What to do if your back hurts?

Back pain can make life difficult and has many possible causes. Timely prevention and diagnosis of back pain will help to avoid complications. Eliminate back painphysiotherapists and neurologists will help you.

Back pain is a common occurrence in today's society. This is due to numerous factors: people lead a sedentary lifestyle, their daily diet lacks valuable vitamins and minerals, they suffer from pathologies of internal organs, they have increased physical activity, they get injured as a result of professional sports activities, they ignore the signs of cancer. , etc. All this causes pain in different areas of the back and deprives a person of a full life.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the problem of back pain and present the most effective ways to get rid of it. We hope you find this material useful!

Back pain

Back pain is called dorsopathy. Many modern residents suffer from this disease, but the causes of its occurrence can be very diverse. In 80% of cases, pathology is caused by primary (non-specific) factors, and in 20% of situations, the disease manifests itself against the background of secondary (specific) signs.

Pain of a specific nature can be caused by damage to internal organs, in other cases the pathological process progresses due to degenerative-dystrophic processes in the spine.

Among the specific risk factors, the most dangerous are oncological processes accompanied by metastases on the spine. For the purpose of prevention, regular fluorography and mammography, as well as PSA analysis, are recommended to patients. This makes it possible to detect the presence of a tumor at an early stage, when malignant cells have not yet had time to move with the blood flow to other organs.

If your back hurts and you don't know what to do and how to treat a disease of unknown origin, first of all you should make an appointment with an experienced specialist and find out the cause of the problem.

You will deal with neurologists, physiotherapists and surgeons. After a detailed diagnosis, they will make an accurate conclusion about your illness and give an unequivocal answer to the question: "What to do if your back hurts? ".

Causes of back pain

The most frequently asked question in Internet search engines is: "What should I do if my spine hurts in the middle of my back? "". Today, this pain syndrome worries more than 80% of people in the world. The main sources of its occurrence are the following pathologies in the region of the spinal column:

• A disease accompanied by the appearance of a purulent-inflammatory process in the bone marrow, due to the activity of pathogens;
• The presence of malignant neoplasms, as evidenced by the appearance of pain in the lower back;
• Disc herniation;
• Spine injuries (fractures);
• Curvature of the spinal column;
• Pain of a chronic nature in the area of muscle structures;
• Pathological process, characterized by the development of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the area of all components of the spinal movement segment;
• Cartilage damage.

In some situations, manifestations of back pain can be caused by other reasons:

• Inflammatory processes in the joints;
• Cardiovascular diseases;
• Bleeding in the pelvic area;
• Injuries in the work of the female reproductive system. At the same time, women notice that their back hurts in the lumbar region. Only a competent gynecologist can make a treatment plan and clarify what to do in such a situation;
• Intercostal neuralgia. Contributes to difficulty breathing;
• Ulcerative disease, characterized by discomfort in the area of the scapula;
• Kidney disorders;
• Inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by unilateral pain syndrome;
• The presence of malignant neoplasms in the respiratory organs;
• Acute inflammation of the internal mucosa of the appendix;
• Infectious processes in internal organs.

Types of back pain

To identify the cause of the pathology, the nature of the discomfort is taken into account. There are the following types of pain:

Shooting pain in the back

It is made known when:

• Pathologies of internal organs;
• Physical injuries caused by a fall;
• Compressed nerve roots and spondylolisthesis;
• Curvature of the spine and violation of posture.

If the shooting pain becomes acute, a visit to the clinic is a prerequisite for recovery.

A dagger in the back

If the patient asks what to do if the back hurts in the lower back, and the discomfort is of an acute dagger character, this indicates such dangerous pathological processes as:

• The presence of malignant neoplasms;
• Acute inflammation after exposure to thermal factors;
• Spasm of the piriformis muscle.

Sometimes the need to do something if the back hurts a lot disappears by itself, because such discomfort occurs in women in the last weeks of pregnancy and is considered normal.

Traction pain syndrome

Often, patients complain: "If my lower back hurts because I lifted weights and tore my back, what should I do in this situation? ". Of course, excessive physical activity can cause pain of a pulling nature, but most often the following factors cause such discomfort:

• Old back injuries;
• Degenerative-dystrophic changes in the lumbar spine;
• Prolonged stay in one position.

Back pain after exercise

It is observed in people who engage in sports activities at a professional level. As a rule, the pain syndrome occurs against the background of excessive muscle tension. What exactly to do if your back hurts in this case, only a qualified specialist will answer for you. First of all, you need to give your body a break and complete relaxation.

Back pain due to corona virus or SARS?

If the back muscles along the spine hurt, what exactly to do in this situation, the doctor will answer after the examination for the presence of acute respiratory viral infections. They often cause severe pain in the area of muscle tissue, pain in the joints and general weakness, which is a consequence of intoxication of the body.

When the back hurts with a simultaneous rise in temperature, what to do in this case is quite obvious. First of all, you should take painkillers and antipyretics. Only an experienced doctor can prescribe special antiviral drugs and antibiotics after a thorough examination.

It should be noted that with a coronavirus infection, increased back pain is caused by pleurisy, and it is also associated with increased tension in the muscle structures, which occurs against the background of a frequent debilitating cough. In addition, lactic acid builds up in the back muscles, which causes significant discomfort.

When is an urgent visit to the doctor?

If the manifestations of pain do not subside within a few days, but only intensify, a prerequisite for improving well-being is a visit to a medical institution.

An independent visit to the clinic or calling a doctor at home is recommended in the following situations:

• The condition worsens at night;
• There has been a recent back or spine injury;
• The patient does not feel better even when the position of the body is changed;
• The patient has a fever;
• The patient is at risk (age category over 55 years);
• Neurological discomfort increases - sensitivity in the limbs disappears, the patient begins to feel muscle weakness;
• Even non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs do not relieve the condition;
• The patient complains of shooting pain in the lower leg.

Diagnosis of back pain

If your back starts to hurt and you don't know what to do, first of all consult a neurologist and do the necessary laboratory and hardware studies. This will allow you to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment.

What does the blood test determine?

Thanks to a laboratory blood test, doctors are able to identify infectious processes and determine the important ESR indicator, which allows you to confirm or rule out inflammation. With elevated values of leukocytes, the presence of inflammatory processes can also be judged. In addition, based on blood analysis, it can be concluded that hemoglobin synthesis is disturbed due to iron deficiency, as well as due to the development of malignant neoplasms.

hardware research

• Duplex/triplex ultrasound scanning of blood vessels of the neck and head.It enables examination of the state of blood vessels, assessment of the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and blood clots, and the study of quantitative blood flow parameters. This research method is prescribed to patients who complain of frequent dizziness, increased blood pressure, headache and signs of acute cerebrovascular infarction;
• CT scanner.It allows you to determine the nature of the fracture of the spine, as well as to detect even its smallest parts. Based on the results of the study, it is possible to recreate the damaged area in a three-dimensional format. CT is more informative than X-ray;
• M. R. I.The most accurate research method. It enables examination of malignant neoplasms on the vertebrae, as well as pinched nerve roots, intervertebral hernia, narrowing of the lumen of the spinal foramen, and inflammatory processes caused by injury. Performing an MRI is considered a prerequisite before surgery and during the rehabilitation period after it;
• Radiography.It allows you to study the condition of the bone tissue in detail. It is performed in case of scoliosis, inflammatory joint diseases, fractures, displacement of vertebrae. It is often performed along with functional diagnostics, when the patient is asked to bend and straighten the spine. According to the indicators of the coloring of the vertebrae, their strength is evaluated;
• Electromyography.It enables assessment of the condition of the nervous tissue. In the process of this research, electrical impulses generated by nerve structures are studied, as well as the response of muscle tissue to them. Thanks to EMG, it is possible to detect a pinched nerve that arose against the background of herniated intervertebral disc and narrowing of the spinal foramen;
• Bone scintigraphy.It is considered a mandatory method when compression fractures or oncological processes are suspected.

back pain treatment

The key goal of therapeutic measures is to relieve pain and prevent the development of chronic pathologies. For this reason, treatment involves eliminating the signs of the underlying disease, as well as the use of drugs to alleviate acute pain and the use of non-drug methods of recovery of the body.

Algorithm for relief of acute pain syndrome:

• Bed rest for the first 3-5 days. At the same time, the patient is recommended to undergo shock wave treatment and use special drugs. In addition, the patient is prescribed special orthopedic devices;
• Compliance with semi-bed rest for the next 8-9 days. During this period, SWT and medication should be continued. Also, the patient is recommended to introduce special exercises with low load and undergo electrophoresis with analgesics;
• Period of limited physical activity (12-20th day). In this phase, drug treatment, shock wave therapy and physiotherapy sessions continue. To get an additional positive effect, they resort to massage procedures;
• Unlimited physical activity (without increased loads) with the performance of physiotherapy exercises;
• Preventive actions. Regular physical therapy and sports training. This improves the quality of life.

Medication use

During diagnostics, it is not always possible to determine the cause of the pain syndrome, therefore, when prescribing drugs, the nature of the discomfort is often taken into account:

1. For acute feelings of pain, a medicine is used to block the paravertebral muscles. If the pain cannot be alleviated by the mentioned method, anesthesia is performed in the epidural space of the spine.
2. The pain syndrome of moderate intensity is stopped by injections of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Phenylacetic acid derivative is considered the most effective of these agents. However, this drug, with prolonged use, can disrupt the activity of the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, benign drugs from this group are prescribed for any stomach disturbances in the patient.
3. In order to stop muscle spasms, they resort to the help of drugs that reduce the tone of skeletal muscles.
4. Group B vitamins enhance the analgesic effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and have a beneficial effect on the nervous system. These drugs are taken in tablet form or given intramuscularly as injections.
5. With pain of a neuropathic nature, as part of complex therapy, they resort to the use of anticonvulsants or psychotropic drugs.

Preventive actions

So that the question of what to do if your back hurts below, in the lumbar region or in the area of the shoulder blades does not bother you for many years, you should be attentive to your body. Only a careful attitude towards your body, as well as regular implementation of preventive measures will reduce the likelihood of back pain.

There are several important rules, the observance of which will make it possible to avoid discomfort in the back. So, when your back hurts, and a person wonders what to do in this situation, reviews indicate that first of all you should pay attention to shoes. Since during movement the greatest load falls on the spine, you should avoid wearing uncomfortable shoes. Experts recommend giving preference to shoes with a small heel (1-3 cm).

It is also important to pay attention to posture. If you work at the computer for a long time, try to change your body position occasionally and sometimes walk around the room or office.

When carrying heavy objects, it is necessary to optimally distribute the weight of the load.

Another condition for maintaining a healthy back is performing gymnastic exercises. Physical therapy and special exercises recommended by professional experts will allow you to strengthen your muscles.