Back pain, according to statistics, about 80% of people of different age groups experience this unpleasant and frightening symptom at least once in their lives. At the same time, it is important to know how to distinguish between situations where painful sensations should be uncomfortable and when you should not worry.
Of course, if the onset of pain was preceded by physical effort or a small stroke, they will dissipate in 2-3 days, there is no reason to worry. But if your back hurts a lot for a long time and the pain is not similar to muscle pain, run to see a doctor.
Why does my back hurt
The causes of back pain are varied, from small factors external to the development of various pathological processes, of which there are also many.
At the same time, doctors still identify three common reasons that are more common:
- Unspecific pains- combines a number of factors, including muscle pain caused by improper posture, prolonged stay in an (uncomfortable) position, excessive tension due to excessive physical effort in the spineand on the back. . . This point can also include painful sensations that arose after hypothermia, in such cases, they say - "back pain".
- Irradiated pains- occur less frequently, but cannot be ruled out. This includes diseases of internal organs located in other parts of the body. For example, the formation of tumors and pulmonary tuberculosis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart and others. In each of these cases, the pain can radiate (give) to the back in different parts of it.
- Mechanical injuries and pathologies of the spine- spinal pain also occurs due to a large number of factors, we are talking about pathological processes. This includes any diseases of the spine, starting with injuries (bruises, fractures and so on) and ending with osteochondrosis, radiculitis, hernia formation and other pathologies of the spinal region that affect the spine.
These are the main causes of back pain, summarized. All of these problems threaten serious spinal disorders and require a mandatory visit to the doctor.
In some cases, without receiving proper treatment, there is a risk of developing serious problems that threaten serious complications. If the tissues of the spine or spinal cord are affected, there is a risk of paralysis of the limbs or even the entire body.
Symptoms
To consult a doctor in a timely manner and correctly describe your complaints, you need to have an idea of the symptoms.
At the same time, the symptoms of back pain may differ slightly, and if we take into account the fact that pain itself is a symptom, we must highlight its main manifestations, which differ in nature and location:
- By nature, painful sensations are: sharp, opaque, penetrating, sharp, painful, pulled, burning and so on.
- Painful sensations are strong, moderate and weak, these indicators are individual for each person. However, they need to be considered, for example, when defining treatments for chronic back pain.
- Back pain along the entire spine is quite rare. Most often, painful sensations are punctual or attributed to a separate part of the spine (cervical, thoracic, lumbar).
- However, it also happens that pain radiates from the top of the spine (or any other). In this case, the pain syndrome affects other parts of the back and is often called an errant.
- As a rule, acute pain in the spine is more uncomfortable and affects everyday life more, but it is usually wavy and easier to treat. At the same time, deaf pain is less severe, but it is constantly present, fixes for a longer period and responds worse to therapy.
These are general guidelines for painful sensations in different areas of the back. But, in addition to understanding the general symptoms of pain, it is also important to know that depending on the disease, the clinical picture can change. So, in one case, the pain is felt between the vertebrae of the cervical spine, in another case it is located in the lower back and has a different character.
For this reason, it is worth considering separately the symptoms of various pathological processes, accompanied by back pain.
Osteochondrosis
If there is back pain in the spine, the most likely diagnosis will be osteochondrosis, as this disease is more common than others. It is also important to understand that doctors distinguish three types of osteochondrosis: cervical, thoracic and lumbar.
In each of these cases, the pain between the vertebrae is linked to different parts of the spine. The disease itself implies the destruction of the cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral discs, while the pathological process also occurs in the vertebrae, because due to the reduction in the gap between them, they are erased.
The main symptom of the disease is pain, but the clinical signs of the nervous system may also be present, since the spinal cord is probably affected, its roots are violated.
Myositis
A rare disease characterized by an inflammatory process in the muscle tissues of the body, including the back. Most often, myositis is accompanied by severe pain, but acute pain or so-called back pain is also possible.
Pain syndrome is located directly at the site where muscle tissue is inflamed, but the pain can radiate to nearby areas.
Spondylosis
If the spine hurts, spondylosis may be one of the probable causes. This pathology is characterized by the growth of bone tissue in the vertebrae, as well as by its dystrophic changes. In this case, painful sensations arise during physical exertion due to a long stay in a position, for example, during sedentary work.
Sciatica
The term denotes a compression of the sciatic nerve with its additional inflammation. The pathological process is accompanied by sharp, piercing and sharp pains. In sciatica, pain is not felt constantly, it comes on suddenly, it rolls in waves.
Aching severely with sciatica directly at the place where the infraction or inflammation occurred. However, due to the fact that the sciatic nerve is very long, painful sensations are present in different areas, most often the legs hurt.
Osteoporosis
The disease develops due to calcium deficiency in the body. As a result, bone tissues along the entire spine lose elasticity and stiffness, microtrauma and cracks are formed everywhere.
In this pathological process, the entire spine hurts, especially in the final stages of the disease.
Herniated disc
Sharp and severe pain in the spine may be evidence of herniated discs. In this case, the pain syndrome is constant, but intensifies with physical efforts, push-ups, coughing, sudden or careless movements.
In most cases, a hernia forms in the lumbar spine, which is explained by the vulnerability of this area to excessive loads, weight lifting. Hernia usually occurs as a complication of osteochondrosis, due to the peculiarities of the course of this pathology.
In this case, a hernia is dangerous not only with pain, but also with the risk of pinching the nerve branches of the spinal cord and the development of neurological symptoms.
Excessive spine mobility
This problem is also called spinal hypermobility or spinal instability. A clear sign of pathology are the painful sensations that intensify with intense physical effort and weight lifting. The painful sensations in the back are of a changing nature; they decrease and then reappear suddenly.
The most affected is the cervical spine; if the disease progresses, it will be difficult for a person to hold his head.
Scoliosis
Interestingly, the curvature of the spine is a direct cause of pain. One of the most common problems is scoliosis. Scoliosis pain is more muscular in nature. This is due to increased stress on certain back muscles, while others are relaxed.
In scoliosis, due to the curvature of the spine, the individual vertebral discs are compressed and the cartilaginous tissue is deformed.
The painful sensations with scoliosis are constant, aching or tugging, their intensity is low, in rare cases the pain is severe and acute.
Spinal injury
Of course, any mechanical damage, even the slightest, is painful. In this case, the pain is stronger, the damage is more severe, and sometimes, even with an apparently insignificant injury, acute pain is felt, which can indicate serious internal injuries. In this case, blows, bruises, sprains, dislocations are taken into account, but fractures are the most serious type of injury.
It is noteworthy that old and long-healed wounds are felt decades later. Therefore, back and neck pain can remind you of how you fell on the ice when you were a child.
Bechterew's disease
This dangerous disease is also called ankylosing spondyloarthritis. The pathology is characterized by a chronic inflammatory process in the joints, that is, inflammation of the spine.
Ankylosing spondylitis is accompanied by severe pain, and the intensity of the pain syndrome is high since the beginning of the pathological process and only intensifies in the future. In this case, the pain intensifies after resting and depending on the climate change, but is well controlled by NSAIDs and physical therapy.
Oncological diseases
Cancer is the most dangerous pathology, a clear sign of this is pain. In this case, the pain syndrome appears in both benign and malignant neoplasms, if they are located not far from the spine and exert pressure on it.
Metastases are an even more dangerous manifestation of oncology. In this case, the pains are constant and severe, they persecute a person always and everywhere, regardless of the position of the body or any actions. The back hurts so much, even when lying down.
Kidney disease
The causes of low back pain are not always related to back problems. Due to the anatomical location of the kidneys, the pathologies that affect them also respond to severe pain in the lower back.
Pains may be opaque and penetrating or sharp; its intensity varies depending on the disease and the degree of its progression.
Here it is important to understand that painful sensations can be on both sides or just on one side, which indicates which kidney is involved in the pathological process.
Cardiovascular pathology
The opinion that in diseases of the cardiovascular system, pain occurs exclusively in the chest region is erroneous. For example, with ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction, painful sensations girdle, radiating to the back in the thoracic region. They are characterized as sharp, penetrating and occur abruptly.
Pathologies of the cardiovascular system include aneurysms of the aorta, in which acute and acute pain occurs near the spine in the thoracic region.
Pathology of the digestive tract
Diseases of the digestive tract also usually cause back pain; however, in these cases, there are always a number of distinct clinical signs. In addition to pain, there is indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or diarrhea and general malaise.
Infections
Among the infectious diseases accompanied by back pain, the most serious and dangerous is bone tuberculosis. The disease is accompanied by serious pathological processes in the bone tissues, the whole spine hurts. The pains are of a different nature, sometimes pulling, sometimes stabbing, but always constant.
Respiratory tract diseases
The lungs occupy most of the thoracic region of the body; therefore, pulmonary pathologies are usually accompanied by back pain. Among these diseases are pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, pleurisy and so on.
With these pathologies, the pain intensifies during coughing, sneezing, deep breaths, yawning. In addition, the clinical picture is enriched by cough, shortness of breath and other similar symptoms.
Congenital pathologies
The congenital anomaly factor is extremely rare, but it still occurs. In this case, the main suspicions are related to congenital excess or insufficient number of vertebrae in the spine. This affects the muscles and ligaments, the structure of the body, threatens the protrusion of the spine or compression, which is invariably accompanied by pain.
Pregnancy and childbirth
Pregnancy is also one of the causes of painful back symptoms.
Spinal pain and other problems of a similar nature appear more frequently in the third trimester, which depends entirely on the growth of the fetus and the increased load on the spine.
In such cases, the pain is usually deaf, pulling, they subside or temporarily disappear after a brief rest when the future mother lies down.
Inflammatory processes
Many different inflammatory processes lead to the development of pain syndrome; we've already talked about some of them. Consider spondyloarthritis (ankylosing spondylitis). This pathology starts in the lumbosacral region, then the inflammation and, with it, the back pain goes up the spine.
Pain radiating to the spine
As mentioned at the beginning, there is a class of pain that is called irradiation. This means that the back pain "transfers" to the spine of other parts or organs in which the disease has manifested. Let's talk about these pains in more detail.
Pathologies of the heart and great vessels
The most likely diseases of the cardiovascular system, accompanied by back pain, have been mentioned earlier. It is only important to understand that in addition to pain, such pathologies are accompanied by violations of blood pressure, arrhythmia and pallor of the skin, this is its differential.
Gallbladder diseases
The clearest example of such a pathological process is cholecystitis, which leads to pain irradiation in the right shoulder blade and in the central part of the spine in the thoracic region.
The acute form of the disease is accompanied by strong cuts, while the chronic one is more difficult to diagnose, as the pain is inconsistent and of low intensity.
Pancreatic lesions
The most common disease of the pancreas is pancreatitis. The clinical sign of this condition is pain in the abdomen, but it is also involving, characterized as an acute stitch. However, in addition to pain, the patient suffers from nausea, vomiting and painful sensations appear after eating fatty, sweet and fried foods.
Pathology of kidneys and upper urinary tract
Kidney and urinary tract diseases are also accompanied by pain syndrome and are usually severe. Severe pain occurs during urolithiasis, but it is not felt only in the lower back. There is a strong discomfort in the lower abdomen and groin.
Diagnosis
As can be seen in the huge list of possible problems and probable diseases, to eliminate back and spine pain it is necessary to identify the main root cause of its occurrence.
To do this, you should definitely consult a doctor and perform a complete differential diagnosis, which includes:
- Radiographyis a simple but very effective way of determining the state of the spine, allowing the detection of deformities and various pathologies.
- CT- computed tomography reveals more accurately pathologies of the intervertebral discs and vertebrae.
- MRI- MRI is an even more advanced and more effective diagnostic method that will not only show probable problems with the structure of intervertebral discs and vertebrae, but will also make it possible to identify or exclude involvementof nerves in the pathological process of the spine-brain.
If the searches above did not yield any results, contact specialists with a restricted profile in other fields. Perhaps the problem lies in heart disease, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, pelvic organs and so on.
How to treat back pain
The treatment of acute back pain requires a comprehensive and systematic approach. The methods of fighting become clear after a thorough examination and an accurate diagnosis. It is also important to understand that in case of problems of this nature, contact with a specialist is essential, self-medication is by no means unacceptable.
The doctor in charge will determine the treatment regimen, which will likely include drug therapy, physical therapy, exercise therapy and a massage course.
Physiotherapy
It is one of the main methods of treating pathologies involving the spine.
The treatment of back pain involves the following procedures:
- Electrophoresis.
- Ultrasound exposure.
- Laser therapy;
- Magnetotherapy.
The treatment is carried out in a course of 7 to 10 procedures or more, the intervals between procedures are 3 to 5 days.
Gymnastics
Physiotherapy and gymnastics are also included in the treatment of pain syndrome, however, these techniques are used mainly for recovery when there is no more intense pain. Gymnastics are necessary to restore muscle elasticity and mobility, keep them in good shape and speed up recovery from back injuries.
It is important to have the first sessions with a physical therapist, who will correct the methodology and distribute the load, teach you how to do it correctly. In the future, classes will be taught at home and, most importantly, requirements are a systematic approach.
Medical therapy
Drug therapy is the basis of all treatment. Each medication is prescribed by a doctor based on the diagnostic data obtained. The technique depends on the intensity of the pain syndrome, the stage of disease progression.
The following medications are needed for back pain:
- NSAIDs(non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) - are prescribed in the form of ointments, pills, injections, sometimes in the form of suppositories. NSAIDs have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects and reduce local temperature.
- Painkillersare painkillers that block the nerve centers responsible for recognizing pain.
- Muscle relaxantsare administered in cases where muscle spasm needs to be eliminated.
- Vitamin complexes,including B vitamins. Its effect contributes to the restoration of nerve fibers and the establishment of metabolic processes.
The duration of drug therapy, the frequency of medication use and dosages are determined by the doctor.
Massage
A massage course is another effective method for relieving pain. Indicated when painful sensations subside, it is performed exclusively by a narrow specialist.
Therapeutic massage can stimulate blood circulation, relieve pain, restore the elasticity of the nose and muscles and so on. To achieve a tangible effect, a massage course is required, consisting of at least 10 sessions.
Prevention
To minimize the risk of developing pathologies in which spine pain is felt or to reduce the risk of disease recurrence, you need to follow simple preventive recommendations:
- Eliminate bad habits.
- Eat well, eat less junk food, switch to a fractional food system.
- Lead an active lifestyle, play sports, preferably swimming or some form of gymnastics.
- It is useful for the back to hang from a horizontal bar at least 3-4 times a week.
- When sitting, take breaks to warm up.
- Avoid strenuous physical activity and injury.
- If it is not possible to avoid weight lifting, do everything correctly, lift heavy things with your back straight.
- Sleep on a moderately hard bed, buy an orthopedic mattress.
Remember, if the pain persists for more than 4-5 days, or if the pain is so severe that it is difficult to tolerate, consult your doctor immediately. The treatment initiated at the right time allows you to save your health and avoid many dangerous complications.