Do you spend a lot of time sitting because of work or your hobbies, or do you exercise a lot at the gym?Everything was fine before, but now you have frequent back and lower back pain?So maybe you should see a doctor for help?What causes back pain?Which doctor should I contact and how to deal with the wound?We will talk about this and much more later in this article.
What causes pain?
So, “What to do if your back hurts and what can cause it?”Let's look at this question in more detail.There could be more than enough reasons for this.The fact is that pain in the back and lower back can signal a series of diseases, both of the spine itself and of the internal organs.This is due to the fact that many nerve endings extend from the spine, surrounding all internal organs.Therefore, based on the location of the pain in a certain area of the ridge, we can talk about some specific diseases.
Causes
What does low back pain mean and which doctor should you see?The causes of pain in the lower back can be habits and illnesses.The first include:
- Constant sedentary work.IT workers and drivers are at risk.
- Constant work standing up.
- Frequent heavy physical activity.Athletes, especially weightlifters, are at risk.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Pregnant women and women who have recently given birth are in a separate risk group.
- Overweight.
As you can see, with habits everything is simple.In the second case, pain in the lower back can often be caused by illness.Here we can also distinguish diseases of the spine itself and diseases in which pain in the lower back is just a symptom.The former include osteochondrosis, spondyloarthrosis, intervertebral hernia and protrusion.
The second group contains the following possible causes of low back pain:
- Spinal fracture due to trauma.
- Fracture caused by osteoporosis.
- Tumor located in the spinal canal.
- Prolonged muscle tension.
- Narrow structure of the spinal canal (quite rare).
- Various complications during pregnancy.
- Various arthritis, e.g. osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis.
- Spinal deformities, e.g. kyphosis, scoliosis, Scheuermann-Mau disease, kyphoscoliosis.
- Spinal tuberculosis, osteomyelitis, discitis.
- Urolithiasis, pyelonephritis.
- Ovarian cancer, endometriosis, ovarian cyst.
When should you see a doctor?
Minor back pain, which passes quickly and is a consequence of prolonged exercise, is the norm.But if the lower back hurts for a long time or the pain is periodic, it appears by itself, then disappears, then you should sound the alarm.You should also go to the hospital immediately after a serious back injury.It should be understood that lower back pain can be accompanied by pain in the foot or leg.It is also possible for part of the leg or buttocks to become numb.In this case, you have something serious and should be checked out as soon as possible.
You are unlikely to self-diagnose, so you should go to the hospital, but which doctor should you go to?Some will say go to a chiropractor, while others will say a neurologist is more experienced.Both options are correct, however, it would be more correct to contact a neurologist, as it will be he who will be able to prescribe and correctly carry out the entire course of diagnosing the disease.And in this case, the cause will be identified more accurately and there is every chance of successfully dealing with it.Thus, from the point of view of a neurologist, with low back pain, based on the intensity and strength of the pain, it is possible to approximately determine the cause of its occurrence.
Sharp pain
Acute low back pain in men and women is the result of a recent injury (fall, muscle strain, blow, sudden movements).Also, the cause may be working for a long time in an uncomfortable position or carrying and lifting heavy things for a long time.And finally, don't forget about the cold on your back, due to hypothermia or prolonged exposure to drafts.Here you can easily treat lower back pain with folk remedies.
Separately, the most common include low back pain and displacement of intervertebral discs.The first to suffer from the disease are people whose field of activity involves intense and constant physical work, which is why lower back pain occurs in men.Popularly the disease is called “lumbago”.It usually stops on its own with rest or after a few days.However, it can easily last for up to a month, so it requires at least treatment for lower back pain at home.
Sharp, intense pain in the lower back also occurs when the intervertebral discs are displaced.The disease can be caused by various injuries, heavy physical work or a disease such as osteochondrosis.You can no longer receive treatment at home here.Hospitalization and full diagnosis are required.It can even go as far as surgical intervention.
Intense pain
Intense pain differs from acute pain because it lasts longer and is a consequence of a disease associated with the musculoskeletal system.These include lumbosacral radiculitis and osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.With them you feel a sharp pain in the lower back when sneezing, coughing, sitting, walking, in short, your back hurts with any movement.Additionally, the pain may radiate to the lower extremities and they may even become numb.Here you no longer need to run, but rather go to the attending doctor for an examination.
Sore
As a rule, the back can hurt due to sudden strong tension in the spinal muscles.You can relieve lower back pain simply by resting for a few hours.But you shouldn't fly in the clouds, you need to be alert, as your back may hurt due to severe hypothermia.Thus, the more chronic disease can develop, myositis, in which the psoas muscles become inflamed.In this case, you need several days of rest, and also know how to relieve the pain.
Chronic
Often caused by spondylosis deformans.The main symptoms of this disease are pain in the lower back, radiating to the buttocks or legs.Numbness may also occur in the lower extremities.Other diseases that cause similar symptoms include: cancer, metabolic disorders, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Displaced
This pain is not a consequence of a back disease, but rather a disease of an organ in the spine.This includes diseases of the pelvic organs of the male and female half, as well as diseases of the colon, kidneys, pancreas and various types of tumors.
How is the treatment carried out?
So how to get rid of lower back pain?First you must go to the hospital and make an appointment with a specialist for an examination.After the examination, the attending physician must refer you for examination to confirm or refute your suspected diagnosis.To find out what it could be, you may be referred to have an x-ray of your spine.Today, a more advanced method is used, called myelography.
This method allows you to examine in detail the pathways leading to the spinal cord.Identifies all pathologies in the presence of decreased patency of the pathways.It is important to know that before the x-ray, a xenon substance will be injected into the spinal cord using a syringe, which will highlight everything in the image.This method is quite expensive, but very effective and almost always helps to find out why your back hurts.Additionally, MRI, ultrasound, ECG and computed tomography may be prescribed.In additional cases, other tests may be necessary, such as a complete blood count, etc.
Medication
In most cases, medication is an excellent treatment option for low back pain.It aims to relieve pain, eliminate and further prevent inflammatory processes, improve blood circulation and regenerate damaged tissues.So, once we learn why the lower back hurts, we can have a general idea of how to treat lower back pain.
Conventionally, every treatment can be divided into 3 stages, namely: the beginning of the treatment, the treatment itself and the end of the therapy.At each stage, medicines can be administered both in the form of droppers and in the form of blocks and injections.Treatment of low back pain in the first phase should eliminate the pain itself, reduce swelling and inflammation, relieve spasms and relax the muscles.At the second stage, it is necessary to completely get rid of the cause of the disease.Here, treatment is mainly carried out locally.Ointments and mixtures for compresses are used.Additionally, physiotherapy is recommended.
The third stage consists of injections that enhance the regeneration of damaged tissues and nourish them with all the necessary components.Thus, all segment functionality is restored.At every stage, the choice of medications and therapy depends on your diagnosis and your doctor's choice.Self-medication is strictly not recommended.
Physiotherapy
When the exact cause of the pain is identified, treatment with physiotherapeutic methods can be used.Based on its cause, the following treatment methods can be distinguished:
- Ultrasound.
- Laser therapy.
- Exposure to electrical current, etc.
Physical therapy is more focused on how to treat back pain in the early stages.In more advanced stages of the disease it can be recommended as an auxiliary treatment method.The necessary therapy is prescribed only by the attending physician after the examination.
Surgical intervention
In the vast majority of cases, back pain does not require surgery.However, if you have been experiencing pain for a long time and it only gets worse over time, and you flatly refuse to see a doctor, this method of treatment is also possible.In this case, general anesthesia will most likely be used, where a lytic mixture is used in order to completely immobilize the patient.The surgical plan itself will be developed by the surgeon based on the diagnostic data.
Traditional methods
To the question “How to relieve low back pain?”Traditional medicine can also respond.Here, depending on the intensity of the pain symptoms, various ointments, homemade lotions, etc. can be used.The main purpose of these remedies is to relieve pain and inflammation.In most cases, treatment of the lower back with folk remedies is justified only as first aid.With prolonged self-medication, not knowing the main cause of the pain can make the disease much worse.Below are some popular remedies.
- A compress of grated horseradish and horseradish mixed with sour cream is placed on the painful area of the lower back.The whole thing is covered with a paper napkin on top and a scarf tied across the lower back.This compress perfectly eliminates pain symptoms and relieves muscle spasms.
- When your back hurts, hot compresses from an infusion prepared with a mixture of injury medications will be of great help.These include thyme, chamomile, St. John's wort and black elderberry.The compress is applied at night.The painful area is wrapped in a warm cloth.It is advisable to carry out the treatment at night.An identical compress is prepared from an infusion of dried burdock leaves.
- Another popular remedy is based on the healing properties of horse chestnut.First you need to grind the chestnut into powder.It is then mixed with camphor oil and melted lard.The ingredients are supplied in approximately the same quantities.The resulting ointment is spread on a slice of black bread and applied to the sore back as a compress.This product can improve blood circulation and has nutritional and anti-inflammatory properties.
But remember, no matter how good the folk remedy is, you still need to consult a doctor.After all, self-medication is always done at your own risk.In addition, it may happen that medical procedures only bring short-term relief, after which the pain will intensify significantly.
Prevention
When your back hurts in the lower back, it's already too late to prevent it.But in order not to face this problem for as long as possible, you need to think about how to avoid it and what leads to it?It has already been described above that people who lead a sedentary or sedentary lifestyle, athletes, especially weight lifters and overweight people are at risk.
Thus, the best prevention of the disease would be mandatory morning exercises, sports, therapeutic exercises, reducing the load on the back, massages, nutritional control, etc.
First aid
What to do if your lower back hurts a lot and it's a long way to get to the hospital?How to quickly relieve back pain so you can wait for the doctor?To do this, you need to know some first aid techniques.Of course, they will not have a therapeutic effect, but they will help to cope with pain.So, let's do everything step by step:
- We lie on our back, on a hard bed or on the floor.The bed blanket must be removed.
- At the same time, the legs are raised and bent at the knees.For comfort, place a pillow or folded blanket under your raised legs.
- We take the usual dose of the painkiller or anti-inflammatory we have.
- We lie down and try not to make sudden movements.
- When carrying out procedures, do not forget to call a doctor at home.
- In most cases, you will need rest and bed rest over the next few days.After your doctor's appointment, call work and let your boss know.
- During and after treatment, avoid spicy and smoked foods.