Back pain: the most common causes

Back pain, according to statistics, about 80% of people of different age categories face this unpleasant and frightening symptom at least once in their life. At the same time, it is important to know how to distinguish situations where painful sensations should bother you and when you should not worry.

Of course, if the onset of pain was preceded by physical exertion or a light blow, it will dissipate within 2-3 days, there is no cause for concern. But if your back hurts for a long time, and the pain is not similar to muscle pain, hurry to see a doctor.

Why my back hurts

The causes of back pain are different, from minor external factors to the development of all kinds of pathological processes, of which there are also many.

At the same time, doctors still recognize the 3 most common reasons:

1. Nonspecific pain- combines a number of factors, including muscle pain caused by improper posture, prolonged stay in one position (uncomfortable), excessive strain due to excessive physical exertion on the spine and back. . . . This point may also include painful feelings that arose after hypothermia, in such cases they say - "chilled back".
2. Radiation pain- occurs less frequently, but cannot be ruled out. This includes diseases of the internal organs found in other parts of the body. For example, the formation of tumors and pulmonary tuberculosis, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart and others. In each of these cases, the pain can radiate (give) to the back in its various parts.
3. Mechanical injuries and pathologies of the spine- back pain also occurs due to a huge number of factors, we are talking about pathological processes. These include all diseases of the spine, starting from injuries (bruises, fractures, and so on) and ending with osteochondrosis, radiculitis, hernia formation and other pathologies of the spine that affect the spine.

The main causes of back pain are summarized. All these problems threaten serious spinal dysfunction and require a mandatory visit to the doctor.

In some cases, without proper treatment, there is a risk of developing serious problems that threaten serious complications. If the tissues of the spine or spinal cord are affected, there is a risk of paralysis of the limbs or even the whole body.

Symptoms

To consult a doctor in a timely manner and describe your complaints properly, you need to have an idea of ​​the symptoms.

At the same time, the symptoms of back pain may vary slightly, and if we take into account the fact that pain is a symptom in itself, it is worth noting its main manifestations that differ in nature and location:

• By nature, painful feelings are: sharp, blunt, stabbing, cutting, painful, pulling, burning, and so on.
• Painful feelings are strong, moderate and weak, these indicators are individual to each person. However, they should be considered, for example, when defining treatments for chronic back pain.
• Back pain along the entire spine is quite rare. More often, painful feelings are scored or assigned to a separate part of the spine (cervical, thoracic, lumbar).
• However, it also happens to radiate pain in the upper spine (or any other). In this case, the pain syndrome also affects other parts of the back, often called wandering.
• Acute back pain is usually the most uncomfortable and affects everyday life the most, but it is often wavy and easier to treat. At the same time, dull pains are less intense, but they are constantly present, they are fixed for a longer period of time and they react worse to the therapy.

These are general guidelines for pain in different parts of the back. But in addition to understanding the general symptoms of pain, it is important to know that the clinical picture can change depending on the disease. Thus in one case the pain is felt between the vertebrae of the cervical spine, in another it is localized in the lumbar region and has a different character.

For this reason, it is worth considering the symptoms of various pathological processes accompanied by back pain separately.

Osteochondrosis

If the back hurts the spine, it is most likely a diagnosis of osteochondrosis, because this disease is more common than others. It is also important to understand that doctors distinguish three types of osteochondrosis: cervical, thoracic, and lumbar.

In each of these cases, the pain between the vertebrae is related to different parts of the spine. The disease itself implies the destruction of cartilaginous tissue in the intervertebral discs, while the pathological process also occurs in the vertebrae, because they are erased due to the reduction of the gap between them.

The main symptom of the disease is pain, but clinical signs from the nervous system may also be present, because the spinal cord is most likely affected and its roots are damaged.

Myositis

A rare disease characterized by an inflammatory process in the muscular tissues of the body, including the back. Myositis is more often accompanied by excruciating pain, but sharp pains or so-called back pain are also possible.

The pain syndrome is localized directly to the place where the muscle tissue is inflamed, but the pain can radiate to nearby areas.

Spondylosis

If the spine hurts, spondylosis can be one of the probable causes. This pathology is characterized by the growth of bone tissue of the vertebrae, as well as their dystrophic changes. In this case, painful feelings occur during physical exertion due to a long stay in one position, for example, during sedentary work.

Sciatica

The term denotes pinching of the sciatic nerve with its further inflammation. The pathological process is accompanied by cutting, stabbing, sharp pains. With sciatica, the pain is not felt constantly, it occurs suddenly, rolling in waves.

Sciatica hurts directly at the site where the injury or inflammation occurred. However, since the sciatic nerve has a very large length, painful sensations are present in different areas, most often sore feet.

Osteoporosis

The disease develops due to a lack of calcium in the body. As a result, bone tissue along the entire spinal column loses elasticity and stiffness, microtrauma and cracks occur everywhere.

In this pathological process the whole spine hurts, especially in the later stages of the disease.

Herniated disc

Acute and severe back pain may be evidence of a herniated disc. At the same time, the pain syndrome is constant, but it increases with physical exertion, bending, coughing, sudden or careless movements.

In most cases, a hernia forms in the lumbar spine, which is explained by the vulnerability of this area to excessive loads, lifting weights. Hernia often occurs as a complication of osteochondrosis, which is due to the peculiarities of the course of this pathology.

In this case, the hernia is dangerous not only with pain, there is a risk of constriction of the nerve branches of the spinal cord and the development of neurological symptoms.

Excessive spinal mobility

This problem is otherwise called vertebral hypermobility or spinal instability. A clear sign of pathology are painful feelings that are intensified by intense physical exertion and lifting weights. Painful sensations in the back are transient, or recede or suddenly reappear.

The most severely affected is the cervical spine, if the disease progresses, it is difficult for a person to hold his head.

Scoliosis

Strangely, curvature of the spine is a direct cause of pain. One of the most common problems is scoliosis. The pain in scoliosis is more muscular in nature. This is due to the increased stress on certain back muscles, while others are relaxed.

In scoliosis, due to the curvature of the spine, the individual vertebral discs are compressed and the cartilage tissue is deformed.

Painful feelings with scoliosis are constant, painful or dragging, their intensity is low, in rare cases the pain is strong and sharp.

Spinal cord injury

Of course, any mechanical damage, even minor, is painful. In this case, the pain is stronger, the greater the damage, and sometimes even with a seemingly insignificant injury, acute pain is felt, which may indicate severe internal injuries. In this case, blows, bruises, sprains, sprains are taken into account, but fractures are the most severe type of injury.

Significantly, old, long-healed injuries are felt decades later. So back and neck pain can remind you of how you fell on the ice as a child.

Bechterew's disease

This dangerous disease is also called ankylosing spondylitis. The pathology is characterized by a chronic inflammatory process in the joints, in other words, inflammation of the spine.

Ankylosing spondylitis is accompanied by severe pain, and the intensity of the pain syndrome is high from the very beginning of the pathological process and only intensifies in the future. In this case, the pain intensifies after rest and depending on the change of time, but is well controlled by NSAIDs and physiotherapy.

Oncological diseases

Cancer is the most dangerous pathology, the clear sign of which is pain. In this case, the pain syndrome occurs in both benign and malignant neoplasms, if they are localized not far from the spine and put pressure on it.

Metastases are an even more dangerous manifestation of oncology. In this case, the pains are constant and strong, they haunt a man always and everywhere, regardless of body position or any action. The back hurts equally when lying down.

Kidney disease

The causes of lower back pain are not always related to back problems. Due to the anatomical position of the kidneys, the pathologies that affect them also respond to severe pain in the lumbar region.

Pain can be dull and pulling or a sharp sting, their intensity varies depending on the disease and the degree of its progression.

Here it is important to understand that painful feelings can be on both sides or only on one side, which indicates which kidney is involved in the pathological process.

Cardiovascular pathology

It is a misconception that in diseases of the cardiovascular system, pain occurs exclusively in the chest. For example, in ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction, the painful belts intensify, radiating with the back to the thoracic region. They are characterized as sharp, stabbing, and occur abruptly.

Pathologies of the cardiovascular system include aortic aneurysms, in which sharp and sharp pain occurs near the spinal column in the thoracic region.

Pathology of the digestive tract

Gastrointestinal diseases also often provoke back pain, however, in such cases there are always a number of recognizable clinical signs. In addition to pain, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or diarrhea, and general malaise are present.

Infections

Among the infectious diseases accompanied by back pain, the most severe and dangerous is bone tuberculosis. The disease is accompanied by severe pathological processes in the bone tissues, the entire spinal column hurts. The pains are of a different nature, sometimes pulling, sometimes stinging, but they are always constant.

Respiratory diseases

The lungs occupy most of the thoracic part of the body, so pulmonary pathologies are often accompanied by back pain. Such diseases include pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, pleurisy and so on.

With such pathologies, the pain intensifies during coughing, sneezing, deep breathing, yawning. In addition, the clinical picture is enriched by cough, shortness of breath and other similar symptoms.

Congenital pathologies

The factor of congenital anomalies is extremely rare, but it still occurs. In this case, the main suspicions fall on the congenital excess or insufficient number of vertebrae in the spinal column. It affects the muscles and ligaments, body structure, threatens to bulge the spine or compression, which is always accompanied by pain.

Pregnancy and childbirth

Pregnancy is also one of the causes of painful back symptoms.

Spinal pain and other problems of a similar nature occur more often in the third trimester, which depends entirely on the growth of the fetus and the increased load on the spine.

In such cases, the pain is usually dull, receding, calming down, or temporarily disappearing after a short rest when the expectant mother lies down.

Inflammatory processes

Many different inflammatory processes lead to the development of pain syndrome, some of which we have already talked about. Take spondyloarthritis (ankylosing spondylitis). This pathology begins in the lumbosacral area, then becomes inflamed, and together with the painful back, rises along the spinal column.

Pain radiating to the spine

As mentioned at the outset, there is a class of pain called radiation. This means that back pain "betrays" the spine from other parts or organs in which the disease has flared up. Let’s talk about such pains in more detail.

Pathologies of the heart and large blood vessels

The most probable diseases of the cardiovascular system, accompanied by back pain, were mentioned earlier. It is only important to understand that in addition to pain, such pathologies are accompanied by violations of blood pressure, arrhythmias and pale skin, that is their recognizable characteristic.

Gallbladder diseases

The clearest example of such a pathological process is cholecystitis, which leads to radiation of pain in the right shoulder blade and the central part of the spine in the thoracic region.

The acute form of the disease is accompanied by severe cuts, while the chronic one is more difficult to diagnose because the pain is inconsistent and of low intensity.

Pancreatic lesions

The most common pancreatic disease is pancreatitis. The clinical sign of such a condition is abdominal pain, but they also surround, characterized by a sharp, stabbing knife. However, in addition to pain, the patient suffers from nausea, vomiting and painful feelings appearing after eating fatty, sweet, fried foods.

Pathology of the kidneys and upper urinary tract

Kidney and urinary tract diseases are also accompanied by pain, and it is usually intense. Severe pain occurs during urolithiasis, but it is felt not only in the lumbar region. There is severe discomfort in the lower abdomen and groin.

Diagnostics

As can be seen from the huge list of possible problems and probable diseases, in order to eliminate back and spine pain, it is necessary to identify the main cause of their occurrence.

To do this, you must definitely consult a doctor and make a complete differential diagnosis that includes:

• Radiographyis ​​a simple but quite effective way to determine the condition of the spine, allowing the detection of deformities and various pathologies.
• CT- computed tomography more accurately detects pathologies of the intervertebral discs and vertebrae.
• MRI- magnetic resonance imaging is an even more advanced and most effective diagnostic method that will show not only probable problems in the structure of vertebrae and intervertebral discs, but also enable recognition or exclusion of nerve involvement in the pathological process, spinal cord.

If the above surveys did not yield results, contact narrow-minded experts in other areas. Maybe the problem lies in diseases of the heart, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, pelvic organs, etc.

How to treat back pain

Treatment of acute back pain requires a comprehensive and systematic approach. Fighting methods become clear after a complete examination and accurate diagnosis. It is also important to understand that in case of problems of this nature it is necessary to contact a specialist, self-medication is by no means unacceptable.

The attending physician will determine the treatment regimen, which will likely include drug therapy, physiotherapy, exercise, and a course of massage.

Physiotherapy

This is one of the main methods of resolving pathologies involving the spine.

Treatment of back pain includes the following procedures:

• Electrophoresis.
• Ultrasound exposure.
• Laser therapy;
• Magnetotherapy.

Treatment is performed during 7-10 or more procedures, the intervals between procedures are 3-5 days.

Gymnastics

Physiotherapy and gymnastics are also involved in the treatment of pain syndrome, however, these techniques are mainly used for recovery when there is no severe pain. Gymnastics is needed to restore the muscles elasticity, mobility, maintain good condition and speed up recovery from back injuries.

It is important to conduct the first sessions with a physiotherapist, who will correct the methodology and distribute the load, teach you how to do it properly. In the future, classes will be held at home, and most importantly, the requirements are a systematic approach.

Drug Therapy

Drug therapy is at the heart of all treatment. Each drug is prescribed by a doctor based on the diagnostic data obtained. The technique depends on the intensity of the pain syndrome, the stage of disease progression.

The following medications are needed for back pain:

• NSAIL(non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) - prescribed in the form of ointments, tablets, injections, sometimes in the form of suppositories. NSAIDs have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, and reduce local temperature.
• Analgesicsare pain relievers that block the nerve centers responsible for recognizing pain.
• Muscle relaxantsare used when muscle spasms need to be removed.

• Vitamin complexes,including B vitamins. Their effect promotes the regeneration of nerve fibers and the establishment of metabolic processes.

The duration of drug therapy, frequency of drug use and dosage is determined by the physician.

Massage

A massage course is another effective method for relieving pain. He appoints it when the painful sensations subside, and it is performed exclusively by a narrow expert.

Massage therapy can stimulate blood circulation, relieve pain, restore nose and muscle elasticity, and so on. In order to achieve a tangible effect, a massage course consisting of at least 10 sessions is required.

Prevention

To reduce the risk of developing pathologies that cause back pain or reduce the risk of recurrence of the disease, you must follow simple preventive recommendations:

• Eliminate bad habits.
• Eat right, eat less unhealthy foods, switch to a food fractional system.
• Lead an active lifestyle, play sports, preferably swimming or some form of gymnastics.
• It is useful to hang your back on a horizontal bar at least 3-4 times a week.
• When you sit down, take breaks to warm up.
• Avoid strenuous physical activity and injury.
• If it is impossible to avoid lifting weights, do everything right, lift heavy things with a flat back.
• Sleep on a moderately hard bed, buy an orthopedic mattress.

Remember, if the pain lasts longer than 4-5 days or if the pain is so intense that it is difficult to bear, consult your doctor immediately. Timely treatment allows you to save health and avoid many dangerous complications.