There is no such person who at least once in their life would not feel back pain, restricting and limiting a person’s movements for a while. According to medical practice, complaints of back or back pain are considered the most common and can be caught at the most unfavorable moment. It is worth remembering that with persistent symptoms of back pain, it is recommended to consult a specialist who can correctly determine the causes of immobilization and prescribe effective treatment. If you do not visit a doctor on time, serious complications can occur.
Causes of pain
In fact, the reasons that cause lower back and back pain can be very different, that is, both an independent problem and a signal of the initial diseases of the spine. The main underlying causes of painful sensations are:
- Muscle overload. About 85% of back pain can be caused by excessive physical exertion in the lower back. The so-called "back fatigue" occurs not only during sports, but also occurs when constantly sitting at the computer, which leads to weight and muscle overload.
- Intervertebral hernia. Quite common disease occurs mainly in people older than 40 years and occurs due to flattening of the intervertebral discs. This process contributes to the compression of the nerve roots, which leads to severe back pain.
- Fractures. Such causes of back pain were diagnosed in 4% of patients. According to medical statistics, compression fractures are quite common in older people suffering from osteochondrosis. The disease is characterized by depletion of bones, ie loss of their mass and density, due to which there is a high risk of fractures of the spine.
- Congenital defects of the spine. Such pathologies appear at birth and can accompany a person throughout life. Deviations occur in the form of additional or missing vertebrae and most commonly in the lumbar spine.
- Spondylolisthesis. With spinal disease, the vertebrae are displaced, causing sharp painful sensations to be felt in the upper back.
- Gynecological diseases. Inflammation of the female genitals is accompanied by severe back pain.
- Pregnancy. Attacks of pain can occur both in the early stages of pregnancy and in the last. This is due to the fact that there is a change in center of gravity, softening or relaxation of the ligaments, weight gain and weight gain.
- Infectious diseases. In addition to inflammatory processes in the skeletal muscles of the back, severe pains can appear, which radiate to the shoulders, neck, and even the forehead. Painful sensations are intensified by various movements, so it is quite difficult to turn your head and bend down.
- Intercostal neuralgia. With this disease, the pain occurs precisely in the intercostal space or can be localized in the lower back, below the shoulder blade, and in other places where the nerve endings are pinched.
- Spinal tumors. Most often with this disease, the pain occurs in the lower or middle part of the back, which intensifies in the morning after waking up, and sometimes even at night.
- Pathology of internal organs. Due to the location of pain in a certain area of the back, their intensity and duration, diseases of a certain organ can be predicted.
Alarms
When is it worth contacting an expert? What pain are serious signals of impaired proper functioning of the spine? Medical help is needed when victims feel:
- sudden sharp pain in the back, not caused by any special reason;
- severe pain when lying down or at night;
- painful sensations felt after injuries or bruises;
- back pain accompanied by high fever, tingling in the chest, dizziness, numbness and other symptoms;
- acute pain that does not subside within 2-3 days;
- chronic mild pain that does not go away in 2-2, 5 weeks;
- painful sensations that are simultaneously given to the limbs, while significantly restricting a person's movement.
Urgent consultation with a specialist is recommended if the back hurts for the first time in people diagnosed with cancer or osteoporosis, if the pain is felt after excessive alcohol consumption, after taking narcotics or after using steroid medications.
It is worth remembering that back pain does not mean that there is a serious illness. It is not recommended to self-diagnose diseases and pathologies of the spine, and even more so to prescribe treatment or perform physiotherapy exercises without a specialist.
Diagnosis
To pinpoint the cause of back pain, specialists perform an oral examination as well as an examination of the patient, which includes a visual examination of the back and an assessment of the victim’s ability to walk, sit or lie down. If necessary, a reflex test is performed using a neurological hammer. The data obtained will help to accurately determine the source of the onset of pain. If doctors suspect a diagnosis or suspect a progressive tumor, examinations such as:
- Radiography. Images can be used to determine the exact location of bones, allowing you to see arthritic conditions, cracks and fractures. Such a study is not appropriate for those cases where the patient is suspected of having such diseases that are related to muscle tissue, spinal cord, or nerve endings.
- MRI and CT. Magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography allows you to determine if a patient has such diseases as: hernia, bone and cartilage diseases, problems with blood vessels, nerves and tendons.
- Osteoscintigraphy. Such a study is rarely prescribed. Thanks to osteocintigraphy it is possible to identify bone tissue tumors, compression fractures.
- Examination of nerves. This analysis measures electrical impulses driven by nerves.
Methods of treatment
Regardless of the intensity of back pain, it is advisable to consult a doctor who can correctly diagnose the cause of their occurrence and accurately determine the methods of alleviating the victim's condition. Of course, it is worth initially weakening the attack of pain, which can be sharp and sudden, and recurring periodically. Often attacks of pain are felt when the joints are deformed or the back muscles are stretched. When a sharp sharp pain is felt, doctors advise the victim to lie down, which will greatly alleviate the victim’s condition and reduce the strain on the spine. After that, it is recommended to limit physical activity to a day or two.
Outbreaks of acute pain can be extinguished with a cold ice pack. This method can significantly reduce swelling, if it occurs. In rare cases, ice massage is used, ie massaging the painful area with ice cubes for 7-8 minutes. Such therapy is carried out for a maximum of 1-2 days, after which doctors advise the use of thermal compresses, which are done at the expense of a heating pad or a pre-soaked towel. You can relieve cramps in the back muscles by stretching the spine, which is performed even in a supine position. To do this, you need to press your knees to your chest, press them a little, and then stretch and relax. This exercise should be repeated several times. An analgesic will save you from back pain, which can reduce inflammation around where it hurts.
Non-traditional methods of alleviating the victim’s condition are rarely used in traditional medicine, but are still considered effective. It is possible to cure attacks of back pain using methods such as acupuncture, vacuum therapy, manual therapy, osteopathy and other folk remedies. It is recommended to take into account that such methods of improving the condition of the victim are used only for those pains that are caused by diseases of the musculoskeletal system. In any case, before using one or the other method of alternative medicine, it is recommended to seek the advice of your doctor. In order to permanently get rid of back pain, it is recommended to eliminate the original cause or disease, and only then continue treatment of pathologies of the muscles, bones and joints of the back.
Prevention of back pain
To avoid different types of back pain, regardless of the original cause of their occurrence, doctors recommend following fairly simple but effective tips, namely:
- Do not lift weights. When a person lifts a load, the mass of which is several times higher than the norm, there is a sharp compression of the intervertebral discs and blood vessels. Doctors are not recommended to lift a load weighing 15 kilograms at the same time, and even to turn the body together with this weight to the right or left.
- You haven't been in a sitting position for a long time. If there are pathological changes in the structure of the spine, it is necessary to limit sitting on a chair or stool. With this position of the body, the person begins to bend, often placing one foot on the other, which contributes to the uneven distribution of the load on the intervertebral discs and joints. If the main occupation is associated with a long time at the computer, it is recommended to get up every hour, walk and lean to the right and left.
- Hypothermia should be avoided. Painful sensations occur due to spasm of the back muscles, which most often occurs due to hypothermia of the body. It is advisable to dress warmly, avoid drafts, cold winds and strong climates.
- You need to move more. The wrong choice for many people is a significant restriction of physical activity to preserve the health of the spine. In the absence of movement, the back muscles atrophy over time, causing the entire load to be transferred from the muscle corset to the spine. In such a situation, the tissue of the intervertebral discs and articular cartilage is destroyed. An excellent option for restoring back health, strengthening muscles and stretching the intervertebral space will be systematic stretching exercises, swimming, walking at an average pace.
- Timely treatment of the disease. It is not necessary to start the course of spinal diseases, such as osteochondrosis or spondyloarthritis, which leads to serious and often irreversible complications. When diagnosing the disease, it is worth starting treatment immediately, which can alleviate the condition.
- Therapeutic procedures. In order to prevent diseases of the spine, rehabilitation therapists and therapists are advised to attend various therapeutic procedures, namely: massage, spa treatments, therapeutic gymnastics, yoga.
Attacks of back pain can occur in people at different ages and in different circumstances, while significantly restricting a person's movement. To prevent the appearance of frostbite, it is recommended to move more, take care of your health and do not forget about sports.