What to do if your back hurts?

Back pain can make life difficult and has many possible causes. Timely prevention and diagnosis of back pain will help prevent complications. Eliminate back painphysiotherapists and neurologists will help you.

Back pain is a common phenomenon in modern society. This is due to a number of factors: people lead a sedentary lifestyle, lack valuable vitamins and minerals in their daily diet, suffer from pathologies of internal organs, increase physical activity, get injured as a result of professional sports activities, and ignore cancer symptoms. and so on. All this causes pain in different areas of the back and deprives a person of a full life.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the problem of back pain and present the most effective ways to eliminate it. We hope this material will be useful for you!

Back pain

Back pain is called dorsopathy. Many modern residents suffer from the disease, but the reasons for its occurrence can be very diverse. In 80% of cases, the pathology is caused by primary (non-specific) factors, and in 20% of cases, the disease manifests itself against the background of secondary (specific) symptoms.

Pain of a special nature can be provoked by damage to internal organs, in other cases, the pathological process progresses due to degenerative-dystrophic processes in the spine.

Among the specific risk factors, the most dangerous are oncological processes accompanied by metastasis to the spine. For the purpose of prevention, patients are recommended to regularly undergo fluorography and mammography, as well as PSA analysis. This allows detecting the presence of tumors at an early stage, when malignant cells have not yet had time to spread to other organs through the bloodstream.

If your back hurts and you don't know what to do and how to treat a disease of unknown origin, you should first make an appointment with an experienced specialist and find out the cause of the discomfort.

You will deal with neurologists, physiotherapists and surgeons. After a comprehensive diagnosis, they will draw an accurate conclusion about your disease and give an unambiguous answer to the question: "What to do if it hurts so much? ".

Causes of back pain

The most frequently asked question on Internet search engines is: "What should I do if my spine hurts in the middle of my back? ". Today, this pain syndrome affects more than 80% of people in the world. The main sources of its formation are the following pathologies in the region of the spine:

• A disease accompanied by the appearance of a purulent-inflammatory process in the bone marrow due to the activity of pathogens;
• The presence of malignant neoplasms is evidenced by the occurrence of pain in the lumbar region;
• herniated disc;
• Spinal injuries (fractures);
• Curvature of the spine;
• Chronic pain in the area of muscle structures;
• A pathological process characterized by the development of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the field of all components of the spinal movement segment;
• Cartilage damage.

In some cases, manifestations of pain in the back region can also occur for other reasons:

• inflammatory processes in the joints;
• Cardiovascular diseases;
• Bleeding in the pelvic region;
• Violations in the work of the female reproductive system. At the same time, women report back pain. Only a competent gynecologist can draw up a treatment plan and clarify what to do in such a situation;
• Intercostal neuralgia. Difficulty breathing;
• Ulcerative disease characterized by discomfort in the scapula region;
• Kidney failure;
• Inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract accompanied by unilateral pain syndrome;
• The presence of malignant neoplasms in the respiratory organs;
• acute inflammation of the inner mucous membrane of the appendix;
• Infectious processes in internal organs.

Types of back pain

To determine the cause of pathology, the nature of anxiety is taken into account. There are the following types of pain:

Shooting back pain

Then it becomes known:

• pathologies of internal organs;
• Physical injury caused by a fall;
• Compressed nerve roots and spondylolisthesis;
• Spinal curvature and posture disorders.

If the shooting pain worsens, a visit to the medical clinic is a condition for recovery.

Dagger back pain

If the patient has pain in the lower back and the discomfort is of a sharp dagger nature, if he asks a question about what to do, this indicates such dangerous pathological processes:

• the presence of malignant neoplasms;
• Acute inflammation after exposure to thermal factors;
• Spasm of the piriformis muscle.

Sometimes, if the back hurts a lot, the need to do something disappears by itself, because such discomfort occurs in women in the last weeks of pregnancy and is considered normal.

Traction pain syndrome

Often, patients complain: "If my back hurts because I lift weights, what should I do in this situation? ". Of course, excessive physical activity can cause pulling pain, but in most cases the following factors cause such discomfort:

• old injuries on the back;
• Degenerative-dystrophic changes in the waist;
• Do not stay in one position for a long time.

Back pain after exercise

It is observed in people engaged in sports activities at a professional level. As a rule, the pain syndrome occurs against the background of excessive muscle tension. In this case, if your back hurts, what to do, only a qualified specialist will answer you. First of all, you need to give the body a break and complete rest.

Back pain due to coronavirus or SARS?

If the back muscles along the spine ache, what exactly to do in this case, the doctor will answer after the examination for the presence of acute respiratory viral infections. Often they cause severe pain in the area of muscle tissue, painful joints and general weakness as a result of intoxication of the body.

If the back hurts at the same time as the temperature rises, it is quite clear what to do in this case. First you need to take painkillers and antipyretics. Only an experienced doctor can prescribe special antiviral agents and antibiotics after a thorough examination.

It should be noted that the increase in pain in the back with the coronavirus infection is associated with pleurisy and is also associated with an increase in tension in muscle structures, which often occurs against the background of a debilitating cough. In addition, lactic acid builds up in the back muscles and causes significant discomfort.

When is an urgent visit to the doctor necessary?

If the manifestations of pain do not decrease in a few days, but intensify, a visit to a medical institution is a condition for improving well-being.

An independent visit to the clinic or calling a doctor at home is recommended in the following cases:

• The condition worsens at night;
• There is a recent injury to the back or spine;
• Even when the position of the body changes, the patient does not feel well;
• The patient has a fever;
• The patient is at risk (age category over 55 years);
• Neurological discomfort intensifies - sensitivity disappears in the limbs, the patient begins to feel muscle weakness;
• Relief of the condition does not even provide non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• The patient complains of burning pain in the lower leg.

Diagnosis of back pain

If your back starts to hurt and you don't know what to do, you should first contact a neurologist and conduct the necessary laboratory and hardware studies. This will allow you to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment.

What does the blood test determine?

Thanks to the laboratory blood test, doctors can identify infectious processes and determine the important indicator of ESR, which allows to confirm or exclude inflammation. The presence of inflammatory processes can also be evaluated with high values of leukocytes. In addition, based on a blood test, it can be concluded that hemoglobin synthesis is impaired due to iron deficiency, as well as the development of malignant neoplasms.

hardware research

• Duplex/triplex ultrasound examination of neck and head vessels.This allows you to check the condition of blood vessels, judge the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and blood clots, and study the quantitative parameters of blood flow. This research method is often prescribed for patients who complain of dizziness, high blood pressure, headache and symptoms of an acute cerebrovascular accident;
• CT scan.It allows to determine the nature of the fracture of the spine, as well as to detect even its smallest parts. Based on the results of the research, it is possible to recreate the damaged area in a three-dimensional format. CT is more informative than X-rays;
• Magnetic resonance imaging.The most accurate research method. It allows examining malignant neoplasms in the vertebrae, as well as compressed nerve roots, intervertebral hernia, reduction in the lumen of the spinal foramina, and inflammatory processes caused by injury. MRI is considered a prerequisite before and during the rehabilitation period after surgery;
• Radiography.It allows to study the condition of bone tissue in detail. It is performed during scoliosis, inflammatory diseases of the joints, fractures, displacement of vertebrae. Often, when the patient is asked to bend and straighten the spine, it is performed together with functional diagnostics. According to the staining indicators of spines, their strength is judged;
• Electromyography.It allows to assess the condition of the nervous tissue. In this research process, electrical impulses generated by nerve structures, as well as the reaction of muscle tissue to them, are studied. Thanks to EMG, it is possible to detect a compressed nerve caused by intervertebral disc herniation and narrowing of the spinal cavity;
• Bone scintigraphy.It is considered a mandatory method for suspected compression fractures or oncological processes.

back pain treatment

The main goal of therapeutic measures is to relieve pain and prevent the development of chronic pathologies. Therefore, treatment includes the elimination of symptoms of the underlying disease, as well as the use of drugs to relieve acute pain and the use of non-drug methods to restore the body.

Algorithm for elimination of acute pain syndrome:

• Bed rest for the first 3-5 days. At the same time, the patient is recommended to undergo shock wave treatment and use special drugs. In addition, special orthopedic devices are prescribed to the patient;
• Compliance with half-bed rest for the next 8-9 days. During this period, the use of SWT and drugs should be continued. Also, it is recommended to provide the patient with special exercises with a small load and electrophoresis with analgesics;
• Period of limited physical activity (12-20 days). At this stage, drug treatment, shock wave therapy and physiotherapy sessions continue. They resort to massage procedures to get an additional positive effect;
• In addition to the implementation of physiotherapy exercises, unrestricted physical activity (without increased loads);
• Preventive measures. Regular physical therapy and exercise. It improves the quality of life.

Use of drugs

During diagnosis, it is not always possible to determine the cause of the pain syndrome, therefore, when prescribing drugs, the nature of the discomfort is often taken into account:

1. Medicinal blockade of paravertebral muscles is used for acute pain sensations. If it is not possible to relieve pain by the above method, anesthesia is performed in the epidural space of the spine.
2. Pain syndrome of moderate intensity is stopped by injections with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The most effective of these agents is considered to be a derivative of phenylacetic acid. However, with long-term use, this drug can impair the functioning of the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, more benign drugs from this group are prescribed for any stomach disorder in a patient.
3. To stop muscle spasms, they resort to the help of drugs that reduce the tone of skeletal muscles.
4. B group vitamins. They increase the analgesic effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and have a beneficial effect on the nervous system. These drugs are taken in tablet form or given intramuscularly as an injection.
5. With pain of a neuropathic nature, they resort to the use of anticonvulsants or psychotropic drugs as part of complex therapy.

Preventive measures

If pains in the lower back, lower back or shoulder blades do not bother you for many years, you should pay attention to your body to answer the question of what to do. Only a careful attitude to your body, as well as regular implementation of preventive measures, will minimize the possibility of back pain.

There are several important rules, the observance of which will allow you to avoid discomfort in the back. So, when your back hurts and a person asks what to do in this situation, reviews show that the first thing to pay attention to is shoes. As most of the load falls on the spine during movement, you should avoid wearing uncomfortable shoes. Experts recommend giving preference to shoes with small heels (1-3 cm).

It is also important to pay attention to posture. If you work at the computer for a long time, try to change the position of the body from time to time and sometimes walk around the room or office.

When carrying heavy objects, it is necessary to optimally distribute the weight of the load.

Another condition for maintaining a healthy back position is the implementation of gymnastic exercises. Physical therapy and special exercises recommended by professionals will allow you to strengthen your muscles.