Column What is a “strained back”? What is the reason behind it? What is the formal name of that condition?
Those who suffer from lower back pain may have experienced what is called a “strained lower back.”
This time I will explain about this strained back and its reasons.
What is a strained back?
A strained back is a severe pain in the lower back that occurs suddenly.
A strained back can occur right after you wake up in the morning or when you’re doing nothing, but it often occurs when you do the following movements or actions:
・When you suddenly try to lift something heavy
・When you twist your upper body while holding something heavy
・When you make movements that twist your lower back
・When you are forced to bend forward
・When you arch your back vigorously
・After sneezing
What is the official name of strained back?
The official name for strained back is acute low back pain. It is also sometimes called lumbar sprain.
However, strained back is not a disease name, but a name that refers to a symptom, similar to “headache” or “sciatica”.
Characteristics of strained back
A characteristic of strained back is the fact.
Once it occurs, it is easy to recur, so you need to be careful in your daily life.
Severity of strained back
Depending on the severity of your back strain, you may be able to move a little or not at all.
In mild cases, people may be unable to perform certain movements, such as being able to walk but not bending over or bending over.
In moderate cases, the pain is throbbing even when you are still, but you can still walk or move.
If you have a severe strained back, you will be unable to move.
Even if you have mild pain, if you ignore it, there is a risk that the pain will become severe, so if you feel any pain, we recommend that you take appropriate treatment as soon as possible.
Reasons for a strained back
There are three main causes of a strained back.
Strained back caused by intervertebral discs
Intervertebral discs have a structure called the nucleus pulposus in the center and the annulus fibrosus surrounding it.
If a strong impact is applied to the intervertebral disc, such as by lifting something heavy or twisting suddenly, the annulus fibrosus may be damaged or cracked. The nucleus pulposus leaks out through the crack, causing inflammation and severe pain.
Inflammation will subside naturally if left untreated, but the injured annulus fibrosus will not heal on its own. As a result, the strained back is repeated.
Strained back caused by facet joints
There are facet joints in the spine, and when they become inflamed, it can cause severe pain. This is called facet joint disorder and is one of the causes of strained lower back.
Strain back caused by fascia and muscles
Severe pain that occurs in an instant due to a tear in the muscles that move and support the lower back, such as the erector spinae, multifidus, and quadratus lumborum muscles, or damage to the membrane that covers the muscles. This is also one of the causes of strained backs.
Dealing with strained backs
If you have a strained back, the first thing you need to do is rest. It will be easier if you lie on your side and curl your hips. If you force yourself to move at this time, you may actually make the symptoms worse.
If you get a strained back while going out, it is dangerous to drive yourself, so ask a taxi or a friend to take you there.
While you are resting at home, it is best to relieve the pain with a compress. A strained back may be inflamed, so treat it with a cold compress that has anti-inflammatory properties.
It is common to warm up the affected area by taking a bath, etc., but this can easily have the opposite effect, so avoid using too much heat at first.
Do not perform massages while resting. Be careful if you or your family members massage the affected area on their own, as this may cause the condition to worsen.
When the pain subsides
Once the pain subsides in after a few days, start moving little by little. However, don’t overdo it. Start walking around your home little by little while monitoring the degree of pain.
It is also important to visit a hospital or clinic and undergo tests. It is important to go to the hospital to find out the cause and receive treatment to prevent recurrence.
Treatment at our clinic
Our clinic provides treatment for strained backs caused by intervertebral discs.
The nucleus pulposus, which is the cushioning component of the intervertebral disc, leaks out little by little, and the disc gradually collapses. When an intervertebral disc collapses, it can cause various diseases.
With our clinic’s Cellgel method, we inject a drug that fills the cracked part of the intervertebral disc, and it turns into a gel to repair the crack, making it possible to perform fundamental treatment. The disc volume does not decrease, and the drug remains in the disc as a gel-like implant after treatment, so the disc is preserved.
In addition, our clinic also carries out “low back pain specialized rehabilitation” which can treat strained lower backs caused by facet joints and strained lower backs caused by fascia and muscles.
If you are worried about a strained back, please consider seeing a doctor at our clinic.
