Back pain is slightly less common than headaches. Every adult has experienced this feeling at least once. Most of the time, the neck and lower back are affected. Doctors attribute this to a gradual decrease in people's physical activity, because many people work and relax on the computer. This is the reason for the occurrence of chronic-degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system, which are the most common cause of back pain. Timely examination and treatment, regular physical activity, and normalization of body weight will help eliminate discomfort and regain the joy of movement.
General information
The high incidence of back pain is associated with its anatomy. The base is the spine. Cartilaginous discs are located between the vertebrae, which perform a shock-absorbing function. Additional skeleton is provided by muscles and ligaments. The spinal cord passes into the vertebral column, from where paired roots extend, innervating almost all organs and tissues.
A pathological process in any of the structures of the back, as well as in Organs internal organs associated with it by nerve fibers, can cause pain. Often, a doctor needs to make a thorough diagnosis to discover its source.
The reasons
Most illnesses that cause pain in some part of the back are chronic. They start gradually and are asymptomatic for a long time.
Among the external and internal causes that can cause an exacerbation, the most common are:
- increased spinal load in the context of frequent heavy lifting or overweight;
- metabolic disorders;
- postural disorders and diseases of the musculoskeletal system (eg, arthrosis of the hip joint or flat feet), leading to uneven load distribution;
- hypothermia;
- infectious and autoimmune inflammatory processes;
- volumetric formations (tumors, abscesses);
- pathology of Organs internal organs of the chest or abdominal cavity.
Illnesses
Back pain can be a symptom of many illnesses that can be divided into several groups.
Spine or joint pathology
This is the most common cause of back pain. Most diseases are associated with high and/or uneven spinal load:
- osteochondrosis: the cartilaginous discs between the vertebrae begin to collapse, thin, and be replaced by bone tissue; as a result, the depreciating function of the spine suffers, and the spinal cord or its root is often compressed;
- intervertebral hernia: the central part of the intervertebral disc protrudes toward the spinal cord, compressing it; the problem usually arises in the context of advanced osteochondrosis;
- ankylosing spondylitis: autoimmune inflammation of spinal joints and ligaments, leading to painful spasms of surrounding muscles; over time, it becomes the cause of the joining of the vertebrae;
- spondylolisthesis: displacement of the vertebra from its normal position, which can lead to compression of the roots or spinal cord;
- rheumatoid arthritis: joint inflammation of an autoimmune nature; most often affects the cervical spine;
- osteomyelitis: inflammation of bone tissue.
Muscle tissue pathology
Muscle tissue is often involved in the pathological process of bone tissue or joint pathology. In this case, painful spasms appear in the affected area. In addition, pain can occur in the context of:
- fibromyalgia: chronic pain in muscles and ligaments, often accompanied by stiffness and stiffness;
- myositis: an inflammatory process in muscles that occurs in the context of hypothermia, stretching, injury, or physical overload;
- dermatomyositis: chronic damage to the skin, muscles and internal organs, probably of an autoimmune nature.
Spinal cord and root pathology
Most of the time, pain occurs in the context of compression of certain areas of nervous tissue due to trauma, tumor, osteochondrosis or herniated disc. An isolated injury can be caused by:
- inflammation associated with infection, including HIV and syphilis;
- multiple sclerosis;
- bleeding;
- lack of oxygen;
- vitamin or mineral deficiency.
Internal Organ Pathology
The innervation of most internal organs is carried out by the roots of the spinal cord. As a result, any pathological process in them can become a causative back pain. Most of the time, doctors face the following problems:
- renal pathology: pyelonephritis, urolithiasis;
- inflammation of Organs pelvic organs: salpingitis, salpingo-oophoritis, prostatitis;
- gallbladder pathology: cholecystitis, cholelithiasis;
- damage to the cardiovascular system: angina pectoris, heart attack, aortic aneurysm dissection, pulmonary embolism;
- respiratory system diseases: pleurisy, pneumonia, abscess, pneumothorax;
- appendicitis.
The nature and location of pain
The location and nature of sensations can tell you a lot about their origin. It is important to tell your doctor as fully as possible exactly how your back hurts, so that they can identify the cause and receive treatment as quickly as possible.
Depending on its nature, the pain can be:
- acute: usually occurs in the context of osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, lumbago, or radiculitis, usually aggravated by movement;
- pain: characteristic of chronic inflammatory processes in muscles, ligaments or internal organs;
- pressing or bursting: often speaks of acute or chronic pathology of internal organs;
- pulsating, strong: usually associated with trauma, lumbago, spondylosis, exacerbation of osteochondrosis.
The location of the pain syndrome can also help to diagnose:
- on the right: pathology of the liver, gallbladder, duodenum, damage to the ovary or kidney on the right, appendicitis;
- left: pathology of the spleen, left kidney or ovary, myocardial infarction, pancreatitis;
- in the lumbar region: sciatica, osteochondrosis, lumbago, Reiter's syndrome, intervertebral hernia;
- below the waist: osteochondrosis or intervertebral hernia, bilateral inflammation of the ovaries, pathology of the uterus, cramps during menstruation;
- under right scapula: pathology of liver, gallbladder, pancreas, right intercostal neuralgia, pleurisy, pneumonia;
- under the left shoulder blade: heart disease, left-sided pneumonia, pleurisy, intercostal neuralgia, etc.
When you need to see a doctor urgently
Back pain can be a sign of a relatively harmless condition and evidence of a dangerous process that requires immediate medical attention. A person should urgently consult a specialist in the following situations:
- pain occurred after the injury;
- it is not possible to find a position where the pain weakens;
- there is an increase in temperature;
- signs of nerve damage appear: numbness, tingling, muscle weakness;
- the pain is worse at night;
- sensations are accompanied by weakness, darkening of the eyes, palpitations, cold sweat;
- painkillers do not provide relief;
- the disease progresses despite treatment;
- blood pressure changed dramatically (increased or decreased);
- you have trouble urinating or the color of your urine has changed;
- the pain spread to the chest, abdomen;
- the condition is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, loose or lingering stools in abundance.
In general, any suspicious symptoms not seen in previous bouts of pain should alert the patient and become a cause for urgent medical attention.
Diagnosis
The back pain test includes:
- collecting complaints and anamnesis of the disease, clarifying the circumstances of the onset of pain, its nature, intensity, location and other important parameters, identifying risk factors for different diseases;
- general examination with measurement of blood pressure, assessment of heart rate, breathing, temperature;
- neurological examination: assessment of sensory and motor functions, quality of reflexes;
- laboratory diagnosis: general blood and urine tests, basic biochemical blood tests; if necessary, tests are prescribed to confirm or exclude a specific pathology;
- ECG, ultrasound of the heart;
- X-ray, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of the spine;
- Ultrasound of abdominal cavity organs, small pelvis;
- Chest X-ray;
- Doppler ultrasound of neck and brain vessels;
- electromyography: evaluation of the quality of the conduction of nerve impulses by muscle fibers;
- consultations with restricted specialists: nephrologist, cardiologist, gynecologist, etc.
The list of tests, diagnostic procedures and appointments may vary depending on the patient's complaints.
Back Pain Treatment
The choice of treatment methods depends on the cause. Most of the time, doctors are faced with pathologies of the musculoskeletal system and nervous tissue. In this case, analgesics become the basis of therapy:
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- hormonal agents;
- muscle relaxants: to relieve muscle spasms;
- B vitamins: to improve the condition of nervous tissue;
- narcotic analgesics: with the ineffectiveness of drugs from other groups.
Additional procedures help to complement the effect of drug treatment:
- physiotherapy: electrophoresis and phonophoresis, laser and magnetic therapy, electroneurostimulation;
- massage;
- manual therapy;
- physiotherapy.
The specific techniques are selected by the physician depending on the cause and the individual characteristics of the organism. In some cases, surgical treatment is prescribed.
Prevention
Back pain is preventable. To do this, you must follow the following rules:
- prevent hypodynamics: exercise, play sports (without overload);
- avoid stress;
- have a nice rest;
- eat well, prevent excess weight gain;
- avoid weight lifting;
- correct posture disorders;
- be checked regularly by a doctor, treat chronic illnesses in a timely manner.
Back pain can be subtle or it can completely immobilize a person. Don't allow a flare-up, see a doctor at the first sign of trouble.