Probably each of us has experienced back pain at least once in our life.And if it seems possible to determine the cause of painful sensations, for example, in the throat, then everything is much more complicated here.
Back pain: causes and consequences
When pain in the back or lower back occurs, many people immediately start rubbing in various ointments.But no desired effect.And all because the problem may be hiding in a completely different place than the painful place.For example, pain in the lumbar region may appear if it is preceded by an injury to the coccygeal-sacral spine.The man had long since forgotten her, but she took it and reminded him of herself in an unpleasant way.Therefore, in this case, affecting the pain zone is completely useless.Therefore, you need to find the real cause of the pain.
The human body is a very complex mechanism in which all organs and systems - from muscles and spine to nerves and ligaments - are interconnected.Therefore, many factors can affect the health of your back, including the correct distribution of the load on the spine and the presence of injuries in the past.The body has the ability to heal itself and adapt, and the job of the spine is to compensate for damage.If necessary, it can be twisted and bent a little, and all this to give the body the most vertical position.Only this can cause negative changes in the spine itself.One of them is a bulging intervertebral disc.In this way, the spine tries to adapt to some mechanical damage in the body - it creates additional support for itself.Most often, such disorders occur in the sacrum and coccyx.In this case, in the case of a herniated disc, the medical effect on the spine or strained muscles helps relieve back pain only for a while.After all, the root cause has not been eliminated!
Another common cause of back pain is excessive strain on muscles and ligaments.In most cases, this occurs as a result of overload related to the need to maintain an upright body position during scoliosis or after an injury.In addition, back pain can occur as a result of stress, excessive physical activity, and a sedentary lifestyle.
In some cases, back pain is not associated with muscle spasms or problems with the spine, but with diseases of internal organs.Pain like this is called referred pain.For example, with cholelithiasis, the pain will radiate to the area between the shoulder blades.And pain in the thoracic spine can appear due to the development of myocardial infarction.The sign of pain referred to is the absence of muscle stiffness during physical activity and the constant nature of pain, regardless of body position.
The best option to get rid of the pain is to see a doctor.But if for some reason this is not possible, you can try to help yourself (if the pain is not visible).We will tell you how to do this further.
Treatment and prevention of back pain
The first thing to do when pain in the back or lower back appears is to give it a break of at least three days.You should not strain your back and move through the pain.In some cases, such precautions are enough, and after a few days the back pain disappears.
Due to the fact that sharp pain in most cases occurs due to muscle tension, to get rid of it you should try to relax the spasmed muscles.In this case, the heating procedure can help.It is not necessary to heat only the back, although this also gives a good effect.It is better to fully warm up, then the pain will go away faster.A good option is a bathhouse or sauna, but in case of acute pain in high temperature, as well as sudden changes in temperature, it is better to avoid it.You need to postpone watering with cold water for at least a few months.
Another good option is a warm bath with sea salt.10-15 minutes of this procedure every evening will only benefit.
A very important condition to get rid of pain is not to release warmth after the heating procedure.Therefore, after finishing it, you need to put on a warm nightgown and cover yourself with a blanket.You can also drink hot tea, this will help warm the body not only from the outside, but also from the inside.It is advisable to repeat the procedure for three days.If the cause of the pain is not pinched at the nerve endings, the discomfort will soon disappear.
At the end of the exacerbation period, it is recommended to make it a rule to do exercises every day to relax the spinal muscles.This will take no more than 15 minutes, while better blood circulation due to such heating will help relieve pain.
A good way to prevent back pain is to walk every day.This facilitates the soft inclusion of each muscle, joint and ligament in the work, as a result of which the process of self-massage is launched in the human body.
Doctor's help: for what type of pain should you call an ambulance?
An ambulance should be called if:
- back pain occurs as a result of a fall or a strong blow;
- severe pain, accompanied by high fever or loss of consciousness.
In addition, you should not self-medicate, let alone prescribe medication during pregnancy.You should call an ambulance if your child's back hurts.
In other cases, if you manage to stop a severe pain attack and do not need emergency medical treatment, it is still advisable to visit a doctor.You should not hope that the problem will resolve itself.So maybe it's better not to wait for a new attack?
If the pain is not so severe, it makes sense to consult a therapist.If necessary, this doctor will refer the patient to a specialist for examination and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
In case of severe pain, the therapist will refer the patient to a specialist who specializes in the treatment of spinal diseases, for example, to a neurologist.In some cases, the help of a neurosurgeon may be necessary.