Back pain is more common in the elderly, however, for various reasons, it can also occur in young people.Almost all adults are used to periodically experiencing back pain, which is explained by the special 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.
In addition, back pain can be caused by any disease of the gastrointestinal tract, the presence of kidney stones or other problems in the human urinary system.
Back pain can be in the lower back or between the shoulder blades, and it can also cause pain in the arm or leg, which depends 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.
Furthermore, back pain can be caused by being overweight, intense physical activity, including those associated with weight lifting, poor posture or some type of infection.
Factors that contribute to back pain
If back pain is caused by a disease, but there is no treatment, the pain tends to return and decrease 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 the person is in an uncomfortable position for a long time.Furthermore, the infection can return pain to the body.
Main symptoms of back pain
A signal to see a doctor and undergo an examination is back pain that does not disappear within 3 to 5 days, as well as when the accompanying 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 prompt you to see your doctor immediately.
If, along with back pain, there is noticeable 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 back pain, examination methods such as neurological and X-ray examinations, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, and manual diagnosis are used.
Most often, during an X-ray examination in elderly people, osteochondrosis is detected.
Immediately after the medical consultation, an anamnesis is taken, the symptoms and complaints are clarified in detail, after which additional examinations are prescribed.
When preparing the anamnesis, the location of the pain, its radiation, the patient's emotional state are clarified and the presence of a relationship between the occurrence of pain and the person's position is revealed.The presence of old back injuries is also important.
To identify the presence of any neoplasms and infections, a somatic examination is performed.
Back pain treatment
To treat pain of various types, depending on the cause that caused it, treatment methods such as manual, drug and physiotherapeutic therapy are prescribed, as well as exercise therapy, post-isomeric relaxation, surgery, traction, interspinous and paravertebral blocks.Mandatory adherence to an orthopedically correct regimen is also necessary.
When treating osteochondrosis, it is necessary to avoid sudden movements and especially bending, in addition to remaining mainly at rest.In case of acute osteochondrosis, the patient cannot go to a medical center and undergo treatment at home.In this case, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, muscle relaxants are prescribed, and it is recommended to sleep on a hard bed, using special protection under the mattress.
In the treatment of intervertebral hernia, surgical intervention is used in cases where the patient has compression of the spinal cord, which occurs very rarely.
Chronic back pain
The presence of chronic back pain often indicates osteochondrosis, the treatment of which takes 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, as well as promote blood circulation.In addition, thanks to manual therapy, dysfunction of the spinal joints is effectively eliminated.And as long as the patient follows the doctor's recommendations after completing treatment, the discs will continue to heal on their own.
If there is a herniated disc, treatment is a rather lengthy process, slowly reducing the hernia itself and relieving the pain from it.A full course of treatment allows you to completely restore the normal functioning of the affected disc.