More than 25% of the world's population and more than 50% of people of working age suffer from back pain.Unfortunately, evolution has not ensured that people over 35-40 years old live comfortably.The biomechanical structure of the spine is such that the absence of back pain is not a guaranteed reality, but a happy (and, unfortunately, temporary) coincidence.Especially now, when the average office worker's body has to sit at a computer for 8 to 12 hours at a time.But we have been adapted by millions of years of evolution in nature to a completely different and much more active way of life!
Is it possible to treat back pain alone?
Unfortunately, not everyone asks this very correct question.The answer is: self-medication based on information from the Internet is extremely dangerous.This is a huge risk that can lead to disability.If we are talking about internal pain, such as back and spine pain, then it is not worth “diagnosing” yourself and “prescribing” treatment.Nerve endings in internal organs are located differently than the surface of the skin.Inner pain is difficult to pinpoint and sometimes it seems like one thing hurts, but in reality the reason is something else.For example, back pain can be caused by cancer of the gastrointestinal tract.And the pain that someone else may describe in a forum or article as very similar to yours may be caused by completely different reasons and require radically different treatment.
Yoram Anekstein, Tel Aviv Medical Center: “Very important advice: do not try to learn the names of spinal diseases, understand their etiology, diagnosis, etc. Spondyloarthritis, glenohumeral periatrosis, cervicobrachialgia - all these terms are of no use to you. There are dozens of these diseases in textbooks for medical universities, and even with various clarifications and modifiers. You should learn and remember the name of your diagnosis when a qualified doctor does this. But not before.
Alarming symptoms
Unpleasant sensations most often occur in the cervical and lumbar spine, but chest pain is much less common.It is subject to less stress, which is why osteochondrosis, protrusion and hernia of intervertebral discs do not affect it very often.However, chest and back pain can be caused by spinal problems.
Occasional discomfort may occur, but it is often not dangerous.If it is muscle pain (although it may not be similar to pain in the arm muscles after hard work and may be felt more strongly), then the cause is probably due to overexertion due to staying in the same position for a long time or too high a load.If the pain disappears after a change of position or a short walk and does not return, the problem is unlikely to be serious.Although it is necessary to deal with small problems, for example, change habitual postures, increase physical activity and practice physical exercise.And only a doctor can determine the severity of the problem.If there is even the slightest opportunity, you should definitely go to the doctor: it is always much easier (and cheaper) to cure a disease in the early stages than an advanced case.
What is really dangerous?Here is a list of “alarm signals”, upon the occurrence of one of which it is necessary to begin diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible:
- the pain does not stop, changing the position of the body does not help;the pain does not decrease with rest;pain worsens at night;
- numbness (decreased sensitivity) or decreased strength of the limbs occurs;
- problems arise with urination and defecation (for example, loss of the feeling of emptying the bladder; urinary and fecal incontinence or, conversely, retention; should not be confused with constipation);
- the temperature rises, but there are no other reasons that could explain this, for example, ARVI;
- pain wakes you up and interrupts your sleep;
- complications after suffering from malignant tumors (the statute of limitations does not matter);
- unexplained weight loss;
- complications after years of steroid use;
- complications after recent serious illnesses;
- complications after recent infectious diseases;
- loss of anal reflex;
- weakness in the hips and knees;
- neurological deficit;
- progressive spinal deformity;
- back pain that worsens at rest;
- chest pain (ACS - ECG);
- general malaise.
Note that you don't have to wait for everything to start together.If at least one of these symptoms occurs, consult a doctor immediately.
Yoram Anekstein, Tel Aviv Medical Center: “The question often arises: I made an appointment with a doctor, but my back has already stopped hurting. Should I go or not? I will definitely go."
Articles on the Internet often try to describe which types of pain are characteristic of osteochondrosis and which types of pain are characteristic of sciatica, etc.It doesn't matter the type of pain: on the left, on the right, in the coccyx, everywhere, sharp, lasting a few seconds or hours and days.These are all symptoms that scream that qualified medical assistance is needed.
Causes of back pain
The most common cause is nonspecific pain associated with muscle strain, excessive stretching of tendons, ligaments and fascia.
Much less frequently, the pain is associated with a herniated disc affecting a nerve root (~3% of cases).
Osteoporosis (including pathological fractures), infections (spondylodiscitis), tumors, tuberculosis, trauma and other rheumatological diseases cause pain much less frequently (about 1%).
Diseases of the internal organs can also cause back pain (pancreatic cancer, peptic ulcer, for example, or acute coronary syndrome).
Degenerative changes, called osteochondrosis, and consisting of a complex of components (decreased elasticity and resistance of the disc substance, decreased disc height, protrusion, hernia, changes in the vertebral bodies (Modic I-III), ligaments (spondylosis), facet joints (spondyloarthrosis) are not directly related to pain and other clinical manifestations.
It should be understood that the group of spondylitis and spondyloarthritis alone includes more than 10 diseases with various causes, features of the course, symptoms, etc.But from the descriptions above, you yourself can understand that they are united by seriousness.Back pain cannot be ignored.Many of these diseases occur slowly, with long stages of remission.But at the same time, in each acute phase, the risk of complications (up to complete loss of mobility) increases.