More than 25% of the world's population and more than 50% of people of working age suffer from back pain.Unfortunately, evolution has not allowed people over 35-40 years old to 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 in front of the computer for 8-12 hours straight.But we have been adapted by millions of years of evolution in nature to a completely different, much more active lifestyle!
Is it possible to treat 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 back and spine pain, it is definitely not worth “diagnosing” and “prescribing” treatment.The nerve endings of internal organs are located differently than on the surface of the skin.The inner pain is difficult to localize, and sometimes it seems that 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 may describe on a forum or in an article as being 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 periatosis, cervicobrachialgia - all these terms are of no use to you. There are dozens of these diseases in the textbooks of medical universities, and even with various clarifications and modifications. You need to learn and remember thename of your diagnosis when a qualified doctor makes this But not before.
Alarming symptoms
Unpleasant sensations most often occur in the cervical and lumbar spine, but chest pain is much less common.It is subject to less stress, therefore osteochondrosis, protrusion and herniated intervertebral discs do not affect it very often.However, chest and chest pain may very well be caused by spinal problems.
Occasional discomfort may occur, but it is often not dangerous.If it is muscle pain (although it does not resemble pain in the arm muscles after intense work and may be felt more strongly), the cause is most likely due to overwork due to prolonged holding in the same position or too high a load.If the pain goes away after a change of position or a short walk and does not return, it is unlikely that the problem is serious.Although you have to face minor problems, for example, change your usual postures, increase your physical activity and do physical exercise.And only a doctor can determine the severity of the problem.If there is the slightest opportunity, you should definitely consult a doctor: it is always much easier (and cheaper) to cure a disease at an early stage than an advanced one.
What is really dangerous?Here is a list of “red flags”, after the appearance of even one of them, it is necessary to start diagnosis and treatment as quickly as possible:
- the pain does not stop, changing the body position does not help;the pain does not decrease with rest;the pain gets worse at night;
- numbness (decreased sensitivity) or decreased strength of the limbs occurs;
- problems occur 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 deformation of the spine;
- back pain that gets worse when resting;
- chest pain (ACS - ECG);
- general discomfort.
Know that you don’t have to wait for everything to come together.If at least one of these symptoms appears, consult a doctor immediately.
Yoram Anekstein, Tel Aviv Medical Center: "The question often arises: I made an appointment with a doctor, but my back no longer hurts. 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 a bad approach, the reasons for which we have already explained above.It doesn't matter the type of pain: on the left, on the right, in the coccyx, everywhere, throbbing, lasting a few seconds or a few hours and days.All these symptoms require qualified medical attention.
Causes of pain in the spine
The most common cause is nonspecific pain associated with muscle tension, 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 (e.g. pancreatic cancer, peptic ulcer or acute coronary syndrome).
Degenerative changes, called osteochondrosis, and consisting of a complex of components (decrease in elasticity and strength of the disc substance, decrease in disc height, protrusion, herniation, changes in vertebral bodies (Modic I-III), ligaments (spondylosis), facet joints (spondyloarthrosis) are not directly related to painand other clinical manifestations.
It should be understood that the group of spondyloarthritis and spondyloarthritis alone includes more than 10 diseases with various causes, features of course, symptoms, etc.The number of back and spinal diseases in particular is very high.But from the descriptions above, you yourself can understand that they are united by seriousness.Back pain cannot be ignored.Many of these diseases come on 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.