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 avoid complications. Eliminate back painphysiotherapists and neurologists will help you.

Back pain is a common occurrence in today's society. This is due to a number of factors: people lead a sedentary lifestyle, their daily diet lacks valuable vitamins and minerals, they suffer from pathologies of internal organs, they experience increased physical activity, they are injured as a result of professional sports activities , ignore signs of cancer , etc. All this causes pain in various 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 eliminate it. We hope that this material will be useful to you!

Back pain

Back pain is called dorsopathy. Many modern residents suffer from the disease, but the causes of its occurrence can be very diverse. In 80% of cases, the 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 provoked 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 in the spine. For prevention purposes, patients are recommended to undergo regular fluorography and mammography, as well as PSA analysis. This makes it possible to detect the presence of tumors at the initial stage, when the malignant cells have not yet had time to move with the blood flow to other organs.

If your back hurts and you do not know what to do and how to treat an ailment of unknown origin, you must first make an appointment with an experienced specialist and find out the cause of the discomfort.

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

Causes of back pain

The most frequently asked question on 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 appearance are the following pathologies in the region of the spine:

• 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, evidenced by the appearance of pain in the lower back;
• disc herniation;
• Spinal cord injuries (fractures);
• Curvature of the spine;
• Pain of a chronic nature in the area of muscular 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 pain in the back area can be triggered by other reasons:

• Inflammatory processes in the joints;
• Cardiovascular diseases;
• Bleeding in the pelvic area;
• Violations at work of the female reproductive system. At the same time, women note that their back hurts in the lumbar region. Only a competent gynecologist can draw up a treatment plan and clarify what to do in such a situation;
• Intercostal neuralgia. Contributes to shortness of breath;
• Ulcerative disease, characterized by discomfort in the scapular area;
• kidney malfunction;
• Inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by a unilateral pain syndrome;
• The presence of malignant neoplasms in the respiratory organs;
• Acute inflammation of the inner lining of the appendix;
• Infectious processes in the internal organs.

types of back pain

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

stabbing back pain

It is disclosed when:

• Pathologies of internal organs;
• Physical injury resulting from a fall;
• Pinched nerve roots and spondylolisthesis;
• Curvature of the spine and violation of posture.

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

dagger back pain

If the patient asks what to do if his back hurts in the lower back, and the discomfort is of an acute nature, then 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 is very sore goes away on its own, since such discomfort occurs in women in the last weeks of pregnancy and is considered normal.

Pain syndrome of a pulling nature.

Patients often 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 lead to pain of a pulling nature, but more often the following factors cause such discomfort:

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

Back pain after exercise.

It is observed in people involved in sports activities at a professional level. As a rule, 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. First of all, you need to give the body a rest and complete relaxation.

Back pain from coronavirus or SARS?

If the back muscles along the spine hurt, the doctor will answer what exactly to do in this situation after an 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 increase in temperature, what to do in this case is quite obvious. First of all, you need to take painkillers and antipyretic drugs. Only an experienced doctor can prescribe special antiviral agents and antibiotics after a full examination.

It should be noted that with coronavirus infection, increased pain in the back is due to pleurisy, and is also associated with increased tension in the muscular structures, which occurs against the background of frequent debilitating cough. In addition, lactic acid is formed in the back muscles, which causes great discomfort.

When is a visit to the doctor urgent?

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

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 recently been a back or spinal injury;
• The patient does not feel better even when the position of the body changes;
• The patient has a fever;
• The patient is at risk (age category over 55 years);
• Neurological discomfort intensifies: sensitivity in the extremities disappears, the patient begins to feel muscle weakness;
• The relief of the condition does not even provide non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• The patient complains of stabbing pain in the lower leg.

Diagnosis of back pain

If your back begins to hurt and you do not know what to do, you should first contact a neurologist and conduct the necessary laboratory and hardware studies. This will allow you to accurately diagnose and prescribe effective treatment.

What determines a blood test?

Due to a laboratory blood test, doctors can identify infectious processes and determine an important indicator of ESR, which allows you to confirm or exclude inflammation. With elevated leukocyte values, the presence of inflammatory processes can also be judged. Also, based on a blood test, it can be concluded that hemoglobin synthesis is impaired due to iron deficiency, as well as the development of malignant neoplasms.

hardware research

• Duplex/triplex ultrasound of the vessels of the neck and head.It allows to examine the state of blood vessels, judge the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and blood clots, and study the quantitative parameters of blood flow. This research method is prescribed for patients who complain of frequent dizziness, high blood pressure, pain in the head and signs of acute stroke;
• computed tomographyIt allows you to establish 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 radiography;
• Magnetic resonance imaging.The most accurate research method. It allows to examine malignant neoplasms in the vertebrae, as well as pinched nerve roots, intervertebral hernia, decreased lumen of the spinal foramen, and inflammatory processes caused by injuries. Performing an MRI is considered a prerequisite before surgery and during the post-surgery rehabilitation period;
• Bone scan.It allows you to study the state of bone tissue in detail. It is done for scoliosis, inflammatory diseases of the joints, fractures, displacement of the vertebrae. It is often carried out in conjunction with functional diagnosis, when the patient is asked to bend and straighten the spine. According to the staining indicators of the vertebrae, their strength is judged;
• Electromyography.It allows you to assess the state of the nervous tissue. In the process of this study, the electrical impulses generated by the nerve structures are studied, as well as the response of the muscle tissue to them. Thanks to EMG, it is possible to detect a pinched nerve that has arisen against the background of intervertebral disc herniation and narrowing of the spinal foramen;
• Bone scintigraphy.It is considered a mandatory method in case of suspicion of compression fractures or oncological processes.

back pain treatment

The key objective of therapeutic measures is to relieve pain and prevent the development of chronic pathologies. That is why treatment involves the elimination of signs of the underlying disease, as well as the use of drugs to relieve acute pain, and the use of non-drug methods to restore 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. Also, the patient is prescribed special orthopedic devices;
• Compliance with semi-bed rest for the next 8-9 days. During this period, SWT and medication use should be continued. Also, the patient is recommended to introduce special exercises with a small load and undergo electrophoresis with analgesics;
• Period of limited physical activity (day 12-20). At this stage, medication 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) in conjunction with the implementation of physiotherapy exercises;
• Preventive actions. Regular practice of physiotherapy and sports training. This improves the quality of life.

The use of medications

In the course of diagnosis, it is not always possible to establish the cause of the pain syndrome, therefore, when prescribing medications, the nature of discomfort is often taken into account:

1. For acute pain sensations, a pharmacological blockade of the paravertebral muscles is used. If pain cannot be relieved by the above method, anesthesia is performed in the spinal epidural space.
2. Pain syndrome of moderate intensity is stopped by injections with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The most effective of these agents is considered to be a derivative of phenylacetic acid. However, this drug, with prolonged use, can disturb the activity of the cardiovascular system and the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, for any gastric disorders in a patient, he is prescribed more benign drugs from this group.
3. To stop muscle spasms, they resort to the help of drugs that reduce the tone of skeletal muscles.
4. B vitamins. They enhance the analgesic effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and have a beneficial effect on the nervous system. These medications 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 lower back hurts, in the lumbar region or in the area of the shoulder blades, does not bother you for many years, you need to be attentive to your body. Only a careful attitude to your body, as well as the regular implementation of preventive measures will minimize the probability of pain in the back.

There are several important rules, the observance of which will allow to avoid discomfort in the back. So, when the back hurts, and a person wonders what to do in this situation, the reviews indicate that first of all, you should pay attention to the shoes. Since during movement the greatest load falls on the spine, wearing uncomfortable shoes should be avoided. 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 a computer for a long time, then try to periodically change the position of the body, and sometimes walk around the room or in the office.

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

Another condition for maintaining a healthy back is the implementation of gymnastic exercises. Physiotherapy and special exercises recommended by specialist professionals will allow you to strengthen your muscles.