Complaints of back pain are one of the most common reasons to visit a doctor. Pain in this part of the body can be a manifestation of normal fatigue caused by excessive physical exertion, and can indicate the presence of serious health problems that require competent treatment.
Back pain is an unpleasant manifestation of many diseases or strong strain on the back muscles for other reasons.
In most cases, this pathology occurs against the background of various changes in the structure of the joints of the spine, as well as adjacent muscles, nerve endings or skin above the spine. In addition, such a symptom accompanies some diseases or dysfunctions of internal organs.
Causes of back pain
The back can hurt in cases where there is pathology from:
- spine;
- musculoskeletal system;
- internal organs.
Pain can also occur in a healthy person due to muscle pain due to significant physical exertion.
Spinal pathology
Furthermore, frequent pathologies of the spine, against which the pain syndrome occurs, are considered.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is the most common answer to the question: "Why do my back hurt? "The pain of osteochondrosis is characterized by the following symptoms:
- occur during or after physical exertion, as well as long stays in a static position;
- may have the character of a shot or pain;
- movement worsens pain.
If the sciatic nerve is compressed and sciatica develops, then the pain is given to the buttocks, which radiate along the surface of the thigh from behind. Sensitivity disorders (numbness, tingling, tingling) may occur. With lumbago, there is often cracking or throbbing pain that causes the patient to literally freeze in place. Patients complain of shooting or a sprained back.
Injuries
Injuries are more common during falls (during ice, during sports) or blows to the back during traffic accidents. Pain can cause bruises and more serious injuries - fractures and dislocations of the vertebral body. Injury pain can be of various natures:
- painful
- burning,
- shooting,
- stupid.
Feelings of pain can be constantly disturbing, occurring with certain movements, or feel like pulsations, depending on the nature and location of the damage. It is important to know that serious injuries are not always caused by significant blows.
For example, a compression fracture of the spine in the elderly can be caused by a mild mechanical load, and the first day after the injury the spine does not hurt much. In the future, if measures for immobilization and treatment are not taken, the pain will intensify, and damage to the nerves and spinal cord is possible.
Any spinal injury, even a minor one, at first glance, requires a doctor's examination.
Intervertebral hernia
An intervertebral hernia is a protrusion of a fragment of the intervertebral disc into the spinal canal. Hernia is most often the result of degenerative changes in the spine or is the result of an injury. Disc protrusion can occur in any part of the spine, but it occurs much more often in the lumbar region, because it is the one that carries the main load.
In the initial stages of hernia formation, back pain is caused by physical activity, occurs from time to time and is of low intensity. With the progression of the disease or the sharp loss of a fragment of the disc, the pain can be very intense, shooting nature with radiation in the legs.
Often patients complain of a feeling of numbness or burning in the problem area, as well as in the lower or upper limbs. This indicates that there was an injury to the nerve endings. Severe pain causes muscle spasms, which leads to posture disorders, pathological kyphosis or lordosis.
Curvature of the spine (kyphosis, lordosis, scoliosis)
With curvature of the spine, in order to compensate for the pathological curvature, significant muscle tension occurs, leading to frequent and sometimes constant dull aching back pain.
Muscle pain
85% of cases of chronic or recurrent back muscle pain are associated with excessive lower back stress. Even for those who do not carry significant sports loads and do not carry heavy loads, the back muscles experience tension every day. This is especially true for long-term static loads during sedentary computer work.
Unheated muscles can be easily injured by a sharp turn, lifting a heavy object, or a bad move. Pain can occur due to inflammatory muscle diseases (myositis) or due to strong stress, which leads to reflex spasm of muscle fibers.
infectious diseases
Tuberculosis most often affects the spine. In the vertebrae, the infection penetrates the hematogenous (blood) pathway and causes inflammation and then bone necrosis. Pain in the lumbar and thoracic region is a characteristic sign of tuberculosis of the spine, and neurological symptoms occur in half of the patients - there is a feeling of numbness and weakness in the limbs.
In addition, common manifestations are characteristic of spinal tuberculosis:
- weakness,
- sweating
- increase in body temperature,
- rapid fatigue,
- poor appetite.
Oncological diseases
In most cases, the malignant tumor does not develop in the spine itself. Cancer cells come here through the flow of blood or lymph from other foci. Most often, metastases to the spine give rise to cancer of the mammary glands, lungs and prostate. At first, the pain may resemble the manifestations of ordinary osteochondrosis, but then the back hurts constantly, getting stronger.
It is not always possible to remove pain with conventional painkillers; only the introduction of narcotics brings relief. In multiple metastases, the pain is wandering in nature, covering different parts of the spine. In addition to back pain, the patient feels weakness, unreasonable weight loss, fever to subfebrile numbers. The prognosis is unfavorable.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
The most common back pain occurs with pancreatitis. It is of a district character and is quite intense. In acute pancreatitis, the pain may be accompanied by a drop in blood pressure and loss of consciousness. Acute pancreatitis is an indication for emergency hospitalization of a patient in a surgical hospital.
In addition to pancreatitis, pain can radiate to the back in peptic ulcers or attacks of biliary colic.
Diseases of the genitourinary system
Kidney diseases, especially urolithiasis, often cause pain in the lumbar region during exacerbations. If the lower back hurts, the pain is accompanied by urinary incontinence or is given to the inguinal region, then a consultation with a surgeon is required, and women must be examined by a gynecologist to rule out appendicitis or the presence of ectopic pregnancy.
Back pain in pregnant women
Pregnant women often complain of fractures or pain in the back and lower back, especially in the later stages. This is due to the fact that in the second half of pregnancy, due to a significant increase in the uterus, the center of gravity shifts and the load on the muscles of the lower back increases. The pain is usually dull, intensified by a change in body position, especially when getting up from a chair or armchair.
What to do if your back hurts
If your back hurts for more than three days, see a doctor. Seek medical attention immediately if back pain is accompanied by:
- poor general health;
- decrease or sudden increase in blood pressure;
- increase in body temperature;
- failure of any internal organ.
In addition, it is necessary to call a doctor if the pain was preceded by injury or high-intensity pain.
Diagnosis
In most cases, the doctor will be able to make a preliminary diagnosis at the initial examination. However, in order to determine exactly what causes back pain, additional research is required. In most cases, these are X-rays in two projections, computed tomography of the spine (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
If necessary, the doctor can prescribe a general analysis of blood and urine, an electrocardiogram, an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity or small pelvis, and a picture of the lungs. The examination must be performed without error, because even the most severe diseases in the early stages of detection, with proper treatment, have a favorable prognosis.
Treatment
How to get rid of back pain can only be recommended by a doctor based on examination data and examination results. The main principles of therapy: removal of severe pain and inflammation, impact on the cause of pain, rehabilitation measures aimed at accelerating the process of tissue regeneration and restoring normal life (physiotherapy, exercise, massage, proper nutrition).
How to relieve pain
To alleviate pain, it is first necessary to limit physical activity. Of the pharmacological drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are most commonly prescribed. These drugs can be taken in the form of tablets or injections, and are also included in topical ointments. Treatment of back pain caused by muscle spasm is carried out with heating ointments, alcohol wraps and a warm bath. In case of severe spasm, muscle relaxants are prescribed.
It is important to remember that in the case of inflammatory diseases of the internal organs and the first day after injury, any thermal procedures are contraindicated. They cause deterioration of health and progression of pathology. After the removal of the acute manifestations of the disease, physiotherapeutic procedures, massage and therapeutic exercises are prescribed. If the pregnant woman's back hurts, then the use of medication is undesirable.
Wearing a special bandage and limiting physical activity will help pregnant women alleviate back pain.
Physiotherapy
Exercise therapy (therapeutic gymnastics) is the basis for successful treatment of back pain of any location. A set of exercises can be recommended by a physiotherapy specialist or a rehabilitation doctor. Classes begin with simple exercises, gradually increasing the load on the muscles and ligaments of the back and lower back.
This leads to the strengthening of the muscular corset that supports the spine, the alignment of posture, activation of circulation and metabolism in the tissues, improvement of general well-being and mood. It is illiterate to treat your back with medication without regular exercise therapy and proper nutrition. This will only have a temporary effect.
Physiotherapy
Such procedures as phonophoresis with medicinal substances, magnetotherapy, laser therapy will help speed up recovery. In the period of remission, it is effective to undergo mud therapy and paraffin therapy.
Prevention
To avoid back pain, it is very important to lead a healthy lifestyle, including:
- a balanced diet with enough vitamins and minerals;
- maintaining a normal body weight;
- regular physical education classes aimed at strengthening the muscles of the back and abdominal cavity;
- contacting a doctor in case of any diseases and their timely treatment.
Back pain requires mandatory diagnosis to determine the cause of their occurrence and long-term treatment, based primarily on changes in the patient's lifestyle. In the acute period of the disease, the patient is helped with pharmacological preparations. If you follow all the doctor's recommendations, the prognosis is favorable in most cases.