Back pain

Back pain is one of the most common complaints among people over 25 to 30 years old. They can arise not only as a result of overwork, but also act as a symptom of diseases of the spine or internal organs. Therefore, it is important to be aware of your health and not ignore the problem. After all, if back pain is triggered by the appearance of pathological changes in the spine, they can lead to serious complications and even disabilities.

Reasons

In several situations, the back hurts for natural reasons: after exhausting physical work, intense training, prolonged walking with high-heeled shoes, etc. In these situations, the pain is caused by the formation of lactic acid in the muscles and, in particularly difficult cases, and microrragiasmuscles, sprains. Therefore, to eliminate them, it is necessary to give your back rest for several days.

Pregnancy is a common cause of back pain. Since the body undergoes many changes, especially in the final stages of pregnancy, it can respond to this with pain in the lower back. If they are not acute and are not associated with discomfort in the lower abdomen or the appearance of unusual discharge, this is considered a normal variant. But at the same time, ongoing changes, a change in the center of gravity and an increase in a woman's weight during pregnancy can cause an exacerbation of chronic illnesses or become the cause of the development of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine.

Due to the fact that during pregnancy the load on the woman's body doubles, it is very important to straighten the spine. Our clinic has developed and prepared a special comprehensive examination and treatment program for pregnant women and those planning to become pregnant.

It is degenerative dystrophic processes, as well as other spinal pathologies, that most often cause back pain in women and men over 30 years of age. With them, the pain can be located anywhere on the back (neck, between the shoulder blades, in the lumbar region) and cover the head, shoulders, arms, buttocks, legs, etc. It can be of varying degrees of severity, be acute, shooting, pulling, hurting, being present all the time or occurring after physical effort. All of these are important signs that help determine the cause of the development of the painful syndrome and, therefore, find an effective way to eliminate it.

The most common diseases associated with back pain are:

• osteochondrosis, protrusions and intervertebral hernias;
• curvature of the spine (kyphosis, scoliosis, lordosis and their combinations);
• myofascial syndrome.

Less often, back pain is caused by compression fractures of the spine (typical in the elderly or people who have suffered injuries, falls from a height, an accident), the development of ankylosing spondylitis, spondylosis, spondylolisthesis andother spine diseases.

In addition, pain in different parts of the back can be caused by disturbances in the functioning of Organs internal organs. For example, neck pain may accompany pathologies of the thyroid gland, inflammation of the lymph nodes, blood vessel disease and back pain may indicate pathology of the kidneys, pelvic organs and gastrointestinal tract. Discomfort in the middle of the back, in the region of the shoulder blades is quite rare, but it also occurs. Its appearance, in addition to diseases of the spine, may reside in the occurrence of disturbances in the work of the heart, etc.

But the essence of the problem lies in the fact that any diseases of Organs internal organs do not arise out of nowhere. They almost always become the result of a breachsegmenting, that is, the quality of transmission of nerve impulses from the spinal cord through nerve roots and nerve branches to specific organs. Each level of the spinal cord has its own pair of spinal roots, from which the nerves branch and go to the corresponding organs. If changes in the spine occur, for example, curvatures, displacement of the vertebrae, changes in the height and condition of the intervertebral discs occur, this inevitably affects the condition of the spinal roots and spinal cord. They can be squeezed or even injured by various vertebral structures, as they change their natural parameters and position. Therefore, nerve impulses pass worse to the organs, which leads to the appearance of disturbances that at first are insignificant, but constantly progressive in their work. Gradually, organic changes appear in the organs, which become the cause of the development of the disease. Therefore, in case of back pain and in the detection of pathologies of internal organs, it is essential to examine the spine and find the changes that caused its development. The impact on them will increase the effectiveness of treating internal diseases and, most importantly, eliminate the prerequisites for their occurrence.

Each segment of spinal movement has its own pair of nerve roots that transmit signals to a specific organ.

Osteochondrosis, protrusion and intervertebral hernia

Osteochondrosis is the most common disease of the spine, which is present in every second adult at different stages of development. It is accompanied by degenerative dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs, that is, their gradual destruction.

Depending on where the back pain occurs and, consequently, on the degenerative-dystrophic processes in the intervertebral discs, osteochondrosis of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine is distinguished. Most of the time, the lumbosacral spine discs are destroyed, a little less frequently - the cervical disc, and only in rare cases is osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine diagnosed.

For osteochondrosis, the pain is typical, initially weak, aching after physical effort or prolonged session. They gradually intensify and occur with increasing frequency. Over time, the discs become so exhausted that their outer shell does not resist the loads placed on them and is deformed, that is, a protrusion is formed that ends up becoming a hernia. In the latter case, the fibrous ring is completely broken and the internal content of the disc may fall into the spinal canal.

In both cases, the protruding parts can compress the roots of the spine, thus causing the root syndrome to occur. This means that in addition to the fact that the pains are sharp and severe, they will also be applied to the arms, legs, buttocks and other parts of the body, which depends directly on which disc is deformed. Therefore, when the nerves in the cervical spine are pinched, the pain tends to be in the shoulders and arms, and when the nerves in the lumbar spine are compressed, in the buttocks and legs. This is usually accompanied by sensory deficiencies, including numbness, a feeling of crawling and gradual muscle atrophy.

The disease is full of irreversible changes in nerve fibers, which can lead to paralysis and disability.

Spine curvature

The curvature of the column can be seen anywhere in it. A perfectly flat spine today is a rarity, so more or less pronounced deformities are present in almost all modern people. This can be:

• kyphosis - strengthening the natural curvature of the spine in the cervicothoracic region;
• lordosis - increased natural deflection of the spine in the lumbar spine;
Scoliosis
• - lateral deformity of the spine.

In each case, the curvature can lead to compression of several groups of nerves, which will also cause root syndrome. But if in osteochondrosis the changes in the early stages of development are visually impossible to overcome, then spinal deformities can be easily diagnosed by asymmetric position of the shoulder blades, pelvic bones, protrusion of the abdomen or the formation of a protrusion.

Myofascial syndrome Myofascial syndrome is not dangerous, but a painful condition, in which certain muscle groups spasm in response to pressure or physical activity. So if, in the context of absolutely normal health, you press on the place where back pain usually occurs, you can get a new attack of acute pain, which is an important diagnostic criterion.

Diagnosis of the causes of back pain

If back pain occurs, regardless of whether it is located in the neck, between the shoulder blades or in the lower back, it is recommended to consult a neurologist. It is necessary to make an appointment with a chiropractor, vertebrologist and neurologist as soon as possible if the pain radiates to other parts of the body, as this is a sign of the development of the root syndrome.

The specialists at our center use an integrated approach to diagnosis and treatment, so they can make the correct diagnosis quickly. The diagnosis begins with a survey of the patient, during which the nature of the complaints presented is clarified, as well as the characteristics of work and rest. The doctor must carefully examine the patient, palpate the spine, as well as perform special functional and neurological tests. This allows you to form a comprehensive picture of the patient's condition, detect signs of neurological deficit and assess the degree of damage. To clarify the diagnosis, it is mandatory to indicate:

• X-ray examination;
• CT;
• MRI.

If there are no contraindications, magnetic resonance imaging is always preferred, since this method can provide the most complete data on the state of the spine and especially its discs, which allows even small changes intheir condition are diagnosed in the early stages and intervene in the pathological process in a timely manner.

In our clinic, you can also learn more about your body composition and the state of the vascular system, which is involved in the blood supply to internal organs, musculoskeletal muscles and the brain. Our experienced doctors will explain the findings to you in detail. Bioimpedansometry calculates the relationship between fat, muscle, bone and skeletal mass, total body fluid and basal metabolic rate. The intensity of the recommended physical activity depends on the state of the muscle mass. Metabolic processes, in turn, affect the body's ability to recover. By the indicators of active cell mass, one can judge the level of physical activity and nutritional balance. This simple and quick test helps us to see endocrine disruptions and to take action. In addition, it is also very important to know the status of blood vessels for the prevention of diseases such as heart attacks, hypertension, heart failure, diabetes mellitus and much more. Angioscan allows you to determine important indicators such as the biological age of blood vessels, their stiffness, stress index (which speaks of heart rate), blood oxygen saturation. This screening will be useful for men and women over 30, athletes, those who are undergoing long and difficult treatment, as well as everyone who monitors their health.

If the diagnosis shows that back pain is the result of the development of diseases of internal organs, the patient is referred to restricted specialists such as urologist, endocrinologist, gynecologist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist, etc.

The analysis of body composition gives us information about the amount of adipose tissue and the musculoskeletal component in the body. These data will help the rehabilitator to correctly plan a physical activity plan, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient.

Treatment for back pain

The treatment of back pain is always complex, as it is impossible to eliminate pathological changes in the spine only with the help of medicines. In addition, for each patient, the therapy regimen is developed strictly individually. Not only are the diagnosis and stage of development of the disease considered, but also the presence of concomitant diseases, the age of the patient, his habits and work characteristics, the level of physical fitness and other factors. Therefore, even in patients with the same diagnosis, treatment can occur in different ways. Only this approach gives maximum results.

Therefore, the main components of conservative therapy for back pain of vertebrogenic origin are:

• drug therapy;
osteopathy;
• manual therapy;
massage
• ;
• physiotherapy (phonophoresis, carboxitherapy, ozone therapy, RF-current pressotherapy);
• individual class with a doctor in rehabilitation.

Spine surgery is indicated only in very advanced cases with absolute ineffectiveness of conservative treatment.

Patients are definitely advised to reduce weight as much as possible, as well as avoid excessive physical efforts, as well as a sedentary lifestyle. A balanced diet will further increase the effect of the treatment.

Medical therapy

Drug therapy can include drugs from different pharmacological groups, depending on a combination of several factors. In the vast majority of cases, patients are prescribed:

• NSAIDs;
• muscle relaxants;
• chondroprotectors;
• vitamin D.

Patients with very strong root pain who cannot be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or analgesics may receive blockages. The procedure involves introducing a solution of lidocaine or novocaine, sometimes in combination with corticosteroids, directly into the area where the compressed nerve passes. They have no therapeutic effect, but they allow to quickly eliminate even severe neurological pain. But applying blockages requires special skills and absolute sterility, as such injections can lead to the development of serious complications.

Manual therapy

Manual therapy is legitimately considered one of the main components of the treatment of back pain of various origins, as it allows to restore the normal anatomy of the spine and at the same time:

• to improve the quality of the transmission of nerve impulses along peripheral nerves to all organs of the human body;
• activates blood circulation and lymphatic flow;
• initiates the body's natural recovery processes and creates favorable conditions for its flow;
• strengthen immunity and increase the body's ability to adapt to new living conditions, etc.

The use of special techniques of manual action directly on the spine and adjacent tissues allows to eliminate the pressure of several anatomical structures in the roots of the spine, which leads to the elimination of pain, including those that radiate to the limbs and othersbody parts. In addition, with their help, it is possible to increase the distance between the vertebral bodies, which provides the most favorable conditions for the restoration of the deformed vertebral discs, and the active kneading of the muscles helps to eliminate functional blocks, increase mobilityand flexibility of the spine and accelerate the course of metabolic processes.

We have no common standards of treatment; an individual approach is applied to each patient. The author's Gritsenko technique has shown high efficiency over the years of use. It implies a special effect on the spine, due to which not only do back pain disappear, but also the causes of its occurrence are eliminated. And normalizing spinal cord segmental innervation helps to improve the functioning of internal organs and eliminate the causes of the progression of your diseases.

Thus, patients with back pain can expect pronounced positive changes after 1-2 sessions of manual therapy according to the author's Gritsenko method. How many procedures will be necessary to obtain the maximum possible result and its consolidation is selected individually for each patient.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is prescribed outside the acute period of the disease. With your help, it is possible to increase the effect of other methods of influence. As a rule, patients receive courses of procedures characterized by anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antispasmodic properties, namely:

electrophoresis

• ;
• traction therapy (spinal traction);
• UHF;
• laser therapy;
• ultrasound therapy, etc.

exercise therapy

Physiotherapy is not the last component in the treatment of back pain. The stability of the result depends to a large extent on the regularity and correctness of its application, since the exercise therapy aims mainly at strengthening the muscular back corset, which will create support for the spine and reduce the load on the intervertebral discs. In addition, exercise therapy helps to improve the quality of blood circulation, which leads to a more active supply of drugs and nutrients to injuries, which increases the effectiveness of therapy.

But it is not recommended to choose a set of exercises on your own, as performing generally recommended exercises can harm the patient due to the excessive tension of certain muscle groups. Therefore, the development of the ideal complex should be entrusted to a doctor-rehabilitologist, who will teach the person to perform each exercise correctly.

So, although back pain is familiar to every adult, it is not worth it to be considered harmless. This neglect can result in serious complications and, at best, can be treated surgically. At worst, the patient faces a disability. Therefore, if back pain occurs with enviable or rather acute regularity, make an appointment with the neurologist and find out the real cause of the discomfort. After all, it is much easier to stop the disease in the early stages of development.