Back pain: causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention

According to statistics, 80% of people know about back pain first hand. More than a third of all "medical licenses" issued are related to this issue. The reason can be considered the weakness of fragile muscles and their rapid growth. To identify the problem, in addition to visual inspection, hardware diagnostics (X-ray, myography, computed tomography, etc. ), laboratory blood tests are performed. Treatment is prescribed only after the diagnosis has been established.

why does my back hurt?

Back pain can occur immediately after injuries, pathologies of vertebrae, ligaments and discs, damage to soft tissue. It depends on the position of the body, the level of physical activity, but it can also be reflected, for example, in diseases of Organs internal organs. To some extent, the rear itself is vulnerable due to its structure.

It is based on the spine, which provides support, protection, motor and cushioning functions. This is due to cartilage in the intervertebral discs, muscles and ligaments, which tend to wear out over time with an inadequate lifestyle and cause degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Within the spinal column is the spinal cord, its paired roots innervating almost every organ and tissue. Any disturbance in this complex system can cause pain. More often than not, the cervical and lumbar regions suffer due to their increased loads and mobility.

What to do with back pain?

A medical examination is mandatory to find the cause, especially if pain has become frequent. Only a specialist can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment. You cannot engage in self-diagnostics.

First, you can get in touch with a therapist who will identify a set of symptoms and refer you to the right specialist with a narrow profile. If the cause is known and obvious, the prescribed therapy can be continued. Back problems are treated by neurologists, orthopedists and vertebrologists.

Back Pain Causes

Back pain is a non-specific symptom that can have many causes.

Physiological causes (common):

• weight gain;
• birth or recent pregnancy;
• hypodynamic work - in the office, at the computer, driving a car;
• standing work - hairdressers, waiters and vendors, street advertisers, surgeons, teachers;
• intense physical activity in combination with sharp body curves;
• training overload;
• postmenopausal women with a tendency to osteoporosis.

Pathological causes:

• diseases of the spine (osteochondrosis, spondylosis, ankylosing spondylitis, tumors, arthritis, osteomyelitis, Reiter's syndrome) and spinal cord;
• growing pains - scoliosis and kyphosis;
• infectious spinal injuries;
• osteoporosis, osteomalacia;
• diseases of Organs internal organs - kidneys, pancreas, stomach, spleen, liver;
• atherosclerosis of the abdominal aorta.

Acute pain can occur with disc protrusion, spondyloarthritis, spinal cord epiduritis, osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernias, atypical appendicitis and intestinal obstruction, kidney stones, fractures and sprains, spinal cord effusions, inflammation of the appendices in men and women, and cancer of prostate in women.

Varieties of Illnesses by the Nature of Back Pain

Causes of painful pain:

• hypothermia;
• Crick;
• myositis;
• prolonged uncomfortable posture while sleeping or working;
• lumbago (work becomes the cause);
• osteochondrosis;
• intervertebral hernia or displacement of the intervertebral discs due to sudden lifting of weights or a sudden turn of the body;
• kidney disease - causes back pain due to the proximity of the kidneys to the lower back;
• stomach ailments.

Causes of aiming pains:

• intervertebral hernia - with them, the condition worsens with any physical stress;
• sciatica - this back pain usually occurs on one side, radiates to the thigh or buttocks, causes numbness in the legs and is also dependent on physical exertion;
• Osteochondrosis - The patient may experience pulling pains that radiate to the leg and are made worse by coughing, sneezing, straining, walking, or bending.

Aetiology of throbbing pain:

• osteochondrosis;
• intervertebral hernia;
• lumbago;
• spondylosis - are acute and cannot be relieved by painkillers.

Bursting back pain:

• ischemia;
• heart attack;
• SCREEN;
• gallbladder inflammation;
• a sharp increase in pressure;
• atherosclerosis.

Why does my back hurt after sleeping?

Most people experience back pain in the morning after sleeping, which may be due to:

• overload the day before if you lifted weights and moved abruptly;
• weak back muscles;
• hypothermia;
• herniated vertebrae or osteochondrosis;
• scoliosis - curvature of the spine leads to irregular muscle contraction;
• pregnancy - with it the center of the body changes;
• obesity - the load on the spine is also uneven.

Sleep conditions are also important. The bed should not be too hard or too soft - in any case, the person is forced into an uncomfortable and unphysiological position during sleep, which causes the muscles to tense up excessively and not rest at night. Posture is so important that even an orthopedic mattress doesn't help. It is recommended to sleep on your back with your legs raised.

In addition, the causes of pain after sleep can be diseases of the spine and internal organs (urologic, gastrointestinal tract, including oncologic).

Diseases associated with joints and spine

All pathologies in which back pain occurs have a common basis - the unequal load on the spine. These include:

1. Ankylosing spondylitis - persistent inflammation of the ligaments and joints causes chronic spasm of the surrounding muscles. The process is autoimmune, over time, the vertebrae begin to grow together, which drastically disrupts the work of the spine.
2. Spondylolisthesis - the vertebrae are in an abnormal position. They are displaced and affect the brain or roots.
3. Osteochondrosis - Intervertebral discs become thinner, cracked and replaced by bone tissue. Depreciation becomes impossible.
4. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune inflammation of the joints. It most often affects the cervical spine.
5. Osteomyelitis is an inflammation of the bone marrow and surrounding soft tissue. It causes severe pain.
6. Reiter's disease is a simultaneous rheumatic lesion of the urogenital tract, joints and conjunctiva of the eyes. Small back muscles are affected. More often, typical of young people, it develops gradually. The pain is severe in the morning and lessens at night.
7. Spinal canal stenosis - the cause may be a herniated disc, protrusion (protrusion in the spinal canal). Most often, the process involves the lower roots of the spinal cord, which innervate the legs. The pain is felt from the lower back to the feet and is intensified both when resting and when walking.
8. Facet syndrome is an injury to the intervertebral joints (facets). Pain can be local or radiate to the groin, coccyx and thigh. Physically dependent. At night, the condition worsens, after rest it improves. It is more common in the elderly.

Muscle-associated diseases

Muscle tissue is secondarily affected in the context of bone tissue or joint pathology. Painful spasms and compaction appear in the muscles, mobility is impaired:

1. Fibromyalgia is a pain syndrome from the neck to the lower back. Neurological symptoms can be combined: increased sensitivity when pressing certain points on the back, stiffness and stiffness.
2. Polymyositis - occurs with hypothermia, trauma, sprains, or intense physical exertion. Muscle weakness appears, where even turning to the side is painful and troublesome.
3. Dermatomyositis is a chronic disease of muscles, organs, skin, often of an autoimmune nature.
4. Charcot disease is an inflammation of the peripheral nerves that run along the spine. This leads to changes in gait, muscle weakness and increased sensitivity of nerve roots.
5. Polymyalgia rheumatica is an environmental negativity in the form of hypothermia, overload, uncomfortable posture, etc. It leads to spasms in individual muscles and the onset of pain. The so-called trigger points appear, when pressing on which the muscle reacts with sharp pain. Neurologists know this. Pains of this kind are eliminated with warming ointments and a needle applicator.

spinal cord pathologies

This includes the infraction of the spinal cord, which has 31 paired branches, where each nerve is responsible for innervating its location. This condition occurs when:

• trauma (spine fracture);
• tumors;
• osteochondrosis or herniated disc;
• inflammation as a result of an abscess, hematoma;
• cerebral hemorrhage;
• myositis;
• mineral and vitamin deficiency;
• complications of HIV or neurosyphilis;
• sclerosis.

Back pain due to psychosomatics

In recent years, back pain began to manifest itself in psychosomatics. In this case, with complaints of back pain, the exam does not reveal the pathology. This condition occurs with chronic stress, depression, lack of libido. The result can be not only pain, but also a change in gait, exacerbation of low back pain, and sensory disturbances.

Causes of Back Pain by Location

Pain can occur in a wide variety of areas of the back. Then they talk about your location.

right side pain

The right side of the back may be painful due to spinal curvature, kyphosis, lordosis, myositis, intervertebral disc displacement, obesity.

Somatic pathologies can also cause pain in this area:

• the formation of stones in the organs of the urinary system;
• inflammation of the appendix of the cecum (appendix);
• gallbladder inflammation;
• nephritis;
• inflammation of the ovaries;
• salpingitis.

left side pain

This area of the back can hurt when:

• splenitis;
• ICD;
• root clamping;
• duodenitis;
• oophoritis.

Pain above the lower back may be associated with inflammation of the serous membranes covering the lungs, bronchial damage, intercostal neuralgia, ischemia.

Backache

The lower back often suffers as it has a huge load. This section becomes inflamed with damage to the nerve roots, osteochondrosis or hernial protrusion. Less commonly, the cause may be spinal tuberculosis, arthritis, lumbar sciatic pain, decreased density and violation of bone tissue structure, Reiter's syndrome - a combination of urethritis and prostatitis.

Low back pain is usually chronic.

In the right lumbar region

Low back pain occurs with scoliosis, tuberculosis, myositis, neuralgia, tumors, osteomyelitis, spondylitis. An acute attack can be caused by urolithiasis or pyelonephritis.

Lumbago is a feature of diseases of the lower back with frequent involvement of the spinal roots in the process (radiculitis). The constant, dull pain is more characteristic of an organ like the liver.

In the left lumbar region

Most of the time, the left side starts to hurt after physical exertion. The condition improves after rest. Also, pain can occur with diabetes, pinching of the root. If it does not pass at rest, the reasons can be:

• scoliosis;
• osteochondrosis (with a sedentary lifestyle or inadequate posture);
• spinal infections;
• circulatory disorders.

pinched nerve

More often than not, the sciatic nerve is compressed - sciatica. In that case, your myelin sheath is not disturbed. This is usually a consequence of osteochondrosis. When pinched, a sharp, sharp pain occurs, radiating to the leg, sacrum, and lower back.

With compression radiculopathy, the spinal nerve roots are also compressed due to a herniated disc or a decrease in its height and, as a result, the distance between the vertebral bodies. This pain is felt as "superficial" and is markedly increased by coughing, straining, or sneezing.

intervertebral hernia

A hernia is the extrusion of the intervertebral disc nucleus into the spinal canal. More often, it becomes a consequence of untreated osteochondrosis. The central part projects towards the spinal cord, compressing it. Even a small load in such cases leads to a decrease in cartilage height and an even greater protrusion of the hernia. The pain is sharp and sharp, with a return to the arm or leg.

In the shoulder blade area

A characteristic of pain may indicate a diagnosis:

1. Stomach ulcer - growing dull pain. Eliminated by medications.
2. Intercostal neuralgia - the condition is characterized by acute pain with any physical exertion.
3. Osteochondrosis - dizziness, pressure changes, numbness of the hands.
4. Exacerbation of angina pectoris - the pain is located in the region of the left scapula, radiating to the chest and under the collarbone.

Pain along the spine and back

They most often occur when nerve endings are pinched. Exacerbations are associated with curvature of the spine. If the pain is not pronounced, we can talk about protrusion. As the pain increases, you may think of osteochondrosis. Pain along the spine is typical of myositis, fractures, thinning and wear of the intervertebral discs, spondyloarthritis. They are always crisp and constant.

Causes of low back pain

This pain is most often associated with osteochondrosis and spondyloarthrosis. Less often, these sensations can appear when:

• diseases of the genital area in women (endometritis, adnexitis, vulvitis, cervicitis, oophoritis);
• pregnancy;
• menstruation;
• ulcerative colitis;
• appendicitis;
• prostate or bladder diseases - in men.

associated symptoms

Manifestations of back pain vary by location. With the defeat of the cervical spine, migraines and dizziness, weakness and numbness of the hands, pressure spikes, flies and flashes in the eyes will be noticed. With involvement of the thoracic region, there is a burning sensation and stiffness in the chest, difficulty breathing, pain in the shoulder blade region.

Situations requiring urgent medical attention

An urgent medical appointment requires back pain, which occurs in the following cases:

• prejudice;
• neurological symptoms in the form of tingling and numbness in the limbs;
• temperature is associated with back pain;
• numbness in hands and feet, weakness and tingling sensation;
• the gait has changed or the legs have been removed;
• a history of cancer;
• weight loss for no apparent reason;
• impaired urination and defecation - a person cannot control these processes;
• back pain radiates to the chest, jaw, and neck;
• the conscience is confused and dizzy;
• numbness in Organs genitals and weakness, "blush" in the legs;
• leg cramps;
• problems with conception or erection;
• problems with the gastrointestinal tract, where treatment by a gastroenterologist does not help;
• coccyx pain, small pelvis, aggravated by a change in body position;
• pain increase with a long sitting or standing position.

Specialists will help you find the cause of the pain.

Diagnosis

To identify the cause of back pain, a neurologist prescribes a comprehensive test:

1. Bloodtests. They help identify the presence of infection and inflammation in the form of leukocytosis and increased ESR. A decrease in hemoglobin will indicate anemia, which can have several reasons and one of the possible ones is cancer.
2. magnetic resonance<>. . .Visualize the condition of all components of the spine. It helps to differentiate the type and nature of the tumor, determine the distance between the vertebrae and the degree of root compression.
3. CT. It identifies fractures, allows finding the smallest fragments after injuries. All this in 3D.
4. Radiography. The most cost-effective way to diagnose back pain and identify bone tissue condition. It is prescribed for suspected fracture, arthritis, scoliosis, osteoporosis, spondyloarthrosis.
5. Electromyography (EMG). Determines the indicators of bioelectric activity of muscles and peripheral nerve endings.
6. Ultrasound of the vessels in the neck and brain. In triplex or duplex mode, it is used to assess the permeability of blood flow through arteries and vessels. Its condition is checked - wall thickness, permeability, etc.

Back Pain Treatment

There are several treatments for back pain. A neurologist will select the ideal treatment for you, taking into account the patient's age, lifestyle, level of physical mobility and clinical manifestations.

In the medical treatment of back pain NSAIDs, analgesics, muscle relaxants and B group vitamins are generally used. Along the way, physiotherapy, exercise therapy, IRT, massage, spinal traction, muscle relaxation are prescribed.

In back pain, for the treatment to be of good quality, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

Prophylaxis

Preventive measures:

• learn to maintain your posture and stand correctly;
• don't neglect;
• keep your back straight while sitting, place a support under your feet;
• correctly organize the sleeping place;
• don't jump abruptly when you wake up - slowly stretch, do simple exercises with your arms and legs;
• distribute weights to both hands - don't carry everything in one hand, decline a bag over your shoulder - a backpack is better;
• do not carry the child in your arms with a bent back;
• lift weights by squatting;
• do not wash the floor without a mop, bending forward or kneeling;
• balance your diet with a sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins;
• stop smoking and drinking alcohol;
• don't forget about physical exercise - swimming, Nordic walking, yoga;
• take a contrast bath in the morning;
• protects the liver, produces collagen for the spinal ligaments and vertebral bodies;
• strengthen immunity;
• control weight;
• it is advisable to undergo a manual therapy course for 5-10 sessions every 6 months (as recommended by a specialist);
• avoid stress;
• don't forget about the medical exams.

If you develop back pain, see a doctor who can provide you with appropriate assistance. Remember that any illness is easier to treat in the early stages.