Back pain: causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention

According to statistics, 80% of people are initially aware of back pain. More than a third of all "sick leave" is due to this problem. The reason may be the weakness of fragile muscles and their rapid growth. In addition to visual inspection to determine the problem, hardware diagnostics (x-ray, myography, CT, etc. ), laboratory blood tests are performed. Treatment is prescribed only after diagnosis.

Why does my back hurt?

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

Support is based on the spinal column, which provides protective, motor and shock absorption functions. This is due to the cartilage of the intervertebral discs, muscles and ligaments, which tend to wear out over time with an improper lifestyle and cause degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Inside the spinal column is the spinal cord, whose paired roots innervate almost all organs and tissues. Any disorder in this complex system can cause pain. More often than others, the cervical and lumbar region suffer from the greatest loads and mobility.

What to do with low back pain?

A doctor's examination is necessary to find out the cause, especially if the pain occurs frequently. Only a specialist can correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment. You cannot do self-diagnosis.

First, you can contact a therapist who will identify a number of symptoms and refer you to the right specialist with a narrow profile. If the cause is known and found, the prescribed therapy can be continued. Low back problems are treated by neurologists, orthopedists and vertebrologists.

Causes of back pain

Low back pain is a non-specific symptom that can have a variety of causes.

Physiological (common) causes:

• increased weight;
• last birth or pregnancy;
• hypodynamic work - in the office, on the computer, driving a car;
• permanent jobs - hairdressers, waiters and salesmen, street advertisers, surgeons, teachers;
• heavy physical activity with sharp turns of the body;
• excessive load in training;
• postmenopausal prone to osteoporosis.

Pathological causes:

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

Acute pain disc herniation, spondyloarthritis, spinal epiduritis, osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernias, atypical appendicitis and intestinal obstruction, kidney stones, fractures and sprains, spinal cord strokes, prostate cancer in men and women, can occur in men and women. .

Different diseases due to the nature of back pain

Causes of excruciating pain:

• hypothermia;
• Crick;
• myositis;
• posture that bothers you for a long time while sleeping or working;
• lumbago (caused by labor);
• osteochondrosis;
• intervertebral hernia or displacement of intervertebral discs as a result of abrupt lifting of weights or sudden rotation of the body;
• kidney disease - causes low back pain due to the proximity of the kidneys to the lower back;
• stomach diseases.

Causes of shooting pains:

• intervertebral hernia - the situation with them worsens with any physical stress;
• sciatica - such low back pain often occurs on one side, spreads to the thigh or hip, causes numbness in the legs and also depends on physical effort;
• Osteochondrosis - the patient may experience cramping pain that spreads to the leg and is aggravated by coughing, sneezing, tension, walking, bending.

Etiology of shock pain:

• osteochondrosis;
• intervertebral hernia;
• lumbago;
• Spondylosis - is acute and can not be eliminated by analgesics.

Back pain:

• ischemia;
• heart attack;
• TELA;
• inflammation of the gallbladder;
• sharp increase in blood pressure;
• atherosclerosis.

Why does my back hurt after sleep?

Most people often experience back pain in the morning after sleep, which can be caused by:

• if you lift weights and move sharply, overload the day before;
• weak back muscles;
• hypothermia;
• vertebral hernia or osteochondrosis;
• scoliosis - curvature of the spine leads to uneven muscle contraction;
• pregnancy - changes the center of the body with it;
• obesity - the load on the spine is also uneven.

Sleep conditions are also important. The bed should not be too hard or soft - in any case, the person is forced to take a restless, non-physiological position during sleep, which leads to muscle overload and does not rest at night. Posture is so important that even an orthopedic mattress does not help. It is recommended to lie on your back with your legs raised.

Also, the causes of pain after sleep can be diseases of the spine and internal organs (urological, gastrointestinal, including oncological).

Diseases of the joints and spine

There is a common basis for all pathologies in which low back pain occurs - an unequal load on the spine. These include:

1. Ankylosing spondylitis - a persistent inflammation of the joints and joints that causes chronic spasm of the surrounding muscles. The process is autoimmune, over time the vertebrae begin to grow together, which severely disrupts the function of the spine.
2. Spondylolisthesis - the vertebrae are abnormal. They move and affect the brain or roots.
3. Osteochondrosis - intervertebral discs become thinner, crack, and are replaced by bone tissue. Depreciation becomes impossible.
4. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune inflammation of the joints. More often it affects the cervical spine.
5. Osteomyelitis is an inflammation of the bone marrow and surrounding soft tissues. Causes severe pain.
6. Reiter's disease is a simultaneous rheumatic lesion of the genitourinary tract, joints and conjunctiva of the eyes. The small muscles of the back are affected. It is more common in young people and develops gradually. The pain is severe in the morning and decreases in the evening.
7. Spinal canal stenosis - can be caused by a disc herniation, protrusion (protrusion of the spinal canal). Often the process involves the lowest roots of the spinal cord that innervate the legs. The pain is felt from the waist to the feet, intensifying both at rest and while walking.
8. Facet syndrome is an injury to the intervertebral (facet) joints. The pain may be local or may spread to the groin, tailbone, and thigh area. Physically dependent. In the evening, the situation worsens, and improves after rest. It is more common in the elderly.

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system

Against the background of bone tissue or joint pathology, muscle tissue is affected secondary. Painful spasms and contractions appear in the muscles, mobility is impaired:

1. Fibromyalgia is a pain syndrome from the neck to the lumbar region. Neurological symptoms may include: increased sensitivity, stiffness, and stiffness when pressing on certain points on the back.
2. Polymyositis - occurs with hypothermia, trauma, sprains or severe physical exertion. Muscle weakness is visible, and turning to the side is painful and problematic.
3. Dermatomyositis is a chronic disease of muscles, organs and skin, often autoimmune.
4. Charcot's 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 rheumatic hypothermia, overload, restless posture, etc. is a negative of the environment in the form of, causing spasms and the appearance of pain in individual muscles. The so-called trigger points appear by pressing the muscle reacting with sharp pain. Neurologists know this. Such pains are relieved with warming ointments and a needle applicator.

Spinal cord pathologies

These include disorders of the spinal cord with 31 paired branches, where each nerve is responsible for innervating its location. This situation occurs in the following cases:

• trauma (fracture of the spine);
• tumors;
• osteochondrosis or disc herniation;
• inflammation as a result of an abscess, hematoma;
• cerebral hemorrhage;
• myositis;
• deficiency of minerals and vitamins;
• Complications of HIV or neurosyphilis;
• multiple sclerosis.

Low back pain due to psychosomatics

In recent years, back pain has begun to manifest itself in psychosomatics. In this case, with complaints of back pain, the examination does not reveal pathology. This condition occurs with chronic stress, depression, lack of libido. The result can be not only pain, but also changes in gait, aggravation of the lumbar spine and sensory disturbances.

Causes of low back pain with localization

Pain can occur in different areas of the back. Then they talk about its localization.

Pain in the right side

The right side of the back may ache due to curvature of the spine, kyphosis, lordosis, myositis, displacement of the intervertebral disc, obesity.

Somatic pathologies can also cause pain in this area:

• formation of stones in the organs of the urinary system;
• inflammation of the appendix (appendix);
• inflammation of the gallbladder;
• nephrite;
• inflammation of the ovaries;
• salpinqit.

Pain on the left side

This area of the back can hurt in the following cases:

• spleen;
• ICD;
• compression of roots;
• duodenitis;
• oophorite.

Localized pain above the lower back may be associated with inflammation of the serous membranes surrounding the lungs, bronchial damage, intercostal neuralgia, and ischemia.

Back pain

The lower back suffers very often because there is a large load. This area is inflamed with nerve root damage, osteochondrosis, or a hernia. Less common causes may be spinal tuberculosis, arthritis, lumboischialgia, decreased density and disruption of bone structure, Reiter's syndrome - a combination of urethritis and prostatitis.

Back pain is usually chronic.

In the lumbar region on the right

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

Lumbago is characteristic of lower back diseases (radiculitis) with frequent involvement of the spinal roots in the process. Constant dull and monotonous pain is more characteristic of the body than the liver.

In the lumbar region on the left

Often the left side begins to ache after physical exertion. The situation improves after rest. Also, pain can occur with diabetes, root compression. If he does not go on vacation, the reasons may be:

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

Compressed nerve

More often the sciatic nerve is compressed - sciatica. In this case, the myelin sheath is not damaged. This is usually the result of osteochondrosis. When squeezed, a sharp and sharp pain occurs, spreading to the leg, sacrum, lower back.

With compression radiculopathy, the roots of the spinal nerves are also compressed due to a herniated disc or a decrease in its height and, consequently, the distance between the vertebral bodies. This pain is felt as "superficial" and increases sharply during coughing, strength or sneezing.

Intervertebral hernia

A hernia is when the nucleus of the intervertebral disc protrudes into the spinal canal. More often it is the result of untreated osteochondrosis. The central part goes to the spinal cord, squeezing it. In such cases, even a small load reduces the height of the cartilage and makes the hernia worse. The pain is sharp and sharp, returning to the arm or leg.

In the area of the shoulder blades

One feature of pain may indicate a diagnosis:

1. Stomach ulcer - increasing dull pain. Removed with medication.
2. Intercostal neuralgia - the disease is characterized by sharp pain with any physical effort.
3. Osteochondrosis - dizziness, pressure changes, numbness of the hands.
4. Exacerbation of angina pectoris - the pain is localized in the left back, spreads under the chest and collarbone.

Pain along the spine and back

It most often occurs when nerve endings are compressed. Exacerbations are associated with curvature of the spine. If the pain is not pronounced, we can talk about the protrusion. With increasing pain, you can think about osteochondrosis. Pain along the spine is characteristic of myositis, fractures, thinning and erosion of the intervertebral discs, spondyloarthritis. They are always sharp and stable.

Causes of back pain

Such pain is more often associated with osteochondrosis and spondyloarthritis. Less often such feelings may appear in the following cases:

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

Related symptoms

Manifestations of back pain vary depending on the location. Migraine and dizziness, weakness and numbness in the hands, increased pressure, flies and flashes in the eyes will be noted with the defeat of the cervical spine. With the presence of the thoracic region, there is a burning sensation and stiffness in the chest, difficulty breathing, pain in the shoulder blades.

Situations requiring emergency medical care

An emergency visit to the doctor requires back pain that occurs in the following cases:

• injury;
• neurological symptoms in the form of tingling and numbness in the limbs;
• temperature is associated with back pain;
• numbness, weakness and tingling in the hands and feet;
• gait changed or legs removed;
• history of cancer;
• weight loss for no reason;
• impaired urination and defecation - a person can not manage these processes;
• back pain spreads to the chest, chin and neck;
• confusion and dizziness;
• numbness and weakness in the genitals, "cottoniness" in the legs;
• leg cramps;
• problems with pregnancy or erection;
• problems of the gastrointestinal tract, which do not help the treatment of a gastroenterologist;
• pain in the coccyx, small pelvis, aggravated by changes in body position;
• increasing pain with prolonged sitting or standing position.

Specialists will help to find out the cause of the pain.

Diagnostics

To determine the cause of low back pain, a neurologist will order a thorough examination:

1. Blood tests. They help determine the presence of infection and inflammation in the form of leukocytosis and increased ESR. Decreased hemoglobin will indicate anemia, which can have many causes, and one of the possible ones is cancer.
2. MRT. . .Visualizes the condition of all components of the spine. Helps to differentiate the type and nature of the tumor, determine the distance between the vertebrae and the degree of root compression.
3. CT. Identifies fractures, allows you to find the smallest fragments after injuries. All this is in 3D.
4. Radiography. The most cost-effective way to diagnose low back pain and determine the condition of bone tissue. Prescribed for suspected fractures, arthritis, scoliosis, osteoporosis, spondyloarthritis.
5. Electromyography (EMG). Determines the bioelectrical activity of muscles and peripheral nerve endings.
6. Ultrasound of the neck and cerebral vessels. It is used to assess the openness of blood flow through arteries and veins in triplex or duplex mode. Their condition is checked - wall thickness, permeability, etc.

Treatment of low back pain

There are several treatments for back pain. The neurologist will choose the optimal treatment for you, taking into account the patient's age, lifestyle, level of physical activity and clinical manifestations.

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

It is advisable to consult a doctor for quality treatment for low back pain.

Prophylaxis

Preventive measures:

• learn to maintain your posture and stand properly;
• do not bend;
• keep your back straight while sitting, support under your feet;
• to organize the sleeping place properly;
• do not jump suddenly after waking up - lie down slowly, do simple exercises with arms and legs;
• distribute the weights in both hands - don’t carry everything in one hand, give up a bag on your shoulder - a backpack is better;
• do not carry the child on your lap with your back bent;
• lift weights by squatting;
• do not wash floors without moping, bending forward or kneeling;
• balance your diet with adequate amounts of minerals and vitamins;
• quit smoking and alcohol;
• Do not forget physical exercises - swimming, Nordic walking, yoga;
• take a contrast shower in the morning;
• protects the liver, produces collagen for the ligaments of the spine and vertebral bodies;
• strengthen immunity;
• weight control;
• it is recommended to undergo a course of manual therapy for 5-10 sessions every 6 months (as recommended by a specialist);
• avoid stress;
• Do not forget about medical examinations.

If you develop back pain, consult a doctor who can provide appropriate care. Remember that any disease is easier to treat at an early stage.