If we put aside the obvious causes, such as injury, muscle strains or hypothermia, back pain in adults is most often associated with degenerative changes in the structure of the intervertebral joints and the vertebral bodies themselves.
This process is called differently in different countries, but the essence does not change: with age, due to metabolic disorders, as well as asymmetric or excessive loads, the cartilage, which is located between the vertebrae and ensures their mobility, thins and thickens. This leads to microtraumas and inflammation of the intervertebral joints and surrounding tissues.
Inflammation can be quickly extinguished with the help of drugs, but cartilage regeneration is a long process: cartilage wears out faster than it is restored. Therefore, having manifested itself once, pain in the spine, as a rule, periodically returns.
What to do: get an MRI and see a neurologist, have your bones broken by a chiropractor, take pills or turn to alternative medicine?
First of all, consult a neurologist!
This is where you should start when your back first hurts. The doctor must exclude all truly dangerous causes of pain, for example, a compression fracture (sometimes it happens unnoticed), spinal tuberculosis or a tumor.
Most likely, the doctor will limit himself to a simple examination and prescribe treatment for 3-5 days, and then give recommendations for lifestyle correction. In the future, if the pain recurs, you will be able to deal with it on your own.
Having an MRI of the spine on your own initiative is a waste of time and money. In most cases, the results of the study will not influence the choice of treatment, tactics and prognosis and, therefore, your well-being.
You definitely need to see a neurologist: if the back pain is accompanied by weakness in the leg, arm, if there are problems with the sensitivity of the body under the sore spot (numbness, crawling, tingling) or if the functions of the pelvic organs are impaired (problems with urination, erection, etc. ). In these cases a more in-depth examination will be necessary.
Enduring pain is harmful
The pain causes muscle spasms, which increases pressure on the spinal nerves and pain receptors in the joint and also limits movement. To recover faster, you need to break this chain.
Therefore, in case of intense pain, bed rest is indicated for the first 1-3 days. Everyone chooses for himself the position in which the pain is minimal, but more often it helps to lie on your back, on a hard base with a pillow under the knees and lower back, with your head on a low pillow. Sometimes it becomes easier in the fetal position: on your side, with a round back and a pillow between bent knees.
Medications include painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs for 3-5 days. As a rule, after 1 injection it improves a lot. You can also take these drugs in tablets - the strength of action will not change, but the effect will come later.
Vitamins B1, B6, B12 are indicated together with painkillers. They help cope with pain, inflammation and improve metabolism in nervous tissue.
A neurologist or therapist can prescribe muscle relaxants. They help relax spinal muscles, reduce pressure on the source of inflammation and pain, but can have serious side effects, so it is best not to take them without the advice of a specialist.
If everything is done correctly, the pain should subside within 3-5 days. The further fate of your back is in your hands. How much the quality of your life will change now does not depend on the qualifications of the attending physician, but on whether you are ready to properly work on your muscles and joints!
How to move?
There is a rule developed by natural selection: avoid pain, thereby protecting the damaged part of the body from destruction. But back pain is an exception.
During a week of bed rest, you can lose up to 20-30% of muscle strength, and this significantly reduces the chances of full recovery in the future.
Why train muscles?
in the first place,the strong muscles of the back and abdomen are able to take on most of the load when absorbing movement, as well as stabilizing the spine in the correct position, so that the intervertebral joints take on the optimal configuration and experience less wear and tear and pain. It has been proven that people with poorly developed muscles suffer more often from chronic back pain.
Secondly,training your back muscles increases the bone density of the vertebrae. This is an excellent prevention of osteoporosis and compression fractures, which is especially important for women over 45 years of age. And during movement, joint lubrication is produced, blood circulation improves and regeneration processes in the cartilage proceed faster.
Third,Proper physical activity makes the ligaments that hold the vertebrae together stronger. This is an important element in the prevention of chronic back pain in people with joint hypermobility: those who can reach the thumb of the hand up to the bones of the forearm of the same hand or can hyperextend the arms at the elbows and knees.
So the best prevention against back pain is movement, but the right movement!
Three rules of physiotherapy
The ideal option is to undergo a physical therapy complex under the supervision of an instructor: a physiotherapy doctor, kinesiotherapist, neurologist or chiropractor. After learning the technique, you can practice on your own without the help of specialists.
It is important to follow three rules, without which no exercise will work!
- Exercise should become a daily habit, not a firefighting measure. Choose 4-5 exercises for flexibility and coordination of movements that can be performed within 15-20 minutes of waking up every day. According to statistics, the people who most often suffer from back pain are "weekend athletes", that is, people who do not have time to do sports on weekdays and have the opportunity to make up for lost time only on weekends.
- The second part of the activity is a series of strength exercises. They are intended to strengthen the muscles of the back, abdominals, arms, legs and stabilize the spine, so they should gradually become more complex. If you finish a workout without feeling tired, you've wasted time: muscles that don't get tired don't develop. Strength training takes longer, but also gives a longer lasting effect. Therefore, it is enough to devote 1 hour to them 2-3 times a week. If you suffer from diseases of the cardiovascular system and lungs, it is important that the intensity of exercise is controlled by a physiotherapist doctor, at least in the initial phase.
- The biomechanics of the spine are very complex. Therefore, there are no universal exercises to correct all types of pain. A good specialist will immediately narrow down the choice. But if you practice alone, let your feelings guide you. Your workout should gradually increase your range of motion without pain in your back. If this does not happen or the pain, on the contrary, intensifies, then you are doing something wrong.
An approximate set of exercises for acute, subacute periods and remission - when your back practically does not bother you, can be downloaded on the Internet.
Will you have to give up sport?
It is advisable to replace some types of activities with similar ones. For example, instead of running on rough terrain, it is better to try a treadmill, instead of a road bike, try an exercise bike.
It is advisable to initially avoid exercises with simple suspension from the bar, replacing them with exercises with support for the back or legs. Dumbbell or barbell exercises are performed in a lying position on your back or stomach, without vertical loads.
Playing sports associated with jumping and sudden twisting movements can provoke a painful attack: volleyball, basketball, football, tennis, dance. But this doesn't mean it's time to give up your favorite activity. To get back into shape you will first need to properly train your back and abdominal muscles under the guidance of a doctor and choose shoes with good shock absorbers. And, of course, before any activity you need to warm up properly.
For the most part, the ideal sport for back pain is swimming, as well as water aerobics. However, some people with spinal joint instability may experience increased lower back pain after swimming. In this case you need to start with dry training to strengthen your core muscles.
The main causes of chronic back pain are excess weight, stress and bad posture. An active lifestyle allows you to solve all three problems at once.
How to control your posture?
The spine has 4 curves: 2 forward and 2 backward. They are normally balanced and attenuate the vertical load on the vertebrae during walking and other movements. If you bend excessively or overextend your lower back, your body weight is distributed incorrectly and the load on individual vertebrae becomes prohibitive.
For example, if you tilt your head forward and hunch your back – the standard posture of an office worker – the tension in the joints of your neck and upper thoracic spine increases 6-fold.
To check your posture, stand with your back to the wall. Normally the back of the head, shoulder blades, buttocks, buttocks and heels should touch the wall. In the lower back area, the fist should pass easily between the wall and the back, rotated flat.
Sit up straight with your lower back supported. You can place a small pillow or a folded sweater under your lower back. To eliminate the habit of crossing your legs, try placing a low stool or a box of office equipment under your feet. Try to change your body position more often, periodically walk around the office, stretching your muscles to relieve tension. For example, as in thematic videos on the Internet.
How not to overload yourself?
Follow safety precautions if you need to carry something somewhere.
Calculate your movements and order of actions in advance. Can you use surrounding objects as support? Where should the cargo be transported?
Assume the pose: Bend your knees and hips slightly, but do not lean forward. Tighten your abdominal muscles to protect your pelvic organs. When you lift something heavy, your legs should work, not your back.
Hold the weight at your waist or chest, with the heavy end facing you.
If you need to turn, stand on your feet, but don't lean to the side or twist your spine.
Keep your head straight. When you pick up a load, look straight ahead, not at it.
Know your limits! There is a big difference between what you can lift and what you can lift without endangering your health. If in doubt, ask someone to help you.
Don't pull. . . If you have to move a heavy object on the floor, it is better to push it rather than drag it behind you.
Distribute your weight evenly. When carrying shopping bags or luggage, try to carry the same weight in each hand.
What else will help you heal your back?
Physiotherapy, acupuncture (reflexology), various types of massage, manual therapy and even taking antidepressants are quite effective methods that are used to treat various types of chronic back pain around the world. The mechanism of their action is simple: relieve muscle tension, improve blood circulation and metabolic processes in the tissues, correct the biomechanics of movement.
These methods work in the hands of a specialist and can be useless and even harmful in the hands of a quack. Therefore, always pay attention to the reputation of the clinic and the reviews of the doctor you are contacting.
And most importantly, all these types of treatment have only auxiliary value. The main thing is correct posture, daily muscle work, proper nutrition and careful use of the spine.
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