Back pain: Lombarthrose

 Bad posture, fatigue, false movement... The causes of back pain are numerous and can quickly become a source of daily worries. But did you know that since the causes are numerous, there are many different back pains? We have put together for you all our tips to take care of your back on a daily basis.

The lumbar disease affects the lumbar discs and can be painful. This type of osteoarthritis cannot be cured, but there are many ways to alleviate the pain.

What is lumbar disease?

Lumbar disease, also called lumbar osteoarthritis, is very common osteoarthritis. It is characterized by chronic wear between the lumbar discs.
Low back pain can occur in two places:

• at the level of the discs between the vertebrae, which are cartilaginous discs serving as "pads" to avoid friction of the vertebrae between them

• Or at the level of the posterior inter-apophyseal joints, which are the joints that serve as guides during the movements of the spine. It is sometimes referred to as inter-apophyseal osteoarthritis

The causes of low back pain are numerous:

• Poor posture: scoliosis, hyperlordosis.

• Poor repetitive position when playing sports or at work

• Inflammation

• Fracture or violent shock

• Scheuermann's disease, which is a pathology of the vertebrae that deforms the spine

Lumbarthrosis is characterized by flare-ups of osteoarthritis and periods, more or less long, of remission. The pain usually wakes up to the use of the joint and calms down at rest. Certain movements can aggravate the pain such as carrying heavy loads, gardening, certain changes of position during the night, etc.

Symptoms of low back pain

Lumbarthrosis usually begins to develop with simple lumbago after too much effort.

The characteristic symptoms of this disease are:

• Pronounced pain in the lower back and aggravated by walking. This is because the vertebrae react to the weakening of the joint by making extra bone at its periphery, which decreases the diameter of the lumbar canal, limits the mobility of the spine, and causes pain.
• Sudden pain after exertion. These pains are acute and occur after carrying a heavy load for example, but can also be triggered by a simple sneeze. The pain can radiate to the leg. This pain comes from the intervertebral discs located between each vertebra of the spine. Their role is to allow the spine to obtain its flexibility and cushion shocks. During a major effort may appear a herniated disc, which is an abnormal protrusion of this intervertebral disc. A herniated disc can lead to low back pain.
• The shopping cart sign: This sign is characteristic of patients who describe walking difficulties that disappear when they push a shopping cart. A desire to 'make the back round' pushes patients to lean forward. This position relieves the lumbar joints by re-opening the lumbar canal. It is thanks to this position that patients can sometimes cycle for hours when they cannot walk.
• Tingling and pain in the legs. If osteoarthritis compresses nerves we will have the appearance of sciatica due to the compression of the nerve of the same name by the narrowing of the lumbar canal. This can lead to pain in the legs up to the toes.
• A feeling of stiffness. This occurs when the muscles begin to fibroze and the body stops mobilizing to avoid pain.

Treatment of low back pain

It is not possible to cure low back pain, but it is possible to limit the pain experienced by certain drug treatments. For this, it is necessary to take charge of the disease as soon as the first symptoms appear.
It is recommended that:

• Rest during the painful phase

• Local heat application 

• Gentle massages to achieve the muscle relaxation responsible for the pain

• Gymnastics in a hot water pool

• Avoid carrying heavy loads 

• From the drug point of view, analgesics and muscle relaxants will be widely used.

There are several ways to treat the pain of low back pain:

• Acupuncture

• Massages

• Physiotherapy

• Osteopathy

• Physiotherapy

It is also possible to use the thermal cure to effectively fight against low back disease, especially with aquatic physical exercises.
A lumbar belt may also be prescribed to strengthen the maintenance of the vertebrae and control posture.

Preventing low back pain

Factors that promote lumbar osteoarthritis include:

• Tobacco

• Obesity

• Muscle insufficiency that is strongly involved in women

• Activity such as lifting heavy loads and traumatic sports

It is possible to strengthen the back to help consolidate the spine through the muscles. For this, sport is a good means of prevention. Aquatic physical exercises are good for the back. In general, it is especially important to avoid anything that is traumatic for the spine. It is, therefore, necessary to avoid all jumping exercises. On the other hand, muscle-building and sheathing exercises are recommended.