Back pain is more common in older people, however, for several reasons, it can also occur in younger people.Almost all adults are accustomed to periodically experiencing back pain, which is explained by the particular predisposition of this part of the body to various types of injuries.The vast majority of back pain can be easily treated and prevented, however, sometimes, the causes of back pain can be quite serious, including, for example, osteochondrosis.
Also, back pain can be caused by any disease of the gastrointestinal tract, the presence of kidney stones or other problems with the human urinary system.
Back pain can occur in the lower back or between the shoulder blades and can also cause pain in the arm or leg, depending on the cause of the pain.
Causes of back pain
The main causes of back pain include diseases such as osteochondrosis, spondyloarthrosis, radiculopathy, scoliosis, intervertebral disc herniation, osteoporosis, myofascial pain and severe spinal circulation disorders.
Additionally, back pain can be caused by excess weight, strenuous physical activity, including that associated with heavy lifting, poor posture, or some type of infection.
Factors that contribute to back pain
In the event that back pain is caused by an illness, but there is no cure, the pain tends to recur and ease depending on the presence of factors that contribute to it.For example, the return of back pain can be triggered by hypothermia or heavy lifting, as well as if a person remains in an uncomfortable position for a long time.Additionally, the infection can return pain to the body.
Main symptoms of back pain
A signal to consult a doctor and undergo examination is back pain that does not disappear within a period of 3 to 5 days, as well as when the associated body temperature is above 37.8.
Back pain may be accompanied by frequent and painful urination, vomiting and nausea, numbness in the limbs, and diarrhea.These are all symptoms that should make you visit your doctor immediately.
If, in addition to back pain, you notice significant difficulty moving your arms or legs and confusion, it is extremely important to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Back pain diagnosis
If there is pain in the back, examination methods such as neurological and radiological examinations, CT and MRI, and manual diagnostics are used.
Very often, during an X-ray examination of elderly people, osteochondrosis is detected.
Immediately after visiting a doctor, the anamnesis is collected, the symptoms and complaints are clarified in detail, after which further tests are prescribed.
When compiling an anamnesis, the localization of pain, its irradiation, the emotional state of the patient are clarified, and the presence of a relationship between the onset of pain and the location of the person is revealed.The presence of old back injuries is also important.
To identify the presence of any tumors and infections, a somatic examination is carried out.
Treatment for back pain
To treat pain of various types, depending on the cause that caused it, treatment methods such as manual, medicinal and physical therapy, as well as physical therapy, post-isomeric relaxation, surgery, traction, interspinous and paravertebral blocks are prescribed.Mandatory adherence to an orthopetically correct regimen is also required.
When treating osteochondrosis it is necessary to avoid sudden movements and especially bending and to remain mostly at rest.In case of acute osteochondrosis, the patient cannot go to a medical facility and undergo treatment at home.In this case, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, muscle relaxants are prescribed, and it is recommended to sleep on a hard bed, using a special shield under the mattress.
In the treatment of intervertebral hernia, surgical intervention is used in cases where the patient feels compression of the spinal cord, which occurs quite rarely.
Chronic back pain
The presence of chronic back pain is often an indication of osteochondrosis, the treatment of which requires from 5 to 15 sessions, depending on the intensity of the pain.The treatment process includes acupuncture, vacuum therapy, acupressure, moxotherapy, hirudotherapy and stone therapy.
If we talk in more detail about each of the listed methods, we can note the good effectiveness of acupressure, which helps to eliminate muscle spasms and excessive tension and promotes blood circulation.In addition, thanks to manual therapy, spinal joint dysfunction is effectively eliminated.And provided that the patient follows the doctor's recommendations after completing the course of therapy, the discs will continue to recover on their own.
If there is a herniated disk, the treatment is a fairly long process, slowly reducing the hernia itself and relieving its pain.A full course of treatment allows you to completely restore the normal functioning of the affected disk.