The most common pathology of the musculoskeletal system is back pain. Everyone has experienced them at least once. Such pains do not always occur due to diseases of the spine. Often they are caused by inflammation of the back muscles. This condition can develop at any age for various reasons. If the pathology is treated in time, it passes quickly and without complications.
Features of back muscle inflammation
The muscular corset of the spine performs very important functions. It supports the body in an upright position, and also participates in all, even small, movements. Therefore, the back muscles are constantly under heavy load. As a result, they are more prone to inflammatory diseases than others. In addition, proximity to the spine, penetrated by a large number of nerve roots, provokes the occurrence of very severe pain during the inflammatory process.
Characteristics of pathology
Inflammation of the muscles of the back, if it is not a symptom of othersdisease is called myositis. Pathology is characterized by the appearance of inflamed dense nodules, tissue swelling and pain. Inflammatory foci can be localized in different places. Usually one muscle is affected, but in some diseases, inflammation can capture the entire muscle corset.
A feature of the inflammatory process in the muscles is that it is very difficult to get rid of pain. Inflammation develops according to this principle: tissue edema leads to compression of the nerve roots located in the thickness of the muscle tissue or nearby. This causes severe pain, which provokes a reflex muscle spasm. In this case, the nerve is infringed even more, and a vicious circle is obtained.
Why the disease develops
Inflammation of the back muscles occurs under the influence of various external factors or in some diseases. Most often, it is caused by various infectious diseases. Inflammation can develop with influenza or SARS. This is the most common cause of pathology. Sometimes muscles are affected by parasitic diseases, penetration of bacteria or toxic substances through the wound surface, as well as autoimmune diseases. But such internal causes of the inflammatory process are not very common.
Basically, inflammation of the back muscles develops under the influence of external factors:
- When staying in an uncomfortable position for a long time. This affects office workers, drivers, musicians, cashiers.
- Strong physical muscle strain, for example, whenplaying sports or lifting weights.
- Muscle injury - sprain, bruise, dislocation of the vertebrae.
- Severe hypothermia, especially when combined with exercise.
- Stressful situation leading to muscle spasms.
In addition, very often myositis accompanies various pathologies of the spine. If pain is observed for a long time during osteochondrosis, disc herniation or sciatica, muscle spasm occurs. This condition causes the development of inflammation.
Types of inflammatory diseases
Inflammation of the muscles of the back along the spine, in the upper shoulder girdle, shoulder blades, lower back or pelvis can be divided depending on the cause, location and severity of the course. Usually there are two forms of myositis - acute and chronic. Most often, the disease begins acutely, with severe pain, fever.
If the patient is not serious about the pathology, during treatment he only relieved pain symptoms, self-medicated or did not follow all the doctor's instructions, the disease becomes chronic. In addition, chronic myositis can develop with a long stay in an uncomfortable position, a sedentary lifestyle, or autoimmune diseases. The danger of this type of disease is that it is hidden, pain occurs periodically under the influence of provoking factors. Therefore, the chronic form of myositis often causes complications.
In addition, with inflammation of the back muscles at the site of localization and symptoms, several types of diseases can be diagnosed:
- common myositis is an inflammatory process that usually affects one muscle;
- polymyositis - affects several muscle groups, and is characterized by a strongly increasing weakness;
- dermatomyositis - inflammation is accompanied by damage to the skin with the appearance of a rash, swelling and high fever;
- purulent myositis develops when an infection enters the muscle, is characterized by high temperature, general intoxication and thickening of muscle tissue.
How the disease manifests
With careful attention to their condition, even an ordinary person can detect inflammation of the back muscles in time, the symptoms of which in most cases manifest themselves clearly and quite characteristically. By what signs can you determine the occurrence of the disease:
- severe pain in one or more muscles, usually aggravated by touch or exertion, but sometimes even at rest;
- appearance of painful seals in muscle tissue;
- muscle spasm;
- swelling, redness of the skin;
- fever, chills, headache, nausea and weakness;
- limitation of mobility of the nearest joints, muscle atrophy gradually develops.
Diagnosis of pathology
It flows acutely and quickly turns into a chronic form of inflammation of the muscles of the back. Symptoms and treatment therefore need to be determined as soon as possible. If the patient is on timesees a doctor, you can get rid of the pathology quickly and without consequences. But it is necessary to accurately diagnose. After all, muscle spasm that occurs during inflammation often causes pinching of the nerve. Therefore, the symptoms appear are the same as in some other diseases, such as a herniated disc or even a heart attack. Usually, for an accurate diagnosis, the following types of examinations are prescribed:
- blood tests can detect inflammation and exclude autoimmune pathologies;
- MRI is performed to detect inflammation;
- electromyostimulation determines the state of the affected muscles.
Inflammation of the back muscles: symptoms and treatment
Under the shoulder blade pain can resemble a heart attack, in the lower back - sciatica. Therefore, sometimes patients begin treatment on their own, trying simply to get rid of the pain. But this does not lead to anything good, as it only increases inflammation of the back muscles. Treatment should be carried out by a specialist, choosing methods strictly individually. The main thing is not only to relieve the symptoms, but also to get rid of the cause of inflammation. For example, with a bacterial lesion, antibiotics are prescribed, if the disease is caused by parasites - antiparasitic agents, and with an autoimmune process, only glucocorticoids can help.
But there is a general treatment regimen that is effective for all types of myositis. Therapy should be complex, including both drugs for internal use and external agents. How is the treatmentinflammation of the back muscles?
- First of all, painkillers and medicines to relieve inflammation are prescribed. As a rule, these are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. With damage to the muscles of the back, Diclofenac, Ketorolac, Metindol help well.
- Outwardly with local myositis, ointments, rubbing and compresses help well. These can be drugs with a warming or anti-inflammatory effect. For example, "Finalgon", "Apizartron", "Kapsicam" have a local irritating effect, which leads to the subsidence of pain. Relieve inflammation of the ointment "Diclofenac", "Bystrum Gel", "Indomethacin", "Nise".
- In the acute period, the patient is usually advised to keep calm. Only then can the affected muscle recover. Warming up the affected area also helps, so it is recommended to wrap your back with a warm scarf.
- Very effective for relieving muscle tension massage. It improves blood circulation, has a warming effect. It is contraindicated only in the purulent form of the disease and in dermatomyositis.
- In addition, physiotherapy procedures are indicated for treatment. Ozone baths, electric current therapy, shock wave therapy, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture are used.
- When pain subsides, special physical therapy exercises are performed to restore muscle function. Yoga is effective as it relaxes the muscles.
- It is necessary to follow a special diet, excluding s alty, fatty and fried foods. The diet should includevegetables, fish, dairy products. Be sure to drink at least 2 liters of water.
- Features are only in the treatment of purulent myositis. Heating is contraindicated in this case, and the treatment consists in surgical opening of the purulent focus and removal of its contents.
Inflammation of the back muscles: treatment with folk remedies
Traditional medicine recipes can be used as an adjunct therapy at home. There are many of them, but some of them are easier to use and more effective. You can relieve inflammation of the back muscles with the help of such a remedy:
- make a compress of cabbage leaves with soda and soap;
- rub the affected area with butter and bodyagi ointment;
- helps a compress of fresh burdock leaves;
- heating with boiled mashed potatoes.
Possible complications of pathology
Usually, with timely treatment, inflammation can be removed in a few days. If the patient follows all the recommendations of the doctor, the disease goes away without consequences. But in the chronic course, as well as when the treatment was stopped too early, complications are possible. Most often it is muscle atrophy or necrosis of muscle fibers. The constant spasm can also damage nerve roots and blood vessels.
Disease prevention
Inflammation of the back muscles can be prevented. To do this, avoid increased physical activity and hypothermia. When working with statictension, it is recommended to take breaks more often, kneading the muscles. Nutrition should be balanced to eliminate the lack of trace elements. And chronic and infectious diseases need to be treated in time.
