Back, back pain. Close acquaintance

Back pain is one of the most common health problems. We want to introduce you to the causes and teach you what to do when your back hurts.

There is probably no person in the world who has not experienced back pain at least once in his life. Back pain can be dull and persistent, or it can be sharp and sudden, causing you to measure every movement. If you knock down or lift something very heavy, it can start suddenly or move slowly, making it impossible for you to live a full life.

Factors that increase the risk of back pain

Everyone is immune to back pain, but there are some factors that increase the risk of back pain:

• Age.As you get older, your back hurts more often. Back pain usually occurs in the first 30-40 years.
• Weak physical condition.Back pain is more common in people who lead a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle.
• Overweight.A diet high in calories and fat can help you lose weight. Too much weight puts more stress on the spine and causes pain.
• Heredity.There are hereditary diseases, one of which is back pain, such as ankylosing spondylitis.
• Other diseases.Some types of arthritis and cancer can also cause back pain.
• work.If your work requires constant physical exertion, lifting weights, or spending several hours in a restless state, the result can be back pain. If you work at your desk all day without sitting upright, your back will also hurt.
• Smoking.If you smoke, your body can't get the nutrients it needs for your bones, resulting in a gradual loss of spine and a loss of elasticity. A smoker's cough can also cause back pain.

What are the reasons?

There are many causes of back pain. Sometimes the pain can be caused by mechanical reasons:

• Spasms of the back muscles.
• Spinal contusion.
• Muscle stretching.
• Torn disks.
• It falls from a height.
• Spinal fractures.

Back pain can be one of the symptoms of some diseases and conditions:

• Spine.
• Spondylolisthesis.
• Arthritis.
• Stenosis.
• Pregnancy.
• Kidney stones.
• Infections.
• Endometriosis.
• Fibromyalgia.

Other possible causes of back pain are infection, swelling or stress.

How to prevent back pain?

The best thing you can do to prevent back pain:

• Exercise regularly to strengthen your back muscles.
• Maintain a healthy weight or lose weight if you are overweight. You need to get enough calcium and vitamin D every day to have strong bones.
• Maintain proper posture, do not bend and do not bend.
• Avoid heavy lifting. If you can't do it without lifting weights, then do the right thing: bend your legs and keep your back straight, place the load in the middle of your body, not on the side, and press the load on your body and do not carry it on your outstretched arms. When lowering a heavy object, continue to keep your back straight, squat, and then lower your weight. After these manipulations, you should lift slowly and carefully, because the spine is sensitive after weight transfer.

When to see a doctor?

If so, you should see a doctor:

• Coagulation or tingling.
• Severe pain that gets worse and doesn't respond to any treatment.
• The pain occurred after a fall or injury.

Pain is accompanied by one of the following symptoms:

• Problems with urination.
• Weakness.
• Mismatch in the legs.
• Fever.
• Lose weight while dieting.

What diagnostic methods are used in case of low back pain?

To diagnose low back pain, your doctor will get detailed information about the course and nature of the pain and examine you. After the examination, he will order other tests, for example:

• Radiography.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
• Computed tomography (CT).
• Blood tests.

Medical tests may not show the cause of your back pain. Often, the cause of back pain is not clear.

What is the difference between acute and chronic back pain?

Acute pain begins quickly and lasts no more than 6 weeks. This is the most common type of back pain. Acute pain can be caused by things like falling while playing football or lifting heavy objects. Chronic pain lasts more than 3 months and is less common than acute pain.

How to get better?

The treatment for back pain depends on what kind of pain you have. Acute low back pain usually goes away on its own without treatment, but you can take painkillers to reduce the pain. Exercise and surgery are generally not used to treat acute back pain.

Below are some of the treatments for chronic low back pain:

Hot or cold compresses (or both)

Hot or cold compresses can relieve pain and relieve tension in your back. Heat can reduce muscle spasms. Helps reduce cold, swelling, puffiness & sensitivityThe use of hot or cold compresses can reduce pain, but this treatment will not solve the root cause of chronic back pain.

Special exercises

Proper exercise can help relieve chronic pain, but it should not be used for acute back pain. Your doctor or chiropractor can help you determine which exercises are right for your condition.

Medications

The main medications used for back pain are:

• Pain medications.
• Analgesic creams and ointments are applied to the skin over the sore spot.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that can reduce pain and swelling. NSAIDs contain branded drugs. Your doctor may prescribe a stronger NSAID.
• Muscle relaxants and some antidepressants can help with some chronic back pain, but these are very individual.

Behavior change

Learn to lift heavy objects properly to reduce back strain. Lifestyle changes: Eating a healthy diet, quitting smoking, getting a quality orthopedic mattress, and going to the bathroom can all help reduce back pain.

Injections

Your doctor may suggest injections of steroids or topical pain medications to help reduce pain.

Alternative treatment

Some non-traditional therapies can give good results. The most common of these methods are:

• Manual therapy.Manual therapists have methods to help relieve long-term chronic back pain. However, even though your doctor is a magician and is able to relieve pain in a few sessions, we must not forget that you need to seriously strengthen the back muscles so that these pains do not return again.
• Acupuncture.Chinese medicine uses fine needles to reduce pain and restore health. Acupuncture can be effective when used as part of a broader back pain treatment plan.
• Acupressure.The therapist puts pressure on certain areas of the body to reduce pain. The effectiveness of acupressure for back pain is not well understood.

Surgical Treatment

Most people with chronic low back pain do not need surgery. This is generally an extreme method and is used when other treatments do not work. The operation may be required:

• Herniated disc.
• Spinal stenosis.
• Spondylolisthesis.
• Vertebral fractures.
• Fractures can be caused by osteoporosis, in which bones are hit or destroyed in the lower back.
• Degenerative disc disease.

With age, intervertebral discs can break down and cause severe pain.

In rare cases, when back pain is caused by a nerve root problem called a tumor, infection, or cauda equina syndrome, surgery is needed to immediately relieve the pain and prevent new problems.