effective the procedure will be.

After devoting about 3 minutes to these movements, you need to start stroking. The thumb moves smoothly along the ribs, moving to the sides from the spine. With each repetition, you need to achieve lowering.

Having finished with one side, you should definitely rest for a couple of minutes. Then all actions are repeated with the other side.

This is just a sample program of action for back pain. Faced with constant painful attacks, you should definitely see a specialist. Only the doctor will determine the appropriateness of exercises and massage, suggest the optimal program, the implementation of which will benefit, and not harm the patient.

Acupressure remains available for back pain

Lying on the stomach, with the right hand we perform point manipulations in an arc, starting from the dimple in the lumbar region and moving along the passage of the sciatic nerve.

Under the stomach, you need to put a folded towel, or a roller.

The sequence of manipulations is as follows:

finger strokes;

finger pressure;

capture reception;

receiving finger kneading;

reception of finger vibration. All manipulations are performed with warm hands. Focus on the strength of the phalanges, not the arms.

After you pass through the indicated zones, acting with your fingers, fold your hand into a fist and massage with a fist comb.

The sequence of manipulations:

trituration;

kneading.

Finishing the massage, you can perform vibration and shaking movements. To do this, grab the gluteal muscle, slightly pull it back and shake it.

When performing self-massage, massagers and applicators should not be neglected. By heating the surface of the skin, these devices allow you to increase blood flow to the problem area.

The following massagers have been widely used:

applicator Lyapko;

applicator Kuznetsov;

rollers and belts made of various materials (wood, rubber, plastics, natural stones). All of the above devices can be used without outside interference and effectively affect not only the lower back, but also strengthen the body as a whole.

If there is nothing at hand, then a plastic bottle will do. Pour warm water into it, put it under your back and gently roll.

For lower back pain, various types of massage are used:

• can;

  relaxing;

  medical;

  stone therapy.

The main task is to relieve muscle spasm and increase blood flow in the suffering segment. The specific type, duration and number of sessions should be prescribed by a specialist.

If there is an irresistible desire to be healthy, put in a little work and perseverance. The results will pleasantly surprise you.

Treatment and prevention of diseases of the spine with the help of Evminov prophylactic

Just 2 Exercises Eliminate Acute Lower Back Pain in Just 5 Minutes

Folk remedies for back pain can be used to eliminate symptoms with an integrated approach. Back pain can be related to the bony lumbar spine, intervertebral discs, ligaments around the spine, spinal cord and nerves, muscles in the lower back, abdominal and pelvic viscera, and even the skin around the lumbar region. Pain in the upper back can be associated with aortic disorders, tumors in the chest, and inflammation of the spine. How to cure a sore back, read the article!

Indications and contraindications for the use of home remedies

Generally, low back pain is classified into two types:

• Acute back pain comes on suddenly and persists for up to three months;
• Chronic - Pain develops gradually over a longer period, lasts more than three months, and causes long-term problems.

Expert opinion

Astafiev Igor Valentinovich

Neurologist - City Pokrovskaya Hospital. Education: Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd. Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after A.I. HM. Berbekova, Nalchik.

In the vast majority of cases, back pain is relieved without medical attention.

Pain can usually be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers. Applying a hot compress or ice pack to the affected area can also relieve pain.

A significant percentage of patients with back pain experience both intermittent bouts of more severe pain and more or less constant mild back pain, making a correct diagnosis difficult. With the use of home remedies, improvement should occur almost immediately - on the second or third day of therapy, if home treatments do not give the desired results, the patient is advised to seek medical help.

Ask your question to a neurologist for free

Irina Martynova. Graduated from the Voronezh State Medical University. N.N. Burdenko. Clinical intern and neurologist of BUZ VO \"Moscow Polyclinic\".

Overview of the means used

How to treat a sharp, aggravated when walking, piercing or acute pain, only a doctor will tell you.

Self-medication in this case is contraindicated.

Most of the physical exercises designed to treat low back pain and some radicular pain (pain that radiates down the leg) will include a combination of traditional techniques of the following types:

• Stretching. Proper muscle stretching along with active exercise will help maintain a normal range of motion and provide relief to muscles that often suffer from atrophy (muscle contraction from underuse) or spasms from inappropriate posture or nerve irritation. For many patients, it is better to follow a stretching procedure that has been individually designed for them by a physiotherapist or spine specialist. As a general rule, patients with low back pain should focus on stretching the muscles in the lower back, abdominal muscles, hips, and legs. The patient should never bounce while stretching, and all stretches should be slow and gradual;
• Dynamic stabilization exercises. These exercises may include the use of exercise balls, balancing machines, or specific stabilization exercises. The goal of dynamic stabilization is to strengthen the secondary muscles of the spine and support the spine through various ranges of motion;
• Core Strengthening Exercises. These are specific exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles and muscles of the lower back (erectoral vertebrae) to provide support for the aforementioned belt of muscles around the spine.

Some specialists may also suggest water physiotherapy for the patient.

Water supports the body and minimizes the effect of gravity, which makes it easier for patients to work on themselves in the initial stages. Water therapy can be very beneficial for older patients and the disabled, who may not be able to do some exercise outside of a water pool.

If after exercise the spine hurts, it is important to stop and consult with your doctor!

Examples of exercises to get rid of back pain

1. Exercise cat. Get on all fours, legs bent at the knees, arch your back as you exhale, inhale into yourself as you inhale and draw in your stomach, imitating cat movements. Repeat the exercise up to 10 times.
2. Knee to chest stretch. Lie on the floor, legs straightened, alternately press your knees to your chest, first left, then right, repeat the exercise up to 20 times.
3. "Bridge". Lie on the floor, bend your knees, rest your hands on the floor, raise your pelvis, imitating a bridge, repeat the exercise up to 7 times.

Also, be sure to watch the video with one useful exercise

Traditional medicine recipes

Compresses

When your back hurts, “what to do at home” is the main question. Healing compresses for back pain should be warming or, conversely, sharply cooling to achieve a relaxing effect.

Ice compress

Freeze ice cubes in the freezer, take an aloe leaf and one ice cube, wrap with a cosmetic tissue, apply to painful areas for 5-7 seconds for 2-3 minutes.

Compress with ginger

Mix 2 teaspoons of ginger in a bowl of 1 tsp. turmeric and 2 drops of olive oil. Heat the mixture in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, wrap the warm mixture in gauze, apply to the sore spot, fix with a scarf or bandage, leave for 25-35 minutes.

Expert opinion

Mitrukhanov Eduard Petrovich

Doctor - neurologist, city polyclinic, Moscow. Education: Russian State Medical University, Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd.

Remove the mixture with baby soap or shower gel.

Compress with basil

Brew 10 basil leaves with 250 ml of water, boil the mixture for 15 minutes over low heat, place a piece of gauze in the resulting solution, squeeze out the gauze, put the basil leaves on top of the gauze, apply to the sore spot. A compress with basil must be applied every day for 2-2.5 weeks.

Garlic compress

Grind 250 grams of garlic, pour the resulting mixture with a glass of vodka, leave in a dark place for 1-2 weeks, put the finished compress on gauze, apply to the affected area no more than 2 times a week for half an hour for 3 weeks.

Decoctions

The use of decoctions for back pain at home has an antioxidant and local tonic effect, has a slight analgesic effect.

Decoction with milk

Grind a few leaves of sea buckthorn, pour the resulting powder with milk (3.2%), put the broth on low heat and boil for 5-7 minutes. Strain the resulting decoction, drink a milk drink every day 3 to 4 times a day for a week.

In this recipe, regular milk can be replaced with almond milk.

Milk is an important part of the daily diet and is an excellent source of calcium, which is essential for bone health. Milk contains protein, which helps to repair muscles. It reduces the production of cholesterol in the liver and can act as an antacid. Vitamins A and B in milk may help improve eyesight and reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.

wheat broth

Pour 1 tablespoon of wheat bran with one glass of water (350 ml), boil the decoction for 30 minutes, take the tincture in a warm form, 50-70 ml 2-3 r / day.

Chamomile decoction

Stress can make lower back and back pain worse. Chamomile helps relieve it by soothing and relaxing muscle tissue, thereby reducing pain.

Brew (use 250 ml of water) two chamomile tea/drink bags, cover the glass with a lid or saucer, wait 25-30 minutes, take chamomile tea 1 tablespoon 3 times a day for 3 weeks.

Rubbing

Herbal oil scrub

In 1 teaspoon of olive oil, add a handful of any herb (rosemary, lavender, St. Strain the finished oil through cheesecloth or strainer.

Rub the resulting mixture on painful areas of the back at any time.

Herbs such as mint, lavender, thyme relieve pain and have a slight cooling effect, with severe back pain it is best to use them.

Massages

vacuum massage

Nothing more than a cupping massage is a very effective and safe treatment for back pain. Such a massage is able to relax “hard” muscles, unblock nerve knots and “untie” myofascial adhesions. The vacuum is created in special jars that are placed on the patient's back, shoulders, hips, or legs. The jar instantly draws muscles and tissues into itself, this suction “pulls” blood to the surface of the skin and helps to relax tight muscle tissue. Cupping massage is often used in conjunction with acupuncture and massage to increase muscle relaxation and reduce pain. When used together, these three healing therapies provide powerful pain relief and relaxation of muscle tissues that can cause pain and unbalance the spine.

Vacuum massage tends to leave circular bruises after cupping, these bruises disappear within 3-5 days. The procedure is not painful.

Vacuum massage removes toxins from tissues through the skin. The procedure improves lymphatic drainage, helps the body get rid of viral and bacterial infections. When placed on the upper back and shoulders at the beginning of the chest, the jar can help draw out pathogens and tone up your immune system.

Self massage

For back pain, self-massage is no less effective of all methods. In the supine position, clench your hand into a fist and massage the lower back and spine in circular, gentle movements for 5-15 minutes.

Physioapparatus

Physiotherapy devices for home use are used as an additional therapy in.

Below are the most popular devices.

Name	Application area	Price
Physiotherapy apparatus “DETOX SPA”	It is used as a muscle detox device, improves blood circulation, speeds up metabolism, relieves pain.	From 19900 rub.
Electronic device “Sun”	The quartz lamp is used as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent, it is especially good for neuralgic and muscle pains.	From 2700 rub.
Apparatus “FAIRY” UTL-01	Electrode apparatus, restores the protective properties of the body, reduces pain	From 3000 rub.

Portable massagers

Designed for daily massaging of painful areas, they are safe budget analogues of physiotherapy devices.

Name	Application area	Price
Manual infrared massager “Dolphin”	It is used to relieve fatigue in the muscles of the back, legs, arms, infrared heating mode reduces pain, relaxes, fights arthritis / arthrosis, osteochondrosis, relieves tension in the joints	From 1200 rub.
Massager “Laponka”	Improves the condition with arthrosis / arthritis, radiculitis, improves blood circulation, restores metabolism	From 200 rub.

Medications

There are many over-the-counter medications/ointments that can be helpful in relieving pain and managing symptoms. The drugs are divided into three groups:

• quickly eliminate the symptoms of pain;
• Ointments / creams. They are applied to the skin and are intended to relieve localized pain, such as pain in a sore muscle or an arthritic joint. Most of them are available without a prescription;
• Compresses - anti-inflammatory drugs can be applied directly to the source of pain.

Ointments

Name	Description/Application	Price
Fastum-gel	Relieves pain, tension, muscle stiffness. Apply a thin layer to the affected area	From 200 to 500 rubles.
Nise gel	It is used as a local treatment of inflammatory processes in arthritis, osteoarthritis, sciatica. Apply in a thin layer to the skin	From 180 rub.
Ketonal	Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Has a quick analgesic effect in diseases of the musculoskeletal system	From 180 rub.

pain pills

Medical compresses

Name	Description/Application
Compress with dimexide	Effective for the treatment of joint pain, arthritis, osteochondrosis. Dilute dimexide with water in a ratio of 1 to 1, soak a swab / gauze in the resulting solution, apply to the affected area 2-3 times a day
Compress with dimexide and novocaine	Used for acute pain. Dimexide and novocaine are mixed in an amount of 50 ml with water (100 ml), gauze is moistened with the resulting solution, applied to painful areas 3-4 times a day
Compress with medical bile	Effective for back pain relief. Mix 250 mg of bile with 150 mg of camphor alcohol, insist for a week, moisten gauze in the resulting solution, apply to the affected area no more than 2 times a week

First aid and prevention

In most cases, back pain is caused by simple muscle tension and can be managed with normal self-care methods.

Prevention and first aid methods include:

• A short rest period, limited to one or two days, in which strenuous activity is kept to a minimum. Sitting in a reclined position, with supported and elevated supports (such as in a chair or pillow-supported bed) minimizes stress in the lower back;
• As a first aid, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever, including (such as ibuprofen, or aspirin) or;
• Applying ice or a cold pack will reduce the local inflammation that often accompanies low back pain in response to injury. Ice is usually recommended within the first 48 hours of pain onset. Important! Avoid directly applying ice to the skin (to avoid burns);
• Applying heat to relieve muscle tension, ease muscle spasms, and increase oxygenated blood flow to the painful area to facilitate healing.

Conclusion

Constant pain can wreak havoc on your normal lifestyle. Home treatments for back pain will most often provide relief - massage, traditional medicine, and over-the-counter pain relievers will likely help you in your fight against the source of discomfort.

But it is very important to understand that if symptoms worsen or any complications occur, it is necessary to seek professional help.

Hernia, osteochondrosis, sciatica. Sometimes pain can occur in a woman during menstruation.

Naturally, the method of treatment and getting rid of pain should be selected based on the occurrence. Therefore, if pain is felt, you should consult a doctor immediately.

What if there is no way to seek professional help? In this case, you need to remove the pain symptoms yourself. There are several ways to do this.

Ways to relieve back pain on your own

In cases where the pain is very strong and unknown, it is best to observe bed rest. Only after two or three days from bed and move around. At the same time, it is good to use it to reduce the degree of stress on the spinal column. As for the bed for the patient, it should be hard.

To reduce the feeling of pain, you can use ointments. Well suited "Finalgol" "Capsin", "Tiger", or cream "Chaga". It is necessary to rub with these ointments that part of the lower back where the feeling of pain is most pronounced.

Also, the following ointments can be used for pain relief and against inflammation: voltaren, orthophenic, indomethacin. In some cases, it is good to use ethyl chloride, which is applied to the lumbar region.

If you know that you suffer from myositis, then you can use a hot compress. A pepper patch is either glued to the sore spot, or a mustard plaster is placed. For a more serious effect, the lower back should be wrapped with a wool scarf.

Often with pain in the lumbar region, you have to deal with muscle tension. To remove it, muscle relaxants are used. After taking it, the pain associated with tension will subside.

Prevention

Most often, dull lumbar pain is associated with constant muscle tension in this area. To avoid complications, you should learn to control the body, take control of the muscle tone of the back. Yoga and Pilates work well for this.
It is always important to maintain your posture, to monitor the correct position of the back, the muscles of which must periodically relax.

Professional methods to relieve back pain

To relieve dull pain in the lumbar region, the following procedures are suitable, which can be done by specialists: electrophoresis using novocaine, percutaneous electroanalgesia, the action of dynamic and sinusoidal-modeled currents. Perfectly helps to relieve pain moxibustion and acupuncture.

In cases where pain occurs due to disc displacement in the spine, traction therapy is necessary. It consists in stretching the body. In ancient times, our ancestors used a device called the Rule. With its help, the spine was stretched, the joints were aligned. Nowadays, in some cities, such stretching is practiced, but first you need to consult a doctor.

In hospitals and sanatoriums, radon, sodium and chloride baths and the application of therapeutic mud are used to relieve pain.

And also from "lumbago" and other troubles with the lower back.

In this article, I will share my own experience, which helped to solve a lot of back problems, earned stupidly in the past, and which often interfered not only in sports, but also in everyday life. This is by no means an instruction for action, but only a set of recommendations and sets of exercises. Still, everyone has their own body, with its own "cockroaches" and features. In addition, I will talk about the basic rule for the back when working with weights.

Why does the lower back hurt

I decided to talk about the lumbar region of the back and spine, since basically the people (including the author in the past) have pain in it. The reason for this is the maximum load on him in everyday life, especially when the lifestyle of this life is sedentary. In addition, it is the lumbar region that is most easily injured during uncontrolled lifting of weights. Physiologically, the lower part of the spine bears the biggest load because of our upright posture, which is convenient, but you have to pay with the development of age-related degenerative processes in this part of the body.

By the way, what in our medicine is mistaken for a disease, in foreign practice has long been attributed to the age-related degenerative processes mentioned above. We are talking about changes in the intervertebral discs, when their tissue begins to protrude beyond the vertebra. That is, about protrusion of the discs (a vertebral hernia, of course, is a more serious thing). Over time, elasticity, tone, tissue trophism are lost, and if the lifestyle is sedentary, and the diet is unbalanced, naturally this will negatively affect the spine and its most loaded parts.

Of course, the problem is solvable (or can be controlled), and at any reasonable age, if there are no absolutely critical and irreversible changes. At least, I personally managed to solve my difficulties with the spine. And this despite the fact that in the past he managed to injure his lower back more than once and obviously did something bad there due to stupidity, youth and inexperience.

So the biggest joke is that in most cases it is impossible to accurately diagnose the cause of back pain. For example, a well-known specialist in this field, Dr. Augustus White(he is also the author of the book " your sore back”), I am sure that 85% of cases of back pain can not be sure of the accuracy of the diagnosis. That is, in his opinion, modern medicine is able to accurately diagnose only 15% cases of acute back pain. This is explained by too large a difference in patient complaints and test results. So, a person suffering from back pain on an x-ray can have an absolutely healthy spine, and vice versa, in many people (about 20–30%) who have never complained of back pain, “problem” discs are clearly visible in the picture.

In turn, MD and director of the Center for Arthritis and Back Pain in Santa Monica (USA), Robert L. Sweezy, I am sure that in 95% of cases of pain in the lower back are caused by sprains between the 4th and 5th lumbar vertebrae.

If we take the "average for the hospital", 80% of back pain cases are due to one of three causes: stretching of the muscles and ligaments in this section, disc herniation and deformation of the articular processes.

That's why it turns out that after the examination, doctors tell a person, they say, he can’t lift more than 3 kg, and a friend goes to the gym, carefully pumps his back and then not only 3 kg, but all 300 kg lifts without problems and wins championships powerlifting world. And vice versa, a citizen follows all the advice of doctors, but it only gets worse - his back hurts, there are frequent "lumbago" and other troubles.

By the way, when they say that all athletes working with weights have back problems and, in general, they are almost disabled in this regard, you should not believe this. As the practice and experience of familiar doctors shows, simple “unsportsmanlike” ordinary people have more back problems, office workers and other categories of citizens with a sedentary lifestyle who do not lift anything heavier than a pen, mouse or folders with papers. The lack of tone in the lumbar region leads to the fact that the intervertebral discs are destroyed faster, and muscle and ligament injuries occur more often in completely banal everyday situations - he abruptly stood up or stretched to the side, slipped, leaned heavily, pulling on a shoe or sock, etc. If if you follow the thought, you probably already guessed where I am leading in the issue of solving back problems. We'll talk about this in detail below.

How I solved my back pain problem

Playing sports and an active lifestyle is not always a guarantee that there will be no back problems. It happens and vice versa, if you do not pay due attention to this part of the body. It is even worse when you work with weights without observing the technique of performing exercises.

Actually, in past years, this was one of my main problems, leading to back injuries and, as a result, to the frequent refusal to work on strengthening it in general. This is a vicious circle - you injured your back, you begin to protect it as much as possible, pity and cherish it, but in fact it doesn’t get any easier. And if it does, you get the so-called “glass back”, when at the most inopportune moment you can sharply “clamp” something there, after which you can neither bend nor unbend. In general, it is still lumbago are called. I'm sure many have experienced this. That's all good, then you bend over to the child or just to tie your shoelaces - click! - and you no longer want anything in life, just to get rid of the aching pain in the lower back and regain your usual mobility.

I personally have had different cases - you can bend, but it is very painful to unbend. On the contrary - to straighten up without problems, but to bend - through pain and suffering. Or even tin, when you can’t bend or straighten normally. All sorts of medications, ointments, muscle relaxants, blockades and other fast-acting remedies are good only as an emergency, but in the long run they will not help much, which has already been proven, at least by personal practice.

Going to specialists, x-rays and other tests are also good, but, as world practice shows, it is not a fact that you will really be given the correct diagnosis and determine the cause of the pain. In particular, this is aggravated by the fact that MRI and X-rays do not show injuries to muscles and ligaments. Although an experienced specialist can grope for an injured muscle, which is greatly reduced and becomes hard.

If you want results, do your back yourself and daily. And here's what I do for it.

Morning exercises for the back

Once again, when it “shot” in the lower back, and I complained on Twitter, they say, “ at the wrong time, now you have to suffer again for a week or two”, - one of the subscribers sent me such a charge for the back (clickable):

Yes, it looks a little childish, frivolous and even funny, I myself was skeptical at first, but in reality it turned out to be a very effective practice. Literally in 3 days, performing this complex in the morning and in the evening through tolerable pain, I almost returned to normal, which in principle was amazing. Previously, using all sorts of ointments and warmings, I had to suffer after a “lumbago” with my back for at least a week, and then, my state of health remained worse than after three days of charging.

What is the reason for this? Yes, everything is simple - when you move, you make the back muscles work, they are filled with blood, which delivers useful substances to the site of injury and removes decay products. In addition, there is a warming effect, plus muscle tone improves and spasm is relieved. But it can persist, even if the nerve is no longer clamped, but you do not develop your back. As a result, the lower back continues to "whine." Even if the injury is associated with a non-critical muscle or ligament tear, charging can speed up the healing process. But, again, the pain during exercise should not be too strong. Tolerable, well tangible, but no more.

By the way, arm wrestlers use this principle to heal their injuries, whether it be an arm, a shoulder or some other part of the body, a ligament or a tendon. They select such a weight and such a movement that the pain in the injured part is well felt, but controlled, and they gradually pump it up with exercise, draw blood into the muscle and ligaments, and force them to work in a gentle mode. And these guys know a lot about getting rid of injuries. If bodybuilders during training destroy muscle fibers a little, after which they are restored with a margin, due to which growth occurs, then armwrestlers cause microtrauma to tendons and ligaments by their training, using the same principle of hypercompensation.

I’ll write a few exercises from the morning complex for the back, which I perform on a karemat (tourist rug):

1. Sipping- stretch to the string, pull your arms up, legs - down. So 3-4 times with a break of a second or two between repetitions
2. Bridge- lying on your back and resting your bent legs on the floor, lift your pelvis up, and the trapezium and arms remain pressed to the floor. Perform smoothly, at the top you can delay the movement for a second. There is no pause between repetitions.
3. At the same time, pull your left hand to your right leg and vice versa, while bending at the lower back. It is desirable to get the leg every time by hand. Do 3-5 times on each leg.
4. Bridge- lying flat and resting your heels and upper back on the floor, arch your back. Pauses between repetitions are not needed.
5. corner- simultaneously raise your arms and legs, folding into a "book".
6. Alternately pull the left and right knee to the stomach, lifting the torso.
7. Now roll over on your stomach and again sipping, similar to that in the first exercise, but already on the stomach.
8. At the same time, raise the left leg and right arm, lower it, then vice versa - the right leg and left arm, and so repeat five times for each pair without pauses between lifts
9. Cobra- rest your palms on the floor in the chest area or slightly lower (as convenient) and smoothly straighten your arms, arching in the lower back.
10. boat- raise your arms and legs up, arching, and swing back and forth in this position, maintaining a static load on the muscles of the lumbar region.
11. Cat- standing on all fours, bend as much as possible in the lower back, and then arch your back as much as possible. It is advisable to make a second pause, keeping the tension at the bottom and at the top. After that, I do a couple of circular movements with the lumbar region on both sides.

I do this exercise not only if my back starts to strain, which has not happened for a long time. It is important to do it every day, preferably in the morning and evening. There is no need to rest between exercises - do everything in turn. Physically, exercise is not difficult, rather it is tonic.

Japanese static back alignment exercise

I have been practicing this for several months. Now it’s not every day anymore, but in the first couple of months I did it every day after the charging described above and felt a positive effect, and now I feel it too.

The exercise was invented by a Japanese doctor Fukutsuji about 10 years ago. He was looking for an effective way to correct the figure and the skeleton in particular. If the spine is in the correct position, then the organs will be located correctly.

The idea is to lie on a roll of a towel for five minutes, being in a stretched state and holding your hands and feet in a special way. The exercise must be performed on a hard surface or the same karemat, fitness mat, etc. So:

1. Roll a towel roll about 40 cm long and 7–10 cm thick.
2. Sit on the floor/car mat/fitness mat and place the roller behind you.
3. Slowly and gently lower yourself onto your back, holding the roller so that it is exactly across the body under the lower back - exactly under the navel (this is important).
4. Spread your legs shoulder-width apart so that the thumbs touch each other, and the heels are at a distance of 20-25 cm.
5. Put your outstretched straight arms behind your head, turn them with your palms down and connect your little fingers. (I can’t fully straighten my arms, but it’s okay, with half bent).
6. Make sure that the big toes and little fingers touch, as often they tend to disperse on their own. You have to control.
7. After spending 5 minutes in this position, get up very carefully, as the bones and joints move slightly during the exercise.

Although, it is unlikely that it will be possible to immediately lie down for 5 minutes. I started with 2.5 minutes and gradually brought the time up to five. If everything is done correctly, then in the process of doing the exercise, literally with your whole body you feel how the muscles begin to relax, and the spine takes a comfortable position for it. Although, maybe I made it up myself. But there is definitely a positive effect.

Core training

The muscles of the cortex form a kind of corset around the lumbar. These are the press, oblique abdominal muscles, extensor muscles of the back and glutes. If you want the spine to feel good, be sure to train them all in a complex. Trained core muscles hold the spine and relieve pressure on the intervertebral discs.

For most of my training experience, I practically did not pay attention to training the press, buttocks, and I trained the extensors in so far as - except perhaps with deadlift, which was far from always performed correctly and technically. So the effect was rather the opposite. In the last couple of years, I have been diligently training them all and have actually forgotten about the pain and discomfort in my back, including when doing heavy squats.

I train extensors with deadlift(a variation of the Romanian deadlift with an emphasis on the back and with slightly bent legs, plus a deadlift from the level of the knees, when the bar does not fall to the floor completely) and hyperextension. I described them in detail in my .

Hyperextensions also train the buttocks, plus from time to time I do " deadlift": legs are straight, feet are parallel and at a short distance from each other, a slope with a barbell / dumbbells with a flat back arched in the lower back to parallel, at the end of the movement the projectile is carried slightly forward (and not held near the legs, as is the case with deadlift ). When we unbend (again, with a deflection in the lower back), we try to tighten the buttocks, and the barbell is next to the legs. It is not necessary to fully unbend, throwing your back back, only until you feel that the tension from the muscles is about to go away and the load will fall on the spine.

Press swing traditionally- twisting lying on a bench or on the floor, slightly bending the legs at the knees, lifting the legs, hanging on the horizontal bar or on the uneven bars. And I do a super series - first twisting, then immediately lifting the legs. Sometimes I vary and arrange for myself a super series only on the lower part of the press and oblique muscles, hanging on the horizontal bar: 5-7 seconds corner + 5-7 leg lifts on the oblique muscles on one side, on the other side and directly on the press. I hope to eventually bring the number of repetitions for each part of the exercise to 15.

I usually train abs/obliques a couple of times a week after the main strength training. Similarly, with hyperextensions - that is, alternating exercises for the press and hyperextensions.

The basic rule for the back when working with weights

The back in the lumbar region should always be in a natural deflection - keep it level, control it, do not slouch or round in any case (in other words, draw your shoulder blades together and avoid rounding the back). This applies to 99% of weight exercises. A hunched back is a direct road to injury.

A year without back problems

I have been doing all the exercises described above with constant frequency over the past year, maybe a little more (excluding the Japanese exercise, I have been doing it for several months), and during this time I have not had any problems with the lower back or back pain. Moreover, the well-being of this department as a whole has greatly improved. Previously, I could not sleep on my stomach, I did not feel very comfortable lying on my back, I slept more or less normally only on my side. You walk for half an hour or an hour - your back hurts. Now there is no such thing - any lying position for the body is comfortable and convenient, I can walk for hours, and even with a backpack on my back, and my lower back feels good.

Even when I included in my regimen the daily exercises of 11 exercises, described above, which happened back in early 2013, it already got better. Although it “shot” from time to time, it was no longer so critical and recovered in 2-4 days after that, and not in 1-2 weeks, as before. When I connected heavy artillery in the form of active core muscle training, the problem was completely solved.

Share your experience

In my last two articles on the topic of sports (about and), the comments turned out to be no less interesting than the author's text itself. We had a great conversation, shared our experience, someone expressed their opinion, although not always positive, but often supported by reasonable arguments. This is cool and useful both for me personally and for readers. Accordingly, let's continue the tradition, especially since the back is such a little-studied thing and sooner or later disturbing everyone.

At one time, one picture with a charge actually changed my life for the better. I realized that you can solve back problems on your own, if there is a desire, diligence and a little bit of practical knowledge. This charger was sent to me. Nicholas Roy, for which a HUGE HUMAN THANK YOU to him.

This was the impetus for further study of the issue and, most importantly, for testing the found schemes and exercises in practice. But as often happens - you advise a person, but he does not believe, just waving his hand and saying: “ It just doesn’t happen, you need a miracle remedy, pills, something else". I didn't believe it either, but as you can see, it worked out in the end. I hope that my advice and recommendations will help someone else. The most important thing is to start, start at least with charging. And there, you see, even a small positive result will inspire you so much that it will lead you to the treadmill, the gym, the pool and make life better and brighter in general.

And I will end this article with a very accurate quote from a brilliant doctor Nikolai Amosov.