Backache

Back pain is one of the most common complaints among people over 25-30 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 attentive to your health and not to ignore the problem. After all, if back pain is triggered by the appearance of pathological changes in the spine, they can ultimately lead to serious complications and even disability.

Reasons

In a number of situations, the back hurts for natural reasons: after exhausting physical work, hard training, long-term walking in high-heeled shoes, etc. In such situations, pain is caused by the formation of lactic acid in the muscles, and in especially difficult cases, and micro-tearsmuscles, sprains. Therefore, to eliminate them, it is required to give the back rest for several days.

Pregnancy is a common cause of back pain. Since there are a lot of changes in the body, especially in the late stages of pregnancy, it can respond to this by the occurrence of pain in the lower back. If they are not acute and 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, the ongoing changes, a shift in the center of gravity and an increase in the weight of a woman during pregnancy can provoke an exacerbation of chronic diseases or cause the development of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine.

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

It is degenerative-dystrophic processes, as well as other pathologies of the spine, that most often cause back pain in women and men over 30 years old. With them, pain can be localized in any part of the back (neck, between the shoulder blades, in the lower back) and give to the head, shoulders, arms, buttocks, legs, etc. It can be of varying severity, be acute, shooting, pulling, aching, be present constantly or occur after physical exertion. All these are important signs that help determine the cause of the development of pain 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.

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

Also, pain in different parts of the back can be caused by the occurrence of disorders in the work of internal organs. For example, pain in the neck can accompany pathologies of the thyroid gland, inflammation in the lymph nodes, diseases of the blood vessels, and back pain can indicate pathology of the kidneys, pelvic organs and gastrointestinal tract. Discomfort in the middle of the back, in the area of ​​the shoulder blades is quite rare, but also occurs. Its appearance, in addition to diseases of the spine, may lie in the occurrence of disorders in the work of the heart, etc.

But the essence of the problem lies in the fact that any diseases of internal organs do not arise out of the blue. They almost always become the result of a violationsegmental innervation, that is, the quality of transmission of nerve impulses from the spinal cord through nerve roots and branches of nerves to specific organs. Each level of the spinal cord has its own pair of spinal roots, from which the nerves branch off and go to the corresponding organs. If changes occur in the spine, 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 the 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 at first insignificant, but constantly progressive disturbances in their work. Gradually, organic changes appear in the organs, which becomes the cause of the development of the disease. Therefore, in case of back pain and the detection of pathologies of internal organs, it is imperative to examine the spine and find the changes that provoked their development. The impact on them will increase the effectiveness of the treatment of internal diseases, and most importantly, eliminate the prerequisites for their occurrence.

Each spinal motion segment 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, i. e. , their gradual destruction.

Depending on which part of the back pain occurs and, accordingly, degenerative-dystrophic processes in the intervertebral discs, osteochondrosis of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine is distinguished. Most often, the discs of the lumbosacral spine are destroyed, somewhat less often - the cervical, and only in rare cases is osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine diagnosed.

For osteochondrosis, pain is typical, initially weak, aching after physical exertion or prolonged sitting. They gradually intensify and occur more and more often. Over time, the discs become so depleted that their outer shell cannot withstand the loads placed on it and is deformed, that is, a protrusion is formed, which eventually transforms into a hernia. In the latter case, the annulus fibrosus is completely ruptured, and the inner contents of the disc are able to fall out into the spinal canal.

In both cases, the protruding parts can squeeze the spinal roots, thereby provoking the occurrence of radicular syndrome. This means that in addition to the fact that the pains will be sharp and strong, they will also be given to the arms, legs, buttocks and other parts of the body, which directly depends on which disc is deformed. So, when the nerves of the cervical spine are pinched, pains tend to be given to the shoulders and arms, and when the nerves of the lumbar spine are compressed, to the buttocks and legs. This is often accompanied by sensory impairments, including numbness, creeping sensations, and gradual muscle atrophy.

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

Spine Curvature

Curvature of the spine can be observed in any part of it. A perfectly flat spine today is a rarity, therefore, more or less pronounced deformities are present in almost every modern person. This could be:

• kyphosis - strengthening of 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 various groups of nerves, which will also provoke radicular syndrome. But if with osteochondrosis changes at the initial stages of development are visually impossible to outstrip, then spinal deformities can be easily diagnosed by the asymmetry of the position of the shoulder blades, pelvic bones, protrusion of the abdomen or the formation of a hump.

Myofascial Syndrome Myofascial syndrome is not a dangerous, but rather painful condition in which certain muscle groups spasm in response to pressure or physical activity. Therefore, if, against the background 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 lumbar region, 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, since this is a sign of the development of radicular syndrome.

The specialists of our center use an integrated approach to diagnosis and treatment, so they can quickly make the correct diagnosis. Diagnostics begins with a survey of the patient, during which the nature of the complaints presented, as well as the characteristics of work and rest, is clarified. The doctor must carefully examine the patient, palpating the spine, as well as performing 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 appoint:

• X-ray examination;
• CT;
• MRI.

If there are no contraindications, MRI is always preferred, since this method can provide the most complete data on the state of the spine and especially its discs, which allows diagnosing even minor changes in their condition at the earliest stages and intervening in the pathological process in a timely manner.

In our clinic, you can also learn more about the composition of your body 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 ratio of fat, muscle, bone and skeletal mass, total body fluid, basal metabolic rate. The intensity of the recommended physical activity depends on the condition 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 quick and easy test helps us see endocrine disruptions and take action. In addition, it is also very important for us to know the state 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 such important indicators as the biological age of blood vessels, their rigidity, stress index (which speaks of heart rate), blood oxygen saturation. Such 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 diagnostics show that back pain is the result of the development of diseases of internal organs, the patient is referred to such narrow specialists as urologist, endocrinologist, gynecologist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist, etc.

Body composition analysis gives us information on how much adipose tissue is in the body and the musculoskeletal component. These data will help the rehabilitator to correctly draw up a plan of physical activity, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient.

Back Pain Treatment

Treatment of back pain is always complex, since it is impossible to eliminate pathological changes in the spine only with the help of drugs. At the same time, for each patient, the therapy regimen is developed strictly individually. Not only the diagnosis and the stage of development of the disease are taken into account, but also the presence of concomitant diseases, the patient's age, his habits and characteristics of work, the level of physical fitness and other factors. Therefore, even in patients with the same diagnosis, treatment can take place in different ways. Only this approach gives maximum results.

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

• drug therapy;
• osteopathy;
• manual therapy;
• massage;
• physiotherapy (phonophoresis, carboxytherapy, ozone therapy, pressotherapy RF currents);
• individual lesson with a rehabilitation doctor.

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 exertion, as well as a sedentary lifestyle. A balanced diet will further enhance the effect of the treatment.

Drug therapy

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

• NSAIDs;
• corticosteroids;
• muscle relaxants;
• chondroprotectors;
• B vitamins;
• vitamin D.

Patients with very severe radicular pain that cannot be treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or pain relievers may be offered blockages. The procedure involves the introduction of a solution of lidocaine or novocaine, sometimes in combination with corticosteroids, directly into the area where the compressed nerve passes. They do not have a therapeutic effect, but they allow you to quickly eliminate even severe pains of neurological origin. But the implementation of blockades requires special skills and absolute sterility, since such injections can lead to the development of severe complications.

Manual therapy

Manual therapy is rightfully considered one of the main components of the treatment of back pain of various origins, since it allows you to restore the normal anatomy of the spinal column and at the same time:

• to improve the quality of transmission of nerve impulses along peripheral nerves to all organs of the human body;
• activate blood circulation and lymph flow;
• start the natural processes of the body's recovery and create favorable conditions for their 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 surrounding tissues allows to eliminate the pressure of various anatomical structures on the spinal roots, which leads to the elimination of pain, including those radiating to the limbs and other parts of the body. Also, with their help, it is possible to increase the distance between the vertebral bodies, which provides the most favorable conditions for the restoration of deformed vertebral discs, and active kneading of the muscles helps to eliminate functional blocks, increase the mobility and flexibility of the spine, and accelerate the course of metabolic processes.

We do not have common treatment standards; an individual approach is applied to each patient. The author's technique of Gritsenko has shown high efficiency over the years of use. It implies a special effect on the spine, due to which not only back pains disappear, but also the causes of their occurrence are eliminated. And the normalization of the segmental innervation of the spinal cord helps to improve the functioning of internal organs and eliminate the causes for the progression of their diseases.

Thus, patients with back pain can expect pronounced positive changes after 1-2 sessions of manual therapy using the author's method of Gritsenko. How many procedures will be required 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 its help, it is possible to enhance the effect of other methods of influence. As a rule, patients are prescribed courses of procedures characterized by anti-inflammatory, analgesic, 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 largely depends on the regularity and correctness of its implementation, since exercise therapy is primarily aimed at strengthening the muscular corset of the back, 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 the lesions, which increases the effectiveness of therapy.

But it is not recommended to choose a set of exercises for yourself on your own, since performing generally recommended exercises can harm the patient due to overstraining of certain muscle groups. Therefore, the development of the optimal complex should be trusted to a physician-rehabilitologist, who will teach a person to correctly perform each exercise.

Thus, although back pain is familiar to every adult, it is not worth considering them as harmless. Such negligence can result in serious complications and, at best, they can be dealt with surgically. At worst, the patient faces disability. Therefore, if back pain occurs with an enviable regularity or is rather acute, make an appointment with a neurologist and find out the true cause of the discomfort. After all, the disease is much easier to stop in the early stages of development.