The effectiveness of the treatmentbackacheit directly depends on the accuracy with which it was delivereddiagnosis. . . However, the pain syndrome itself is not a characteristic symptom - it is a general symptom, according to which it is impossible to establish the cause of the disease. There are many different conditions that can causebackache, and not all of them are associated with diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
When self-medicating, patients mistakenly believe that coping with pain is the most important thing, and they lose sight of the fact that all pain has a cause. Taking pain relievers is a symptomatic treatment that does not affect either the outcome of the disease or the cause of the pain.
The main causes of back pain
Consider the mainillnesscausingbackache. . . For convenience of diagnosis, doctors divide the back into the upper (cervical spine), middle (thoracic spine) and lower (lumbosacral) parts.
Pain in the upper back
Pain in the cervical spine requires close attention. The reason is in the unique anatomical features of the cervical vertebrae: the vertebral artery passes through them, supplying blood to ⅓ of the brain; the first and second cervical vertebrae form a mobile complex joint with the skull, which is responsible for the rotation and tilting of the head; any disease that occurs at this level has the potential to cause severe neurological damage, as damage or even slight compression of the spinal cord in the cervical spine immediately leads to impaired motor and / or sensory function throughout the rest of the body.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Normally, the intervertebral discs, joints, ligaments and tendons do not have their own blood vessels; their blood supply depends on the intensity with which nearby muscles and bones are supplied with blood. If this process is disturbed, for example, in an employee who leads a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle, degenerative-dystrophic changes begin in them. The nutrition of the cartilage of the intervertebral discs and joints is impaired, the ligaments and tendons thicken, due to sclerotic changes the spinal canal narrows and the distance between the vertebrae decreases.
Among non-specialists, this disease is known as spinal osteochondrosis. Despite the fact that degenerative-dystrophic processes are characteristic of the entire spine, osteochondrosis is the most common cause of pain in the cervical spine. Also, as in other parts of the spine, this disease can be complicated by an intervertebral hernia. However, due to the peculiarities of the anatomy of the cervical spine, even a small hernia can cause serious complications.
Trauma
Although spinal cord injury is most commonly diagnosed in the lumbar spine, nearly 50% of spinal cord injury cases occur with trauma to the cervical spine. This is due to the peculiarities of the anatomy of the neck: the absence of a developed muscular structure and massive vertebral bodies, high mobility contribute to trauma even without direct physical impact (for example, with a sudden stop or a blow from behind during an accident, the so-called whiplash injury of the neck often occurs, caused by a strong flexion followed by a strong extension of the cervical spine). Pain is a constant companion of any spinal injury.
myositis
Myositis or inflammatory muscle diseases is a whole group of diseases characterized by muscle pain. The most common cause of banal muscle inflammation is a forced posture when performing any work, hypothermia, drafts. Muscle pain can be a consequence of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, intervertebral hernia - muscles take on most of the load on the neck, which ultimately leads to overload, muscle spasm with impaired microcirculation and inflammation.
Neuralgia
Neuralgia is a condition in which the nerve fibers themselves become a source of constant painful impulses. The pain is paroxysmal, it can be intensified and caused by turning or tilting the head in cold weather. The cause of neuralgia is associated with diseases of the spine - osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, scoliosis, etc. The immediate cause of pain is irritation of the spinal cord roots when pinched in the intervertebral space, muscle spasm, which disrupts the metabolism in the nerves passing through the spasmodic muscles. Unlike neuritis or nerve inflammation, with neuralgia, the pain is periodic, there are no pathological changes in the nerve fibers themselves.
Heart disease
Heart diseases such as angina pectoris, ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels are often accompanied by pain that radiates to the neck, lower jaw, shoulder and left forearm. The pain may be accompanied by numbness, tingling on the skin, simulating pain in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with an intervertebral hernia. Often, patients receive massage, physiotherapy, visit other doctors, although an electrocardiogram is enough to diagnose the cause.
A feature of such pain is the ability of antianginal drugs that improve blood flow through the coronary arteries (isoket, nitroglycerin) to relieve pain within minutes.
Pain in the middle of the back
The thoracic spine is made up of 12 thoracic vertebrae, each of which has a pair of ribs attached. Together they provide protection for the chest organs. The size of the thoracic vertebrae gradually increases, starting from 1 thoracic vertebrae and beyond to the beginning of the lumbar spine - this is explained by a gradual increase in the load on them. The mobility of the middle back is significantly less than the mobility of the neck, the ribs provide additional protection, which is why traumatic damage to the spinal cord in the thoracic spine is less common.
Spinal curvature or scoliosis
Scoliosis or scoliotic disease is a pathological curvature of the spine in several planes. The causes of scoliosis are not yet known exactly, the disease begins in childhood. Lack of physical activity, weakness of the back muscles, poor posture and workplace organization of schoolchildren are all considered contributing factors. Due to pronounced curvature, impaired distribution of loads and biomechanics of the spine, overexertion of the muscles that compensate for part of the load,to show upchronicbackache.
Arthritis (spondyloarthritis)
The intervertebral joints, together with the intervertebral discs, unite the vertebral column into a whole. Each vertebra has 4 joint surfaces that form joints with adjacent vertebrae. Like any other joint, the intervertebral joints can become inflamed. This pathological condition is called spondyloarthritis. There are two main causes of inflammation of the intervertebral joints. These are systemic rheumatic diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis) or reactive inflammation that occurs in response to increased loads in osteochondrosis, scoliosis and other pathologies of the spine. Inflamed joints lose their function: stiffness of movements, stiffness of the spine, prolonged back pain.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and back pain
Diseases of the abdominal organs are often the cause of reflected pain in the back and spine. There is also a direct link between pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Diseases such as chronic colitis or gastroenteritis are the background to spondyloarthritis or osteochondrosis of the spine.
Most often, pain reflected back pain occurs with gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, with hiatal hernia, acute or chronic pancreatitis. This phenomenon arises from the peculiarities of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, whose nerve fibers are present in every organ of the abdominal cavity. Part of the painful impulses they perceive return to the roots of the spinal cord, simulating pain in the spine and back.
Kidney disease and back pain
The kidneys are a paired organ located in the retroperitoneal space, which, as in the case of the abdominal organs, is intimately connected by nerves with the roots of the spinal cord. In the presence of inflammation, stones or other pathologies of the urinary tract, part of the painful impulses reach the spinal cord, simulating a disease of the spinal column.Back Pain Symptomscan occur with acute pyelonephritis, renal colic, renal abscesses. A characteristic symptom is the tension of the back muscles in the projection of the kidneys, which occurs due to inflammation of the kidneys or with an abscess of the surrounding tissue.
Lumbosacral spine pain
The lumbosacral spine has the greatest stress. Up to 60-70% of the adult population in developed countries complain of back pain. This is a preferred localization of intervertebral hernias. A patient is most often diagnosed with 2-3 hernias in the lumbosacral spine. In addition, pain in the lower back and sacrum often occurs with gynecological and urological pathologies.
Intervertebral hernia
An intervertebral hernia is the result of long-term osteochondrosis of the spine. While relatively small loads are placed on the intervertebral discs in the cervical region, each disc has enormous pressure in the lumbosacral region. A healthy disc is able to compensate for any weight, thanks to the semi-fluid core, which acts as a hydraulic shock absorber. However, due to osteochondrosis, the fibrous and strong cartilage (annulus fibrosus) that runs along the periphery of the intervertebral disc loses elasticity and strength, and some of its parts can rupture. With a sharp increase in the load, for example, when lifting weights, the pressure inside the diseased disc increases, as a result of which its contents can effectively "shoot" through the damaged cartilage, falling into the lumen of the spinal canal - this is how a intervertebral hernia is formed.
Fragments of the nucleus that have fallen from the disc compress the spinal cord and spinal roots. As a result, there is swelling of nerve tissues and impaired blood circulation, which is accompanied by severe pain and protective muscle spasm. The pain can be unbearable, up to the need for the use of narcotic analgesics. A feature is the irradiation of pain in the lower limbs. There may be reduced pain sensitivity, tingling, and numbness of the skin of the lower leg and thigh.
Protrusion of the intervertebral disc
The main difference between the protrusion of an intervertebral disc and a hernia is the preservation of the integrity of the fibrous ring. The cause of pain is compression of the spinal cord and its roots by protrusion along the periphery of the intervertebral disc. However, if the process continues, the protrusion can easily turn into a hernia. Symptoms and pains are similar to those of a herniated disc, as the severity of the pain syndrome depends not only on the size, but also on the location of the protrusion or hernia.
Spondylosis of the spine
Excessive loads and degenerative-dystrophic processes in the spine can lead to ossification of cartilage tissue, which is saturated with calcium salts and turns into sharp coracoid bone growths or growths occurring along the periphery of the vertebral bodies. As the process progresses, these growths can merge with the same growths on the body of the adjacent vertebrae. Over time, all the vertebrae grow together, the spine loses its flexibility and elasticity. Pain occurs due to irritation of the spinal cord and its roots, reactive inflammation, and dystrophy of the soft tissues, ligaments, and muscles surrounding the spine.
Radiculitis
Radiculitis is called severe pain resulting from circulatory disorders and ischemia of the roots of the spinal cord, strangulated by a hernia or protrusion with osteochondrosis of the spine. Various disorders of skin sensitivity are possible in the area of the buttocks, perineum, thighs and lower legs. Launched sciatica leads to muscle wasting and weakness. A characteristic symptom is shooting pains along the sciatic nerve, aggravated by movement, weight lifting, and in cold weather. This condition is called sciatica or sciatica.
Spine infection
The vertebrae are made up of spongy bone tissue rich in bone marrow. When an infection enters the bloodstream in the body of the vertebrae, an inflammatory process can occur - osteomyelitis. The gradual decay of the bone tissue is accompanied by necrosis: this image is also typical of spinal tuberculosis. Pain can occur both as a result of irritation of the nerve endings, and as a result of pathological compression fractures of the spine, weakened by inflammation.
Gynecological and urological diseases
Diseases such as cervical cancer, endometriosis or appendixitis (inflammation of the uterine appendages) in women, prostatitis or prostate cancer in men are often accompanied by severe pain in the lumbosacral spine. The nature of the pain is explained by the irritation of the nerves captured in the area of inflammation or the growth of the nerve trunks by a tumor.
The back muscles ache along the spine
Well-developed back muscles are a sign of a healthy spine, as the muscle corset relieves some of the stress and further stabilizes the spine. In chronic diseases of the spine, the muscles are subjected to excessive loads, which weak and atrophied muscles are unable to withstand. As a result, muscle spasm occurs and due to metabolic disorders in the muscles and pain. This condition is called myofascial syndrome, which is characteristic of osteochondrosis of the spine, hernias and protrusions of the intervertebral discs.
Postoperative pain
Spine surgeries are generally accompanied by extensive trauma: to stabilize and restore the integrity of the vertebrae, doctors may resort to installing metal structures, screwing screws into the vertebrae, and removing non-viable tissue. The pain in this case is due not only to the disease itself, but also to the surgical intervention. With proper rehabilitation and postoperative care, the pain will gradually disappear. However, if in the postoperative period you neglect the instructions of doctors and ignore the mandatory exercises, the pain can become chronic.
How are the causes of back pain diagnosed?
To diagnose pain in the back and spine, you need to promptly consult a qualified neurologist. In the first stage, a neurological examination, a patient survey, a study of reflexes and symptoms are performed. An experienced and competent doctor knows what diseases back and spine pain has for certain reasons and characteristics.
Back pain for no apparent reason should be especially vigilant. This can be with reflex pains of other organs and systems, with tumors and diseases of the spinal cord.
To find out why the back and spine hurt, a neuropathologist may prescribe MRI. It is the safest and most effective way to diagnose almost all possible causes of back pain. The procedure relies on the ability of magnetic fields and radio waves to provide clear and detailed images of the spine and spinal cord without the use of X-rays and other damaging factors.
How to relieve pain in the spine
To relieve, but not cure, back pain, we take analgesics for several days, which is necessary to wait for the consultation of a specialist. Most often, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs are used for this purpose. However, it is important to remember that this group of drugs can cause dangerous side effects, the likelihood of which increases with prolonged use. That is why it is important not to postpone the visit to the doctor and the examination for later. treatmentillnessesvertebral columnand reasonsbackache.
Spine pain treatment
As stated at the outset, the effectiveness of back pain treatment depends on the accuracy with which the diagnosis was made. Despite the obvious, many patients "cure" the pain for years, but not the disease itself, postponing a visit to a doctor each time, turning to traditional healers, osteopaths and chiropractors. In addition, for some diseases of the spine, such procedures are not only contraindicated, but also dangerous.
There are effective and scientifically proven treatments for variousspeciescausing diseasesbackache. . . Many of these require the patient's perseverance and perseverance in the fight against the disease. It is important to remember that there are no pills or injections that can cure osteochondrosis - only you can, with hard training and physical exercises that a neurologist will show you.
Which doctor should I contact for spinal pain?
Back pain is one of the most common neurological symptoms that occurs due to the involvement of the nerves and spinal cord in the pathological process. Therefore, the first specialist, whose consultation is necessary in case of pain in the spine, will be a neurologist. Based on the results of the exam and MRI, you may need to see another doctor. If back pain is caused by heart disease, the patient is referred to a cardiologist, if the problem is in the digestive tract, to a gastroenterologist. But most often the pain syndrome is associated precisely with the pathology of the spine.