Pain on both sides below waist and above buttocks

Pain on both sides of the lower back and buttocks is an important manifestation of lumbar strain. Lumbar strain is a disease that has a great impact on patients. If it is not treated in time, it may even affect the patient's ability to move, causing the patient to be unable to work or live normally. In addition, lumbar strain can also be prevented through certain methods. Below, we will introduce in detail the clinical manifestations, treatment methods and prevention methods of lumbar strain.

1. Clinical manifestations

The main symptoms of lumbar strain are low back pain or lumbar pain, which worsens after work and eases after rest. Pain may worsen or recur when you have a chronic illness, are depressed, or the climate changes. The clinical manifestations vary depending on the location of the strain. Generally, tenderness or percussion pain can be found locally, and there may also be posture changes or limp. No neurological impairment. X-ray examination and laboratory tests showed no abnormalities. This disease should be considered in patients with a history of poor posture, lower limb deformities, forced physical labor, or lack of physical exercise who experience the above clinical manifestations. When making a diagnosis, it is necessary to differentiate it from myofascial syndrome, bone and joint diseases, and pelvic visceral organ diseases. Lumbar pain is the main manifestation of lumbar strain, often with local stiffness and limited waist movement. Catching a cold or being overly tired can aggravate the symptoms and cause them to recur. During an acute attack, the pain in the lumbar region is more severe, with local muscle spasms on both sides of the lumbar region, lumbar movement disorders, and standing and walking are also affected.

Physical examination generally shows no positive signs except tenderness and percussion pain in the lumbar region. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and anti-"0" were both normal. X-ray examination also showed no abnormalities, but sometimes there may be degenerative changes in the lumbar vertebrae.

2. Treatment Methods

During the acute phase, bed rest should be performed for 1 to 3 weeks. Generally, the patient should lie on his back on a hard bed with his knees slightly bent to increase the lumbar-sacral angle, relieve pain, and reduce tissue edema.

At the same time, local blockade, physical therapy, massage and functional exercise can be performed. Those with severe pain can take antispasmodics and analgesics such as ibuprofen, indomethacin, and voltaren. Chronic strain injuries are more difficult to treat and the results are less effective. In addition to physical therapy, massage and local blockade, a wider lumbar belt or waist belt can be used to protect the lumbar region and support the lumbar muscles.

At the same time, strengthen the functional training of the waist, back and abdominal muscles to enhance muscle strength, improve body posture, enhance compensation ability, and facilitate early recovery. Manual massage can loosen adhesions, and external application of Chinese herbal medicine has the effects of relaxing muscles and tendons, activating blood circulation, reducing swelling and relieving pain, and can be used as appropriate.

3. Prevention methods

First, ensure the correct sitting posture, keep a natural upright sitting position as much as possible, sit up straight, and keep your neck straight.

Second, you should exercise at least three times a week, each time for at least 30 minutes, which is necessary for good health. People who engage in desk work for a long time should increase rest and activity time to enhance blood circulation throughout the body, eliminate local muscle fatigue, and prevent and relieve cervical strain.

Third, avoid direct exposure of cold air from the air conditioner to the neck and shoulder muscles, and keep warm.

Fourth, the height, softness and hardness of the pillow should be moderate. Generally, the pillow should be one fist high for those who sleep on their backs, and one and a half fists high for those who sleep on their sides, about 10cm. The pillow core should be made of kapok or buckwheat husk, and the filling amount should be appropriate to maintain a certain hardness and elasticity. A pillow with too much elasticity can easily cause fatigue and damage to the neck muscles. People who are accustomed to sleeping on their backs should put a small pillow under their neck to maintain the physiological curvature of the cervical spine. People who are accustomed to sleeping on their side should fill the space between their face and shoulders with a pillow to reduce the burden on their neck. The key points of prevention are to maintain a good posture, correct various lower limb deformities, pay attention to physical exercise, avoid working for too long in a forced position, insist on doing exercises during work breaks, and pay attention to the combination of work and rest. Most patients have a long course of illness and the treatment is slow to take effect, so patience is required in treatment. Generally, comprehensive treatment should be adopted, including eliminating pathogenic factors, paying attention to physical exercise, etc. Those with weak back muscles should perform back muscle exercises. For those with localized pain points, injection of methylprednisolone plus procaine, physical therapy, warm water bath, massage, and acupuncture can also achieve certain therapeutic effects. Those with severe symptoms can rest in bed and use a wide belt or waist belt to immobilize.