Back pain - causes, treatment and prevention

If you have back pain, it could be the result of a long list of causes. One of the safest options is physical fatigue. In more serious cases, there may be a hernia, protrusion, or damage to the bone apparatus.You should have a medical examination to find out what causes back pain. Once diagnosed, appropriate treatment is prescribed to relieve symptoms and eliminate the root cause of the pain.

Why back pain: classification of painful sensations

If you have low back pain in any part of the spine, it may indicate certain pathological changes. The doctor assesses not only the nature and severity of the pain, but also other signs of problems in the lower back. A complete history collection is required.

Pain syndrome is classified as follows:

1. Non-specific pains of benign nature. In most cases, chronic or acute pain does not make a difficult diagnosis. These unpleasant symptoms are often restored. Such unpleasant sensations are used to diagnose dorsopathy. Previously, the diagnosis sounded different - osteochondrosis. It is not a dangerous disease that occurs in every person due to age, characterized by the collapse of the intervertebral discs due to gravity and muscle weakness.
2. Radiculopathy (radicular syndrome). The condition is associated with compression or irritation of the nerve root in the intervertebral space. Such pain may indicate an inflammatory process, compression of the vertebrae of the intervertebral disc, the formation of protrusions and hernias. Especially in the acute period, any physical activity greatly worsens the patient's quality of life.
3. Special or exciting back pain. It is difficult to diagnose only such symptoms of anxiety, so often an additional examination is prescribed, which can exclude cancer, tuberculosis, kidney disease or fractures, injuries. Examples are pyelonephritis with fever, back pain in pregnant women, lower abdominal pain with diseases of the female reproductive system. Urological symptoms should be ruled out in men.

The general classification of pain is divided into:

• strong;
• spicy;
• painful;
• chronic;
• moved.

Low back pain - causes

Low back pain with osteochondrosis. Unpleasant feelings almost always bother the patient - when walking, sitting and even lying down. During the day, more intense pain due to back movements. It is aggravated by coughing, sneezing, weight gain. Less often, pain in the lower back spreads to the leg, which is accompanied by paresthesia - a feeling of numbness and crawling legs.

If a patient has sciatica, the pain spreads to the lower part of the body - the thigh, pelvis, thigh or lower leg. As in dorsopathy, anxiety increases with active physical activity. When such symptoms appear, it is necessary to consult a neurologist as soon as possible.

Pain in the lower back and lower abdomenindicates a bacterial lesion, often accompanied by painful urination. In women, back pain is often seen during pregnancy or menstruation. Low back pain is the result of a painful spasm or pressure on the internal organs of the fetus. Pain in the right or left side of the back indicates kidney disease. The diagnosis should be clarified with a doctor. The most reliable diagnostic methods are X-ray and MRI.

Often, the causes of back pain in women are associated with periods. Low back pain in women due to uterine cramps. You may need to take NSAIDs or use hormone therapy to combat painful periods. Less common, the condition of ovulation syndrome is observed. In addition to lower back discomfort, a woman may experience pain that changes to the right or left in the middle of her period. It is still unknown why this happened.

Back pain during pregnancy due to displacement of the center of gravity and muscle weakness. The condition normalizes after birth. Unpleasant feelings are observed at all times. It is important to be able to distinguish when the back hurts from the load and when it is pathological. At any stage of pregnancy, in addition to pain in the back and lower abdomen, if there is a menstrual-like discharge, you should see a doctor immediately.

In men, painful sensations that spread to the perineum of the lower back and lower back indicate the development of inflammation of the prostate. In addition to these symptoms, if a man has an increase in body temperature and a deterioration in well-being, you should contact a therapist or urologist. Treat inflammation with antibiotics.

Acute low back pain occurs in the following cases:

• spasm or inflammation of the lumbar muscles;
• staying in an antalgic position for a long time;
• If you lift more than one weight;
• side or sharp rotation of the body, injuries;
• draft or hypothermia.

What to do if your back hurts: You should see a traumatologist if the condition shows physical damage. The specialist will prescribe medication in the acute period to eliminate the unpleasant symptoms. First, NSAIDs, which have a systemic effect, are used, and then they are transferred to external forms of release. It is useful to take vitamin supplements and inject neurotropic drugs. Physiotherapy, massage and gymnastics are provided during the recovery period.

Why the unpleasant symptoms appear - aching back pain is caused by inflammation of muscle fibers or myositis. The situation is not heartwarming, because the patient feels stiffness under the waist, and normal body movements are difficult. To temporarily relieve the condition, you should take a hot shower and then wear warm clothes. Often there is pain in the lower back after injuries and falls. It is also recommended to use warming ointments. If the condition does not improve after a few days, it is better to consult a doctor.

Weight and pain in the lower back during spondylosis. The patient is constantly experiencing back pain and over time has problems with the legs. Loss of sensitivity and weakness is observed. Spondylosis deformities are dangerous if the symptoms are not taken into account, because the development of the disease takes a long time. Other causes of back pain include ankylosing spondylitis, spinal pain, or other cancers. You can not smoke with such symptoms, you should immediately seek professional help.

Sometimes the patient suffers from "transferred pains" of unknown nature. The patient has unpleasant sensations in the back, but this condition is not associated with the developing pathology of the spine. Radiation of pain is associated with problems in the pelvis, stomach or duodenum, kidneys.

In which cases you should contact a specialist immediately:

1. The pain syndrome is severe and the discomfort does not go away after 2-3 days, and even intensifies.
2. Unpleasant feelings after injury or accident. There was a fall or blows in the back.
3. At the same time with pain in the back, lower legs, hips, pelvis.
4. Unpleasant sensations in the limbs, pelvis, thighs, thighs, legs, feet and groin are lost.

Only a doctor will know the exact cause of back pain.

Back Pain Relief Treatments and Ways

After diagnosis, therapy is selected according to the individual characteristics of the patient. Treatment aims to eliminate the unpleasant symptoms and prevent relapse. In general, conservative therapy is combined with the principles of physiotherapy and rehabilitation. In advanced cases, surgery may be required.

Drug treatment

Drug use is the most widespread area of back therapy. Spinal medications may include NSAIDs or analgesics, antispasmodics, neurotropic vitamins, and muscle relaxants. Each drug group will be discussed separately. These funds are designed for symptomatic treatment - to relieve pain during exacerbations. It has no effect on the root cause of the disease.

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) cope with several tasks in the symptomatic treatment of low back pain. The drugs effectively counteract and eliminate the inflammatory process due to the reversible inhibition of the synthesis of inflammatory mediators. Systemic forms of release in the form of tablets and injections are used to relieve severe pain syndrome in a short period of time in the acute period.

Diclofenac and Movalis are the gold standard in the treatment of low back pain. Less common, Indomethacin or Ketorolac is prescribed. After several days of therapy, the patient is switched to the use of external release forms that can be used for a longer period of time. Diclofenac gel, Naproxen, Ketorolac trometamol, Piroxicam are excellent anesthetics.

If the patient does not tolerate muscle spasms, antispasmodics can be used to treat the patient. Classic antispasmodics are drotaverine hydrochloride or papaverine hydrochloride. They are prescribed to relieve smooth muscle spasms, which can result in radiation pain in the spine. Such funds are easier to tolerate than NSAIDs, but have a weaker impact.

Central muscle relaxants include tizanidine, tolperisone hydrochloride, or baclofen. The most commonly prescribed treatment for muscle spasticity is tolperisone hydrochloride, although tizanidine is more potent and has fewer side effects. Balofen is a prescription drug for really advanced cases. It is not a first-class drug because it has many side effects. The average duration of therapy when taking muscle relaxants is 1-1, 5 months. If the spasticity does not go away during this period, the medication is removed.

Physiotherapy rehabilitation methods

It is customary to use the following recovery methods in this field of medicine:

1. Electrophoresis. The drugs are injected through the skin under the influence of galvanic current. Generally, B vitamins to be injected, nicotinic acid, chondroprotectors are used. This is a long-standing method of treating back pain, but it is effective and helps well during rehabilitation. Galvanic current has good conductivity and delivers drugs locally to areas where blood flow is disturbed. The drug is active for 15 hours.
2. Laser therapy to reduce pain. With the help of point-regulated infrared radiation, the method aims to reduce pain, eliminate spasms, stimulate regenerative processes, improve microcirculation in tissues, increase immunity. Laser therapy is especially effective in the treatment of osteochondrosis, hernia, protrusion.
3. Acupuncture is an ancient therapeutic method officially approved by the WHO. Contraindications to the procedure are pregnancy, up to 1 year and after 75 years. Acupuncture eliminates pain syndrome to varying degrees. The essence of the method is the effect of a needle on the nerve endings of the affected area. The average course of therapy is between 10 and 12 sessions. Effectively and quickly relieves pain in any part of the back - on the side, left or right side of the spine.
4. Physiotherapy is one of the most popular rehabilitation methods for back pain. If there are no contraindications to the procedure, special exercises are selected by a rehabilitation therapist aimed at restoring spinal mobility, relieving muscle pain, strengthening hypotonic muscle structures. Pain disappears by strengthening the muscle corset.

Traditional medical methods are also used, but research has not proven their beneficial effects on health. Any self-medication should be discussed with a neurologist.

Prevention of low back pain

Maintaining the health of the spine is important from an early age. During puberty, the body is intensively formed - the muscles grow, the condition of the organs changes, the skeleton stretches. If you teach your child the right posture and regular exercise at an early age, you will be able to prevent many back problems in the future.

Children are taught to do sports therapy at home several times a week to have a lasting effect. You should consult a good rehabilitator to avoid mistakes during the execution. The expert will tell you how to do back exercises properly at home and choose an individual sports system. At a young age, it is important not to overdo it and replace the principles of moderate training with stretching and thorough warm-up.

Good habits to prevent back pain during childhood and adolescence:

1. Failure to sit long and properly in the workplace is fraught with scoliosis by shifting left or right. It is necessary to get up and lie down every 15-20 minutes - bend the neck and lower back, will tone the tired muscles of the side, improve blood flow.
2. It is important not to stay in the antalgic position for a long time. Static overload of the chain is fraught with pain.
3. Do not make sharp turns on the neck or back. If you do this more than once, you are more likely to be injured. Often, back injuries are caused by acute and unusual stress on the body.
4. Sit upright while working at home. When sitting, bending to the right or left creates an incorrect load on the muscles. The result is muscle tension that is not equal to variable hypertonicity or hypotension in any part of the back.
5. It is necessary to exclude carrying the bag on one shoulder on the left or right. An alternative is a bag that loads evenly without distorting the shoulders to the right or left.
6. At home, it is recommended to perform a stretching complex for tired muscles. After a long day of work, the muscles lose their elasticity. Warming up stretch is also beneficial for joints and joints. Bending the neck sideways and forward, light static loads are beneficial.

One of the best ways to prevent back pain is to go to the pool. It is enough to swim 1-2 times a week to feel comfortable in the back. If you have problems, experts recommend going to the pool at least 3 times a week.