More than 25% of the world's population and more than 50% of people of working age suffer from back pain.Unfortunately, evolution did not make sure that people over the age of 35-40 lived 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 body of the average office worker has to sit at the computer for 8-12 hours straight.But we have been adapted by millions of years of evolution in the wild to a completely different, much more active way of life!
Is it possible to treat spinal pain yourself?
Unfortunately, not everyone asks themselves 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 such internal pain as pain in the back and spine, then it is especially not worth “diagnosing” yourself and “prescribing” treatment.Nerve endings in internal organs are located differently than on the surface of the skin.The pain inside is difficult to localize, and sometimes it seems that one thing hurts, but in fact the reason is something else.For example, back pain can be caused by cancer of the gastrointestinal tract.And the pain that another person may describe on a forum or in an 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 such 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 makes it.But not before."
Alarming symptoms
Unpleasant sensations most often occur in the cervical and lumbar spine, but the chest pain is much less common.It is subjected to less stress, so osteochondrosis, protrusion and herniated intervertebral discs do not affect it very often.However, chest and thoracic back pain may well be caused by problems with the spine.
Occasional discomfort may occur, but often it is not dangerous.If this is muscle pain (although it may not be similar to the pain in the muscles of the arms after hard work and can be felt more strongly), then the cause is most likely due to overexertion due to staying in one position for a long time or too high a load.If the pain goes away after a change in position or a short walk and does not return, then the problem is unlikely to be serious.Although you need to deal with minor problems, for example, change your usual postures, increase your physical activity, and do physical exercise.And only a doctor can determine the seriousness of the problem.If there is even the slightest opportunity, then 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”, after the occurrence of even one of which it is necessary to begin diagnosis and treatment as quickly as possible:
- the pain does not stop, changing body position does not help;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 sensation of emptying the bladder; urinary and fecal incontinence or, conversely, retention; not to be confused with constipation);
- the temperature rises, but there are no other reasons that can explain this, for example, ARVI;
- pain wakes you up and interrupts sleep;
- complications after suffering from malignant tumors (the statute of limitations does not matter);
- unexplained weight loss;
- complications after years of taking steroids;
- 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 gets worse at rest;
- chest pain (ACS - ECG);
- general malaise.
Please 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?Definitely go."
Articles on the Internet very often try to describe what types of pain are characteristic of osteochondrosis, and what types of pain are characteristic of sciatica, etc.This is the wrong approach, the reasons for which we have already explained above.It doesn’t matter what type of pain: on the left, on the right, in the tailbone, everywhere, shooting, lasting a couple of seconds or hours and days.All these are symptoms that scream that qualified medical care is needed.
Causes of pain in the spine
The most common cause is nonspecific pain associated with muscle strain, overstretching of tendons, ligaments and fascia.
Much less often, 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 strength 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, course characteristics, symptoms, etc.The number of diseases of the back and spine in particular is very large.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, at each acute stage, the risk of complications (up to complete loss of mobility) increases.