Why does 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 socio-economic, because during the illness the patient, depending on the causes that caused the problem, loses his ability to work.

In most cases, it is possible to get rid of the disease within a month, after which the patient can return to 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.

Note 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:

• not specific(benign) - dorsopathy, "outdated" osteochondrosis, the cause is most often malfunctions of the musculoskeletal system, additional examination is most often unnecessary;
• specificpain (dangerous) requiring additional diagnostics at the first visit, which makes it possible to exclude the presence of a vertebral fracture, tuberculosis, tumor, metastasis, etc. ;
• root pain(radiculopathy) - associated with irritation/compression of the nerve root by a herniated (fallen) disc.

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

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system that cause pain:

• osteoarthritis- the patient can bend from pain, try to straighten the back, take a deep breath helps to increase negative sensations, squeezing the vertebrae, the load on the elastic shock-absorbing pad increases, accordingly, the damaged elementbecomes thinner;

• chondrosis, osteochondrosis of the chest region- develops against the background of obesity, physical inactivity, unbalanced diet, mineral metabolism disorders, in the process of age-related changes, the elasticity and height of the intervertebral discs decrease, their structure changes, pinching of nerve fibers contributes to sudden, severe pain or moderate discomfort aggravated by movement;
• scoliosis, increased/decreased lordosis, kyphosis- lead to a deterioration in posture and appearance, resulting in pinched nerves in the spine;
• pillar injury;
• neurological causes(radiculitis);
• congenital pathologies- extra/missing vertebrae in the spine cause 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:

• inflammation of the kidneys- the discomfort is often accompanied by high fever, swelling of the lower limbs, hypertension;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system, vascular pathologies - accompanied by nagging back pain and increased blood pressure;
• chronic stress;
• diseases of the digestive system- the pain is localized in the middle or on the 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 react with pain in the spine. It is often very difficult for a patient to establish the nature of the pain, it is recommended to monitor the symptoms and inform the doctor in a timely manner.

Treatment of pain in the spine

Before starting treatment, the doctor should make a diagnosis, study the patient's history, listen to complaints, conduct a visual examination and palpation, study the results of laboratory and diagnostic studies. After that, the selection of the necessary drugs is carried out, the action of which is aimed at correcting the problem.

drugs

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

Medications:

1. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs- their action is aimed at stopping the mediators of inflammatory processes before they enter the tissues surrounding the spine. It helps to get rid of inflammation, fever, swelling, spasms, pain. In case of severe pain, injection preparations are prescribed, they are distinguished by their quick effect (15-20 minutes), harmlessness to the gastrointestinal tract, all components are delivered in the initial dose. To get rid of moderate and mild pain, external preparations or drugs in oral form are prescribed.
2. Painkillers- are prescribed when the analgesic properties of NSAIDs are not enough, the drugs affect the transmission of nerve impulses to the brain, which prevents the onset of a response. The combination of 2 groups is recommended to be carried out carefully, the characteristics of the body, the compatibility of drugs should be taken into account, the selection of the dosage is carried out on an individual basis.
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. Injection of muscle relaxants will help relax the muscle corset, the effect of their administration lasts for 12 hours. Tablets are used less frequently, since they begin to work only after the required amount of substance has been accumulated.
4. Chondroprotectors- problems with the spine appear against the background of degenerative processes in joint and cartilage 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 illness, cells should be as saturated as possible with the listed substances, most often they are prescribed orally, drugs should be taken in long courses.

As an adjunct therapyvitamin complexes, diuretics, antispasmodics can be prescribed, as well as funds aimed at improving trophism and restoring blood circulation, antioxidants, antihistamines and others.

Operation

In the absence of the effect of drug treatment, surgical treatment is indicated, modern techniques can achieve excellent results.With osteochondrosis, injuries and hernias, part of the vertebra or intervertebral disc is removed, with aortic aneurysm, plastic surgery is indicated.

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

Exercise, exercise therapy, massage

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

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

1. child posture. Sit on your knees with your head tilted to the floor, stretch your arms forward, stay in this position for 20 seconds, also stretch your arms back for 20 seconds, repeat the exercise twice.
2. Tilt 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 8to 10 times.
3. Writhes with a stick. In a standing position, place the gymnastic stick in a horizontal position on the neck behind the head, extend the arms and hold the ends of the stick. With a stick behind the head, slowly twist to the left, hold for 25-30 seconds, repeat in the opposite direction, the number of repetitions is 10-12 times.
4. Body tilt forward. With legs shoulder-width apart and arms together behind the lock, stand up tilting the body forward, slightly bend the legs at the knees, stay in this position for 15-20 seconds, repeat until4 to 5 times.
5. Tilt the body forward with the toes touching. Sitting on the floor, close your legs, place them in front of you, bending forward to reach your toes with your hands. The exercise should be performed without sudden movements, gradually, slowly, hold the position for several seconds.

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

Massage

Manual massage also shows effectiveness in back pain caused by diseases of the spine.. Techniques allow you to achieve muscle relaxation, when performing them, soft tissues are warmed up, which helps to improve blood circulation. Such a massage is recommended for patients with pathologies of the respiratory organs, accompanied by sputum.

Home treatment or folk remedies

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

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

The following steps can help relieve the condition at home:

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

Prevention

The patient can prevent the development of back diseases on his own, he needs to learn how to sleep, sit and stand correctly, and how to withstand heavy loads with minimal harm to himself. It is recommended to stand and sit with a straight back, the head should not hang forward, you should not bend over and bend your body without leaning on your hands.

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

Preventative measures:

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

Conclusion

• Back ache- a relatively common pathology, with the appearance of a pain syndrome, you need to consult a doctor.
• The causes of pathology are very different, the doctor makes a diagnosis based on anamnesis, examinations, complaints of the patient.
• During treatmentdrugs are used(mainly painkillers), it is recommended to carry out massage, exercise therapy.