Back pain can occur not only in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle.This can happen with age or during heavy work, when the spinal column experiences increased stress.If the pain occurs from time to time, then treatment is not required.But if the pain is regular, you should consult a doctor.Therapy is selected according to the cause of the detected pathology - drug treatment, physiotherapy and sometimes surgical intervention are used.
reasons
To determine the causes of back pain, you need to analyze when and under what circumstances they occur:
- morning painUsually happens after waking up.Without severe pain, a person cannot change position, raise his hand or turn his neck.Most often, this has nothing to do with the spine, but is caused by myositis - inflammation of the muscles, which is caused by hypothermia, excessive stress and infectious diseases.In such cases, warming ointments are prescribed, including those based on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.If the inflammation also affects the joints, the doctor will prescribe chondroprotectors - agents that restore tissue.
- Pain during exercise.They occur during walking, long walks or, on the contrary, lack of movement.As a rule, the pain is dull, but quite strong, disappears only after removing the load, but sometimes it becomes permanent.In this case, you need to consult a doctor.A specialist will be able to accurately determine the cause of discomfort - spondylolisthesis, stenosis of the spinal canal or osteochondrosis.
- Neck pain occurs at the end of the working day.They are accompanied by a crunching sound and become stronger after some time - these are symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.It is impossible to completely cure the disease.But the pain can be alleviated.In the acute period, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or, if it does not help, corticosteroids are prescribed.
Intervertebral disc dystrophy develops with age.This means they lose their ability to absorb shock, which leads to back pain.In such cases, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and chondroprotectors are prescribed.The doctor may recommend special therapeutic exercises that will help strengthen the back muscles.Intervertebral disc dystrophy should not be confused with hernia;The latter is characterized by a protrusion of the spine.In severe cases, surgical treatment is prescribed.
Drug therapy and other conservative methods of hernia treatment make it possible to maintain the patient's quality of life at a high level.But in the most advanced cases, when it is impossible to relieve pain with anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids, and dysfunction of the urogenital system appears, hernia surgery is performed.The probability that the pain will persist even after the operation does not exceed 1.5%.
Back pain can be caused by trauma.This occurs due to a strain on the ligaments that support the spine, an injury that can occur during sports and weight lifting.Damage to the vertebrae itself leads to the development of osteoporosis, a disease that causes bone tissue to thin.The pathology itself does not cause pain, but causes a fracture of the spine.
depending on the location
It is important to determine the location of the pain - in the middle of the back or below.Sometimes it helps us to understand which part of the spine has problems and can indicate other pathologies that cause a similar symptom.My back hurts in the middle not only because of osteochondrosis, but also because of diseases of the stomach or pancreas.
Back pain, localized on the right or left, is not necessarily related to spinal diseases.Sometimes this is a symptom of kidney pathology - an infectious disease or the appearance of stones in them.Ultrasound can help to make an accurate diagnosis.Further treatment depends on the cause of the pathology - the infection is fought with antibiotics, and kidney stones are surgically removed.
Sometimes back pain can be caused by gynecological diseases, such as endometriosis - the growth of the endometrium outside the uterine cavity.But there are cases when it even affects the organs of the abdominal cavity, causing compression of the nerve endings.In such cases, the stomach starts to hurt.If the pain is in the lower back, you should consult a gynecologist.Most often, endometriosis is treated with conservative methods, but sometimes surgical intervention is necessary.
Back pain occurs during pregnancy.Their appearance can be provoked by increased load on the spine and hormonal changes that cause muscle relaxation.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are usually contraindicated for expectant mothers, and in some cases even massage is excluded.Special therapeutic exercises for pregnant women can have a good effect.The best option is water aerobics and yoga for expectant mothers.It is important to remove increased stress from the back.
Pain can also be caused by joint problems.Different types of arthritis are the most common of them.Often the disease is infectious, so antibiotics are needed.
Treatment and prevention
If the pain is caused by physical overload or hypothermia and an infectious disease, it may disappear by itself.Anti-inflammatory medications can be used to speed recovery.Heating compresses and wool belts should not be worn.It is better to replace them with a special elastic corset.
Special bandages are made for expectant mothers, which relieve stress from the back.But if the pain does not disappear within three days, despite all the measures taken, you need to consult a doctor.
In no case should you do self-treatment, especially massage and warming procedures, such as a bath or sauna - this only increases swelling and discomfort.
Treatment is comprehensive: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are taken to relieve pain, while reducing the load on the spine.This applies to overweight people the most;They should follow a diet with reduced energy value.
In addition, doctors often prescribe various physiotherapeutic methods - magnetic therapy, massages.If the pain is caused by the destruction of the joint tissue, then it is necessary to take additional chondroprotectors - drugs based on chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine, which restore the joints and promote collagen production.
To prevent the disease, it is important to follow the recommendations:
- You can't sit for long without moving.In this position, there is a great load on the spine.
- Vertical loads on the spine should be avoided.
- Back muscles should be strengthened to provide additional support to the spine.
- If you have severe, long-lasting pain, you should see a specialist.