Back pain usually appears after a sudden movement or lifting heavy objects. If your back hurts constantly, it is a symptom of an illness. The cause of back pain is diagnosed and treated by a neurologist. The discomfort is successfully treated with conservative methods.
What you need to know about back pain
Back pain is also called dorsalgia. It periodically bothers every second person. Most often, the pain is localized in the lumbar region. As a rule, it occurs against the background of existing changes in the column. Depending on the type of disease, the pain can be temporary or permanent. Persistent pain is a sign of a serious illness and, without timely treatment, can lead to spinal surgery.
When to go to the doctor
Do not postpone visiting a neurologist if you notice the following symptoms:
- acute back pain does not go away within 2 or 3 days;
- chronic pain lasts more than a week without improvement;
- the pain appears suddenly, for no obvious reason;
- pain occurs regularly after an injury;
- Back pain radiates to the leg, knee and foot.
Consultation with a doctor should be urgent and immediate if the pain is accompanied by the following additional symptoms:
- High temperature;
- limited mobility of arms or legs;
- feeling of numbness in the extremities;
- severe changes in blood pressure;
- pain relievers do not help relieve pain;
- loss of consciousness occurs;
- there are problems with the functioning of internal organs;
- there are signs of intoxication;
- the bleeding started.
But even without these symptoms, you should not delay contacting specialists: some back diseases are completely curable only in the early stages. Its efficiency directly determines the quality of the treatment.
The risk factors are:
- work related to a computer or driving a car, intense physical activity, stress;
- intensive training in the gym without the supervision of a trainer;
- work in a forced sitting or standing position;
- over weight.
Why does my back hurt?
The causes of back pain are varied. They are caused by the following diseases:
- osteochondrosis, spondylosis, spondyloarthrosis;
- scoliosis, kyphoscoliosis;
- protrusion or herniation of an intervertebral disc;
- radiculitis or lumbago, inflammation of the sciatic nerve;
- spinal stenosis;
- spinal instability and fractures;
- intercostal neuralgia;
- excessive exertion, hypothermia or bruising of the back muscles;
- damage to the spinal ligaments;
- myositis.
Pregnancy and back pain
Another common factor that influences the appearance of back pain is pregnancy. As the abdomen grows and the lumbar curve increases, the load on the spine also increases. The intervertebral discs begin to wear out quickly and sometimes the nerves become compressed. You can prevent back pain and the pathologies that cause it if you don't work too much during pregnancy. If necessary, you should use a support tie and follow the advice of other doctors.
Even if there was no back pain during pregnancy, but the spine was under severe stress, injuries may occur that cause pain during childbirth.
How to identify a disease by the type of pain.
Different diseases cause different types of back pain. It can be acute, chronic, painful, stabbing, with or without conduction (irradiation).
| type of pain | What disease does it cause? |
|---|---|
| Acute with and without conduction (irradiation). | Osteochondrosis. Persistent pain in the back sometimes radiates to the leg and intensifies when lifting heavy objects, coughing or sneezing. Back pain can last for several minutes, hours, or days. |
| Intervertebral hernia. Pain occurs when lifting heavy objects, bending and turning to one side. Then pain and weakness appear in one of the legs. Your back hurts when you move, cough, sneeze. | |
| Radiculitis. The pain is sharp or dull, painful. Usually unilateral, it radiates to the leg, buttocks, thigh, and lower leg. It intensifies with changes in body position and may be accompanied by numbness, tingling, burning, itching or a "pins and needles" sensation. | |
| Chronic and acute pain. | Muscle strain, myositis, prolonged work in an uncomfortable position, lifting heavy objects, sudden movements, hypothermia. |
| Lumbago. It affects people who do heavy physical work. Severe back pain usually disappears after a few days, although it can last two to three weeks. | |
| Displacement of intervertebral discs. It is caused by osteochondrosis, heavy lifting and heavy physical work. | |
| Chronic | Spondylosis. The pain may be accompanied by numbness and weakness in the legs. Cervical spondylosis causes pain in the back of the head, shoulders, and when turning the head. |
| Pain | Inflammation of the muscles of the back and lumbar spine. The disease occurs after hypothermia or muscle strain. The pain is not intense and lasts a long time. The muscles in the affected area are dense and painful when tense. |
| Pain with conduction (radiation) to the leg. | Inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Hernia of the lumbar spine. Back pain in the lumbar and sacral area. Pain is felt in the buttocks, back of the thigh, lower leg, or foot. |
Diagnostic methods
The clinic's specialists will accurately determine the cause of back pain using the following diagnostic methods:
- magnetic resonance. MRI image
- Ultrasound examination (ultrasound)
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- laboratory research
Methods to treat back pain.
Doctors in the modern clinic use many non-surgical methods: from gentle massage and osteopathy techniques to laser and physiotherapy. To ensure that the treatment is as effective as possible, we offer each patient an individual set of procedures using only pain-relieving medications at the beginning of the course.
- UHF Resonance Wave Therapy
- Rehabilitation on the Thera-Band Exercise Machine
- Locking of joints and spine.
- Pharmacotherapy
- Shock wave therapy
Diagnostic methods
Specialists will accurately determine the cause of back pain using the following diagnostic methods:
First of all, a basic examination of the patient is carried out to determine what exactly preceded the appearance of pain, what is the nature of the pain, etc. This is followed by a visual examination of the patient and physical palpation of the spine. If the pain intensifies when pressing on the spine, this makes it possible to eliminate diseases of the internal organs. If necessary, the patient can be referred to a cardiologist, gynecologist, orthopedist or other specialized doctor.
Methods to treat back pain.
Doctors in a modern clinic use many non-surgical methods: from gentle massage techniques and osteopathy to laser and physiotherapy. To ensure that the treatment is as effective as possible, we offer each patient an individual set of procedures using only pain-relieving medications at the beginning of the course.
The clinics will help you get rid of back pain, relieve swelling and inflammation in the affected area, normalize metabolic processes, strengthen the back muscles and restore the normal position of the spine. You will regain freedom of movement, you will feel a surge of vigor.
As part of rehabilitation, for each patient, the clinic specialist draws up a personal physical activity plan for independent exercise aimed at consolidating the results of treatment and preventing diseases.
What to do for back pain
If you have severe back pain, our doctors recommend the following:
- Lie down, choose a comfortable position where you feel the least pain and your muscles stop tense. Spend at least 20 minutes in this position until the pain subsides.
- Do not sit forward, do not carry heavy objects, and do not play sports until the pain goes away.
- Contact your doctor immediately.
Remember if you havespinal pain, treatmentit cannot be postponed. There is a risk that the situation could worsen seriously.
If the pain has become unbearable and you need to wait until a doctor or ambulance arrives, do the following:
- Lie in bed and try to minimize movements and ensure maximum peace of mind. Stillness is your best friend.
- Place a soft pillow under your back to reduce stress on your spine.
- If suitable mild pain relievers are available, you can take a pill to reduce the pain, but it is better not to do so. See the next paragraph to find out why.
- It is recommended not to ingest any food or drink other than plain water, as if emergency surgery is needed this may interfere (many procedures can only be performed on an empty stomach). It is also recommended not to administer any medication or heat the problem area, as this will distort the clinical picture and make it impossible to correctly diagnose the problem and, as a result, prescribe the correct treatment.
- It is allowed to apply cold to the painful area, although the cause of the pain is unknown, it will not aggravate any of the usual pathologies.