If we put aside the obvious causes, such as trauma, muscle strain or hypothermia, back pain in adults is more often related to degenerative changes in the structure of the intervertebral jointsspine and the vertebral body itself.
This process is called differently in different countries, but the essence does not change: with age, due to metabolic disorders, as well as asymmetric or excessive load, the cartilage, located between the vertebrae andensuring their mobility, thinning and thickening. This leads to micro-trauma and arthritis between the vertebrae and surrounding tissues.
Inflammation can be quickly extinguished with the help of drugs, but cartilage regeneration is a long process: cartilage wears out faster than it can be restored. Therefore, after arising once, pain in the spine often recurs periodically.
What to do: get an MRI and see a neurologist, get a fracture by a chiropractor, take medication or resort to alternative medicine?
First of all, see a neurologist!
This is where you should start when your back first hurts. The doctor must rule out all truly dangerous causes of pain, such as compression fractures (sometimes it occurs unnoticed), tuberculosis of the spine or tumors.
Most likely, the doctor will limit you to a simple examination and prescribe treatment for 3-5 days, and then give recommendations for lifestyle adjustments. In the future, if the pain returns, you will be able to cope with it on your own.
Arbitrary spinal MRI is a waste of money and time. In most cases, the results of the study will not affect your choice of treatment, tactics, and prognosis, and therefore your health.
You definitely need to see a neurologist: if back pain is accompanied by weakness in the legs or arms, if there are problems with the sensitivity of the body below the pain (numbness, crawling, tingling) or the function of the pelvic organs is impaired (problems withurination, erection), etc. ). In these cases, further examination is required.
Tolerating pain is harmful
Pain causes muscle spasms, increasing pressure on spinal nerves and pain receptors in the joints, while also limiting movement. To recover faster, you need to break this chain.
Therefore, in case of severe pain, bed rest is prescribed for the first 1-3 days. Everyone chooses for themselves a position in which pain is minimal, but often it is more useful to lie on your back, on a hard platform with cushions under the knees and lower back, with your head on a low pillow. Sometimes it's easier to lie in the fetal position: on your side, with your back rounded and a pillow between your bent knees.
Medication includes pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs for 3-5 days. In general, after 1 injection, it will be much better. You can also take these drugs in pill form: the intensity of the effect will not change, but the effect will come later.
Vitamins B1, B6, B12 are prescribed along with pain relievers. They help cope with pain, inflammation and improve metabolic processes in nerve tissue.
A neurologist or therapist may prescribe muscle relaxants. They help relax the spinal muscles, relieve pressure on the source of inflammation and pain, but can cause serious side effects, so it is better not to take them without the advice of a specialist. .
If everything is done correctly, the pain will subside within 3-5 days. The further fate of your back is in your hands. How much your quality of life will change now depends not on the qualifications of your treating doctor but on your willingness to work properly on your muscles and joints!
How to make yourself move?
There is a rule formed by natural selection: avoid pain, thereby protecting the damaged body part from destruction. But back pain is an exception.
During a week of bed rest, you can lose up to 20-30% of muscle strength, and this significantly reduces the chances of full recovery in the future.
Why exercise muscles?
Firstly,Strong back and abdominal muscles can take on the lion's share of the load when absorbing movement, as well as stabilizing the spine in the correct position - so that the joints between the vertebrae have optimal configuration and less wear and tear. more pain. It has been proven that people with underdeveloped muscles suffer from chronic back pain more often.
Monday,Exercising the back muscles increases the bone density of the vertebrae. This is an excellent prevention of osteoporosis and compression fractures, especially important for women over 45 years old. And when moving, joint lubrication is created, blood circulation improves and cartilage regeneration occurs faster.
The third day,Proper physical activity makes the ligaments that hold the vertebrae together stronger. This is an important factor in preventing chronic back pain in people with joint hypermobility: people who can touch the thumb of the hand to the forearm bone of the same hand or can stretch the handoverextension in the elbows and knees.
Therefore, the best way to prevent back pain is to exercise, but exercise properly!
Three rules of physical therapy
The ideal option is to undergo a complex course of physiotherapy under the supervision of an instructor: a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, neurologist or orthopedist. Once you learn the technique, you can practice on your own without the help of professionals.
It is important to follow three rules, without which no exercise will be effective!
- Exercise should become a daily habit, not a cure-all. Choose 4-5 exercises for flexibility and coordination of movements that can be done within 15-20 minutes after waking up each day. According to statistics, the people who most often suffer from back pain are "weekend athletes" - people who do not have time to play sports on weekdays and only have the opportunity to make up for lost time on weekends.
- The second part of the activity is a set of strength exercises. They are aimed at strengthening the back muscles, abdominal muscles, arms, legs and stabilizing the spine, so they will gradually become more complex. If you finish your workout without feeling tired, you're wasting your time: untired muscles won't grow. Strength training takes longer but also provides longer lasting results. So, just allocating 1 hour to them 2-3 times a week is enough. If you have diseases of the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, it is important that the intensity of exercise is controlled by a physiotherapist, at least initially.
- The biomechanics of the spine are very complex. So, there is no universal exercise that can correct all types of pain. A good specialist will immediately narrow down the choice. But if you practice on your own, let your emotions guide you. Exercise should gradually increase the range of motion without causing pain in the back. If this does not happen, or on the contrary, the pain becomes more intense, then you are doing something wrong.
An approximate set of exercises for acute, subacute and remission periods - when the back practically does not bother you, can be downloaded on the Internet.
Will you have to quit sports?
Some types of activities should be replaced with similar activities. For example, instead of running on rough terrain, you should try using a treadmill, and instead of a road bike, try using an exercise bike.
Initially, you should avoid exercises that only involve hanging from a bar and replace them with exercises that support your back or legs. Exercises with dumbbells or barbells are performed in a supine or prone position, without vertical loading.
Playing sports that involve jumping and sudden turns can cause pain: volleyball, basketball, soccer, tennis, dancing. But this doesn't mean it's time to give up your favorite activity. To get back in shape, you first need to exercise your back and abdominal muscles properly under the guidance of a doctor and choose shoes with good shock absorption. And of course, before any activity you need to warm up properly.
For most people, the ideal sport for back pain is swimming as well as water aerobics. However, some people with spinal joint instability may experience increased lower back pain after swimming. In this case, you need to start with dry exercises to strengthen the muscles of the torso.
The main causes of chronic back pain are being overweight, stress and poor posture. An active lifestyle allows you to tackle all three problems at once.
How to check your posture?
The spine has 4 bends - 2 front and 2 back. Normally, they balance and reduce vertical loads on the vertebrae during walking and other movements. If you bend too much or overextend your lower back, your body weight will be distributed incorrectly and the load on each vertebra will become overloaded.
For example, if you tilt your head forward and arch your back - the standard position of an office worker - the tension in the joints of the neck and upper thoracic spine increases six times.
To check your posture, stand with your back to a wall. Normally, the back of the head, shoulder blades, buttocks, heels and back should be touching the wall. In the lower back, your fist should pass easily between the wall and your back, rotating flat.
Sit up straight with your lower back supported. You can place a small pillow or a folded sweater under your lower back. To break the habit of crossing your legs, try placing a low stool or office equipment box under your feet. Try to change your body position more often, periodically walk around the office, and stretch to reduce stress. For example, as on thematic videos on the Internet.
How not to overexert yourself?
Follow safety precautions if you need to take something with you somewhere.
Calculate your movements and order of actions in advance. Can you use objects around you for support? Where should the load be carried?
Take the position: slightly bend your knees and hips, but do not lean forward. Tighten your abdominal muscles to protect your pelvic organs. When lifting heavy objects, your legs should work, not your back.
Hold the weight at your waist or chest, with the heavy end facing you.
If you need to turn around, step on your feet but don't lean to one side or twist your spine.
Keep your head straight. When you pick up a load, look ahead, not at it.
Know your limits! There's a big difference between what you can lift and what you can lift without endangering your health. If in doubt, ask someone to help you.
Don't pull. . . If you need to move a heavy object across the floor, it's better to push it than pull it behind you.
Distribute your weight evenly. When carrying shopping bags or luggage, try to carry equal weight in each hand.
What else will help your back?
Physical therapy, acupuncture (acupressure), various types of massage, manual therapy and even antidepressants are quite effective methods used to treat many types of chronic back pain worldwide. world. Their mechanism of action is simple: reduce muscle tension, improve blood circulation and metabolic processes in tissues, regulate the biomechanics of movement.
These methods work in the hands of a professional and can be useless and even harmful in the hands of a quack. Therefore, always pay attention to the reputation of the clinic and the reviews of the doctor you are contacting.
And most importantly, all these types of treatment have only auxiliary value. The main thing is correct posture, daily muscle activity, proper nutrition and careful use of the spine.
Using this service, you can make an appointment with a neurologist, physiotherapist, orthopedist and any medical service. You can get an online consultation with a neurologist using the mobile applications of medical centers in your city.