Leaving aside the obvious causes, such as injury, muscle tension or hypothermia, back pain in adults is more often associated with degenerative changes in the structure of the intervertebral joints and the vertebral bodies themselves.
In different countries, this process is called differently, but the essence does not change: with age, due to metabolic disorders, as well as asymmetric or excessive loads, the cartilage, which is located between the vertebrae and ensures their mobility, thins and thickens. This leads to microtraumas and inflammation of the intervertebral joints and surrounding tissues.
The inflammation can be quickly extinguished with the help of drugs, but the regeneration of cartilage is a long process: the cartilage wears out faster than it is restored. Therefore, having occurred once, pain in the spine, as a rule, periodically returns.
What to do: get an MRI and see a neurologist, crack your bones at a chiropractor, take pills, or turn to alternative medicine?
First, go to a neurologist!
This is where you should start when your back hurts for the first time. The doctor must rule out any really dangerous causes of pain, for example, a compression fracture (sometimes it happens unnoticed), spinal tuberculosis or a tumor.
Most likely, the doctor will limit himself to a simple examination and prescribe you treatment for 3-5 days, after which he will give recommendations for lifestyle correction. In the future, if the pain recurs, you will be able to handle it yourself.
Doing an MRI of the spine on your own initiative is a waste of money and time. In most cases, the results of the study will not affect the choice of treatment, tactics and prognosis, and therefore your well-being.
You should definitely see a neurologist: if the back pain is accompanied by weakness in the leg, arm, if there are problems with the sensitivity of the body under the painful place (tingling, crawling, numbness) or the functions of the pelvic organs are disturbed (problems with urination, erection, etc. ). In these cases, a more thorough review will be required.
Enduring pain is harmful
Pain causes muscle spasms, which increases pressure on spinal nerves and pain receptors in the joint, and also limits movement. To recover faster, you need to break this chain.
Therefore, in case of severe pain, bed rest is indicated for the first 1-3 days. Everyone chooses for himself the position where the pain is minimal, but more often it helps to lie on your back, on a firm base with support under the knees and waist, with your head on a low pillow. Sometimes it's easier in the fetal position: on your side, with a rounded back and a pillow between bent knees.
Medications include pain relievers and anti-inflammatories for 3-5 days. As a rule, after 1 injection it gets much better. You can also take these drugs in tablets: the potency will not change, but the effect will come later.
Vitamins B1, B6, B12 are shown together with pain relievers. They help to deal with pain, inflammation and improve metabolism in nervous tissue.
A neurologist or therapist may prescribe muscle relaxants. They help to relax the spinal muscles, reduce the pressure on the focus of inflammation and pain, but they can have serious side effects, so it is better not to take them without the advice of a specialist.
If everything is done correctly, the pain should 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 qualification of the treating doctor, but on whether you are ready to work properly on your muscles and joints!
How to get moving?
There is a rule developed by natural selection: to 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 a full recovery in the future.
Why train muscles?
first,strong back and abdominal muscles are able to take the lion's share of the load when moving, as well as stabilize the spine in the correct position - so that the intervertebral joints occupy an optimal configuration and experience less wear and tear and pain. It has been proven that people with poorly developed muscles suffer more often from chronic back pain.
second,training the back muscles increases the bone density of the vertebrae. This is an excellent prevention of osteoporosis and compression fractures, which is especially important for women over 45. And when moving, lubrication of the joints is produced, blood circulation improves, and regeneration processes in the cartilage occur faster.
Third,proper physical activity makes the ligaments that hold the vertebrae together stronger. This is an important element in the prevention of chronic back pain in people with joint hypermobility: those who can reach the thumb of the hand to the bones of the forearm of the same hand or can hyperextend their arms at the elbows and knees.
Therefore, the best prevention of back pain is movement, but the right one!
Three rules of physical therapy
The ideal option is to undergo a complex of physical therapy under the supervision of an instructor: a doctor of physical therapy, a physiotherapist, a neurologist or a chiropractor. After learning the technique, you can practice on your own without the help of specialists.
It is important to follow three rules, without which no exercise will work!
- Exercise should become a daily habit, not a fire prevention measure. Choose 4-5 flexibility and coordination exercises that you can perform within 15-20 minutes of waking up each day. According to statistics, people who most often suffer from back pain are "weekend athletes" - people who do not have time for sports on weekdays and only have the opportunity to catch up on weekends.
- The second part of the activity is a set of strength exercises. They are aimed at strengthening the muscles of the back, abdomen, arms, legs and stabilizing the spine, so they should gradually become more complicated. If you finish a workout without feeling tired, then you've wasted your time: muscles that don't get tired don't develop. Strength training takes more time, but also gives a longer-lasting effect. Therefore, it is enough to devote 1 hour to them 2-3 times a week. If you have diseases of the cardiovascular system and lungs, it is important that the intensity of the exercises is controlled by a doctor of physical therapy, at least in the initial stage.
- The biomechanics of the spine are very complex. Therefore, there are no universal exercises to correct all types of pain. A good specialist will immediately narrow down the choice. But if you practice alone, be guided by your feelings. Training should gradually increase pain-free range of motion in the back. If this does not happen or the pain, on the contrary, intensifies, then you are doing something wrong.
An approximate set of exercises for acute, subacute periods and remission - when the back practically does not bother you, you can download on the Internet.
Will you have to give up sports?
It is recommended to replace some types of activities with similar ones. For example, instead of jogging on uneven terrain, you better try a treadmill, instead of a road bike, try an exercise bike.
It is recommended that you initially avoid pure barbell hang exercises, replacing them with back or leg support exercises. Exercises with dumbbells or a barbell are performed in a lying position on the back or stomach, without vertical loads.
Sports associated with jumps and sudden twisting movements can provoke a painful attack: volleyball, basketball, football, tennis, dancing. But that doesn't mean it's time to give up your favorite pastime. To get back in shape, you must first properly train your back and abdominal muscles under the guidance of a doctor and choose shoes with good shock absorbers. And of course, before any activity you need to warm up properly.
For most, the ideal sport for back pain is swimming, as well as water aerobics. However, some people with spinal instability may experience increased lower back pain after swimming. In this case, you should start with dry exercises to strengthen the muscles of the torso.
The main causes of chronic back pain are excess weight, stress and poor posture. An active lifestyle allows you to solve all three problems at once.
How to check your posture?
The spine has 4 curves - 2 forward and 2 backward. They are usually balanced and soften the vertical load on the vertebrae during walking and other movements. If you slouch too much or stretch your lower back too much, your body weight is distributed incorrectly and the load on the individual vertebrae becomes overwhelming.
For example, if you tilt your head forward and round your back - the standard posture of an office worker - the tension in the joints of the neck and upper chest increases 6 times.
To check your posture, stand with your back against a wall. Usually the back of the head, shoulder blades, buttocks, game and heels should touch the wall. In the lower back area, your fist should easily pass between the wall and your back, facing 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 chair or a box of office equipment under your feet. Try to change your body position more often, periodically walk around the office, stretching your muscles to relieve tension. For example, like on thematic videos on the Internet.
How not to overexert yourself?
Follow safety measures if you need to take something somewhere.
Calculate in advance your movements and the order of actions. Can you use surrounding objects for support? Where should the cargo be carried?
Get into the pose: Bend your knees and hips slightly, but don't lean forward. Tighten your abs to protect your pelvic organs. When lifting something heavy, the legs should work, not the back.
Hold the weight on your waist or chest with the heavy end facing you.
If you have to turn around, step on your feet, but don't lean to the side or arch your spine.
Keep your head up. When picking up a load, look in front of you, not at it.
Know your limits! There is a big difference between what you can lift and what you can lift without putting your health at risk. If in doubt, ask someone to help you.
Do not pull. . . If you need to move a heavy object across the floor, it is better to push it than to drag 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 you heal your back?
Physiotherapy, acupuncture (reflexology), various types of massage, manual therapy and even taking antidepressants are all very effective methods that are used to treat various types of chronic back pain around the world. The mechanism of their action is simple: relieving muscle tension, improving blood circulation and metabolic processes in the tissues, correcting the biomechanics of movement.
These methods work in the hands of an expert 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 contact.
And most importantly, all these types of treatment have only auxiliary value. The main thing is the correct posture, daily muscle work, proper nutrition and careful use of the spine.
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