Back pain is most common in older people, but for a number of reasons it can also occur in young people.Almost all adults are used to periodically feeling pain in the back, which is explained by the special predisposition of this part of the body to various types of injuries.The majority of back pain can be easily treated and prevented, but sometimes the causes of back pain can be quite serious, including, for example, osteochondrosis.
Also, back pain can be caused by any disease of the gastrointestinal tract, the presence of kidney stones or other problems with the human urinary system.
Back pain can be both in the lumbar region and between the shoulder blades, and it can also cause pain in the arm or leg, depending on the cause of the pain.
Causes of back pain
The main causes of back pain include diseases such as osteochondrosis, spondyloarthrosis, radiculopathy, scoliosis, herniated intervertebral discs, osteoporosis, myofascial pain and serious disorders of spinal circulation.
In addition, back pain can be caused by being overweight, heavy physical activity including weight lifting, poor posture, or some type of infection.
Factors contributing to back pain
In the event that back pain is caused by disease but there is no treatment, the pain tends to return and subside depending on the presence of contributing factors.For example, the return of back pain can be caused by hypothermia or heavy lifting, as well as if a person is in an uncomfortable position for a long time.In addition, the infection can bring pain back into the body.
The main symptoms of back pain
A signal for a visit to a doctor and an examination is back pain that does not disappear within 3 to 5 days, as well as a concomitant body temperature above 37.8.
Back pain can be accompanied by frequent and painful urination, vomiting and nausea, numbness of the limbs and diarrhea.These are all symptoms that should prompt you to see your doctor immediately.
If, along with back pain, there is noticeable difficulty moving the arms or legs and confusion, it is extremely important to consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Diagnosis of back pain
For back pain, research methods such as neurological and X-ray examinations, CT and MRI, manual diagnostics are used.
Most often, osteochondrosis is detected during an X-ray examination of elderly people.
Immediately after a visit to the doctor, an anamnesis is taken, the symptoms and complaints are explained in detail, after which additional tests are ordered.
When taking an anamnesis, the localization of pain, its radiation, the emotional state of the patient is clarified, and the presence of a relationship between the appearance of pain and the person's position is revealed.The presence of old back injuries is also important.
To determine the presence of neoplasms and infections, a somatic examination is performed.
Back pain treatment
For the treatment of pain of various types, depending on the cause that caused it, treatment methods such as manual, drug and physical therapy, as well as exercise therapy, post-isomeric relaxation, surgery, traction, interspinous and paravertebral blocks are prescribed.It is also necessary to follow an orthopaedically correct regimen.
During the treatment of osteochondrosis, it is necessary to avoid sharp movements and especially bending over, and you should also remain mostly at rest.In the case of acute osteochondrosis, the patient may not visit a medical facility and be treated at home.In this case, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, muscle relaxants are prescribed and it is recommended to sleep on a hard bed, using a special shield under the mattress.
In the treatment of intervertebral hernia, surgical intervention is used in cases where the patient experiences compression of the spinal cord, which happens quite rarely.
Chronic back pain
The presence of chronic back pain often indicates osteochondrosis, the treatment of which takes from 5 to 15 sessions, depending on the intensity of the pain.The healing process includes acupuncture, vacuum therapy, acupressure, moxa therapy, hirudotherapy and stone therapy.
If we talk in more detail about each of the listed methods, we can note the good effectiveness of acupressure, which helps to eliminate muscle spasms and excessive tension and promotes blood circulation.Also, thanks to manual therapy, the dysfunction of the spinal joints is effectively eliminated.And provided that the patient follows the doctor's recommendations after completing the course of therapy, the discs will continue to recover on their own.
If there is a herniated disc, the treatment is quite a long process, slowly reducing the hernia itself and relieving the pain from it.The full course of treatment allows you to fully restore the normal functioning of the affected disc.