The effectiveness of the treatmentback painit directly depends on the accuracy with which it was delivered.diagnosis. . . However, the pain syndrome itself is not a characteristic symptom - it is a general symptom, whereby it is impossible to establish the cause of the illness. There are many different pathologies that can causeback pain, and not all are associated with diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
When self-medicating, patients mistakenly believe that the most important thing is to face the pain and they lose sight of the fact that all pain has a cause. The use of analgesics is a symptomatic treatment that does not affect the outcome of the disease or the cause of pain.
The main causes of back pain
Consider the mainillnesscausingback pain. . . For the convenience of diagnosis, doctors divide the back into the upper (cervical spine), middle (thoracic spine), and lower (lumbosacral) parts.
Back pain
Pain in the cervical spine requires a lot of attention. The reason lies in the unique anatomical features of the cervical vertebrae: the vertebral artery passes through them, supplying blood to ⅓ of the brain; the first and second cervical vertebrae form a complex mobile articulation with the skull, which is responsible for turning and tilting the head; any disease that occurs at this level has the potential to cause serious neurological damage, as damage or even mild spinal cord compression in the cervical spine immediately leads to impaired motor and/or sensory function throughout the rest of the body.
Cervical spine osteochondrosis
Normally, intervertebral discs, joints, ligaments, and tendons do not have their own blood vessels; your blood supply depends on the extent to which the surrounding muscles and bones are supplied with blood. If this process is disturbed, for example, in an office worker who leads a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle, degenerative dystrophic changes begin. The nutrition of the cartilage of the discs and intervertebral joints is impaired, the ligaments and tendons become thicker, due to sclerotic changes, the spinal canal narrows and the distance between the vertebrae decreases.
Among non-specialists, this condition is known as spinal osteochondrosis. Although degenerative dystrophic processes are characteristic of the entire spine, osteochondrosis is the most common cause of pain in the cervical spine. Also, like other parts of the spine, this condition can be complicated by an intervertebral hernia. However, due to the peculiarities of the anatomy of the cervical spine, even a small hernia can cause serious complications.
Trauma
Although spinal cord injury is most commonly diagnosed in the lumbar spine, nearly 50% of spinal cord injury cases occur with trauma to the cervical spine. This is due to the peculiarities of the anatomy of the neck: the absence of developed muscular structure and massive vertebral bodies, high mobility contribute to trauma even without direct physical impact (for example, with a sudden stop or a blow from behind during an accident, so-called cervical injury often occurs, caused by marked flexion followed by marked extension of the cervical spine). Pain is a constant companion to any spinal injury.
myositis
Myositis or inflammatory muscle diseases is a whole group of diseases characterized by muscle pain. The most common cause of inflammation of the common muscles is a strained posture when performing any work, hypothermia, drafts. Muscle pain can be a consequence of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, intervertebral hernia - muscles take on most of the load in the neck, which ultimately leads to excessive tension, muscle spasm with impaired microcirculation and inflammation.
Neuralgia
Neuralgia is a condition in which the nerve fibers themselves become a source of constant pain impulses. Pain is paroxysmal, can be intensified and provoked by turning or tilting the head, cold weather. The cause of neuralgia is associated with spinal diseases - osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, scoliosis, etc. The immediate cause of pain is irritation of the spinal cord roots when they are compressed into the intervertebral space, muscle spasm, which interrupts the metabolism of the nerves that pass through the spasmodic muscles. Unlike neuritis or nerve inflammation, in neuralgia, pain is periodic, there are no pathological changes in the nerve fibers themselves.
Heart diseases
Heart diseases such as angina pectoris, ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels, are often accompanied by pain that radiates to the neck, jaw, shoulder, and left forearm. The pain may be accompanied by numbness, tingling in the skin, simulating pain in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with an intervertebral hernia. Often, patients receive massage, physical therapy, visit other doctors, although an electrocardiogram is sufficient to diagnose the cause.
A feature of this pain is the ability of antianginal medications, which improve blood flow in the coronary arteries (isoket, nitroglycerin), to relieve pain within minutes.
pain in the middle of the back
The thoracic spine consists of 12 thoracic vertebrae, each with a pair of ribs attached. Together they provide protection for the chest organs. The size of the thoracic vertebrae gradually increases, starting from 1 thoracic vertebra and later to the beginning of the lumbar spine - this is explained by a gradual increase in the load on them. The mobility of the mid-back is significantly less than the mobility of the neck, the ribs provide additional protection, which is why traumatic spinal cord damage in the thoracic spine is less common.
Spine curvature or scoliosis
Scoliosis or scoliotic disease is a pathological curvature of the spine in several planes. The causes of scoliosis are not known exactly, the disease starts in childhood. Lack of physical activity, weak back muscles, poor posture and organization of the school's workplace are considered contributing factors. Due to the pronounced curvature, impaired load distribution and spinal biomechanics, excessive strain on the muscles that offset part of the load,to emergechronicback pain.
Arthritis (spondyloarthritis)
The intervertebral joints, along with the intervertebral discs, unite the spine as a whole. Each vertebra has 4 joint surfaces that form joints with adjacent vertebrae. Like any other joint, the intervertebral joints can become inflamed. This pathological condition is called spondyloarthritis. There are two main causes of inflammation of the intervertebral joints. These are systemic rheumatic diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis) or reactive inflammation that occurs in response to increased burdens in osteochondrosis, scoliosis, and other spinal pathologies. Inflamed joints lose their function: stiffness of movement, stiffness of the spine, prolonged back pain.
Gastrointestinal tract diseases and back pain
Diseases of Organs abdominal organs are often the cause of pain reflected in the back and spine. There is also a direct link between pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Diseases like chronic colitis or gastroenteritis are the backdrop for spondyloarthritis or osteochondrosis of the spine.
Most often, reflected back pain occurs with gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, with hiatal hernia, acute or chronic pancreatitis. This phenomenon results from the peculiarities of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, whose nerve fibers are present in all organs of the abdominal cavity. Part of the painful impulses they perceive return to the roots of the spinal cord, simulating pain in the spine and back.
Kidney Diseases and Back Pain
The kidneys are a pair organ located in the retroperitoneal space which, like the abdominal organs, is intimately connected by nerves to the roots of the spinal cord. In the presence of inflammation, stones or other urinary tract pathologies, part of the pain impulses reach the spinal cord, simulating a spinal disease.Back Pain Symptomscan occur with acute pyelonephritis, renal colic, renal abscesses. A characteristic symptom is tension in the back muscles in the projection of the kidneys, which occurs due to inflammation of the kidneys or an abscess of the surrounding tissue.
Lumbosacral spine pain
The lumbosacral spine is the most stressed. Up to 60-70% of the adult population in developed countries complain of back pain. This is a favorite spot for intervertebral hernias. Most of the time, a patient is diagnosed with 2 to 3 hernias in the lumbosacral spine. In addition, pain in the lumbar region and sacrum usually occurs with gynecological and urological pathologies.
intervertebral hernia
An intervertebral hernia is the result of long-term osteochondrosis of the spine. While in the cervical region relatively small loads are placed on the intervertebral discs, in the lumbosacral region each disc exerts enormous pressure. A healthy disc is able to compensate for any weight, due to the semi-fluid core, which acts as a hydraulic damper. However, due to osteochondrosis, the strong, fibrous cartilage (fibrous ring) that runs along the periphery of the intervertebral disc loses its elasticity and strength, and some of its parts may crack. With a marked increase in load, for example when lifting weights, the pressure inside the diseased disc increases, so its contents can actually "shoot" through the damaged cartilage, falling into the spinal canal lumen - this is what an intervertebral hernia is like. formed.
Fragments of the nucleus that have fallen from the disc compress the spinal cord and spinal roots. As a result, there is swelling of the nervous tissues and impaired blood circulation, which is accompanied by severe pain and protective muscle spasm. The pain can be unbearable, even the need for narcotic analgesics. One feature is the radiation of pain in the lower extremities. There may be decreased sensitivity to pain, tingling and numbness of the skin on the leg and thigh.
Intervertebral disc protrusion
The main difference between an intervertebral disc protrusion and a hernia is the preservation of the integrity of the fibrous annulus. The cause of pain is compression of the spinal cord and its roots by protrusion along the periphery of the intervertebral disc. However, if the process continues, the protrusion can easily turn into a hernia. The symptoms and pain are similar to a herniated disc, as the severity of the pain syndrome depends not only on the size but also on the location of the protrusion or hernia.
Spondylosis of the spine
Excessive loads and degenerative dystrophic processes in the spine can lead to ossification of cartilaginous tissue, which is saturated with calcium salts and becomes coracoid bony bulges or bulges that arise along the periphery of the vertebral bodies. As the process progresses, these lumps may merge with the same lumps in the body of the adjacent vertebrae. Over time, all the vertebrae grow together, the spine loses its flexibility and elasticity. Pain occurs due to irritation of the spinal cord and its roots, reactive inflammation and dystrophy of the soft tissue, ligaments and muscles around the spine.
radiculitis
Radiculitis is called severe pain due to circulatory disturbances and ischemia of the spinal cord roots, strangulated by a hernia or protrusion with osteochondrosis of the spine. Various skin sensitivity disorders in the buttocks, perineum, thighs, and legs area are possible. Initiated sciatica leads to muscle atrophy and weakness. A characteristic symptom is sharp pain along the sciatic nerve, aggravated by movement, weight lifting and cold weather. This condition is called sciatica or sciatica.
spine infection
The vertebrae are composed of spongy bone tissue rich in bone marrow. When an infection enters the bloodstream in the body of the vertebrae, an inflammatory process - osteomyelitis - can occur. Gradual degradation of bone tissue is accompanied by necrosis - this condition is also typical of spinal tuberculosis. Pain can occur due to irritation of the nerve endings and due to pathological compression fractures of the spine, weakened by inflammation.
Gynecological and urological diseases
Pathologies such as cervical cancer, endometriosis or adnexitis (inflammation of the uterine appendages) in women, prostatitis or prostate cancer in men are often accompanied by severe pain in the lumbosacral spine. The nature of the pain is explained by irritation of the trapped nerves in the area of inflammation or by the growth of nerve trunks by a tumor.
Back muscles ache along the spine
Well-developed back muscles are a sign of a healthy spine, as a muscular corset relieves some of the stress and additionally stabilizes the spine. In chronic spinal diseases, the muscles are subjected to excessive loads, which the weak and atrophied muscles are unable to withstand. As a result, muscle spasm occurs and due to metabolic disorders in the muscles and pain. This condition is called myofascial syndrome, which is characteristic of spinal osteochondrosis, hernias, and intervertebral disc protrusions.
postoperative pain
Spine surgeries are usually accompanied by extensive trauma - to stabilize and restore the integrity of the vertebrae, doctors may resort to installing metallic structures, screwing screws into the vertebrae and removing non-viable tissue. The pain, in this case, is due not only to the disease itself, but also to the surgery. With proper rehabilitation and post-operative care, the pain will gradually disappear. However, if in the post-operative period you do not comply with the doctors' guidelines and ignore the mandatory exercises, the pain can become chronic.
How are the causes of back pain diagnosed?
To diagnose back and spine pain, it is necessary to seek timely medical help from a qualified neurologist. In the first phase, a neurological examination, a patient inquiry, a study of reflexes and symptoms are carried out. An experienced and competent doctor knows very well what diseases back and back pain have for certain reasons and characteristic features.
Back pain for no apparent reason should be especially vigilant. This can be with pain reflected from other organs and systems, with tumors and spinal cord diseases.
To find out why your back and spine hurt, a neuropathologist can prescribe an MRI. It is the most effective and safest method for diagnosing almost every possible cause of back pain. The procedure is based on the ability of magnetic fields and radio waves to provide clear, detailed images of the spine and spinal cord without the use of X-rays and other harmful factors.
How to relieve back pain
To alleviate, but not treat, back pain, we are going to take painkillers for several days, and it is necessary to wait for a specialist's consultation. Most of the time, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs are used for this purpose. However, it is important to remember that this group of medications can cause dangerous side effects, the likelihood of which increases with prolonged use. That's why it's important not to postpone the visit to the doctor and the exam until later.treatmentillnessescolumnand reasonsback pain.
Treatment for back pain
As stated at the beginning, the effectiveness of back pain treatment depends on the accuracy of the diagnosis. Despite the obviousness, many patients "cure" the pain for years, but not the disease itself, always postponing a visit to the doctor, resorting to traditional healers, osteopaths and chiropractors. Furthermore, for some spinal disorders, such procedures are not only contraindicated, but also dangerous.
There are effective and scientifically proven treatments for severalspeciesdiseases causingback pain. . . Many of them require the patient's perseverance and perseverance in fighting the disease. It's important to remember that there are no pills or injections that can cure osteochondrosis - only you can do that, with a lot of training and exercise that a neurologist will show you.
Which doctor should I contact for back pain?
Back pain is one of the most common neurological symptoms that occurs due to the involvement of the nerves and spinal cord in the pathological process. Therefore, the first specialist, whose consultation you need to receive in case of back pain, will be a neurologist. Based on the results of the scan and MRI, you may need to see another doctor. If the back pain is caused by heart disease, the patient is referred to a cardiologist, if the problem is in the digestive tract, to a gastroenterologist. But most of the time, the pain syndrome is precisely associated with spinal pathology.