Over 25% of the world's population and over 50% of people of working age suffer from back pain.Unfortunately, evolution has not ensured that people over the age of 35-40 live 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 average office worker's body has to sit at the computer for 8-12 hours straight.But millions of years of evolution in nature have adapted us to a completely different and much more active lifestyle!
Is it possible to cure spinal pain yourself?
Unfortunately, not everyone asks 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 internal pains such as pain in the back and spine, then it is not worth "diagnosing" yourself and "prescribing" treatment.Nerve endings in internal organs are located differently than on the surface of the skin.Inner pain is difficult to locate and sometimes it seems like one thing hurts, but in reality the reason is something else.For example, back pain can be caused by cancer of the gastrointestinal tract.And the pain that another person describes on a forum or in an article as very similar to yours can 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 diseases of the spine, understand their etiology, diagnosis, etc. Spondyloarthritis, glenohumeral periathrosis, cervicobrachialgia - all these terms are of no use to you. There are dozens of such diseases in the textbooks of medical universities, and even with various clarifications and modifiers. You should learn and remember the name of your diagnosis when it is given to youa qualified doctor. But not before."
Alarming symptoms
Unpleasant sensations occur most often in the cervical and lumbar spine, but chest pain is much less common.He is subjected to less stress, so osteochondrosis, protrusion and herniation of the intervertebral disc do not affect him very often.However, chest and back pain can be caused by spinal problems.
Discomfort may occasionally occur, but is often not dangerous.If it is muscle pain (although it may not be similar to pain in the arm muscles after hard work and may be felt more strongly), the cause is most likely due to excessive effort due to prolonged stay in the same position or too high a load.If the pain goes away after a change in position or a short walk and does not return, the problem is unlikely to be serious.Even if you have to deal with minor problems, for example, change your usual postures, increase physical activity and exercise.And only a doctor can determine the severity of the problem.If there is even the slightest possibility, 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 "warning signs", if even just one of them occurs it is necessary to start diagnosis and treatment as quickly as possible:
- the pain doesn't stop, changing body position doesn't help;pain does not decrease with rest;the pain gets worse at night;
- numbness (decreased sensation) or decreased strength in 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 your 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 worsens at rest;
- chest pain (ACS - ECG);
- general malaise.
Keep in mind that you don't have to wait for everything to start together.If you experience at least one of these symptoms, 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? I will 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 why we have already explained above.It doesn't matter what kind of pain: on the left, on the right, in the tailbone, everywhere, excruciating, lasting a couple of seconds or hours and days.All these are symptoms that scream that qualified medical attention is needed.
Causes of spinal pain
The most common cause is nonspecific pain associated with muscle tension, overstretching of tendons, ligaments, and fascia.
Much less often, the 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 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 (Modico 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 different causes, features of the course, symptoms, etc.The number of diseases of the back and the spine in particular is very large.But from the above descriptions, you yourself can understand that they are united by seriousness.Back pain cannot be ignored.Many of these diseases manifest slowly, with long phases of remission.But at the same time, in each acute phase, the risk of complications increases (up to complete loss of mobility).