Why does my back and spine hurt?

Almost everyone knows back pain., and 15-20% have to deal with this symptom regularly during the year.

The problem is not only medical, but also socio-economic, since during the illness the patient, depending on the causes that caused the problem, loses the ability to work.

In most cases, it is possible to get rid of the disease within a month, after which the patient can resume normal life.

Despite these results, in 70% of patients the pain returns again, the treatment is useless due to the fact that the therapy was incorrect or inadequate.

It should be noted that painit is a sign of degenerative processes in the spine, which in turn are considered a sign of pathological conditions.

Classification and nature of back pain

Types of back pain:

• not specific(benign) - dorsopathy, "old" osteochondrosis, the cause is most often the dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system, an additional examination is most often useless;
• specific(dangerous) pain that requires additional diagnosis at the first visit, which makes it possible to exclude the presence of a spinal fracture, tuberculosis, tumor, metastases, etc. ;
• radicular pain(radiculopathy) - associated with irritation / compression of the nerve root from a (fallen) disc herniation.

What diseases of the musculoskeletal system cause pain in the spine in the center of the back?

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system that cause pain:

• osteoarthritis- the patient can bend over from pain, efforts to straighten the back, take a deep breath contribute to the increase of negative sensations, when squeezing the vertebrae, the load on the elastic cushion of shock absorption increases, as a result, the damaged element becomes thinner;

• chondrosis, osteochondrosis of the chest region- develops against the background of obesity, physical inactivity, unbalanced nutrition, disorders of mineral metabolism, in the process of age-related changes, the elasticity and height of the intervertebral discs decreases, their structure changes, the tightening of nerve fibers contributes to severe painor moderate discomfort worsened by movement;
• scoliosis, increased/decreased lordosis, kyphosis- lead to a deterioration of posture and appearance, resulting in compression of the nerves in the spine;
• spinal cord injury;
• neurological causes(radiculitis);
• congenital pathologies- extra / missing vertebrae in the spine lead to painful discomfort;
• myositis- increasing weakness and pain develops against the background of inflammation of skeletal muscles, discomfort increases with palpation of the back.

Other causes of back pain

Other reasons:

• kidney inflammation- discomfort is often accompanied by high temperature, swelling of the lower extremities, hypertension;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system, vascular pathologies - accompanied by throbbing back pain and increased blood pressure;
• chronic stress;
• diseases of the digestive system- the pain is located in the middle or on the left side of the back, after eating the pain intensifies against the background of pancreatitis or diseases of the stomach mucosa;
• psycho-emotional disorder.

Serious diseases of the organs located in the abdominal cavity and under the chest can also respond with pain in the spine. It is often very difficult for a patient to determine the nature of the pain, it is recommended to monitor the symptoms and inform the doctor in a timely manner.

Back pain treatment

Before starting treatment, the doctor must make a diagnosis, study the patient's history, listen to complaints, conduct a visual examination and palpation, study the results of laboratory and diagnostic studies. After that, the necessary drugs are selected, the action of which is aimed at correcting the problem.

dope

During an exacerbation, therapy is aimed at stopping the pain signal.

Drugs:

1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs- their action is aimed at stopping mediators of inflammatory processes before they enter the tissues surrounding the spine. It helps to get rid of inflammation, fever, swelling, spasms, pain. In case of intense pain, injectable preparations are prescribed, they are distinguished by their quick effect (15-20 minutes), safety for the gastrointestinal tract, all components are delivered in the initial dose. To get rid of moderate and mild pain, external preparations or drugs in oral form are prescribed.
2. Analgesics- are prescribed when the analgesic properties of NSAIDs are not sufficient, the drugs affect the transmission of nerve impulses in the brain, which prevents the occurrence of a response. The combination of the 2 groups is recommended to be carried out with care, the characteristics of the body, the compatibility of the drugs should be taken into account, the choice of the dose is carried out on an individual basis.
3. Muscle relaxants- diseases of the spine are often accompanied by muscle spasms, which force the patient to freeze in one position, all movements lead to sharp pains. Injection of muscle relaxants will help relax the muscle corset, the effect of their administration lasts for 12 hours. Tablets are used less often, since they begin to work only after the required amount of the substance has been accumulated.
4. Chondroprotectors- problems with the spine appear against the background of degenerative processes in the articular and cartilage tissues, in such cases drugs containing chondroitin or glucosamine are prescribed. The substances are the basis for the restoration of tendons, joints, ligaments, etc. These components are not produced in the body, therefore during the disease the cells should be as saturated as possible with the listed substances, most often they are prescribed orally. medications should be taken in long courses.

As additional therapyVitamin complexes, diuretics, antispasmodics can be prescribed, as well as funds aimed at improving trophism and restoring blood circulation, antioxidants, antihistamines and others.

Surgery

In the absence of the effect of drug treatment, surgical treatment is indicated, modern techniques can achieve excellent results.With osteochondrosis, injuries and hernias, a part of the vertebra or intervertebral disc is removed, with aortic aneurysm, plastic surgery is indicated.

In diseases of the spine, the cause of the origin of the pain must be determined; quite often, the source of unpleasant symptoms is the internal organs. Only a doctor can diagnose a disease and prescribe treatment.

Exercises, exercise therapy, massage

If the patient's condition and the nature of the course of the underlying disease allow it, moderate physical activity is necessary.

Doctors also recommend regular exercises in the morning, the complex includes the following exercises:

1. child's pose. Sit on your knees with your head down on the floor, stretch your arms forward, stay in this position for 20 seconds, stretch your arms back also for 20 seconds, repeat the exercise twice.
2. Bowing of the head.Sit on the floor with a straight back, put your hands behind your head, slowly pull your head forward, tilt until your chin touches your neck, hold for 10-15 seconds, repeat 8-10 times.
3. Rolled with a stick. In a standing position, put the gymnastic stick in a horizontal position on the neck behind the head, extend your arms and hold the ends of the stick. With a stick behind the head, slowly turn to the left, hold for 25-30 seconds, repeat in the opposite direction, the number of repetitions is 10-12 times.
4. Leaning the body forward. With your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms clasped behind the lock, stand up, bending your body forward, slightly bend your legs at the knees, stay in this position for 15-20 seconds, repeat up to 4-5 times.
5. Body leans forward with toes touching. Sitting on the floor, close your legs, place them in front of you, bending forward to reach your toes with your hands. The exercise should be performed without sudden movements, gradually, slowly, hold the position for a few seconds.

During exacerbations, exercise therapy and other types of physical activity are strictly contraindicated.

Massage

Manual massage also shows effectiveness in back pain caused by spinal diseases.. The techniques allow you to achieve muscle relaxation, during their application, the soft tissues are heated, which helps to improve blood circulation. Such a massage is recommended for patients with pathologies of the respiratory organs, accompanied by saliva flow.

Home treatment or folk remedies

In the presence of constant back pain, it is recommended to turn to folk recipes, before using them, you should consult a doctor. Despite their apparent safety, many tools can be not only useless, but also harmful.

Recommended for pain reliefprepare a rub. To do this, you need to take a mixture of pure alcohol or cologne, a small amount of chili pepper, valerian root solution, a bottle of 5% iodine solution, thoroughly rub the affected area with the mixture, wrap it. The procedure is recommended to be carried out at night, leaving it warm until morning. It is very important not to start the disease, identify the cause of the pathology in time and follow all the recommendations of the doctors.

The following steps can help alleviate the condition at home:

• avoid prolonged stay in bed - physically active patients suffer less pain;
• engage in light sports - moderate physical activity is best;
• maintain proper posture;
• increases the flexibility of the spine;
• wear corsets and spine belts;
• apply heat and cold to the affected area;
• quit smoking - nicotine causes spasm of small vessels, which leads to disruption of microcirculation and disruption of oxygen delivery to tissues;
• relaxation exercises.

prevention

The patient can prevent the development of back diseases himself, he must learn to sleep, sit and stand correctly, as well as endure heavy loads with minimal damage to himself. It is recommended to stand and sit with a straight back, the head should not hang forward, the body should not bend and bend without supporting the hands.

If you need to stand for a long time, you should find a point to support your head and limbs, you can lean on a closet, wall and other surfaces. Walking in heels for more than 2 hours in a row is excluded, the feet should rest periodically, for this they should be raised for a few minutes.

Preventive measures:

• unload the neck and lower back with special rollers or "bone" pillows, avoid sitting on a bench or with a bent back, every 15 minutes. you need to change your posture, lie down and lean back, after every hour of sitting you need to take a break;
• you need to sleep on hard mattresses without high pillows, you can put orthopedic rollers under your head;
• when carrying loads, some rules should be observed, loads more than 3 kg for women and more than 5 kg for men should not be carried, it is dangerous to lift weights while bending or squatting, bags should be lifted with the back ofright. heavy loads must be carried in several steps.

Conclusion

• Backache- a relatively common pathology, with the appearance of a pain syndrome, you should seek medical help.
• The causes of the pathology are very different, the doctor makes a diagnosis based on the anamnesis, examinations, complaints of the patient.
• During treatmentdrugs are used(mainly pain relievers), it is recommended to perform massage, exercise therapy.