Why do my back and spine hurt?

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

The problem is not only medical, but also socioeconomic, because during the illness, the patient, depending on the causes that gave rise to it, 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 the painis 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:

• nonspecific(benign) - dorsopathy, "outdated" osteochondrosis, the cause most often is dysfunctions of the musculoskeletal system, further examination is most often useless;
• specificpain (dangerous) that requires additional diagnoses at the first consultation, which makes it possible to exclude the presence of spinal fracture, tuberculosis, tumor, metastasis, etc. ;
• radicular pain(radiculopathy) - associated with irritation/compression of the nerve root by a herniated (drooping) disc.

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

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system that cause pain:

• osteoarthritis- the patient may bend in pain, try to straighten the back, breathing deeply contributes to increasing negative sensations, when squeezing the vertebrae, the load on the shock-absorbing elastic pad increases, as a result, the damaged element becomes thinner;

• chondrosis, osteochondrosis of the thoracic 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 decrease, their structure changes, the pinching of nerve fibers contributes to the sudden, severe pain or moderate discomfort aggravated by movement;
• scoliosis, increased/decreased lordosis, kyphosis- lead to a deterioration of posture and appearance, resulting in pinched nerves in the spine;
• pillar injury;
• neurological causes(radiculitis);
• congenital pathologies- extra/missing vertebrae in the spine lead to painful discomfort;
• myositis- weakening and increasing pain develop against the background of inflammation of the skeletal muscles, discomfort increases with palpation of the back.

Other causes of back pain

other reasons:

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

Serious diseases of the organs located in the abdominal cavity and under the chest can also respond with back pain. It is often very difficult for a patient to establish the nature of the pain, it is recommended to monitor 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, perform a visual examination and palpation, study the results of laboratory and diagnostic studies. After that, the selection of the necessary drugs is carried out, whose action is aimed at correcting the problem.

preparations

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

Medicines:

1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs- its action aims to stop the mediators of inflammatory processes before they enter the tissues surrounding the spine. It helps to get rid of inflammation, fever, swelling, spasm, pain. In case of severe pain, injectable preparations are prescribed, which are distinguished by their rapid effect (15-20 minutes), safety for the gastrointestinal tract, all components are delivered in the initial dosage. 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 to the brain, which prevents a response from occurring. It is recommended that the combination of 2 groups be carried out carefully, the characteristics of the body, the compatibility of drugs must be taken into account, the selection of the dosage is carried out individually.
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. The injection of muscle relaxants will help to relax the muscle corset, the effect of their administration lasts for 12 hours. Pills are used less often, as they begin to work only after the necessary amount of the substance has accumulated.
4. chondroprotectors- problems with the spine appear against the background of degenerative processes in joint and cartilaginous tissues; in such cases, drugs containing chondroitin or glucosamine are prescribed. 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 must be as saturated as possible with the listed substances, most often they are prescribed orally, drugs must be taken in long courses.

as auxiliary therapyvitamin complexes, diuretics, antispasmodics may 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 great results.With osteochondrosis, injuries, and hernias, part of the vertebra or intervertebral disc is removed, with aortic aneurysm, plasty is indicated.

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

Exercise, exercise therapy, massage

If the patient's condition and the nature of the underlying disease course permit, moderate physical activity is required.

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

1. child pose. Sit on your knees with your head bent towards 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. Bending the head.Sit on the floor with your back straight, place your hands behind your head, slowly pull your head forward, tilt it until your chin touches your neck, hold for 10-15 seconds, repeat 8-10 times.
3. Twists with a stick. Standing, place the gymnastics pole in a horizontal position on the neck behind the head, stretch your arms and hold the ends of the pole. With a stick behind your 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 legs shoulder-width apart and arms crossed behind the lock, stand up, leaning your body forward, bend your legs slightly at the knees, stay in this position for 15-20 seconds, repeat for 4-5 seconds. times.
5. Leaning forward with toes touching. Sitting on the floor, close your legs, place them in front of you, leaning forward to reach your toes with your hands. The exercise should be performed without sudden movements, gradually, slowly, holding the position for several seconds.

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

Massage

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

Home treatment or folk remedies

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

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

The following steps can help alleviate the condition at home:

• avoid prolonged bed rest - physically active patients suffer less pain;
• play light sports - moderate physical activity is best;
• maintain correct posture;
• increase spine flexibility;
• use corsets and belts for the spine;
• apply heat and cold to the affected area;
• stop smoking - nicotine causes spasm of small vessels, which leads to disruption of microcirculation and disruption of oxygen supply to tissues;
• relaxation exercises.

Prevention

The patient can prevent the development of back diseases on his own, he must learn to sleep, sit and stand correctly, as well as withstand heavy loads with minimal damage to himself. It is recommended to stand and sit with your back straight, the head should not be hanging forward, you should not bend and bend the body without relying on your hands.

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

prevention measures:

• unload the neck and lower back with special wheels or "bone" pillows, avoid sitting on stools or with your back bent, every 15 minutes. you must change posture, stretch and lean back, after each hour of session you need to take breaks;
• you need to sleep on hard mattresses without high pillows, you can put orthopedic rollers under your head;
• when transporting loads, certain rules must be observed, loads over 3 kg for women and more than 5 kg for men must not be transported, it is dangerous to lift weights when folding or shaking, bags must be lifted with a straight back, loads heavy goods must be transported in several stages.

Conclusion

• Backache- a relatively common pathology, with the appearance of a painful syndrome, you should seek medical help.
• The causes of the pathology are very different, the doctor makes the diagnosis based on the patient's anamnesis, exams, complaints.
• during treatmentdrugs are used(mainly analgesics), massage, exercise therapy is recommended.