Nowadays, even young people often experience back pain, lower back pain or occasional headaches. There are many reasons for such symptoms, and often they are associated with various diseases of the spine, which begin to develop in childhood. But, unfortunately, the first signs of the disease appear much later. And during this period, significant changes can occur in the human skeleton, and the spine itself can also suffer. Therefore, it is very important, as soon as you feel pain in the spine, immediately contact a specialist, as timely treatment will help you quickly cope with the disease. The most common diseases are: osteochondrosis, scoliosis, herniated disc, posture disorders. We will consider some of the most common ailments in which pain in the spine appears, the causes and features of their therapy.
Causes of disease
Pain inback can occur for various reasons, but the most common are back injuries, including those received at birth, sedentary or hard physical work, heredity.
In order to prevent the development of back diseases, as well as pain in the spine, the causes of which we will consider below, you only need to follow simple recommendations familiar to everyone since childhood:
- Do not slouch and keep your posture, otherwise diseases such as scoliosis, osteochondrosis, hernia may develop.
- When sitting, do not lean forward much, it is also recommended to get up every 30 minutes and do a little warm-up (just stretching a few times is enough).
- When lifting weights, it is necessary to distribute the load throughout the body, that is, you cannot lift heavy objects by simply bending forward, you need to sit down a bit. In this case, the back muscles will receive less stress, and the spine itself will remain straight.
- Women are advised to limit the time they wear shoes with heels over 5cm high.
- Try to avoid spinal injuries, otherwise you can damage not only parts of the spine, but there is a high probability of getting more serious damage, for example, the spinal cord will suffer, which will cause pain in the spine.
Diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the spine and back
In order to diagnose the disease in time and correctly, it is necessary to contact a specialist at the slightest pain in the back, who will conduct everythingthe necessary examination and, if necessary, prescribe treatment.
In the treatment of diseases of the back, which often cause pain in the spine, a complex method is traditionally used, including:
- manual therapy;
- drug treatment;
- physiotherapy and massage;
- physiotherapy.
Surgery may be required for more serious conditions. One such case is a hernia in the spine. And in order not to bring your body to such drastic measures, it is necessary to contact specialists in a timely manner and carry out disease prevention.
Often the cause of severe pain is osteochondrosis of the sacral spine, the symptoms and treatment of which will be described below.
Symptoms
Before describing the treatment of osteochondrosis, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of the causes and symptoms of this disease.
Osteochondrosis usually affects people over 40 years of age. But lately, the disease has become younger.
Osteochondrosis is a violation of the structure of the tissues of the joints. Most often, osteochondrosis of various departments occurs, for example, osteochondrosis of the sacral spine. Symptoms and treatment will vary by species.
As a rule, a person learns about osteochondrosis when he makes himself felt with severe back pain, headaches, numbness of the limbs, impaired mobility of the spine, intervertebral hernia. Up to this point, a year may have passed. It is better,of course, when the disease is treated in the early stages of development. This saves a lot of time, effort and money, but it rarely happens.
Often this disease is confused with instability of the cervical spine. The symptoms and treatment of these two diseases are similar.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
Many people think and hope to be cured on their own. But the treatment of osteochondrosis at home without a medical examination and diagnosis can lead to very serious consequences.
The fight against disease involves several complementary components:
- drug treatment of osteochondrosis;
- non-drug: exercise, therapeutic exercises, physiotherapy, acupuncture, etc.
Treatment with medicines is especially necessary during an exacerbation of the disease. First of all, in order to relieve pain symptoms, muscle spasms, improve blood circulation, eliminate inflammation in the affected area and shooting pain in the spine. For this, various preparations are used for the treatment of osteochondrosis in the form of injections, tablets, ointments, gels and creams. Particularly effective techniques for osteochondrosis: rest, gradual exercise for the development of the muscular corset, diet, injections with drugs that restore tissues. Do not confuse osteochondrosis with symptoms of instability of the cervical spine. Treatment of any disease should be started only after visiting the clinic.
The hope that drugs will help get rid of the disease, as a rule, is not justified. But if it succeededovercome laziness and take care of your he alth - start monitoring nutrition, doing special exercises - then success in the treatment of this disease will be inevitable.
Osteophytes of the spine. Treatment
Often, osteochondrosis is also accompanied by such a phenomenon as osteophytes. Osteophytes are growths in the form of hooks or spikes. They usually form on bones and vertebrae. They appear due to degenerative processes in the bone tissue that occur for various reasons. In medicine, this disease is called spondylosis. Delayed treatment leads to a chronic form of sciatica.
This disease should be treated as soon as possible. But if the spine hurts, which doctor should I contact? An osteopath will help you cope with the disease. He unblocks the vertebrae with the help of soft manual techniques, restores blood circulation. Osteophytes disappear as soon as the regeneration of cartilage begins.
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is a fairly common disease. Both men and women are equally susceptible to this disease.
Osteochondrosis develops as a result of improper metabolism, when cartilage begins to turn into bones and grow. Bone tissue compresses the nerve fibers, causing pain.
Why is lumbar osteochondrosis so common? Science believes that one of the main causes of osteochondrosis is bipedalism. However, it is not without provoking factors. Hypodynamia, metabolic disordersubstances, excess weight, improper weight lifting - all this leads to violations of the natural processes of life in the spine.
Osteochondrosis has been developing for more than one year. It begins with an unpleasant sensation in the back and lower back, which intensifies over time and turns into severe pain. A dangerous complication of osteochondrosis is a hernia in the spine (intervertebral).
In advanced forms of the disease, pinched nerves are often observed and, as a result, numbness of the limbs, severe pain.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine
Treatment of this disease is long and requires complex measures. If "low back osteochondrosis" is diagnosed, the treatment is usually conservative, but if there is a neglected hernia, then surgery is most likely indispensable.
Treatment involves the use of painkillers, antispasmodics, drugs that improve blood circulation, restore cartilage and bone tissue. But osteochondrosis cannot be defeated with drugs alone.
The basis of treatment is: soft manual therapy, acupuncture, methods of pharmacopuncture, physiotherapy. The course of medical gymnastics is also important. All these techniques are aimed at restoring normal blood circulation, eliminating spasms of muscles and blood vessels in the affected area. The balance of metabolic processes in the intervertebral disc is restored and the nutrition of bone, cartilage and ligaments improves.
It should be noted that in order to restore the he alth of the spinejust the right kind of exercise is essential. Only under such conditions can one hope for a full recovery.
Selecting exercises is a very responsible task that can only be entrusted to an experienced specialist, since excessive loads can greatly harm the body.
Spinal hemangioma
This is the name of a benign tumor that appears as a result of impaired development of blood vessels. The secret of the appearance of hemangiomas has not yet been revealed, however, this type of tumor is quite common.
Hemangiomas come in several varieties, they differ in structure and location.
Hemangioma of the spine is quite common. It can cause pain or be asymptomatic. Pathology occurs in both men and women.
The most common hemangioma occurs in the thoracic and lumbar regions. It appears much more frequently in women than in men. The hereditary nature of the disease is traced. In the spine, a hemangioma affects the vertebrae, growing in the body of the vertebra, and over time it can lead to its compression, i.e., a fracture.
She could be:
- capillary (these are not operated on and are not even diagnosed, as they do not cause inconvenience.);
- plain (includes intertwined small vessels);
- racematous (larger vessels);
- cavernous (when there are cavities-lacunae filled with blood).
But maybethe presence of mixed hemangiomas, including different types of vessels and cavities. Hemangioma of the vertebral body may not manifest itself in any way, but if the tumor, growing, begins to compress the nerve endings, pain in the spine appears. The tumor not only destroys the intraosseous septum, but can also lead to a fracture of the spine.
Hemangioma of the spine: treatment
X-rays, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging are used to identify and clarify the localization of the tumor.
Vertebral hemangiomas are quite difficult to treat, so surgical removal is difficult due to the localization of the tumor, radiation therapy also has not proven itself to be the best, since the hemangioma does not collapse, and the percentage of relapses is quite high.
Such a method as embolization is not effective, because as a result of its application, a network of small capillaries grows.
To date, the method of skin puncture vertebroplasty has proven to be the most effective and safe. The essence of the method: a special mixture of barium sulfate and titanium with bone cement is introduced into the vertebral body under strict control. In the vertebral body, the mixture hardens, releasing heat. The released temperature is enough to destroy the hemangioma cells.
Hemangiomas are treated only under medical supervision, in special centers.
There are many different ailments due to which the spine can hurt, ranging from a simple bruise to a tumor or protrusion of the spine. How to treat? It all depends onmain cause of pain.
Dorsopathy of the lumbosacral region
Many people in our country turn to a neurologist with complaints of constant back pain. But there are also many who simply do not pay attention to this pain or self-medicate on the advice of neighbors and friends. The result of such therapy is usually very sad and often irreparable.
If the spine hurts when walking, then this may be a symptom of dorsopathy. Dorsopathy of the lumbosacral spine is a very serious pathology, which can result in disability and complete or partial disability.
The concept of "dorsopathy" unites a whole group of diseases of the spinal system. Typical symptoms are pain in the limbs and back. Dorsopathies are classified as follows:
- deforming;
- simpathalgia;
- dorsalgia;
- dorsalgia with pain syndrome.
Dorsopathy in the lumbosacral spine can be diagnosed by the following symptoms:
- The presence of dull pain in the lower back (the so-called lumbalgia).
- Shooting in the lower back or in the lumbosacral region. Usually occurs with sudden movements, as well as sneezing and coughing.
- Pain along the sciatic nerve, especially when standing (piriformis symptom).
- Periodic cramps of the leg muscles. Lameness associated with pain.
Diagnosis is made as a result of an examination by a neurologist orsurgeon. If necessary, X-rays and MRI are prescribed.
On palpation there is muscle tension and possible displacement of the vertebra.
If there is reason to suspect a pinched sciatic nerve, a novocaine test is performed. Novocaine is injected into the piriformis muscle, which anesthetizes this area.
Often there are two phases of dorsopathy in the lumbosacral region:
- flare phase;
- remission phase.
The task of the first phase is to relieve muscle spasm with painkillers, eliminate swelling, inflammation and restore normal blood circulation in the affected area. Rest is preferred in this phase.
In the remission phase, a course of physiotherapy, therapeutic massage, a special course of therapeutic exercises for the lumbar spine is prescribed. It is recommended to observe a moderate motor mode and avoid strong physical exertion.
When dorsopathy is very important to start treatment as soon as possible. After all, severe pain, in fact, already indicates serious violations in the lumbar region, and these violations did not develop in one year. During an attack, it is very important to relieve pain and spasm as soon as possible.
If you do not pay attention to pain signals from the lumbar region for a long time, then you should not be surprised that as a result you will have to resort to surgical intervention. The recovery process may take a year or more.
Other causes of pain
In addition to diseases, pain can be caused by various injuries. Please note that the transportation of the victim with a spinal injury must be carried out with extreme caution. It is not necessary to try to turn the victim over on your own, without the help of doctors. In this case, a compression fracture of the spine is considered a serious injury, the ICD-10 code for which will depend on the specific department.
We have not considered all the reasons why back pain may be felt. There are also rare diseases, for example, tuberculous spondylitis of the spine, a chronic disease accompanied by dysfunction of the vertebrae, severe pain in the back, the formation of serious neurological disorders, and deformity of the spinal column.
That's why it's so important not to ignore back pain, assuming it's caused by a cold, for example. If there is pain in the spine when walking or standing up, it is better to consult a doctor.
