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The back hurts - what to do?

The causes of back pain

The back pain can occur at any age, but more often occurs between 35 and 55 years.The pain in the spine is associated with how our bones, muscles, intervertebral discs, ligaments, tendons and nerves work.

The pain in the spine can be caused by problems with the vertebrae, disks between them, ligaments around the spinal column and disks, the spinal cord and nerves, the back muscles, internal organs in the abdominal and pelvic areas.Also, diseases of the aorta, tumors in the chest and inflammation of the spine in the upper back can be the cause of the pain in the upper back.

Risk factors

The presence of risk factors increases the likelihood of developing a state.For example, obesity significantly increases the risk of diabetes of the second type.

The following factors are associated with an increase in the risk of back pain.

  • office work;
  • work associated with constant stress;
  • Pregnancy - pregnant women often suffer from pain in the spine;
  • sedentary lifestyle;
  • age;
  • depression;
  • obesity/excess weight;
  • smoking;
  • heavy physical exercises;
  • heavy physical labor.

Signs and symptoms of back pain

The symptom is what the patient feels, while the doctor may notice the sign.For example, pain is a symptom, while a rash is a sign.

The main symptom of pain in the spine is pain in any part of the back.Sometimes the pain extends to the buttocks and legs or to the shoulder and arms.

You must immediately contact your doctor if the pain in the spine accompanies any of the following signs:

  • weight loss;
  • high temperature (fever);
  • back pain is not relieved after rest;
  • painful pain;
  • pain lowering below the knee;
  • the presence of fresh spinal injury;
  • urine incontinence (even a small portion);
    • Symptoms of back pain
  • difficulties with urination - urine is difficult;
  • fecal incontinence - loss of control over the defecation process;
  • numbness in the field of genitals;
  • numbness in the anus;
  • Numbness in the buttocks.

Apply for the advice of a specialist if you are one of these groups:

  • people under the age of 22 or older than 55 years;
  • patients who took steroids for several months;
  • patients with cancer;
  • patients who once had cancer;
  • Patients with low immunity.

The causes of back pain

The human spine is a complex structure consisting of muscles, ligaments, tendons, discs and bones.Intervertebral discs are located between each pair of vertebrae and function as shock absorbers of friction.Problems with any of these components can lead to pain in the spine.In some cases, the causes of pain cannot be established.

Stretching

The most common causes of pain in the spine are:

  • stretched muscles;
  • stretched ligaments;
  • lifting a heavy object in the wrong pose;
  • lifting an too heavy object;
  • the result of a sharp and awkward movement;
  • muscle spasm.

Structural problems

The following structural problems can lead to pain in the spine:

  • Protency of the intervertebral disc.The rupture of the outer sheath of the disk leads to the bulging of its internal contents outward.This can lead to pinches of the nerve and, as a result, pain;
  • A hernia of the intervertebral disc- stabbing of the internal contents of the disk of large sizes;
  • sciatica- acute and shooting pain, which radiates to the buttock and the back area of the leg caused by protrusion or hernia of the intervertebral disc, compressing the nerve;
    • What to do with back pain
  • arthritis- Patients with osteoarthritis usually experience problems with the joints of the thigh, lumbar spine, knees and hands.In some cases, stenosis of the spinal canal may occur, since the space around the spinal cord is narrowed;
  • Anomalous bend of the spine- If the spine bends in an unusual way, the patient is more likely to suffer from pain in the spine.An example of an abnormal bend is scoliosis, in which the spine bends to the side;
  • osteoporosis- The bones, including the vertebrae, become fragile and porous, which leads to an increase in their fragility.

Below are some other causes of pain in the spine:

  • Syndrome of the horse tail- The ponytail is a bunch of nerve roots into which the spinal cord is branched.People with a horse tail syndrome feel dull pain in the lumbar spine and buttocks.There may also be a loss of the sensitivity of the buttocks, genitals, thigh.Sometimes people with a horse tail syndrome suffer from urinary and/or feces;
  • cancer of the spine- the tumor located in the spine can squeeze the nerve, which leads to pain;
  • Spine infection- if the patient has high body temperature, and also has a painful hot area on the back, then this may indicate the infection of the spine;
  • Other infections- inflammation of the pelvic organs in women, as well as infections of the bladder and kidneys can also cause back pain;
  • sleep disorders- People with sleep disorders more often experience pain in the spine in relation to the general population;
  • shingles- infection that can affect the nerves;
  • Inappropriate mattress- If the mattress does not support certain parts of the body and does not ensure the even position of the back, there is a risk of developing pain in the spine.

Also, the cause of pain in the spine can be certain movements or body positions, such as prolonged driving, coughing and so on.

What to do when back hurts

If you experience pain in the spine for several days, then the following tips will help you reduce pain and discomfort and accelerate recovery:

how to treat back pain
  • Stay active as possible;
  • If necessary, use over -the -counter painkillers;
  • Use hot and cold compresses.A bottle of hot water and a bag of frozen vegetables will be made.

Despite the fact that it is difficult to remain an optimist when you suffer from pain, try not to lose heart.This will accelerate the process of recovery.

With prolonged pain in the spine, which does not pass within six weeks, you need to consult a doctor.The doctor will compile a medical history, conduct an examination and, if necessary, will direct it to additional studies.The doctor may prescribe radiography in case of suspicion of a problem with a bone system or osteoarthritis, CT (computed tomography) or MRI (magnetic resonance tomography) in case of suspected intervertebral hernia or any other problems associated with soft tissues or nerves.In such a situation, MRI is the best choice.The doctor can also advise you to hand over some laboratory tests or measure the electrical activity of the nerves (EMG).

After making a diagnosis, the doctor prescribes treatment.For most cases, there is a sufficiently conservative treatment, which may include:

  • special exercises;
  • reflexology;
  • spinal extension;
  • massage.

In severe cases, the question of the operation may be raised.The surgeon will help you choose the appropriate method, and also advise about possible complications.Some time after the operation, the undergraduate treatment of the spine is recommended.Remember that the spine operations are quite dangerous, since the operating area is in the immediate vicinity of the nerves.