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 can occur sporadically or can be observed during exacerbations of spinal diseases.But in any case, acute and chronic back pain requires competent treatment and targeted action on the causes of their occurrence.
Acute back pain: causes
Acute pain is defined as pain lasting less than 6 weeks.For most, it disappears within 2 weeks.Although it is impossible to predict at first how long it will last.However, in almost half of the cases, similar or more severe attacks recur in the future and become chronic pain.
Acute pain can be of different intensity, be dull, burning, etc.Sometimes it spreads to the arms, legs, buttocks.The so-called lumbago in the back often occurs 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 over.
They can also be the result of a back injury or the first manifestation of a spinal disease, including:
- osteochondrosis;
- intervertebral hernia;
- spondyloarthrosis;
- spinal canal stenosis etc.
Increase the likelihood of back problems:
- frequent stresses;
- regular increased physical activity;
- excess weight;
- frequent and prolonged standing.
In addition to severe back pain, headaches, burning in the legs and dizziness may also be present.You must report all these symptoms to your doctor during the examination.
Regardless of which anatomical structure is damaged first, it entails a whole chain of successive changes that increase the discomfort.Initially, inflammatory factors are formed in the lesion, which cause swelling and irritation of the nerve fibers.In response to this, muscle spasms often occur, which further worsens the situation and causes poor circulation in the affected area.This leads to a reduction in the amount of nutrients and oxygen delivered to the lesion, as well as retention of metabolic products in it.
Treatment of acute back pain
To ease the pain, lie on your back on a hard surface.This will allow the back muscles to relax and relieve stress from the spine.To enhance the effect, you can place orthopedic pillows under the knees and head, but it is important to avoid bending in the lower back.Short-term use of NSAIDs is allowed for severe pain.In the future, you should definitely consult a neurologist or spinal surgeon to determine the cause of the pain syndrome.
You should see a doctor as soon as possible if there is no improvement within a week, if the attack recurs or the pain spreads to the feet or knees, or problems with urination and defecation.In order to diagnose existing disorders, patients are shown:
- MRI;
- CT;
- X-ray;
- biochemical blood test;
- UAC.
Based on the results of research and symptoms, the doctor makes a diagnosis and develops treatment tactics.In the case of acute pain that deprives a person of his ability to work, he can be offered a spinal block, which alleviates the pain syndrome in a few minutes.
After the discomfort subsides, it is important not to stay in bed.Moderate physical activity, supplemented with special therapeutic exercises, is the best prevention of recurrence of such attacks in the future.
By going to the hospital, you are sure to receive high-quality treatment for the 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 a well-made, affordable blockade.
Chronic back pain: causes
People often suffer from excruciating chronic back pain.They can worsen and turn into an attack of acute pain, which completely excludes a person from the usual rhythm.Most often it is a consequence of:
- A sedentary lifestyle, which leads to a weakening of the muscular corset.This causes an increase in the load on the spinal column and compression of the vertebrae.The result is osteochondrosis, protrusion of intervertebral discs and herniation of intervertebral discs, spondyloarthrosis.
- Postural 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 implies degenerative changes on the intervertebral discs, redistribution of the load on the muscles and pinching of the nerve roots.
- Abdominal muscle weakness.Since they act as a support for the internal organs and partially relieve the spine, when they are weak, the load on the lower back increases, which increases the 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.With age, the intervertebral discs gradually dehydrate, which causes a decrease in their elasticity, strength and size.The fibrous ring surrounding the gelatinous nucleus pulposus dries out and becomes more fragile.Loads cause the formation of cracks in it, which leads to the formation of protrusions 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;
- Bekhter's disease;
- spondylolisthesis;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- intercostal neuralgia;
- oncological diseases, etc.
A common cause of chronic pain is wear and tear on the facet joints.The cartilages found in them are also prone to thinning under excessive loads on the spine.As a result, when they move, they stop performing the cushioning function, which causes friction of bone fragments and the development of inflammation.
Treatment of back pain
Treatment tactics are developed based on the disorders that are discovered during diagnostic studies.When diseases of the spine are detected, initially conservative therapy is prescribed, including:
- drug therapy;
- physiotherapy;
- massage;
- Exercise therapy.
Conservative therapy
When treating back pain, a comprehensive individual approach is important.Depending on the cause of their occurrence, patients are prescribed a number of medications, in particular:
- NSAIDs - drugs of this group have an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, but with long-term use they have a negative effect on the condition of the gastrointestinal tract;
- corticosteroids – drugs with pronounced anti-inflammatory properties, which are prescribed in moderate to severe cases;
- muscle relaxants - help to eliminate increased muscle tone and spasms;
- antidepressants - help to eliminate psychological discomfort, which often reduces the effectiveness of conservative therapy;
- local preparations - ointments or gels containing anti-inflammatory, warming or cooling components can help reduce the intensity of pain and practically do not cause side effects;
- chondroprotectors - preparations containing glucosamine and chondroitin have a beneficial effect on the condition 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.In case of severe pain, it is recommended to do the blockade once or as a whole course, which can include up to 10 procedures.
In order to increase the effectiveness of drug therapy, patients are prescribed massage sessions and physiotherapy.Correct action on the back muscles helps to activate blood and lymph flow, improve metabolic processes and eliminate muscle spasms.Manual therapy is very effective in spinal deformity, especially in scoliosis 1-2 degrees.Regular sessions help to restore the normal position of the spine and remove pressure on the internal organs.
As part of physiotherapy treatment, patients are prescribed sessions:
- UHF;
- magnetic therapy;
- Bernard Current;
- laser therapy;
- electrophoresis;
- Ural Federal District;
- balneological treatment.
If it is not possible to improve the condition within six months 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 degree of efficiency and safety.They allow you to quickly remove the pathological cause of pain and often do not require a stay in the hospital.But most minimally invasive and microsurgical methods can be used only when patients turn to spine surgeons in the early stages of the disease.
Indications for surgical treatment are:
- progressive herniation of intervertebral discs;
- spinal canal stenosis;
- sequestered hernias;
- spine fractures;
- scoliosis grade 3–4;
- severe forms of spondyloarthrosis;
- compression of the spinal cord or its nerve roots;
- vertebral body hemangiomas;
- instability of certain segments of the spine;
- cauda equina compression syndrome.
The surgeon determines the type of surgery based on the severity of the patient's condition.For the same diagnosis, surgical treatment can be performed in different ways, which differ in the degree of invasiveness, effectiveness, duration of rehabilitation and cost.
Recently, minimally invasive methods of surgical treatment have been very popular.With their help, intervertebral protrusions, intervertebral disc herniations, hemangiomas and a number of other diseases are treated.Minimally invasive surgery lasts no more than an hour, and after its performance the patient can walk almost immediately and leave the clinic the same or the next day.
The enormous advantages of the method are a good cosmetic effect (in most cases, all the necessary surgical instruments are inserted through precise soft tissue punctures), ease of rehabilitation and an 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 remove pathologically altered formations, straighten severe deformities of the spine, replace structures that cannot be restored with implants, and achieve normal functioning of the spine by installing metal titanium structures.
Modern spine surgery can treat almost any back problem.All the latest methods of surgical treatment of diseases of the spinal column 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.
Preventing back pain
After the attack stops and the pain subsides, in order to avoid a recurrence of the episode, it is recommended to:
- do not lift too heavy objects;
- do not bend;
- walk more;
- refuse hard physical work;
- When you work sitting down, take regular breaks to warm up.