Backache

If a person has worked hard, played an intense sport, or walked a long distance, at a reflexive level, he puts his hands on his lower back when he stops and relaxes. It is the part of the body that contracts and ache after exertion, this is explained very simply. The spine is the main support of the human skeleton. It connects all joints and takes on most of the stress in any given movement. Therefore, if after working or playing sports, the lower back is sore and aching is completely natural.

But not always the cause of low back pain is due to overwork. Lower back pain is often a symptom of serious disorders in the human body, which cannot be ignored, especially severe, often repeated pain. This is a sign that an unknown disease is progressing and increasingly damaging the body. A doctor should be consulted as soon as possible: neglected spine problems are difficult to treat and can leave the patient in a wheelchair.

It is interesting:Researchers believe that low back pain in the spine is a result of human evolution, and more precisely, bipedal mobility. In animals traveling on all fours, the loads are evenly distributed. A person pays the price of royal posture and the ability to walk on two legs with a violation of load distribution, curvature of the vertebrae and back pain.

What is back pain?

Your back can hurt in a variety of ways. Sometimes the pain is sharp, unbearable, the patient feels uncomfortable burning and restricts movement. Usually, patients complain of low back pain, pulling, discomfort often appears in the evening, may wake up in the middle of the night, intensify when the weather changes or after exertion.

Morning stiffness, back pain "because of the weather" and after exercise are the first signs that the joints are not working properly.

Back pain is always accompanied by other symptoms, you absolutely must pay attention and inform your doctor about your observations. According to the accompanying signs, you will easily determine the real cause of the pain in the lumbar spine. So, what symptoms and criteria would be diagnostic:

• Duration (severity) of the pain. Acute pain syndrome called worrisome syndrome lasts up to three months. If it occurs periodically for four months or more, with varying intensity, then it is called chronic.
• Localization. Lower back pain that radiates down the buttocks is often medically referred to as palsy. If the pain affects the leg, it's hemiplegia. In addition, the discomfort may occur only on the right, left or both sides at the same time.
• The nature of the pain. This criterion is of fundamental importance. The pain can be acute and localized at a time, it can be in the extremities, buttocks, groin, hypogastrium or lower abdomen. Severe, dull, or sharp pain. The most difficult thing is to correctly diagnose the associated pain.
• Affects joint mobility. The doctor will definitely clarify if there is stiffness in the spine, limbs, hip joints, in which cases, how long it lasts.
• Time indicator. It's also important when and then your back starts to hurt. This happens all the time, in the morning, in the evening, at night, after exertion, when turning, walking, bending, etc. v. - the answers to all these questions are extremely important for an accurate diagnosis.

On a note:According to the statistics of doctors, more than 80% of the European population has faced back pain at least once in their life. More than 25% of medical visits are due to discomfort and low back pain. Moreover, 8 out of 10 patients are active young people aged 35 to 45 years old. Less often, retirees complain of low back pain, and even less often in adolescents.

The reasons

All causes of low back pain can be divided into two broad categories:

• physiological, often caused by external factors;
• pathology, related to diseases of internal organs.

Physiological reasons include:

• excessive physical activity when playing sports;
• lifting and carrying weights at work or in training;
• work hard at home or in the country;
• hypothermia, prolonged stay in a humid room.

Age combined with manual labor is enough reason to cause low back pain.

Pathological causes of back pain, in turn, can be related to diseases of the spine or age-related changes in its structure - this pain syndrome is called primary. If back pain is caused by dysfunction of other organs, such as the kidneys, it is called secondary - in this case it is necessary to identify the underlying disease with the help of additional specific studiesand treat two diseases at the same time.

Diseases and conditions of the lower back that can cause pain:

• osteonecrosis (spondylolisthesis) - before it was diagnosed mainly in the elderly, now it is detected at any age;
• herniated disc - also occurs at any age, if in young people it is usually after excessive sports;
• neuralgia of a different nature;
• arthritis and paresis, any inflammatory process of the joints;
• rheumatism and other diseases of autoimmune origin;
• pulpitis;
• dysfunction of the endocrine system (diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism);
• pyelonephritis - pyelonephritis;
• infection of the genital organs.

Injuries to the back or limbs are also painful. To determine the exact cause, you will need to undergo a number of examinations, at least an external examination by a specialist, urine and blood tests, X-rays, an electrocardiogram, Ultrasound of the kidneys and genital organs. . If necessary, additional diagnostic measures will be indicated.

In women, back pain can be caused by cystitis or appendicitis.

Spine diseases are the cause of back pain

If X-rays show deformity of the vertebrae, their compression and expansion, and the formation of bony growths along the edges, the doctor diagnoses spondylolisthesis. vertebrae or spondylolisthesis. Until recently, this pathology was considered a disease of retirees, and its main cause is called natural age-related changes in the body, a slowdown in metabolismand vertebrae wear.

It has now been shown that osteonecrosis can be triggered by a number of other factors in young people and even adolescents. The driving force for degenerative changes in the vertebrae and discs is:

• insufficient physical activity with excess weight or due to chronic diseases that limit mobility;
• sedentary work;
• metabolic disorders during dieting, for example, due to the lack of nutrients in the vertebral structures and premature wear;
• inappropriate sports - does not warm up muscles and ligaments, does not gradually increase the load and control the lifting load.

With osteonecrosis, as it progresses, deformation of the intervertebral discs occurs - they become flat, dense and rough. Affected discs can easily compress nerve roots that branch out of the spine, causing inflammation. In addition, nerve roots are damaged by bone spur formation. Patients feel this is a sharp, sharp pain, accompanied by limited movement in the lower back. This condition is called sciatica.

In spondylolisthesis, bony growths along the edges of the vertebrae damage nerve roots and thus cause acute pain syndrome.

Inflammatory processes in the spine can begin to develop as early as adolescence and adolescence. Its manifestation is recurrent back pain, sometimes crying at night. They are then associated with morning stiffness, fatigue, and decreased physical activity. In the advanced stage, the spine is severely deformed, changes in posture and gait, forms a hump. Rheumatoid arthritis can develop over many years, in some cases up to ten years. Due to the slow progression of the disease, the symptoms are often faint, so the patient does not go to the doctor, improvising and finding ways to cope with the discomfort. For this reason, inflammation of the vertebral joints is more frequent than other diseases leading to disability.

If the patient during the survey mentioned discomfort in other joints (shoulders, feet, knees, hands), pain in the buttocks, decreased vision, stool disorders, spondylitis may be suspected. doubt. A rheumatologist is engaged in the treatment of such a pathology, the doctor should immediately consult, since the pathology progresses rapidly and leads to irreversible changes in the structure of bones and joints.

Diseases not related to the back are the cause of pain

Sometimes pain in the lower back causes diseases of organs that, at first glance, have nothing to do with the spine. Myofascial pain syndrome is a common cause of back pain, not accompanied by other symptoms of joint disease. Often, young women go to the doctor complaining of back pain after a day at work, intense workouts in the gym, or lying in one position for a long time.

Pain in myofascial syndrome is not related to damage to the joints of the spine and is easily eliminated with analgesics, massage, and NSAIDs.

When examining, the doctor easily detects points near the spine, when pressed, it will be painful. Pain is caused by overactive muscle tissue, nerve roots and joint elements are not affected. This condition does not pose much of a threat to a person's health but can significantly reduce quality of life. For treatment, the doctor prescribes muscle relaxants - drugs that promote muscle relaxation, as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for a short course in a minimal dose. It is recommended to adjust the mode of rest, sleep and monitor physical activity.

Other extra-articular conditions can also accompany pain in the spine:

• Cholecystitis and pancreatitis. Pain is localized in the right hypochondrium and may radiate to the lower right side of the back.
• Appendicitis. In some cases, sharp, stabbing pains spread to the lower back, as well as to the right side. Other symptoms of appendicitis: bloating, stool disturbances, nausea, vomiting, severe pallor, fever.
• Renal dysfunction, urolithiasis. Depending on the inflamed kidney, the pain will appear in the right or left lumbar region. If the stone is prolapsed along with the urinary stone, the lower back is also very painful, in difficult cases the body temperature may rise.
• Fat. With excess body weight, heavy objects press on the lumbar spine causing back pain and discomfort.
• Bone marrow inflammation. Bone infection accompanied by severe pain and fever.

If there is no damage to the spine or other joints during the examination, and no internal disease is detected, then it is reasonable to donate blood for tumor markers and MRI of the spine. Malignant tumors when growing will put pressure on the nerve roots and also become the cause of pain. Pain syndrome is characteristic of cancers in stages 3-4.

Pain in the lower back can be a symptom of appendicitis.

Why does the back hurt in women?

If a woman has severe back pain in the lower back, first of all, you should review your personal schedule. Traction pain can cause premenstrual pain, along with lower abdomen, mammary gland swelling, nausea, some suffer from migraines, food intolerances, or vice versa. Again, gluttony.

Similar symptoms are a sign of pregnancy. So, if your period hasn't started for many days, and pain and discomfort persist, you should take a pregnancy test and make an appointment with your gynecologist.

In addition, the cause can be due to gynecological diseases. Adnexitis is usually manifested by cramping pain in the lower abdomen. But sometimes they radiate to the lower back. Similar sensations occur when ovarian cysts are twisted. As menopause begins, many women complain of a burning sensation in the lower back. In any case, your therapist or rheumatologist will advise you to consult a gynecologist.

Causes of pain in men

In men, back pain is mainly caused by occupational activities - long hours driving, working with computers, lifting and carrying weights, playing professional sports.

Also, pain on the right or left side of the back can be one of the symptoms of prostatitis or a medical condition like epididymitis. To rule out or confirm pathologies, you need to be examined by a urologist.

Men with back pain should definitely consult a male doctor to rule out prostatitis.

When and what treatment is needed?

Even with severe and persistent back pain, most patients don't believe they need serious treatment, and expect only one thing from their doctor - a good pain reliever will help immediately and in the long run. long. Unfortunately, no such drug exists. Pain syndrome can be extinguished with injections and oral medications, but the effect will not be long-lasting, as the cause of the discomfort will not be eliminated. Treatment will be determined depending on the cause of the back pain.

Muscle bruises and sprains

The first thing to do is to give your back a complete rest. This means that you cannot participate in sports activities, lift weights, stand a lot, walk, run, jump and be physically active. You should eliminate weight gain with a sedentary job and a sedentary lifestyle, on the contrary, you should think about economical sports - for example, yoga, Pilates, swimming. In the future, you will have to review your habits and adjust the load on the spine.

What to do before going to the doctor:

• take pain relievers or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in minimal doses;
• fix the lower back with an improvised corset - a scarf or scarf;
• To reduce swelling, drink herbal tea that has a diuretic effect.

What will your doctor advise:

• short-term non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• muscle relaxants to relieve muscle spasms and tension;
• massage and warm the back (in the absence of an inflammatory process);
• Group B vitamins.

If you follow all the recommendations, the pain will completely disappear in 7-14 days.

Remember!If an increase in body temperature is detected, pain in the legs or other parts of the body, limited mobility, or other atypical symptoms occur, in no case should youGet help from a chiropractor, warming or massage. yourself. It is also not recommended to take pain medication, as this will further complicate the diagnosis.

Spine disease

Early joint diseases are treated using the same techniques as other bruises or injuries. In addition, the doctor can prescribe chondroprotectors - drugs that protect joint structures from destruction and stimulate their recovery.

For compression fractures of the spine, extensive herniation of the disc, severe forms of osteonecrosis or spondylitis, surgical intervention is indicated. Depending on the detected violation, the operation can be simple and performed under local anesthesia, or it is done in several stages over six months. After a complicated surgery, you will have to use antibiotics, bandages and physical therapy to make a full recovery.

Modern technologies make it possible to perform minimally invasive interventions to the spine with minimal risk of complications.

Today, spine surgeries are no longer an exception, diverse and rich experiences have been accumulated, there are special equipment that allows you to solve almost any problem. So, if the situation is difficult and the doctor has recommended surgery, there is no reason to delay. The sooner you do it, the better your chance of complete pain relief and spinal rehabilitation.

Helpful tips

Timely and effective treatment of low back pain is often difficult for an extremely common reason - patients do not know which doctor to consult. If the pain precedes an injury, then everything is very simple - you need to visit a traumatologist. He will most likely prescribe pain medication and a course of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, then recommend various physiotherapeutic procedures - electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, massage, and exercise. This is the standard treatment for back injuries.

The difficulty is that when hit or fall, nerve endings can be affected. And then you need to consult a neurologist, who will recommend his own treatments. A rheumatologist or chiropractor will have their own opinion. And if during the examination the pathology of any internal organs, for example, the genitourinary system, is revealed, the patient will be completely confused as to what treatment he needs and whom to listen to. By the way, it is for this reason that many people abandon orthodox healing methods and turn to non-folk healing methods, i. e. folk remedies, which ultimately lead to increasingly illseverity and complications.

The doctor's misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment indications lead to severe disease progression and complications.

What to do in such a situation? Do not panic or rush, but follow the prescribed course of treatment to the end, focusing on your emotions and health. If, after two to four weeks, the back is still in severe pain and there is no improvement, you should contact another doctor and undergo a second examination to correct the accuracy of the diagnosis. Changing from one painkiller to another, and instead of electrophoresis, it doesn't make sense to do UHF.

As for home remedies for backs, here too, it is not advisable to carry around and trust the promises of healers. An adult must understand: traditional treatments are good in remission, when the condition is stable, or at preventing relapses and complications. For example, rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease, cannot be cured in any way.

Medicinal plants will be helpful in improving the overall tone of the body, but are unlikely to help cure herniated, dislocated discs, or compression fractures.

The right decision would be if the lower back is constantly aching and the doctor's appointments at the district clinic don't work - go to a reputable private clinic and get checked there. It's not free, but you'll find the real reason and be able to start the correct treatment, and don't experiment with folk remedies and standard painkillers that don't work.

In brief:Almost all adults experience back pain at least once in their life. In fact, there can be many causes: from trivial overwork to serious diseases of the spine, kidneys, infections or metabolic disorders in the body. It is important to accurately and accurately determine the cause and initiate appropriate treatment as soon as possible. The spine is the main joint in the human skeleton, its dysfunction and destruction without adequate medical care will inevitably lead to loss of mobility and disability.