Back pain

Why does back pain occur?

Back pain in the lower back can have numerous causes. Therefore, the symptoms are different for each person. The pain in the back occurs mainly in the lumbar region because this part of the spine is more susceptible to injury. Often there are simple tensions that quickly disappear, for example, through massages or targeted stretching exercises. However, there are also numerous other causes of the well-known back pain.

Factors can be overweight or also stress, why back pain occurs down between the tailbone and the middle back. In these cases, it helps to find a balance, fight the excess weight and integrate moderate exercise into everyday life. Other reasons for back pain can be herniated discs, pinched nerves or even pregnancy.

Whether back pain occurs also often depends on the sitting posture at work or whether, for example, the muscles and ligaments in the lumbar region are shortened. This can be predisposition or caused by poor posture over a long period of time. It is important that the cause of your low back pain is identified and treated before the pain becomes chronic.

Back pain can also indicate inflammation or an injury. If the pain in the lower back does not subside after a short time through relaxation or stretching exercises, you should have the causes of the back pain clarified. We at DUS Orthopaedics & Trauma Surgery are happy to provide you with advice and support in these cases at our practices in Düsseldorf and Ratingen.

Back pain during pregnancy

During pregnancy, low back pain is common in the third trimester. Many women suffer from this back pain due to rapid abdominal and weight gain. Especially if the back muscles were already heavily strained or sore before pregnancy, back pain is very likely to occur during pregnancy and get worse over the months of pregnancy.

Reasons for this type of low back pain are also due to hormonal changes in pregnant women. Tendons and ligaments in the pelvic floor area are loosened as the body prepares for natural birth. The stability of the lower back is thus altered, while the natural centre of gravity of the expectant mothers also shifts. These factors all contribute to back pain during pregnancy.

What helps with back pain during pregnancy?

Sitting as well as standing or even lying down is then particularly unpleasant and strenuous. Carrying even light things can become a burden. However, you do not have to live with that. One thing above all is important: exercise! Do not get into a resting position, but move moderately as recommended by a doctor or your midwife, so that the muscles are trained with their new task. Special back training can therefore also be worthwhile before pregnancy. Pregnancy gymnastics – for example in water – or yoga can help with back pain during pregnancy.

Other aids to relieve your back during pregnancy can be a pregnancy belt or pregnancy pillows. The belt supports the abdomen while the pillow offers you a more comfortable position when sleeping or resting. In addition, gentle massages or a warm relaxing bath can also provide relief.
If the pain is very pronounced, physiotherapy, acupuncture or osteopathy can help.

When should you go to the doctor with back pain?

Often low back pain is harmless and is triggered by poor posture, for example. If you have behaved yourself while doing housework or gardening, the pain usually goes away within a few days. Relaxation can already help here.

In other cases, however, you should definitely consult a doctor. It is advisable to seek medical or orthopaedic help if the back pain was triggered by an accident (during sport), lasts longer than a few days or is atypical. If the pain lasts longer, secondary diseases such as inflammations can be triggered and the back pain can become chronic. To prevent this, you should therefore also consult a doctor if the pain is extremely pronounced (for example, in the case of lumbago).

How are back pains treated?

Treatment for back pain depends on the symptoms and the cause of your pain. If there is a pinched nerve, it is treated differently from an inflammation in the lumbar region.

Orthopaedics against back pain

Relaxing therapies, massages or stress reduction already help against many types of back pain. In the case of a so-called “popped out” vertebra, orthopaedic treatment is useful to relieve the pain. Among other things, your mobility will be checked and you will be able to feel where the cause of the pain is located. With practised hand movements, our back experts can bring your spine back into the correct position. It should be noted that the musculature often gets used to misalignments. If muscles and ligaments are already shortened, for example, vertebrae can quickly slip back into the wrong position. It is therefore important to support this therapy with a subsequent back school or physiotherapy.

Surgery for back pain

In some cases of lower back pain, surgery may also be useful or necessary. This is the case, for example, with a slipped disc if it can no longer be treated with physiotherapy. As there are many treatment options for back pain, non-invasive methods are always tested and ruled out as not effective before surgery.

Your advantages at DUS Orthopaedics & Trauma Surgery

In our practices in Düsseldorf and Ratingen, we are available to advise you on back pain thanks to our many years of experience and can already carry out numerous treatments directly on site, thus providing you with relief. From orthopaedic treatments to spinal surgery, we have many ways to help you. Before a treatment, a medical history discussion and a thorough examination are always carried out in order to find the best treatment method for you.

Make an appointment today and we will get to the bottom of the cause of your back pain together.