Back pain is more common in older people, however, for various reasons, it can also occur in younger people.Almost all adults are accustomed to periodically feeling pain in the back, 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.
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, herniated intervertebral disc, osteoporosis, myofascial pain, and severe spinal circulation disorders.
Additionally, back pain can be caused by excess weight, intense physical activity, including those associated with lifting heavy objects, poor posture, or some type of infection.
Factors that contribute to back pain.
In the event that back pain is caused by a disease, but there is no treatment, the pain tends to reappear and decrease depending on the presence of factors that contribute to it.For example, the recurrence of back pain can be provoked by hypothermia or lifting heavy objects, 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 go to the doctor and undergo an examination is back pain that does not go away within 3-5 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 of the extremities, and diarrhea.These are all symptoms that should make you visit your doctor immediately.
If, in addition to back pain, you notice difficulty moving your arms or legs and confusion, it is extremely important to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Diagnosis of back pain.
If there is pain in the back, examination methods such as neurological and X-ray examinations, CT and MRI scans, and manual diagnosis are used.
Very often, during an X-ray examination in older people, osteochondrosis is detected.
Immediately after visiting a doctor, a history is taken, symptoms and complaints are clarified in detail, after which additional tests are prescribed.
When compiling an anamnesis, the localization of pain, its irradiation, the emotional state of the patient is clarified, and the presence of a relationship between the occurrence of pain and the position of the person is revealed.The presence of old back injuries is also important.
To identify the presence of neoplasms and infections, a somatic examination is performed.
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 physiotherapy, as well as physiotherapy, postisomeric relaxation, surgery, traction, interspinous and paravertebral blocks are prescribed.Mandatory compliance with an orthopedically correct regimen is also required.
In the treatment of osteochondrosis, it is necessary to avoid sudden movements and especially bending over, and one should also remain mostly at rest.In case of acute osteochondrosis, the patient cannot visit a medical center or receive treatment at home.In this case, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, 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 experiences compression of the spinal cord, which occurs quite rarely.
Chronic back pain
The presence of chronic back pain usually indicates osteochondrosis, the treatment of which requires 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 eliminate muscle spasms and excessive tension and promotes blood circulation.In addition, thanks to manual therapy, spinal joint dysfunctions are effectively eliminated.And as long as the patient follows the doctor's recommendations after completing the treatment, the discs will continue to heal on their own.
If there is a herniated disc, treatment is a fairly long process, which slowly reduces the herniation and relieves pain.A full course of treatment allows you to completely restore the normal functioning of the affected disc.