Back pain, according to statistics, about 80% of people of different age groups face this unpleasant and frightening symptom at least once in their life. At the same time, it's important to be able to distinguish between situations where painful sensations should bother you and when you shouldn't worry.
Of course, if the onset of pain was preceded by physical exertion or a slight blow, within 2-3 days they will dissipate, there is no reason to worry. But if your back hurts, for a long time and the aches are not similar to muscle aches, hurry to see a doctor.
Why my back hurts
The causes of back pain are varied, from minor external factors to the development of all kinds of pathological processes, of which there are also many.
At the same time, doctors still identify 3 common reasons that are more common:
- Nonspecific pain- combines a number of factors, including muscle pain caused by poor posture, prolonged stay in one (uncomfortable) position, overload due to excessive physical strain on the spinevertebral and back. . . This point can also include painful sensations that arose after hypothermia, in such cases they say - "cold back".
- Radiating pains- they are somewhat less common, 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 damage and pathology of the spine- pain in the spine also occurs due to a huge number of factors, we are talking about pathological processes. These include any spinal disease, starting with injuries (bruises, fractures, and so on) and ending with osteochondrosis, radiculitis, hernia formation, and other spinal pathologies that affect the spine.
These are the main causes of back pain, summarized. All these problems threaten severe spinal dysfunction and require a mandatory visit to a doctor.
In some cases, without receiving proper treatment, there is a risk of developing serious problems that threaten with 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 whole body.
Symptoms
In order to see 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 it is taken into account that the pain itself is a symptom, its main manifestations should be highlighted, which differ in nature and location:
- By nature, painful sensations are: sharp, dull, stabbing, sharp, aching, pulling, 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 pinpoint or are assigned to a separate section of the spine (cervical, thoracic, lumbar).
- However, it also happens that pain in the upper spine (or any other), radiates. In this case, the pain syndrome affects other parts of the back, it is often called wandering.
- As a rule, acute pain in the spine is more annoying and affects daily life more, but it is often wavy and easier to treat. At the same time, the dull pains are less intense, but are constantly present, fixed for a longer period and respond 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 the clinical picture can change depending on the disease. So in one case pain is felt between the vertebrae of the cervical spine, in another case it is localized in the lumbar region and has a different character.
For this reason, it is worth considering the symptoms of various pathological processes accompanied by back pain, separately.
Osteochondrosis
If the back hurts 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 related to different parts of the spine. The disease itself implies the destruction of cartilage tissue in the intervertebral discs, while the pathological process also occurs in the vertebrae, because due to the narrowing of the space between them, they are erased.
The main symptom of the disease is pain, but clinical signs of the nervous system may also be present, as most likely the spinal cord is affected, its roots are violated.
Myositis
A rare disease characterized by an inflammatory process in the muscle tissues of the body, including the back. More often myositis is accompanied by aching pains, but acute pain or so-called back pain is also possible.
The pain syndrome is localized directly where the muscle tissue is inflamed, but the pain can radiate to nearby areas.
Spondylosis
If the spine hurts, spondylosis can be one of the probable causes. This pathology is characterized by the growth of the bone tissue of the vertebrae and their dystrophic changes. In this case, painful sensations appear during physical exertion due to a long stay in one position, for example, during sedentary work.
Sciatica
The term indicates a pinching of the sciatic nerve with its further inflammation. The pathological process is accompanied by cuts, stabbing, sharp pains. With sciatica, the pains are not felt constantly, they come on suddenly, they move in waves.
Severely sore with sciatica directly in the place where the violation or inflammation occurred. However, due to the fact that the sciatic nerve has a very long length, painful sensations are present in different areas, very often the legs hurt.
Osteoporosis
The disease develops due to calcium deficiency in the body. As a result, the bone tissues along the entire spine lose their elasticity and stiffness, wherever microtraumas and cracks are formed.
In this pathological process, the entire spine hurts, especially in the later stages of the disease.
Herniated disc
Sharp and severe pain in the spine may be evidence of a herniated disc. At the same time, the pain syndrome is constant, but increases with physical exertion, bending, coughing, sudden or careless movements.
In most cases, a hernia is formed in the lumbar spine, explained by the vulnerability of this area to excessive loads, weight lifting. A hernia often occurs as a complication of osteochondrosis, which is due to the peculiarities of the course of this pathology.
In this case, a hernia is dangerous not only from pain, there is a risk of pinching the nerve branches of the spinal cord and the development of neurological symptoms.
Excessive mobility of the spine
This problem is otherwise called vertebral hypermobility or spinal instability. A clear sign of pathology is painful sensations that intensify with intense physical exertion and weight lifting. Painful sensations in the back are fickle, subside or suddenly reappear.
The most severely affected is the cervical spine, if the disease progresses, it becomes difficult for a person to hold his head.
Scoliosis
Strangely, the curvature of the spine is a direct cause of pain. One of the most common problems is scoliosis. Pain in scoliosis is more muscular in nature. This is due to increased stress on some back muscles while others are relaxed.
In scoliosis, due to the curvature of the spine, the individual vertebral discs are compressed and the cartilage tissue is deformed.
Painful sensations with scoliosis are constant, aching or pulling, their intensity is low, in rare cases the pain is strong and sharp.
Injury to the spine
Of course, any mechanical damage, even minor, is painful. In this case, the pain is stronger, the more severe the damage, and sometimes, even with a seemingly insignificant injury, sharp pain is felt, which can indicate severe internal injuries. In this case, blows, bruises, sprains, dislocations are considered, but fractures are the most serious type of injury.
Interestingly, old wounds that have long since healed are felt decades later. So back and neck pains can remind you of how you fell on ice as a child.
Bechterew's disease
This dangerous disease is also called ankylosing spondyloarthritis. Pathology is characterized by a chronic inflammatory process in the joints, in other words, inflammation of the spine.
Ankylosing spondylitis is accompanied by severe pain, and the intensity of the pain syndrome is high from the very beginning of the pathological process and only intensifies in the future. In this case, the pain intensifies after rest and according to the change in weather, but they are well controlled by drugs from the NSAID group and physiotherapy.
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 put pressure on it.
Metastases are an even more dangerous manifestation of oncology. In this case, the pains are constant and strong, chasing a person anytime, anywhere, regardless of the position of the body or any action. Your back also hurts when you are lying down.
Kidney disease
The causes of low back pain are not always related to back problems. Due to the anatomical position of the kidneys, the pathologies affecting them also respond to severe pain in the lumbar spine.
The pains can be deaf and tight or sharp, their intensity varies according to the disease and the degree of its progression.
Here it is important to understand that painful sensations can be on both sides or only 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 thoracic region is incorrect. For example, with ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction, painful sensations of the girdle, radiating to the back in the thoracic region. They are characterized as sharp, stabbing and occur suddenly.
Pathologies of the cardiovascular system include aneurysms of the aortic sections, in which severe acute pain occurs near the spine in the thoracic region.
Pathology of the digestive tract
Diseases of the digestive system also often cause back pain, however, in these cases there are always a number of distinctive clinical signs. In addition to pain, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or diarrhea, and general malaise are present.
Infections
Among the infectious diseases accompanied by back pain, the most serious and dangerous is tuberculosis of the bones. The disease is accompanied by severe pathological processes in the tissues of the bones, the entire spine hurts. The pains are of a different nature, sometimes pulling, sometimes excruciating, but always constant.
Respiratory diseases
The lungs occupy most of the thoracic region of the body, so lung pathologies are often accompanied by back pain. Among these disorders are pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, pleurisy and so on.
With such pathologies, the pain intensifies during coughing, sneezing, deep breathing, yawning. In addition, the clinical picture is enriched by cough, shortness of breath and other similar symptoms.
Congenital disorders
The congenital anomaly factor is extremely rare, but it still occurs. In this case, the main suspicions fall on congenital excess or insufficient number of vertebrae in the spinal column. This affects the muscles and ligaments, the structure of the body, threatens the protrusion or compression of the spine, which is invariably accompanied by pain.
Pregnancy and childbirth
Pregnancy is also one of the causes of back pain.
Pain in the spine and other problems of a similar nature appear more often in the third trimester, which is entirely dependent on the growth of the fetus and the increased load on the spine.
In these cases, the pain is usually dull, tight, subsides or temporarily disappears after a short rest when the expectant mother lies down.
Inflammatory processes
Many different inflammatory processes lead to the development of pain syndrome, some of which we have already discussed. Get spondyloarthritis (ankylosing spondylitis). This pathology begins in the lumbosacral region, then inflammation and, with it, aching pain in the back, rises up the spine.
Pain that radiates to the spine
As mentioned at the beginning, there is a class of pain which is called irradiation. This means that back pain "emanates" to the spine from other parts or organs where the disease has flared up. Let's talk about such pains in more detail.
Heart and great vessel diseases
The most likely diseases of the cardiovascular system, accompanied by back pain, were 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 their distinctive feature.
Diseases of the gallbladder
The clearest example of such a pathological process is cholecystitis, which leads to the irradiation of pain in the right shoulder blade and the central part of the spine in the thoracic region.
The acute form of the disease is accompanied by sharp 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 such a condition is pain in the abdomen, but they are also enveloping, characterized by sharp, stabbing. However, in addition to pain, the patient suffers from nausea, vomiting, and painful sensations appear after eating fatty, sweet and fried foods.
Pathology of the kidneys and upper urinary tract
Diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract are also accompanied by pain syndrome and are usually intense. During urolithiasis severe pain occurs, but they are felt not only in the lumbar region. There is severe discomfort in the lower abdomen and groin area.
Diagnostics
As can be seen from the huge list of possible problems and probable diseases, in order to eliminate pain in the back and spine, it is necessary to identify the main root cause of its occurrence.
To do this, you definitely need to consult a doctor and carry out a full-fledged differential diagnosis, which includes:
- Radiographyis a simple, but quite effective way to determine the state of the spine, it allows to detect deformities and various pathologies.
- CT: Computed tomography more accurately reveals the pathology of the intervertebral discs and vertebrae.
- MRI- MRI is an even more advanced and effective diagnostic method that will show not only probable problems in the structure of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, but will also allow to identify or rule out nerve involvementspinal cord in the pathological processbrain.
If the above surveys did not give results, contact specialists of a narrow profile in other fields. Perhaps the problem lies in diseases of the heart, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, pelvic organs and so on.
How to treat back pain
Treatment of acute back pain requires a comprehensive and systematic approach. Methods of struggle become clear after a thorough examination and accurate diagnosis. It is also important to understand that in case of problems of this nature, it is imperative to contact a specialist, self-medication is by no means unacceptable.
The attending physician will determine the treatment regimen, which will likely include drug therapy, physiotherapy, physical therapy, and a course of massage.
Physiotherapy
It is one of the main methods for dealing with pathologies involving the spine.
The treatment of back pain involves the following procedures:
- Electrophoresis.
- Exposure to ultrasound.
- Laser therapy;
- Magnetotherapy.
The treatment is carried out in a course of 7-10 procedures or more, the intervals between procedures are 3-5 days.
Gymnastics
Physiotherapy and gymnastics are also included in the treatment of pain syndrome, however, these techniques are mainly used for recovery when there is no more severe pain. Gymnastics is necessary to restore muscle elasticity, mobility, keep them in good shape and accelerate recovery from back injuries.
It is important to conduct the first sessions with a physiotherapist, who will correct the methodology and distribute the load, teaching you how to do it correctly. In the future, classes are carried out at home, and most importantly, the requirements are a systematic approach.
Drug therapy
Drug therapy is the cornerstone of any treatment. Each drug is prescribed by a doctor based on the diagnostic data obtained. The technique depends on the intensity of the pain syndrome, the stage of progression of the disease.
The following medications are needed for back pain:
- NSAIDs(non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) - are prescribed in the form of ointments, tablets, injections, sometimes in the form of suppositories. NSAIDs have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects and reduce the local temperature.
- Analgesicsare analgesics that block the nerve centers responsible for pain recognition.
- Muscle relaxantsare given in cases where it is necessary to eliminate muscle spasm.
- Vitamin complexes,including B vitamins. Their effect contributes to the restoration of nerve fibers and the establishment of metabolic processes.
The duration of drug therapy, the frequency of use of drugs and dosages are determined by the doctor.
Massage
A massage course is another effective method of pain relief. Appointed when the painful sensations subside, it is performed exclusively by a narrow specialist.
Massage therapy can stimulate blood circulation, relieve pain, restore elasticity of the nose and muscles and so on. To obtain a tangible effect, a massage course is required, consisting of at least 10 sessions.
Prevention
To minimize the risk of developing pathologies that cause pain in the spine or reduce the risk of disease recurrence, it is necessary to follow simple preventive recommendations:
- Eliminate bad habits.
- Eat right, 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 helpful for the back to hang from the 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 impossible to avoid lifting weights, do everything correctly, lift heavy things with a straight back.
- 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 intense that it is difficult to tolerate, see your doctor immediately. Timely treatment allows you to save health and avoid many dangerous complications.