Back pain is a symptom that occurs with various diseases and conditions. Most often, back pain is a reflection of bone pathology, changes in the joints of the spine and the periarticular tissues, muscles, nerve trunks, and skin over the spine. Back pain can also accompany other diseases, including diseases of the internal organs.
Back pain symptoms
Depending on the cause, back pain can have its own characteristics. In rheumatological diseases, the following symptoms are distinguished:
- pain occurs in the lumbar spine, buttocks, occurs in the thigh;
- pain increases at rest and decreases with movement;
- pain is accompanied by morning stiffness in the lumbar spine;
- the defeat of the spine is bilateral.
With infectious processes:
- sharp pain in the spine;
- with an injury to the lumbar region, the pain radiates to the buttocks, leg;
- pain increases with pressure on the affected area;
- Swelling and redness of the skin is often noted in the affected area;
- the process is usually unilateral (on one side of the spine).
With muscular pathology:
- With fibromyalgia, the pain is constant, widespread, covering both the right and left half of the body above and below the waist. It intensifies with emotional and mental overload, with the action of cold temperatures, sudden changes in weather. Painful points appear in different anatomical areas, which are revealed when pressed;
- tension of the affected muscle;
- decreased muscle strength.
Herniated disc (osteochondrosis), spondyloarthrosis:
- back pain derived from tension in the spine (for example, standing for a long time in an upright position), aggravated when turning and bending backwards, passing at rest;
- discomfort can occur during a long stay in one position;
- possible compression of nerves due to herniation or subluxation in the joint. In such cases, the pain can occur in the arm, occipital region (with damage to the cervical spine), in the leg (with damage to the lumbar spine), accompanied by numbness, tingling and muscle weakness in the leg or arm;
- joint subluxation in the cervical spine can squeeze the vertebral artery, causing headaches, dizziness, impaired coordination of movements, vision, hearing;
- the stiffness of the column disappears after heating.
With damage to internal organs:
- with kidney pathology, in addition to back pain, abdominal pain, frequent urination may occur;
- in diseases of the pancreas - the surrounding nature of pain;
- with lung diseases - pain in the back and chest behind or in front, under the scapula, aggravated by coughing.
Causes
The causes of the disease are very diverse.
- Back pain caused by pathology of the spine (bones, ligaments, tendons, intervertebral discs):
- osteomyelitis (an infectious and inflammatory process that affects a site of the bone marrow and then the elements of bone tissue);
- spinal tumors and metastases ("examinations" of a tumor of any organ that has spread to the spine with the formation of a new focus);
- herniated disc (osteochondrosis);
- osteoporosis (a disease characterized by increased fragility of bone tissue);
- spondylolisthesis (displacement of one vertebra with respect to the others);
- scoliosis (curvature of the spine);
- spondyloarthrosis (a disease based on the defeat of all components of the joint, mainly articular cartilage);
- fractures
- stenosis (obstruction) of the spinal canal.
- Back pain due to muscle abnormalities:
- fibromyalgia (complex of symptoms, manifested by chronic generalized muscle pain (spreading to many muscles), depression, sleep disturbances, morning stiffness, rapid fatigue);
- muscle cramps;
- stretch your muscles.
- Back pain due to other conditions:
- pelvic bleeding;
- suppurating hematoma (accumulation of shed blood) of the retroperitoneal space;
- pelvic organ diseases;
- aortic dissection;
- kidney disease;
- diseases of the abdominal organs;
- rheumatological diseases (ankylosing spondylitis (a disease characterized by an inflammatory process in the spine and joints), reactive arthritis (inflammatory joint diseases of an infectious nature), psoriatic arthritis (inflammation of the joints, combined with the appearance of scaly plaques in the skin));
- shingles, shingles.
- The provoking factors can be:
- injury;
- lifting weights;
- unprepared movements;
- prolonged stay in a non-physiological (uncomfortable) position;
- hypothermia.
- Analysis of complaints (pain in the spine, back discomfort with prolonged exposure to a position, morning stiffness; numbness, tingling, muscle weakness in arm or leg).
- Analysis of the anamnesis (history of development) of the disease, asking how the disease started and progressed.
- General examination (examination and palpation of the spine, determination of the range of motion of the spine).
- General blood and urine tests to identify the infectious process and kidney pathology.
- X-ray of the spine - allows you to detect pathological changes in the vertebrae.
- Computer, MRI of the spine - allows you to determine in more detail the nature of the injury to the spine and surrounding tissues.
- Electromyography: to detect muscle pathology.
- Radioisotope bone scan is a contrast study, which is based on observing the characteristics of the distribution of a contrast agent introduced into the body in the bones. Foci of excessive accumulation indicate the presence of a pathological process.
- Densitometry: determination of bone density. It is done to detect osteoporosis (a disease characterized by increased fragility of the bones).
- Consultation with a neurologist, vertebrologist, rheumatologist, orthopedist.
- Treatment of the underlying disease causing back pain.
- Rest for several days (2 to 5).
- Wearing a bandage (corset) to relieve the spine.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (orally, in the form of injections, in the form of local agents - ointments, gels) - to reduce pain.
- Muscle relaxants are muscle relaxants.
- Surgical treatment depending on the cause of the pain, for example, removal of a purulent focus in the spine; installation of a prosthesis between the vertebrae to restore the normal distance between them with a narrowing of the intervertebral cleft and compression of the nerve trunks.
- After the acute pain disappears: physiotherapy procedures (consultation of a physiotherapist is required), massages, physical therapy exercises.
- It depends on the cause and severity of the illness that caused the pain.
- The transition of the disease to a chronic form (osteochondrosis) is possible.
- In severe cases, disability (trauma, rheumatological diseases).
- Treatment of the underlying disease.
- Elimination of injuries, physical overload, hypothermia.
- Correct posture.
- Correct arrangement of the workplace and for sleeping (to exclude the non-physiological position of the spine, in which it is subject to curvature).
- Correction of excess body weight.