Treatment of back and spine pain

Back pain often occurs after sudden movement or heavy lifting. If your back hurts constantly, it is a symptom of an illness. The cause of back pain is diagnosed and treated by a neurologist. The disorder is successfully treated with conservative methods.

What you need to know about back pain

Back pain is also called dorsalgia. It periodically bothers every second person. Most often, the pain is localized in the lumbar region. As a rule, this happens against the background of existing changes in the spine. Depending on the type of disease, the pain can be temporary or permanent. Constant pain is a sign of a serious illness and without timely treatment can lead to spine surgery.

When to see a doctor

Do not delay the visit to a neurologist if you notice the following symptoms:

• acute back pain does not disappear within 2-3 days;
• chronic pain lasts more than a week without improvement;
• the pain appears suddenly, for no apparent reason;
• pain occurs regularly after an injury;
• back pain radiates to leg, knee, foot.

A visit to a doctor should be urgent, immediately, if the pain is accompanied by the following additional symptoms:

• elevated temperature;
• limited mobility of the arms or legs;
• tingling sensation in the limbs;
• severe changes in blood pressure;
• painkillers do not help relieve pain;
• loss of consciousness occurs;
• there are problems with the functioning of internal organs;
• there are signs of intoxication;
• started bleeding.

But even without these symptoms, you should not delay contacting specialists - some back diseases are completely curable only in the early stages. Your efficiency directly determines how good the treatment will be.

The risk factors are:

• work related to a computer or driving a car, heavy physical exertion, stress;
• intense training in the gym without the supervision of a trainer;
• work in a forced position in a sitting or standing position;
• Overweight.

Why does my back hurt?

The causes of back pain are different. They are caused by the following diseases:

• osteochondrosis, spondylosis, spondyloarthrosis;
• scoliosis, kyphoscoliosis;
• protrusion or herniation of the intervertebral disc;
• radiculitis or lumbago, inflammation of the sciatic nerve;
• spinal stenosis;
• spinal instability and fractures;
• intercostal neuralgia;
• overexertion, hypothermia or bruised back muscles;
• damage to spinal ligaments;
• myositis.

Pregnancy and back pain

Another common factor affecting the occurrence of back pain is pregnancy. As the belly grows and the lumbar curve increases, so does the load on the spine. The intervertebral discs begin to wear out quickly and sometimes the nerves are compressed. You can prevent back pain and the pathologies that provoke it if you do not overwork during pregnancy. If necessary, you should wear supportive bondage and follow the advice of other doctors.

Even if there was no back pain during pregnancy itself, but the spine was subjected to serious stress, during childbirth injuries can occur, leading to pain.

How to recognize the disease by the type of pain

Different diseases cause different types of back pain. It can be acute, chronic, painful, stabbing, with or without conduction (irradiation).

Kind of pain	What disease does it cause?
Sharp with conduction (irradiation) and without it.	Osteochondrosis. The stabbing pain in the back sometimes radiates to the leg and is aggravated by lifting heavy objects, coughing or sneezing. Back pain can last for a few minutes, hours or days.
	Intervertebral hernia. Pain occurs when lifting heavy objects, bending and turning to the side. Then there is pain and weakness in one of the legs. The back hurts when moving, coughing, sneezing.
	Radiculitis. The pain is sharp or dull, painful. Usually unilateral, radiating to the leg, buttock, thigh, lower leg. It intensifies with changes in body position and may be accompanied by tingling, numbness, burning, itching or a "pins and needles" sensation.
Chronic and acute pain	Muscle tension, myositis, prolonged work in an uncomfortable position, lifting weights, sudden movements, hypothermia.
	Lumbago. Affects people engaged in heavy physical work. Severe back pain usually stops after a few days, although it can last two to three weeks.
	Displacement of the intervertebral discs. It is caused by osteochondrosis, weight lifting and heavy physical work.
Chronic	spondylosis. The pain may be accompanied by numbness and weakness in the legs. Cervical spondylosis causes pain in the back of the head, shoulders and when turning the head.
Pain	Inflammation of the muscles of the back and lumbar spine. The disease occurs after hypothermia or muscle tension. The pain is not severe and lasts for a long time. The muscles in the affected area are tight and painful when strained.
Pain with conduction (irradiation) to the leg	Inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Hernia of the lumbar spine. Back pain in the lumbar and sacrum region. Pain is felt in the buttock, back of the thigh, lower leg or foot.

Diagnostic methods

Clinic specialists will determine the exact cause of back pain using the following diagnostic methods:

• MRI. Magnetic resonance
• Ultrasound examination (ultrasound)
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Laboratory researches

Methods of treatment of back pain

Doctors in the modern clinic use many non-surgical methods: from gentle massage techniques and osteopathy to laser and physiotherapy. To ensure that the treatment is as effective as possible, we offer each patient an individual set of procedures using only pain-relieving drugs at the beginning of the course.

• UHF Resonance Wave Therapy
• Thera-Band Trainer Rehabilitation
• Blockade of joints and spine
• Medication treatment
• Shock wave therapy

Diagnostic methods

Specialists will accurately determine the cause of back pain using the following diagnostic methods:

First, a basic examination of the patient is carried out to find out what exactly preceded the onset of pain, what is the nature of the pain, etc. After that, a visual examination of the patient and physical palpation of the spine is carried out. If the pain intensifies with pressure on the spine, this allows to eliminate diseases of the internal organs. If necessary, the patient can be referred to a cardiologist, gynecologist, orthopedist or other specialist.

Methods of treatment of back pain

Doctors in a modern clinic use many non-surgical methods: from soft massage techniques and osteopathy to laser and physiotherapy. To ensure that the treatment is as effective as possible, we offer each patient an individual set of procedures using only pain-relieving drugs at the beginning of the course.

Clinics will help you get rid of back pain, relieve swelling and inflammation in the affected area, normalize metabolic processes, strengthen the back muscles and restore the normal position of the spine. Freedom of movement will return to you, you will feel a surge of energy.

As part of the rehabilitation, for each patient the specialist of the clinic draws up a personal physical activity plan for independent exercises aimed at consolidating the results of treatment and preventing diseases.

What to do for back pain

If you have severe back pain, our doctors recommend the following:

• Lie down, choose a comfortable position in which the least pain is felt and the muscles stop straining. Spend at least 20 minutes in this position until the pain subsides.
• Do not sit forward, carry heavy objects or exercise until the pain subsides.
• Contact your doctor immediately.

Remember if you havespinal pain, treatmentcannot be postponed. There is a risk of serious escalation of the situation.

If the pain has become unbearable and you have to wait for the arrival of a doctor or an ambulance, do the following:

• Lie down on the bed and try to minimize movement and ensure maximum rest. Silence is your best friend.
• Place a soft pillow under your back to reduce strain on the spine.
• If you have suitable mild pain relievers, you can take a pill to reduce the pain, but it is better not to do this. See the next paragraph why.
• It is recommended that you do not take any food or drink other than plain water, because if emergency surgery is required, this may interfere (many procedures can only be performed on an empty stomach). It is also advisable not to give any drugs or heat the problem area, because this will distort the clinical picture and prevent you from correctly diagnosing the problem and, as a result, prescribing the correct treatment.
• Applying cold to the sore spot is allowed, even if the cause of the pain is unknown, it will not aggravate any of the common pathologies.