According to medical statistics, acute back pain is the second most common cause of disability.At least 80% of people have suffered from them at least once.They may occur sporadically or be observed during exacerbations of spinal diseases.But in any case, acute and chronic back pain requires competent treatment and specific action on the causes of its occurrence.
Acute back pain: causes
Acute pain is defined as pain that lasts less than 6 weeks.For most, it goes away within 2 weeks.Although it is impossible to initially predict how long it will last.However, in almost half of cases, similar or more severe attacks recur in the future and develop into chronic pain.
Acute pain can have variable intensity, be dull, burning, etc.Sometimes it radiates to the arms, legs, buttocks.The so-called lumbago in the back usually appears after hypothermia, excessive physical exertion and as a result of sprains.Several days may pass between the impact of the traumatic factor and the immediate manifestation of the pain syndrome, and it will manifest itself under the influence of minor physical exertion, for example, bending.
They can also be the result of a back injury or be the first manifestations of spinal diseases, including:
- osteochondrosis;
- intervertebral hernia;
- spondyloarthrosis;
- spinal canal stenosis, etc.
Increase the likelihood of back problems:
- frequent stress;
- regular increase in physical activity;
- overweight;
- Frequent and prolonged standing.
In addition to severe back discomfort, headaches, burning sensations in the legs and dizziness may occur.All of these symptoms should be reported to your doctor at your appointment.
Regardless of which anatomical structure was damaged first, this entails a whole chain of sequential changes that increase discomfort.Initially, inflammatory factors are formed in the lesion, causing swelling and irritation of the nerve fibers.In response to this, muscle spasms often occur, further aggravating the situation and causing poor circulation to the affected area.This leads to a decrease in the amount of nutrients and oxygen supplied to the lesion, as well as the retention of metabolic products in it.
Treatment of acute back pain.
To relieve pain, lie on your back on a hard surface.This will allow your back muscles to relax and relieve tension on your spine.To enhance the effect, you can place orthopedic pillows under your knees and head, but it is important to avoid arching your lower back.For severe pain, short-term use of NSAIDs is allowed.In the future, you should definitely contact a neurologist or spine surgeon to determine the cause of the pain syndrome.
You should visit a doctor as soon as possible if there is no improvement within a week, recurrence of the attack or pain that radiates to the feet or knees, or problems urinating and defecating.To diagnose existing disorders, patients are shown:
- MRI;
- CONNECTICUT;
- Radiography;
- biochemical blood test;
- UAC.
Based on the research results and symptoms, the doctor makes a diagnosis and develops treatment tactics.In case of acute pain that deprives a person of his ability to work, he may be offered a spinal block, which relieves the pain syndrome within a few minutes.
Once the discomfort disappears, it is important not to stay in bed.Moderate physical activity, supplemented by special therapeutic exercises, is the best prevention of the recurrence of such attacks in the future.
By going to the hospital, you will definitely receive high-quality treatment for pain and the causes that cause it.Specialists will be able to develop the most effective treatment tactics and quickly relieve pain with the help of an affordable and well-made blockage.
Chronic back pain: causes
People no less frequently suffer from chronic and annoying back pain.They can worsen and turn into an attack of acute pain, which completely disconnects the person from their usual rhythm.Most of the time it is a consequence of:
- A sedentary lifestyle, which leads to the weakening of the muscle corset.This causes an increase in the load on the spine and compression of the vertebrae.The result is osteochondrosis, protrusion of intervertebral discs and intervertebral disc herniations, spondyloarthrosis.
- Posture disorders.Long-term preservation of any body position in which the natural curves of the spine are disturbed causes its curvature and the development of scoliosis or kyphosis.This involves degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs, redistribution of load on the muscles, and pinching of the nerve roots.
- Weakening of the abdominal muscles.Since they act as support for internal organs and partially relieve the spine, when they are weak, the load on the lumbar area increases, which increases lordosis and causes chronic pain.In addition to a sedentary lifestyle, weakening of the abdominal muscles can be a consequence of pregnancy or obesity.
- Age-related changes.As we age, the intervertebral discs become progressively dehydrated, causing a decrease in their elasticity, strength and size.The annulus fibrosus surrounding the gelatinous nucleus pulposus dries out and becomes more brittle.The loads provoke the formation of cracks in it, which leads to the formation of bulges and hernias.The resulting bulge can compress nearby blood vessels, nerve roots, and the spinal cord, causing pain.
Diseases accompanied by chronic back pain include:
- osteochondrosis;
- spondyloarthrosis;
- osteoporosis;
- intervertebral hernia;
- facet syndrome;
- Bekhterev's disease;
- spondylolisthesis;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- intercostal neuralgia;
- oncological and other diseases.
A common cause of chronic pain is wear and tear of the facet joints.The cartilages found in them are also prone to thinning under excessive loads on the spine.As a result, when moving, they cease to perform a shock-absorbing function, which causes friction of bone fragments and the development of inflammation.
Back pain treatment
Treatment tactics are developed based on the disorders that were discovered during diagnostic studies.When diseases of the spine are detected, conservative therapy is initially prescribed, which includes:
- drug therapy;
- physiotherapy;
- massage;
- Exercise therapy.
Conservative therapy
An individualized and comprehensive approach is important in the treatment of back pain.Depending on the cause of its occurrence, patients are prescribed various medications, in particular:
- NSAIDs - drugs in this group have an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, but with prolonged use they negatively affect the condition of the gastrointestinal tract;
- corticosteroids - drugs with pronounced anti-inflammatory properties, prescribed in moderate to severe cases;
- muscle relaxants - help eliminate increased muscle tone and spasms;
- antidepressants - help eliminate psychological discomfort, which often reduces the effectiveness of conservative therapy;
- topical preparations - ointments or gels containing anti-inflammatory, warming or cooling components can help reduce the severity of pain and practically do not cause side effects;
- Chondroprotectors - preparations containing glucosamine and chondroitin have a beneficial effect on the state of cartilage tissue, increase its elasticity and help restore normal thickness.
In mild cases, oral medication is sufficient.But in more complex situations, patients may be prescribed intra-articular injections.For severe pain, it is recommended to perform blocks once or for an entire cycle, which can include up to 10 procedures.
To increase the effectiveness of drug therapy, patients are prescribed massage and physiotherapy sessions.Proper impact on the muscles of the back helps to activate blood and lymph flow, improve metabolic processes and eliminate muscle spasms.Manual therapy is very effective for spinal deformities, especially grade 1-2 scoliosis.Regular sessions help restore the normal position of the spine and remove pressure on internal organs.
As part of physiotherapy treatment, patients are prescribed sessions:
- ultrahigh frequency;
- magnetic therapy;
- Bernardo Currents;
- laser therapy;
- electrophoresis;
- Ural Federal District;
- balneological treatment.
If within six months it is not possible to improve the condition or there is a risk of complications, patients can be offered surgical treatment of existing diseases.
Surgical treatment
Modern methods of surgical intervention are characterized by a high level of efficiency and safety.They allow you to quickly eliminate the pathological cause of pain and often do not require hospitalization.But most microsurgical and minimally invasive methods can only be used when patients turn to spine surgeons in the early stages of the disease.
Indications for surgical treatment are:
- progressive intervertebral disc herniations;
- spinal canal stenosis;
- sequestered hernias;
- spinal fractures;
- scoliosis grade 3-4;
- severe forms of spondyloarthrosis;
- compression of the spinal cord or its nerve roots;
- hemangiomas of the vertebral bodies;
- instability of individual segments of the spine;
- Cauda equina compression syndrome.
The surgeon determines the type of operation based on the severity of the patient's condition.For the same diagnosis, surgical treatment can be performed in different ways, differing in the degree of invasiveness, effectiveness, duration of rehabilitation and cost.
Recently, minimally invasive surgical treatment methods have become very popular.With its help, intervertebral protrusions, intervertebral disc herniations, hemangiomas and a number of other diseases are treated.Minimally invasive surgery takes no more than an hour and, once performed, the patient can walk almost immediately and leave the clinic the same day or the next day.
The huge advantages of the method are a good cosmetic effect (in most cases, all the necessary surgical instruments are inserted through point punctures of soft tissues), ease of rehabilitation and affordable price.In the case of intervertebral hernias, only cold plasma nucleoplasty or hydroplasty (hydrodiscectomy) can be considered a more promising method.
In situations where microsurgical techniques cannot be used, surgeons perform open operations.During them, it is possible to completely eliminate pathologically altered formations, level severe deformities of the spine, replace structures that cannot be restored with implants, and achieve normal functioning of the spine by mounting titanium metal structures.
Modern spine surgery can treat almost any back problem.The latest methods of surgical treatment of spinal diseases are available in many institutions.A team of doctors with different profiles will help you get rid of acute or painful chronic back pain in the shortest possible time.
Prevent back pain
Once the attack is over and the pain has decreased, to prevent the episode from recurring, it is recommended:
- do not lift too heavy objects;
- don't bend over;
- walk more;
- refuse heavy physical work;
- When working sedentarily, take regular breaks to warm up.