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Lumbago

Condition Overview:

Lumbago is defined as mild to severe pain or discomfort in the area of the lower back. The pain can be acute (sudden and severe) or chronic if it has lasted more than three months. Lumbago often occurs in younger people whose work involves physical effort and is not uncommon in people of retirement age.

In the majority of cases, it is impossible to identify the exact cause of backache. In about 25 per cent of cases, however, it is possible to identify the cause. Often, these patients are suffering from conditions like a slipped disc, osteoporosis (brittle bones), deformation of natural spine curvature (scoliosis) or more rarely, skeletal damage due to tumours or infection.

Symptoms of lumbago:

• Pain across the lower part of the back that sometimes radiates into the buttocks, the back of the thigh or to the groin. The pain is usually worse on movement.
• Limitation in movement of the spine - especially bending forward and leaning back.
• Tense spasm of the muscles surrounding the spine and causing a stiff back.
• With severe pain and spasm, the back may tilt to one side causing a change in posture.
• The pain is sometimes accompanied by a tingling sensation or numbness in the back or buttocks or leg.

If you suddenly find out that you are unable to control your bladder or bowel movements or if the area of the lower back or legs turns numb, contact a doctor or Accident and Emergency department immediately.

If you suffer from backaches and notice reduced strength or muscle bulk in one or both legs, contact a doctor. These warning signs indicate compression of the spinal cord and its branches and early treatment is essential if permanent damage is to be avoided.

In most cases, a back problem can be diagnosed by a doctor from the information given by the patient.

Chiropractors usually perform a specially thorough examination and will observe the movement of the joints in the spine, pelvis, and hips; perform orthopaedic and muscle tests; and check to see if any nerves are trapped in the spine.

Generally speaking, it is seldom necessary to take X-rays, scans or blood tests in order to rule out more serious underlying causes of back pain.