Probably, each of us has experienced back pain at least once in our life.And if it seems possible to determine the cause of painful sensations, for example, in the throat, here everything is more complicated.
Back pain: cause and effect
When pain occurs in the back or lower back, many people immediately start rubbing with various ointments.But there is no desired effect.And all because the problem can be hidden in a completely different place than where it hurts.For example, pain in the lumbar region may appear before the injury of the coccygeal-sacral spine.The man had long forgotten her, but she took it and reminded him of herself in such an unpleasant way.Therefore, in this case, it is completely useless to affect the pain zone.Therefore, it is necessary to look for the real cause of the pain.
The human body is a very complex mechanism, where all organs and systems - from muscles and spine to nerves and ligaments - are interconnected.Therefore, many factors can affect the health of your back, including the proper distribution of the load on the spine and the presence of past injuries.The body has the ability to heal and adapt itself, and the spine's job is to compensate for the consequences of damage.If necessary, it can be bent and bent a little, and all this to give the body the most vertical position.Only this can cause negative changes in the spine itself.One of them is the bulging intervertebral disc.Thus, the spine tries to adapt to some mechanical damage in the body - it creates additional support for itself.Most often, such disorders occur in the sacrum and coccyx.In this regard, in the case of a herniated disc, drug effects on the spine or tense muscles help to relieve back pain only for a while.After all, its main cause has not been eliminated!
One of the most common causes of back pain is excessive strain on muscles and ligaments.In most cases, this occurs as a result of overload associated with the need to maintain an upright body position during scoliosis or after an injury.In addition, back pain can occur due to stress, excessive physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle.
In some cases, back pain is not associated with muscle spasms or problems with the spine, but with diseases of the internal organs.This type of pain is called referred pain.For example, with cholelithiasis, the pain will spread to the area between the shoulder blades.And pain in the thoracic spine can appear as a result of the development of myocardial infarction.A symptom of referred pain is the absence of a feeling of muscle stiffness during physical activity and the constant nature of the pain, regardless of the position of the body.
The best option to get rid of the pain is to see a doctor.But if for some reason this is not possible, you can try to help yourself (if the pain is not reflected).We will tell you how to do this later.
Treatment and prevention of back pain
The first thing to do when back or lower back pain appears is to rest for at least three days.You should not squeeze your back and move with pain.In some cases, such precautions are enough and the back pain disappears after a few days.
Since in most cases acute pain occurs due to muscle tension, you should try to relax the spasming muscles to get rid of it.In this case, warming procedures can help.It is not necessary to heat only the back, although this also has a good effect.It is better to warm up the body completely, then the pain will pass faster.A good option is a bath or sauna, but it is better to avoid it in case of acute pain at high temperature, as well as sudden changes in temperature.You will have to postpone washing with cold water for at least a few months.
Another good option is a warm bath with sea salt.10-15 minutes of this procedure every evening will only be useful.
A very important condition for getting rid of pain is not to miss the heat after the warming procedures.Therefore, after completing them, you need to put on warm pajamas and cover yourself with a blanket.You can also drink hot tea, which will help to warm the body not only from the outside but also from the inside.It is recommended to repeat the procedure for three days.If the cause of the pain is not compression of the nerve endings, the feeling of discomfort will soon disappear.
At the end of the sharpening period, it is recommended to make it a rule to perform exercises every day to relax the spinal muscles.It will not take more than 15 minutes, the improvement of blood circulation as a result of such warm-ups will help to relieve pain.
A good way to prevent back pain is to walk daily.This facilitates the gentle inclusion of each muscle, joint and ligament in the work, as a result of which the process of self-massage begins in the human body.
Doctor's help: what kind of pain should you call an ambulance for?
An ambulance should be called if:
- back pain occurred as a result of a fall or a strong blow;
- the pain is very strong, accompanied by high fever or loss of consciousness.
In addition, you should not self-medicate during pregnancy, you should prescribe less medication.If your child's back hurts, you should call an ambulance.
In other cases, if you can stop a severe pain attack and do not need emergency medical help, it is still advisable to consult a doctor.You should not hope that the problem will be solved by itself.So maybe it's better not to wait for a new attack?
If the pain is not too severe, it makes sense to consult a therapist.If necessary, this doctor will refer the patient to specialists for examination and appropriate treatment.
In case of severe pain, the therapist will refer the patient to specialized specialists who specialize in the treatment of spinal diseases, such as a neurologist.In some cases, the help of a neurosurgeon may be needed.