Lumbago is what we know as pain in the lumbar region, located in the area of the back between the last ribs and the buttocks. It can be classified according to different criteria, the most frequent being according to its duration: acute and chronic pain. Acute pain is of sudden onset, generally intense and of limited duration (from days to a few weeks). Chronic pain, on the other hand, occurs when the duration exceeds eight weeks. It is a moderate but persistent pain. It can also be classified according to the intensity of the pain, although it is difficult to define due to its subjectivity.
Causes and origin
The origin of lumbago is very varied, although there are generally two main types: mechanical and inflammatory. Pain of mechanical origin is the most frequent, and is due to alterations caused by the function and the loads we subject the spine to, together with the progressive aging of the structures that form it. Inflammatory back pain, on the other hand, has its origin in diseases of the spine itself, such as spondylitis or systemic diseases (such as osteoporosis or tumors).
The most common type of low back pain is mechanical. Among these, the so-called degenerative is the most frequent among those affected. In this type of low back pain there are dynamic alterations that affect the posterior vertebral joints, and this deterioration causes pain known as lumbar facet syndrome. This is the main cause of the most frequent low back pain.
Treatment
As always, prevention is undoubtedly the best treatment. Eliminating excess weight, not making unnecessary efforts, not getting used to bad postures or not smoking, as well as doing sports systematically will help us to delay these degenerative phenomena. The treatments themselves will depend on the intensity or duration of the lumbago. Taking anti-inflammatory drugs is usually enough, although extreme cases may require surgery. However, there are many treatments in between.