Back ache

Most people have back problems from time to time and pain in the lower back, neck or middle back. In fact, back pain is the most common physical complaint in the adult population and the leading cause of temporary disability. Back pain can be mild or severe, short-term or chronic pain.

Back pain includes: muscle and tendon pain, herniated disc, fracture, or other back problems. More often than not, the reasons have a long history. Most often, back pain is caused by diseases of the spine.

The structure of the spine is designed for extreme loads. The structure of the spine is stable enough for a person to walk (stand) and flexible enough to perform trunk movements.

A healthy spine is S-shaped when viewed from the side and has natural curves in the lumbar, thoracic and cervical spine. The spine is the main supportive part of the torso. In addition, the spine protects the spinal cord and the roots of the spinal cord thanks to its bone structure, thus ensuring normal innervation of organs and tissues.

Between each of the 24 vertebrae are intervertebral discs which perform a damping function.

Reasons

Back pain refers to the problems that a person creates mainly for themselves. Back problems and back pain are most often caused by bad habits that have built up over a long period of time. These bad habits include:

• Bad posture
• Overvoltage during work
• Poor posture at the office or when driving
• Repeated stretching or extension of the spine or abnormal weight lifting.

The results of habits rarely show up immediately, but more often than not their negative effects accumulate over time. One of the most common types of back pain is the pain associated with tension in the muscles surrounding the spine. Most often, back pain associated with tension, muscles occur in the lumbar spine and in the cervical spine. If muscle tension is associated with lifting heavy objects, the pain can be excruciating.

Sometimes back pain occurs for no apparent reason. In such cases, they speak of non-specific back pain. Such pain can develop due to weakened muscles that cannot cope with daily stress, such as walking, flexing and extending. Additionally, such non-specific pain can be triggered by poor sleep, general fatigue, or exposure to stressful situations.

Chronic pain in myofascial pain syndrome is caused by localized muscle tension. Sometimes this localized muscle tension is due to stress or other emotional issues.

Often the cause of the disease is

Pregnancyand this is due both to hormonal changes in the woman's body and to weight gain and excessive stress on the spinespine and legs.

Injuries in contact sports, crashes, and falls can also cause back problems, ranging from mild muscle fatigue to severe spinal and spinal cord injuries.

It is important to understand that back pain is a symptom of the disease, not a diagnosis. The medical conditions that can cause back pain are as follows:

Mechanical Problems: Mechanical problems are related to the movements of the spine or the sensations a person experiences when performing certain movements. The most common mechanical cause is degeneration of the intervertebral discs (osteochondrosis), when involutive changes of the intervertebral discs and deterioration of the damping functions of the discs occur, which leads to the development of pain. Another cause of back pain is degenerative changes in the joints of the spine (spondylarthrosis). Other mechanical causes include muscle spasms, muscle tension, and herniated discs.

Injuries: Injuries to the spine such as sprains and fractures can cause both acute pain and chronic pain. Sprains, tears in the ligaments that support the spine, can result from twisting the torso or improper lifting. Fractures of the vertebrae are often the result of osteoporosis, a disease in which bone density is impaired. Less commonly, back pain can be caused by more serious injuries resulting from crashes and falls.

Acquired conditions and diseases. Many medical conditions can cause or contribute to pain. These include scoliosis, kyphosis, kyphoscoliosis, in which there is usually no pain until your forties. Different types of arthritis (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis), spinal canal stenosis, which affects the nerve roots of the spinal cord. Diseases such as osteoporosis are painless in themselves, but can lead to vertebral fractures, which will manifest as severe pain. Other causes of back pain include pregnancy, kidney infections or urolithiasis, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, which is characterized by chronic fatigue and diffuse muscle pain.

Infections and tumors. Although infections are not common causes of illness, infections can still cause pain. If the bone tissue is affected, we are talking about osteomyelitis, if the infection affects the intervertebral discs, we are talking about discitis. Tumors are also relatively rare in pain. Sometimes spinal tumors are primary, but most often the tumors are metastatic and the main focus is in another part of the body.

While the causes of back pain are usually physical, it is important to understand that emotional stress can play a role, both in the intensity of the pain and in the duration. Additionally, stress and emotional state can affect skeletal muscle tone. Thus, in the presence of depression and anxiety, back pain may be more severe. Additionally, insomnia or lack of sleep can also contribute to or worsen the pain.

Back pain is only a symptom and can be reflected. Many diseases of the peritoneum and pelvic organs can cause spinal pain (appendicitis, aneurysm, kidney disease, bladder disease, infections, and pelvic inflammatory disease).

Risk factors

• Over 40 years
• Male sex
• Family history
• Previous injuries
• Pregnancy
• Spine surgeries in the past
• Congenital malformations of the spine.
• Lack of regular exercise
• Work or activity requiring prolonged sitting of lifting weights.
• Smoking. People who smoke more often than people who do not smoke suffer from back pain.
• Overweight. Being overweight, especially those with fat around the waist, can put more strain on the back and tend to have weak muscles and limited mobility
• Bad posture. Impaired posture results in disruption of load carrier distribution and muscle tension, muscle spasms, and pain.
• Stress. Stress and other emotional factors are believed to play an important role in back pain, especially chronic pain. Many people unknowingly tense their back muscles when they are under stress.
• Condition after a long period of depression.
• Long-term use of drugs (such as steroids) that weaken bone tissue.
• Lung diseases resulting in chronic cough.

Symptoms

Most people have suffered from back pain in their lifetime. There are many reasons for back pain, some of which are created by a person. Other causes include accidents, muscle sprains, sports injuries, and various illnesses. Although the causes may be different, they are most often marked with the same symptoms.

• Persistent pain or stiffness in any part of the spine, from the base of the neck to the tailbone
• Sharp, localized pain in the neck, upper back, or lower back - especially after lifting heavy objects or performing strenuous activities. (Pain at the top can also be a sign of a heart attack or other life-threatening conditions. )
• Chronic pain in the middle or lower part, especially after prolonged sitting or standing.
• Lower back pain radiating to the buttocks of the leg.
• Inability to stand up straight.

But some symptoms justify seeing a doctor

• Feeling of numbness, tingling or weakness in the arms or legs, as this may indicate injury to the spinal cord.
• Low back pain radiates to the leg, which may be a sign of root compression (radiculitis).
• The pain is worse when coughing or leaning forward, which may be a sign of a herniated disc.
• The pain is accompanied by a fever and a burning sensation during urination, which may be a sign of a urinary tract infection.
• Disorders of bowel or bladder function
• History of cancer
• Weight loss
• Long-term steroid use
• History of trauma
• Increased discomfort even after resting.
• Pain that lasts longer than a month
• Night pain
• No treatment effect
• History of drug use

Diagnostics

Due to the fact that the cause of back pain can be various conditions, it is important, first of all, to carefully collect the history and symptoms from the doctor. Both the location of the pain and the intensity, the presence of irradiation are important. The physical examination includes a careful examination of the neurological condition (reflex activity, muscle strength, tenderness, etc. ). If you suspect a disease of the pelvic organs, the doctor may prescribe a consultation with a gynecologist, urologist.

Methods of instrumental research

X-rays are usually of little value in diagnosing spinal pain, especially if there are no significant symptoms. The use of radiography is indicated for serious serious injuries or minor injuries in patients over 50 years of age, patients with osteoporosis or a history of long-term steroid use.

MRI is the most informative diagnostic method and provides high quality visualization of bone and soft tissue and can diagnose both degenerative changes and tumors or infections.

For a clearer visualization of bone changes, a CT scan may be recommended.

EMG and ENMG are used to determine conduction along nerve fibers and muscles and, as a rule, are used in the diagnosis of chronic back pain.

Ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs or organs of the small pelvis, kidneys is necessary in the event that it is necessary to differentiate the source of pain.

Laboratory research methods are also used for the differential diagnosis of inflammatory diseases or infections.

Processing

There is no universal cure for back pain. The treatment of back pain in each individual case depends both on the genesis of the manifestations of pain and on the individual characteristics of a person, since the perception of people varies greatly.

Medical treatment includes the use of various drugs, both conventional pain relievers or NSAIDs, as well as muscle relaxants or antibiotics for infections. With chronic pain syndrome, it is possible to use antidepressants, tranquilizers or neuroleptics.

Non-drug treatments such as physiotherapy, massage, manual therapy, acupuncture, and exercise therapy have been widely used in the treatment of back pain. These methods of treatment are effective for acute and chronic pain manifestations associated with diseases of the spine.