Everyone has experienced back pain. For some people it is periodic pain, for others it is continuous. In order to get rid of discomfort, many people drink painkillers without paying attention to the real cause of the discomfort. This can lead to complications and severe pathology.
Back pain can be caused by internal organs or spinal diseases and injuries. Sometimes discomfort is the result of poor posture, physical tension, or sudden movements.
First, you should find out the cause of your back pain before starting treatment.
Types of back pain
Considering the nature of back pain, a diagnosis can be assumed.
For example, if the pain is painful and worsened by lifting heavy objects, overwork, hypothermia, or prolonged immobility, the cause may be myositis, low back pain, or herniated disc.
Acute pain radiating to the leg or arm may be a sign of radiculitis, intervertebral hernia, or osteochondrosis. Walking, bending, or coughing can aggravate unpleasant feelings and weak limbs.
All the same intervertebral hernias, low back pain and osteochondrosis, as well as spondylopathy, can also cause throbbing pain. This can be confirmed even when the pain does not go away even after using analgesics.
If there is a burst or tenderness in the chest, this is a sign of a pulmonary embolism or myocardial infarction. Spinal discomfort means spondyloarthropathies, while the waist means intestinal obstruction. Atherosclerosis may be the cause of neck compression pain.
Back pain after sleeping
In the morning, the back hurts, not just because of the wrong mattress or the wrong sleeping posture. Hypothermia, stress, or weightlifting the previous day can cause stiffness and pain under the shoulder blades, lower back, right or left side.
The reasons may be different: curvature of the spine, osteochondrosis, herniated disc, or obesity. In addition, your back may be injured in the morning during pregnancy.
Spinal and joint disease
Spinal discomfort may be related to musculoskeletal diseases:
- Ankylosing spondylitis. Due to muscle spasms, the patient bends forward to relieve discomfort. Subsequently, the inflamed vertebrae harden and grow together, which makes the spine less flexible.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis. The disease starts in the knees, hips, or shoulders and then spreads to the cervical spine. In the morning, the patient has a feeling of shooting and stiffness: the affected vertebrae put unnecessary pressure on the nerves.
- Disc herniation and disc herniation. The patient feels lumbar discomfort: the vertebrae are displaced and squeeze the nerve endings.
- osteomyelitis. Acute muscle pain occurs due to infection of the bone tissue of the spine.
- Osteochondrosis. For this disease, the amortization of the spine becomes worse. The intervertebral disc between the vertebrae is damaged and the annulus fibrosis is broken: the nucleus of the intervertebral disc comes out of the crack and is compressed.
- Disc herniation. The protrusions between the vertebrae are compressed during the movement and are therefore damaged.
Muscle related diseases
The source of discomfort may be spasm and induration of the waist of the muscles that support the spine:
- Fibromyalgia is a disease that causes pain in the back from the neck to the waist. Pressing certain areas can aggravate the discomfort.
- Dermatomyositis. The skin around striated muscle and smooth muscle becomes inflamed.
- Polymyositis. This disease is caused by overwork or hypothermia: pain when turning and muscle weakness.
- Polymyalgia rheumatica. It is difficult for the patient to stand up without assistance, and the back asymmetry is clearly visible.
- Charcot disease. Inflammation of the peripheral nerves along the spine. Sensitivity deteriorates, muscles become weaker, and the patient's gait changes.
Spinal cord disease
As any part of the spinal cord is squeezed or inflamed, an unpleasant sensation may occur.
Sources of pain in this situation:
- Compression of the spinal cord due to fractures, hematomas or abscesses;
- Inflammation of nearby muscles;
- Circulatory disorders;
- Bleeding;
- Lack of vitamins;
- Complications of HIV or syphilis;
- Back tumors of various etiologies;
- Multiple sclerosis.
Psychosomatics
The back can also be injured by psychological factors: depression, nervousness, chronic stress, or sexual dissatisfaction.
Location of low back pain
The discomfort in different parts of the back is caused by different factors.
For example, pain on the right side is caused by lordosis, scoliosis, kyphosis, or disc displacement. The left side is painful due to splenitis, spine compression, or duodenitis. The root cause of low back pain may be sciatica, osteochondrosis, or herniated disc.
If it is painful in the upper lower back on the right-it may be myositis, on the left-osteochondrosis.
Discomfort throughout the spine is a prominent signal that can develop into osteochondrosis.
When should I see a doctor as soon as possible?
If the cause of back pain is strain or stress, it will subside after a few days. However, if the pain only increases, urgent medical care is required.
Consult a doctor immediately in the following cases:
- Can't find a place where the pain is weakened;
- Recent back injury or contusion;
- The condition worsens at night;
- The patient's gait has changed;
- The patient has a fever;
- Limbs become weak, numb, and tingling;
- The painkillers did not help.
Back pain diagnosis
To determine the cause of back discomfort, you need to make an appointment with a neurologist. If necessary, blood tests should be performed to check for infection or inflammation. An inspection may also be required, which will be prescribed by an expert.
Double and triple ultrasound scans of the neck and cerebral blood vessels are needed to diagnose the cause of headache, dizziness or high blood pressure.
MRI allows you to see tumors on the vertebrae, spinal nerves and spinal cord compression, herniated discs, and narrowing of the spinal canal. CT is needed to detect vertebral fractures.
X-rays help to assess the condition of the bone structure to diagnose fractures, spondylolisthesis, arthritis and poor posture.
Electromyography detects nerve compression caused by spinal stenosis or a herniated disc.
How to relieve back pain?
First, you need to relax. To do this, lie on your stomach on a flat, hard surface, preferably on the floor. After a few minutes, turn on your back and lift your legs so that they form a 90-degree angle. This can reduce the burden on the spine.
Anti-inflammatory ointments and creams are also useful. When the pain subsides, you need to get up gently and wrap the painful area with a scarf or towel.
If painkillers are not available, cold compresses-ice packs or food in the refrigerator-will help relieve severe pain. It is impossible to get rid of the discomfort completely, but he can alleviate the condition. The exact opposite option also helps-heating pads or heating compresses.
A slight warm-up or a leisurely walk will help get rid of unpleasant feelings.
Back pain treatment
After examination and diagnosis, the doctor prescribes a treatment plan. To relieve discomfort, experts will prescribe painkillers, vitamin B, and muscle relaxants. Sometimes it is recommended to stay in bed and wear a special corset.
An important stage of treatment is physical therapy. These are drug electrophoresis, laser therapy, sonic therapy, and magnetic therapy. Electrical nerve stimulation and acupuncture can also help.
For back pain, massage, manual therapy, osteopathy and exercise therapy are all effective. They also help with trauma recovery.
Prevent back pain
To avoid back discomfort, you need to exercise more. Morning exercises and yoga, contrast showers and massage classes are all effective.
It is important to maintain the health of the collagen-producing liver and improve immunity. It is worth paying attention to weight, because every ten pounds increases the load on the spine.
But first, you need to avoid stress and create an even psychological atmosphere around you.