Complaints about back pain are one of the most common reasons to visit a doctor. Pain in this part of the body may be a manifestation of normal fatigue caused by excessive physical exertion, or it may indicate the presence of serious health problems that require competent treatment.
Back pain is an unpleasant manifestation of many diseases or a strong overload of the back muscles for other reasons.
In most cases, this pathology occurs against the background of various changes in the structure of the joints of the spine, as well as in adjacent muscles, nerve endings or skin on the spine. In addition, such a symptom accompanies some diseases or dysfunctions of internal organs.
Causes of back pain
The back can be injured in cases when there is a pathology from:
- spine;
- musculoskeletal apparatus;
- internal organs.
Pain can also occur in a healthy person due to muscle pain due to considerable physical exertion.
Spine pathology
Further, frequent spinal pathologies are considered, against which a pain syndrome appears.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is the most common answer to the question: "why does my back hurt? " With this pathology degenerative changes occur in the intervertebral cartilage, from which the cartilage becomes thinner, the space between the vertebrae is reduced and the nerve roots can be compressed. For pain in osteochondrosis, the following symptoms are characteristic:
- occur during or after physical exercise, as well as a long stay in a static position;
- may have a shooting or aching character;
- movement exacerbates pain.
If the sciatic nerve is compressed and sciatic nerve pain develops, then the pain is given to the buttocks, radiating along the surface of the thigh from behind. There may be sensitivity disturbances (numbness, tingling, burning). With lumbago, there is often a shooting or throbbing pain that causes the patient to literally freeze in place. Patients complain of being shot or twisted in the back.
INJURY
Injuries most often occur during falls (during ice conditions, during sports) or blows to the back during road accidents. The pain can cause both bruising and more serious injuries - fractures and dislocations of the vertebral bodies. The pain in an injury can be of many different natures:
- with pain,
- burn,
- shooting,
- stupid.
Pain sensations can be constantly disturbing, occur with certain movements, or feel like a pulse, depending on the nature and location of the injury. It is important to know that severe injuries are not always caused by significant shocks.
For example, a compression fracture of the spine in the elderly can be caused by a light mechanical load and on the first day after injury, the vertebrae do not hurt much. In the future, if no measures are taken for immobilization and treatment, the pain will increase, and damage to the nerves and spinal cord is possible.
Any spinal cord injury, even a minor one, at first glance requires a doctor's examination.
Intervertebral hernia
An intervertebral hernia is an extension of an intervertebral disc fragment in the spinal canal. A hernia is most often the result of degenerative changes in the spine or is the result of an injury. A disc extension can occur in any part of the spine, but much more often occurs in the lumbar region, as it is the one that carries the main load.
In the initial stages of hernia formation, back pain is provoked by physical activity, appears occasionally, and is of low intensity. As the disease progresses or with a sharp loss of a disc fragment, the pain can be very intense, in nature with radiation to the foot.
Often, patients complain of a feeling of numbness or burning in the problem area as well as in the lower or upper limbs. This indicates that there has been a violation of the nerve endings. Severe pain provokes muscle spasm, which leads to a violation of posture, develops pathological kyphosis or lordosis.
Bending of the spine (kyphosis, lordosis, scoliosis)
With curvature of the spine, to compensate for the pathological flexion, there is considerable muscle tension, leading to frequent and sometimes persistent dull pain in the spine.
Muscle pain
85% of cases of chronic or recurrent pain in the back muscles are associated with excessive stress in the lower back. Even for those who do not carry significant sports loads and do not carry heavy loads, the back muscles experience daily tension. This is especially true for long-term static loads while sitting at the computer.
Unheated muscles can be easily injured when you make a sharp turn, when lifting a heavy object or a bad movement. Pain can occur due to inflammatory muscle diseases (myositis) or due to severe stress, leading to reflex spasms of muscle fibers.
infectious diseases
Tuberculosis most often affects the spine. In the vertebrae, the infection penetrates the hematogenous pathway (through the blood) and causes inflammation, followed by bone necrosis. Pain in the lumbar and thoracic region is a characteristic sign of spinal tuberculosis, and neurological symptoms appear in half of patients - there is a feeling of numbness and weakness in the limbs.
Moreover, common manifestations are characteristic of spinal tuberculosis:
- weakness,
- sweating,
- increase in body temperature,
- rapid fatigue,
- poor appetite.
Oncological diseases
In most cases, a malignant tumor does not develop in the spine itself. Cancer cells come here with the flow of blood or lymph from other foci. Most often, metastases to the spine cause cancer of the mammary glands, lungs and prostate. At first, the pain may resemble the manifestations of ordinary osteochondrosis, but then the back aches constantly, with increasing intensity.
It is not always possible to relieve pain with conventional sedatives; only the introduction of narcotic drugs brings relief. With multiple metastases, the pain is still in nature, covering different parts of the spine. In addition to back pain, the patient feels weakness, unreasonable weight loss, fever down to subfebrile numbers. The prognosis is unfavorable.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
The most common back pain occurs with pancreatitis. It is perimeter in nature and is quite intense. In acute pancreatitis, pain may be associated with decreased blood pressure and loss of consciousness. Acute pancreatitis is an indication for urgent hospitalization of the patient in a surgical hospital.
In addition to pancreatitis, the pain can radiate to the back with a peptic ulcer or an attack of biliary colic.
Diseases of the genitourinary system
Kidney diseases, especially urolithiasis, during exacerbation often give pain in the lumbar region. If the lower back hurts, the pain is accompanied by a violation of urination or is given in the inguinal region, then it is necessary to consult a surgeon and women should undergo an examination by a gynecologist to rule out inflammation of the appendages or the presence of aectopic pregnancy.
Back pain in pregnant women
Pregnant women often complain of broken or aching back and lower back pain, especially in the later stages. This is due to the fact that in the second half of pregnancy, due to a significant increase in the uterus, the center of gravity shifts and the load on the muscles of the lower back increases. Pains are usually dull aches, aggravated by a change in body position, especially when getting up from a chair or armchair.
What to do if your back hurts
If your back hurts for more than three days, you should consult a doctor. Seek immediate medical attention if your back pain is accompanied by:
- poor general health;
- sharp decrease or increase in blood pressure;
- an increase in body temperature;
- dysfunction of any internal organ.
In addition, you should call a doctor if the pain is preceded by an injury or with a high pain intensity.
Diagnosing
In most cases, the doctor will be able to make a preliminary diagnosis at the initial examination. However, to determine exactly what causes back pain, additional studies are mandatory. In most cases, these are X-rays in two projections, computed tomography of the spine (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
If necessary, your doctor may prescribe a general blood and urine test, an electrocardiogram, an ultrasound of the abdomen or small pelvis, and a picture of the lungs. An examination should be performed without fail, as even the most severe diseases in the early stages of detection with proper treatment have a favorable prognosis.
Treatment
How to get rid of back pain, only a doctor can recommend based on examination data and examination results. The main principles of therapy: elimination of pain and strong inflammation, impact on the cause that caused the pain, rehabilitation measures aimed at accelerating the processes of tissue regeneration and restoration of normal life (physiotherapy, exercise therapy, massage, proper nutrition).
How to relieve pain
To relieve pain, it is initially necessary to limit physical activity. From pharmacological drugs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are most often prescribed. These medications can be taken as tablets or injections, and they are also included in topical ointments. Treatment of back pain caused by muscle spasms is performed with warming ointments, alcohol compresses and a warm bath. With severe spasm, muscle relaxants are prescribed.
It is important to remember that in the case of inflammatory diseases of internal organs and on the first day after injury, any thermal procedure is contraindicated. They cause deterioration of health and progression of pathology. After removing the acute manifestations of the disease, physiotherapeutic procedures, massage and therapeutic exercises are prescribed. If a pregnant woman has back pain, then the use of medication is undesirable.
Wearing a special bandage and limiting physical activity will help pregnant women relieve back pain.
Physiotherapy
Exercise therapy (therapeutic gymnastics) is the basis for the successful treatment of back pain in any localization. A set of exercises can be recommended by a physiotherapy exercises specialist or a rehabilitation physician. Classes begin with simple exercises, gradually increasing the load on the muscles and ligaments of the back and lower back.
This leads to the strengthening of the muscular corset that supports the spine, the extension of posture, the activation of blood circulation and metabolism in tissues, the improvement of overall well-being and mood. It is illiterate to treat your back with medication without regular exercise therapy and proper nutrition. This will only give a temporary effect.
Physiotherapy
Procedures such as phonophoresis with medicinal substances, magnetotherapy, laser therapy will help speed up healing. During the remission period, it is effective to undergo mud therapy and paraffin therapy.
prevention
To avoid back pain, it is very important to lead a healthy lifestyle, including:
- a balanced diet with enough vitamins and minerals;
- maintaining a normal body weight;
- regular physical education classes aimed at strengthening the back and abdominal muscles;
- contacting the doctor if any diseases appear and their timely treatment.
Back pain requires mandatory diagnosis to determine the cause of their occurrence and long-term treatment, based mainly on changing the patient's lifestyle. In the acute period of the disease the patient is assisted with pharmacological preparations. If you follow all the doctor's recommendations, the prognosis in most cases is favorable.