Why do my back and spine hurt?

Almost everyone is familiar with back pain.and 15-20% face this symptom regularly throughout the year.

The problem is not only of a medical nature, but also socio-economic, since during the illness the patient, depending on the causes that caused the problem, loses the ability to work.

In most cases, it is possible to get rid of the disease in a month, after which the patient can resume normal life.

Despite these results, in 70% of patients the pain recurs, the treatment is useless due to the fact that the therapy was incorrect or inadequate.

It should be noted that the painit is 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• not specific(benign) - dorsopathy, "outdated" osteochondrosis, the cause is most often dysfunctions of the musculoskeletal system, additional examination is often useless;
• specificpain (dangerous) that requires additional diagnostics already at the first visit, which allows to exclude the presence of a spinal fracture, tuberculosis, tumor, metastasis, etc. ;
• root pain(radiculopathy) - associated with irritation / compression of the nerve root by a herniated disc (fall).

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

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system that cause pain:

• osteoarthritis- the patient can bend over from pain, attempts to straighten the back, inhale deeply contribute 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, pinching of nerve fibers contributes to sudden, intense pain or moderate discomfort aggravated by movements;
• scoliosis, increase / decrease in lordosis, kyphosis- lead to a deterioration of posture and appearance, with consequent crushing of the nerves of the spinal column;
• pillar injury;
• neurological causes(radiculitis);
• congenital pathologies- extra / missing vertebrae in the spine lead to painful discomfort;
• myositis- weakening and increased pain develops 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- the discomfort is often accompanied by high fever, swelling of the lower limbs, hypertension;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system, vascular pathologies - accompanied by throbbing back pain and increased blood pressure;
• chronic stress;
• diseases of the digestive system- the pain is localized in the center 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.

Even severe diseases of the organs located in the abdominal cavity and under the chest can respond 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.

Spine Pain Treatment

Before starting treatment, the doctor must 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. Next, the selection of the necessary drugs is carried out, the action of which is aimed at correcting the problem.

Preparations

During an exacerbation, therapy aims to stop the pain signal.

Medicines:

1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories- their action is aimed at stopping the mediators of inflammatory processes before they enter the tissues surrounding the spine. Helps get rid of inflammation, fever, swelling, spasm, pain. In case of severe pain, injectable preparations are prescribed, they are distinguished by their quick effect (15-20 minutes), safety for the gastrointestinal tract, all components are administered in the initial dosage. To eliminate moderate and mild pain, external preparations or medicines in oral form are prescribed.
2. Analgesics- they are prescribed when the analgesic properties of NSAIDs are not sufficient, the drugs affect the transmission of nerve impulses to the brain, preventing the occurrence of a response. It is recommended to carefully carry out the combination of 2 groups, take into account the characteristics of the body, the compatibility of drugs, 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 severe pain. Injection of muscle relaxants will help relax the muscle corset, the effect of their administration lasts 12 hours Tablets are used less frequently, as they begin to work only after the required amount of the substance has accumulated.
4. Chondroprotectors- problems with the spine appear against the background of degenerative processes in the 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 the disease, the 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.

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, plastic is indicated.

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

Exercise, physical therapy, massage

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

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

1. child's pose. Sit on your knees with your head bowed to the ground, stretch your arms forward, stay in this position for 20 seconds, stretch your arms back even for 20 seconds, repeat the exercise twice.
2. Bend your head.Sit on the floor with your back straight, put 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. Torches with a stick. In a standing position, place the gymnastic stick horizontally on the neck behind the head, stretch out your arms and hold the ends of the stick. 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. The body tilts forward. With your legs shoulder-width apart and your arms intertwined 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 up to 4-5 times.
5. The body leans forward with the toes touching. Sitting on the floor, close your legs, put them in front of you, bending forward to reach your toes with your hands. Exercise should be performed without sudden movements, gradually, slowly, hold in position for several seconds.

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

Massage

Manual massage is also effective in back pain caused by spinal diseases.. The techniques allow to achieve muscle relaxation, during their implementation, the soft tissues are heated, which helps to improve blood circulation. Such a massage is recommended for patients with pathologies of the respiratory organs, accompanied by sputum secretion.

Home treatment or folk remedies

In the presence of persistent back pain, it is recommended to turn to folk recipes, before using them it is necessary to consult a doctor. Despite the apparent safety, many means can not only be 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 red pepper, valerian root tincture, a bottle of 5% iodine solution, carefully rub the affected area with the mixture, wrap it. It is recommended to carry out the procedure at night, left in the warm until the morning. It is very important not to start the disease, to identify the cause of the pathology in a timely manner and to follow all the recommendations of doctors.

The following steps can help alleviate the condition at home:

• avoid prolonged stay in bed - physically active patients suffer less pain;
• engage in light sports: moderate physical activity is best;
• maintaining correct posture;
• increase the flexibility of the spine;
• wearing corsets and belts for the spine;
• apply heat and cold to the affected area;
• quitting smoking - nicotine causes spasm 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 must learn to sleep, sit and stand correctly, as well as withstand heavy loads with minimal harm to himself. It is recommended to stand and sit with your back straight, your head should not protrude forward, do not bend and bend your body without relying on your hands.

If you need to stand for a long time, you should find a place to support the head and limbs, you can lean against a closet, a wall and other surfaces. Walking on the heels for more than 2 hours in a row is excluded, the legs should rest periodically, for this they should be raised for a couple of minutes.

Prevention measures:

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

Conclusion

• Backache- a relatively common pathology, with the appearance of a pain syndrome, you should seek medical help.
• The causes of the pathology are very diverse, the doctor makes a diagnosis based on the anamnesis, examinations, complaints of the patient.
• During the treatmentdrugs are used(mainly painkillers), massage, physical therapy is recommended.