Leaving aside the obvious causes, such as injuries, muscle strains or hypothermia, back pain in adults is most often associated with degenerative changes in the structure of the intervertebral joints and the vertebral bodies themselves.
This process is called differently in different countries, but the essence does not change: with age, due to metabolic disorders, as well as asymmetric or excessive loads, the cartilage, which is located between the vertebrae and ensures their mobility, thins. and it thickens. This causes microtrauma and inflammation of the intervertebral joints and surrounding tissues.
Inflammation can be quickly extinguished with the help of medications, but cartilage regeneration is a long process: cartilage wears out faster than it recovers. Therefore, having arisen once, pain in the spine, as a rule, periodically returns.
What to do: get an MRI and see a neurologist, have your bones broken by a chiropractor, take pills, or turn to alternative medicine?
First of all, consult a neurologist!
This is where you should start when your back hurts for the first time. The doctor must exclude all truly dangerous causes of pain, for example, a compression fracture (sometimes unnoticed), spinal tuberculosis or a tumor.
Most likely, the doctor will limit himself to a simple examination, prescribe treatment for 3-5 days, and then give recommendations for correcting your lifestyle. In the future, if the pain occurs again, you will be able to deal with it yourself.
Doing an MRI of the spine on your own initiative is a waste of time and money. In most cases, the results of the study will not affect the choice of treatment, tactics and prognosis, and therefore your well-being.
You definitely need to see a neurologist.: if back pain is accompanied by weakness in the leg, arm, if there are problems with the sensitivity of the body below the sore spot (numbness, tingling, tingling) or if the functions of the pelvic organs are disturbed (problems with urination , erection, etc. ). In these cases a more in-depth examination will be necessary.
Enduring pain is harmful
The pain causes muscle spasms, which increases pressure on the spinal nerves and pain receptors in the joint, and also limits movement. To recover faster, it is necessary to break this chain.
Therefore, in case of severe pain, bed rest is indicated for the first 1-3 days. Everyone chooses for themselves the position in which the pain is minimal, but more often it helps to lie on your back, on a hard base with a cushion under the knees and lower back, with the head on a low pillow. Sometimes it is easier in the fetal position: on your side, with your back round and a pillow between your bent knees.
Medications include pain relievers and anti-inflammatories for 3 to 5 days. As a rule, after 1 injection it improves greatly. You can also take these drugs in tablets: the strength of action will not change, but the effect will come later.
Vitamins B1, B6, B12 are indicated together with pain relievers. They help to cope with pain, inflammation and improve the metabolism of nervous tissue.
A neurologist or therapist may prescribe muscle relaxants. They help relax the muscles of the spine, reduce pressure on the source of inflammation and pain, but they can have serious side effects, so it is better not to take them without consulting a specialist.
If everything is done correctly, the pain should disappear within 3-5 days. The future destiny of your back is in your hands. How much your quality of life will change now depends not on the qualifications of the treating doctor, but on whether you are ready to properly work your muscles and joints!
How to get moving?
There is a rule developed by natural selection: avoiding pain, thereby protecting the damaged part of the body from destruction. But back pain is an exception.
During a week of bed rest, up to 20-30% of muscle strength can be lost, significantly reducing the chances of a full recovery in the future.
Why train muscles?
First of all,The strong muscles of the back and abdomen can take on most of the load by absorbing movement, as well as stabilizing the spine in the correct position, so that the intervertebral joints adopt the optimal configuration and experience less wear and tear and pain. It has been shown that people with underdeveloped muscles more frequently suffer from chronic back pain.
In second place,Training the back muscles increases the bone density of the vertebrae. This is an excellent prevention of osteoporosis and compression fractures, which is especially important for women over 45 years old. And when moving, lubrication of the joints occurs, blood circulation improves, and cartilage regeneration processes progress faster.
Third,Proper physical activity strengthens the ligaments that hold the vertebrae together. This is an important element in the prevention of chronic back pain in people with joint hypermobility: those who can reach the thumb of the hand to the forearm bones of the same hand or can hyperextend their arms at the elbows and fingers. knees.
Therefore, the best prevention of back pain is movement, but the correct movement!
Three rules of physiotherapy.
The ideal option is to undergo a physiotherapy complex under the supervision of an instructor: a physiotherapist, kinesiotherapist, neurologist or chiropractor. Once you have learned the technique, you can practice it on your own without the help of specialists.
It is important to follow three rules, without which no exercise will work!
- Exercise should become a daily habit, not an extinction measure. Choose 4 to 5 flexibility and coordination of movement exercises that can be done 15 to 20 minutes after waking up every day. According to statistics, the people who most often suffer from back pain are "weekend athletes": people who do not have time to do sports during the week and only have the opportunity to make up for lost time on the weekends.
- The second part of the activity is a series of strength exercises. They aim to strengthen the muscles of the back, abdominals, arms, legs and stabilize the spine, so they should gradually become more complex. If you finish a workout without feeling tired, then you've wasted your time: muscles that don't get tired don't develop. Strength training requires more time, but also produces a longer lasting effect. Therefore, it is enough to dedicate 1 hour to them 2-3 times a week. If you suffer from diseases of the cardiovascular system and lungs, it is important that the intensity of exercise is controlled by a physiotherapist, at least in the initial stage.
- The biomechanics of the spine are very complex. Therefore, there are no universal exercises to correct all types of pain. A good specialist will immediately narrow down the choice. But if you practice on your own, let your feelings guide you. Training should gradually increase the range of motion without back pain. If this does not happen, or the pain, on the contrary, intensifies, then you are doing something wrong.
An approximate set of exercises for acute, subacute periods and remissions, when your back practically does not bother you, can be downloaded from the Internet.
Will you have to leave the sport?
It is advisable to replace some types of activities with similar ones. For example, instead of running on rough terrain, it is better to try a treadmill, instead of a road bike, try a stationary bike.
It is advisable to avoid exercises with pure suspension on the bar at first, replacing them with exercises with support for the back or legs. Dumbbell or barbell exercises are performed in a lying position on your back or stomach, without vertical loads.
Sports associated with jumping and sudden twisting movements can provoke a painful attack: volleyball, basketball, football, tennis, dancing. But this doesn't mean it's time to give up your favorite activity. To get back into shape, you will first need to properly exercise your back and abdominal muscles under the supervision of a doctor and choose shoes with good cushioning. And of course, before any activity it is necessary to warm up properly.
For most, the ideal sport for back pain is swimming, as well as water aerobics. However, some people with spinal joint instability may experience increased lower back pain after swimming. In this case, it is necessary to start with dry training to strengthen the core muscles.
The main causes of chronic back pain are excess weight, stress and poor posture. An active lifestyle allows you to solve all three problems at once.
How to check your posture?
The column has 4 curves: 2 forward and 2 backward. Normally, they are balanced and soften the vertical load on the vertebrae during walking and other movements. If you slouch excessively or overextend your lower back, your body weight is distributed incorrectly and the load on individual vertebrae becomes prohibitive.
For example, if you tilt your head forward and curve your back (the standard posture of an office worker), the stress on the joints of the neck and upper thoracic spine increases by 6 times.
To check your posture, stand with your back to a wall. Normally, the back of the head, shoulder blades, buttocks, game and heels should touch the wall. In the lower back, the fist should easily pass between the wall and the flat back.
Sit up straight with your lower back supported. You can place a small pillow or a folded sweater under your lower back. To get rid of the habit of crossing your legs, try placing a low stool or a box of office equipment under your feet. Try changing your body position more frequently, periodically walking around the office and stretching your muscles to relieve tension. For example, as in thematic videos on the Internet.
How not to try too hard?
Follow safety precautions if you need to take something somewhere.
Calculate your movements and order of actions in advance. Can you use surrounding objects as support? Where should the cargo be transported?
Assume the pose: Bend your knees and hips slightly, but do not lean forward. Tighten your abdominal muscles to protect your pelvic organs. When lifting something heavy, your legs should be working, not your back.
Hold the weight at your waist or chest, with the heavy end facing you.
If you need to turn, stand up, but do not lean to one side or twist your spine.
Keep your head straight. When you pick up a load, look ahead, not at it.
Know your limits! There is a big difference between what you can lift and what you can lift without endangering your health. When in doubt, ask someone to help you.
Do not throw away. . . If you need to move a heavy object across the floor, it is better to push it than to drag it behind you.
Distribute your weight evenly. When carrying shopping bags or luggage, try to carry the same weight in each hand.
What else will help heal your back?
Physiotherapy, acupuncture (reflexology), various types of massage, manual therapy, and even taking antidepressants are quite effective methods used to treat various types of chronic back pain around the world. The mechanism of its action is simple: relieve muscle tension, improve blood circulation and metabolic processes in tissues, correct the biomechanics of movement.
These methods work in the hands of a specialist and can be useless and even harmful in the hands of a charlatan. Therefore, always pay attention to the reputation of the clinic and the opinions of the doctor with whom you communicate.
And the most important thing is that all these types of treatment only have an auxiliary value. The main thing is correct posture, daily muscle work, proper nutrition and careful use of the spine.
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