It is the pain felt in the lower back but mostly reflected in one of the legs due to the deterioration of bone, muscle and joint structures in the lumbar region and coccyx. Inability to get out of bed in the morning, stiffness in the waist, opening during the day, or when you wake up comfortably in the morning and towards the evening, blunt, electric shock, muscle tension, numbness or tingling in the fingers may occur in one of the legs.
The cause of pain in this area may not necessarily be herniated disc, called “disc hernia”. Detailed waist-leg examination should be done by specialist doctors and then “imaging tests” should be requested. The treatment of patients is decided according to their clinical condition, not according to the film findings.
Causes:
1. Disc herniation (lumbar hernia)
2. Degeneration (deterioration) in bone structures
3. Narrow canal (bone structures of the spinal cord)
4. Facet joint syndrome (calcification of the joints between the vertebrae, deterioration of their structure)
5. Fractures caused by trauma or melting of the bone structure
6. Special pains after low back surgery
7. Pain caused by the muscles surrounding the waist and supporting the spine
8. Pain caused by joint disorders within the hip joint itself (sacroiliac joint diseases)
9. Sciatica (compression of the sciatic nerve within the muscle or compression of the nerve originating from between the vertebrae)
Treatment
The main purpose in the treatment of chronic pain is “cause-oriented” . For this reason, the cause of low back pain is investigated, and treatment is planned by discussing with other branch physicians. Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Psychiatry, Internal Medicine branch physicians should consult for necessary patients.
First of all, treatment is started with “drug therapy”.
The drugs used may not write “pain reliever” on them. “Pain treatment” can be performed by using drugs used for different treatment purposes together. Patients are followed up at regular intervals and response to drug therapy is evaluated. The “pain degree” and “quality of life” of the patients determine the next stage of treatment. This treatment is called “interventional pain therapy”.
Interventional Therapies
Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation (RFTC)
It provides to stop the nerves transmitting pain to the brain with a special device and a very high frequency current. In this message block; Nerves related to movement are preserved and only nerves that transmit pain are burned. It is popularly called “Pain Treatment with Laser”. Applications are made by Algology experts who have been trained in this subject. The duration of painlessness varies according to the person, the severity and the region of the pain.
