Back pain complaints are one of the most common reasons to visit a doctor. Pain in this part of the body can be a manifestation of both normal fatigue caused by excessive physical exertion, and it can indicate the presence of serious health problems that require competent treatment.
Back pain is an unpleasant manifestation of many diseases or severe overload of 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 in the adjacent muscles, nerve endings or in the skin above the spine. Also, such a symptom accompanies some diseases or dysfunctions of the internal organs.
Causes of back pain
The back can hurt in cases where there is a pathology from:
- vertebral column;
- musculoskeletal system;
- internal organs.
Pain can also occur in a healthy person due to muscle pain due to significant physical exertion.
Pathology of the spine
In addition, pathologies of the spine are considered frequent, against which a pain syndrome occurs.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is the most common answer to the question: "why does my back hurt? " With this pathology, degenerative changes occur in the intervertebral cartilage, from which the cartilage becomes thinner, the space between the vertebrae decreases and the nerve roots they can be pinched. For pain in osteochondrosis, the following symptoms are characteristic:
- occur during or after physical exertion, as well as a long stay in a static position;
- it can have a shooting or aching character;
- movement makes the pain worse.
If the sciatic nerve is pinched and sciatica develops, the pain is given to the buttocks, radiating along the surface of the thigh from behind. There may be a violation of sensitivity (numbness, tingling, burning). With low back pain, there is often a throbbing or stabbing pain that literally causes the patient to freeze in place. Patients complain of having shot or twisted their backs.
Injuries
Injuries occur most often during falls (in icy conditions while playing sports) or back blows during road accidents. Pain can cause both bruising and more serious injuries - fractures and dislocations of the vertebral bodies. Pain in an injury can be of the most diverse nature:
- in pain,
- burning up,
- shot,
- stupid.
Pain sensations can be constantly disturbing, manifest themselves with certain movements or be perceived as a pulsation, 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 slight mechanical load, and the vertebra does not hurt much on the first day after the injury. In the future, if measures for immobilization and treatment are not taken, the pain will increase and damage to the nerves and spinal cord is possible.
Any spinal injury, even a slight one, requires a medical examination at first glance.
Intervertebral hernia
An intervertebral hernia is a protrusion of a fragment of the intervertebral disc into the spinal canal. A hernia is most often the result of degenerative changes in the spine or is the result of an injury. A disc protrusion can occur in any part of the spine, but much more often it happens in the lumbar region, since it is he who bears the main load.
In the early stages of hernia formation, back pain is caused by physical activity, occurs occasionally, and is of low intensity. With the progression of the disease or a sharp loss of a fragment of the disc, the pain can be very intense, shooting in nature with irradiation to the legs.
Often, patients complain of a numbness or burning sensation in the problem area, as well as in the lower or upper limbs. This indicates that there was a violation of the nerve endings. Severe pain causes muscle spasm, which leads to a violation of posture, pathological kyphosis or lordosis develops.
Curvature of the spine (kyphosis, lordosis, scoliosis)
With the curvature of the spine, to compensate for the pathological fold, there is considerable muscle tension, which leads to frequent and sometimes constant aching pains in the back.
Muscular pain
85% of cases of chronic or recurrent pain in the back muscles are associated with excessive stress on the lower back. Even for those who do not carry significant sports loads and do not carry heavy loads, the back muscles experience daily tension. This is especially true of long-term static loads during sedentary computer work.
Unheated muscles can be easily injured when making a sharp turn, lifting a heavy object, or making a wrong move. Pain can occur due to inflammatory diseases of the muscles (myositis) or due to severe stress, which leads to reflex spasm of muscle fibers.
infectious diseases
Tuberculosis most often affects the spine. In the vertebrae, the infection enters hematogenously (through the blood) and causes inflammation and therefore bone necrosis. Pain in the lumbar and thoracic region is a characteristic sign of spinal tuberculosis, and neurological symptoms appear 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,
- increased body temperature,
- fast fatigue,
- poor appetite.
Oncological diseases
In most cases, a malignant tumor does not develop in the spine itself. Cancer cells arrive here with the flow of blood or lymph from other foci. Most often, spinal metastases cause cancer of the mammary glands, lungs, and prostate. At first, the pains may resemble manifestations of normal osteochondrosis, but then the back constantly hurts, with increasing intensity.
It is not always possible to eliminate pain with conventional painkillers, only the introduction of drugs brings relief. With multiple metastases, the pain wanders by nature, covering different parts of the spine. In addition to back pain, the patient experiences weakness, unreasonable weight loss, fever in subfebrile numbers. The prognosis is poor.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
The most common back pain occurs with pancreatitis. It is enveloping in nature and is quite intense. In acute pancreatitis, pain may be accompanied by a drop in blood pressure and loss of consciousness. Acute pancreatitis is an indication for the emergency hospitalization of the patient in a surgical hospital.
In addition to pancreatitis, pain can radiate to the back with a peptic ulcer or biliary colic attack.
Diseases of the genitourinary system
Kidney diseases, especially urolithiasis, during exacerbation often give pain in the lumbar region. If the lower back hurts, pain is accompanied by a violation of urination or is administered to the groin region, consultation of a surgeon is required, and women must undergo an examination by a gynecologist to exclude inflammation of the appendages or the presence of an ectopic pregnancy.
Back pain in pregnant women
Pregnant women often complain of a ruptured or aching 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 pains are usually aching, made worse by changing body position, particularly when getting up from a chair or armchair.
What to do if your back hurts
If your back hurts for more than three days, you should see a doctor. Seek immediate medical attention if your back pain is accompanied by:
- poor general health;
- a decrease or a sharp increase in blood pressure;
- an increase in body temperature;
- malfunction of any internal organs.
Also, it is necessary to call a doctor if the pain was preceded by an injury or with a high pain intensity.
Diagnostics
In most cases, the doctor will be able to make a preliminary diagnosis on the initial examination. However, to determine exactly what causes back pain, further studies are required. In most cases, these are X-rays in two views, computed tomography of the spine (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
If necessary, the doctor may prescribe a general blood and urine test, an EKG, an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity or small pelvis, and an image of the lungs. An examination must be completed without fail, since even the most serious diseases in the early stages of diagnosis with adequate treatment have a favorable prognosis.
Treatment
How to get rid of back pain, only a doctor can advise based on the examination data and the results of the examination. The basic principles of therapy: the elimination of severe pain and inflammation, the impact on the cause that caused the pain, rehabilitation measures aimed at accelerating the processes of tissue regeneration and restoring normal life (physiotherapy, therapy physics, massage, proper nutrition).
How to relieve pain
To relieve pain, it is first necessary to limit physical activity. Among the drugs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are often prescribed. These medications can be taken as tablets or injections and are also included in topical ointments. The treatment of back pain caused by muscle spasm is carried out with warming ointments, alcohol compresses and a warm bath. With a severe spasm, muscle relaxants are prescribed.
It is important to remember that in case of inflammatory diseases of the internal organs and on the first day after the injury, any thermal procedures are contraindicated. They provoke the deterioration of health and the progression of pathology. After the removal of acute manifestations of the disease, physiotherapeutic procedures, massage and therapeutic exercises are prescribed. If the back of a pregnant woman hurts, the use of medicines is undesirable.
Wearing a special bandage and limiting physical activity will help pregnant women relieve back pain.
Physiotherapy
Physical therapy (therapeutic gymnastics) is the basis for the successful treatment of back pain in any localization. A set of exercises may be recommended by a physiotherapy exercise 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, to the alignment of posture, to the activation of blood circulation and metabolism in the tissues, to the improvement of general well-being and mood. It is illiterate to treat the back with drugs without regular physical therapy and proper nutrition. This will only give a temporary effect.
Physiotherapy
Such procedures as phonophoresis with medicinal substances, magnetotherapy, laser therapy will help speed up recovery. During the period of remission it is effective to undergo mud therapy and paraffin.
Prevention
To avoid back pain, it is very important to lead a healthy lifestyle, which includes:
- a balanced diet with sufficient vitamins and minerals;
- maintaining a normal body weight;
- regular physical education classes aimed at strengthening the muscles of the back and abdominals;
- contact a doctor if diseases appear and their timely treatment.
Back pain requires mandatory diagnostics to determine the cause of their occurrence and long-term treatment, based primarily on the change in the patient's lifestyle. In the acute period of the disease, the patient is assisted by pharmacological preparations. If you follow all the recommendations of the doctor, the prognosis in most cases is favorable.