Back pain is a symptom that occurs with a variety of diseases and conditions. Often, back pain is a reflection of bone pathology, changes in the spinal joints and periarticular tissues, muscles, nerve trunks, and skin over the spine. Back pain can also accompany other diseases, including diseases of internal organs.
Symptoms of back pain
Depending on the cause, back pain can have its own characteristics. In rheumatological diseases, the following symptoms are distinguished:
- pain occurs in the lumbar spine, buttocks, giving to the thighs;
- pain increases at rest and decreases with movement;
- pain accompanied by morning stiffness in the lumbar spine;
- spinal defeat is bilateral.
With infectious processes:
- sharp pain in the spine;
- with lesions in the lumbar region, pain radiating to the back, legs;
- pain increases with pressure on the affected area;
- swelling and redness of the skin in the affected area are often observed;
- this process is usually sideways (on one side of the spine).
With muscle pathology:
- with fibromyalgia, the pain is persistent, widespread, covering both the right and left sides of the body above and below the waist. It intensifies with emotional and mental load, with the action of cold temperatures, sudden changes in climate. Painful points appear in different anatomical areas, which are lowered when pressing on them;
- affected muscle tension;
- muscle strength decreases.
Disc herniation (osteochondrosis), spondyloarthrosis:
- back pain arising from pressure on the spine (e. g. , prolonged standing in an upright position), exacerbated by twisting and bending backwards, passing in a state of rest;
- discomfort may occur during prolonged stay in one position;
- the possibility of nerve compression by a hernia or subluxation of the joint. In such cases, pain may be given in the arms, occipital region (with damage to the cervical spine), in the legs (with damage to the lumbar spine), accompanied by numbness, tingling and muscle weakness in the legs or arms;
- joint subluxation in the cervical spine can squeeze the vertebral arteries, causing headache, dizziness, impaired coordination of movements, vision, hearing;
- spinal stiffness disappears after warming up.
With damage to internal organs:
- with renal pathology, in addition to back pain, abdominal pain, frequent urination may occur;
- in diseases of the pancreas - the nature of surrounding pain;
- with lung disease - pain in the back and in the chest behind or in front, under the scapula, aggravated by cough.
cause
The causes of this disease are very diverse.
- Back pain caused by spinal pathology (bones, ligaments, tendons, intervertebral discs):
- osteomyelitis (an infectious and inflammatory process that affects the site of the bone marrow, and then the elements of bone tissue);
- spinal tumors and metastases ("examination" of tumors of any organ that has spread to the spine with the formation of new foci);
- disc herniation (osteochondrosis);
- osteoporosis (a disease characterized by increased fragility of bone tissue);
- spondylolisthesis (displacement of one vertebra relative to another);
- scoliosis (curvature of the spine);
- spondyloarthrosis (disease based on the defeat of all components of the joints, especially articular cartilage);
- broken bones;
- stenosis (blockage) of the spinal canal.
- Back pain due to muscle abnormalities:
- fibromyalgia (complex symptoms, indicated by general chronic (spreading to many muscles) muscle pain, depression, sleep disturbances, morning stiffness, rapid fatigue);
- muscle cramp;
- stretch the muscles.
- Back pain caused by other conditions:
- pelvic bleeding;
- purulent hematoma (collection of shed blood) of the retroperitoneal space;
- pelvic organ disease;
- aortic surgery;
- kidney disease;
- diseases of the abdominal organs;
- rheumatological diseases (ankylosing spondylitis (a disease characterized by inflammatory processes in the spine and joints), reactive arthritis (an infectious inflammatory disease of the joints), psoriatic arthritis (inflammation of the joints, combined with the appearance of scaly plaques on the skin));
- herpes zoster, herpes zoster.
- Provoking factors can be:
- injuries;
- weight lifting;
- unprepared movements;
- prolonged stay in a non -physiological position (uncomfortable);
- hypothermia.
- Analysis of complaints (pain in the spine, back discomfort with prolonged exposure to one position, morning stiffness; numbness, tingling, muscle weakness in the arms or legs).
- Analysis of the anamnesis (history of development) of the disease - asking how the disease began and continued.
- General examination (examination and palpation of the spine, determination of range of motion in the spine).
- General blood and urine tests to identify infectious processes and renal pathology.
- X -ray of the spine - allows you to detect pathological changes in the vertebrae.
- Computer, magnetic resonance imaging of the spine - allows you to determine in more detail the nature of lesions of the spine and surrounding tissues.
- Electromyography - to detect muscle pathology.
- Radioisotope bone scintigraphy is the study of contrast, which is based on the observation of the distribution characteristics of contrast agents introduced into the body in bone. Excessive accumulation focus indicates the presence of pathological processes.
- Densitometry - determination of bone density. It is performed to detect osteoporosis (a disease characterized by increased bone fragility).
- Consultation with neurologists, vertebrologists, rheumatologists, orthopedists.
- Treatment of underlying diseases that cause back pain.
- Rest for a few days (2 to 5).
- Wear a bandage (corset) to soothe the spine.
- Non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs (by mouth, in the form of injections, in the form of local agents - ointments, gels) - to reduce pain.
- Muscle relaxation is muscle relaxation.
- Surgical treatment depends on the cause of the pain - for example, removal of the purulent focus in the spine; installation of prostheses between vertebrae to restore normal distance between them by narrowing of the intervertebral cleft and compression of the nerve trunk.
- After the acute pain disappears - physiotherapy procedures (consultation of a physiotherapist is required), massage, physiotherapy exercises.
- Depending on the cause and severity of the disease causing the pain.
- The transition of the disease to a chronic form (osteochondrosis) is possible.
- In severe cases, disability (trauma, rheumatological diseases).
- Treatment of underlying diseases.
- Elimination of injuries, physical exertion, hypothermia.
- Correct posture.
- Proper arrangement of work and sleep (to exclude non -physiological position of the spine, where it is subject to curvature).
- Correction of excess weight.