Probably each of us has experienced back pain at least once in our lives.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 Effects
When the back or lower back hurts, many people immediately start applying various ointments.But there is no desired effect.And all this because the problem may be hidden in a completely different place from where it causes pain.For example, pain in the lumbar region may appear if it was preceded by an injury to the coccygeal-sacral spinal cord.The man had forgotten about her a long time ago, but she understood this and reminded him of herself in such an unpleasant way.Therefore, in this case, it is absolutely useless to influence the pain area.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 load on the spine and the presence of injuries in the past.The body has the ability to heal and adapt itself, and the function of the spine is to compensate for the consequences of damage.If necessary, it can be slightly bent and folded, and all this can be done to give the most vertical position to the body.This can cause negative changes in the spine.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 regard, in the case of herniated discs, medicinal effects on the spine or strained muscles provide relief from back pain only for a short period of time.After all, its main reason has not been eliminated!
Another most common cause of back pain is excessive tension in the muscles and ligaments.In most cases, this occurs as a result of overload associated with the need to maintain an upright position of the body during scoliosis or after injury.Apart from this, stress, excessive physical activity and sedentary lifestyle can also cause back pain.
In some cases, back pain is not associated with muscle spasms or spine problems, but with diseases of internal organs.This type of pain is called referred pain.For example, with cholelithiasis, the pain will spread to the area between the shoulder blades.And pain in the thoracic spine may appear as a result of the development of myocardial infarction.A sign of referred pain is the absence of a feeling 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 visit a doctor.But if for some reason this is not possible, you can try to help yourself (if the pain is not reflected).We will tell you further how to do this.
Treatment and prevention of back pain
The first thing to do if you have back or lower back pain is to rest it for at least three days.You should not strain your back and move through pain.In some cases, such precautions are sufficient and the back pain disappears after a few days.
Due to the fact that in most cases sharp pain is caused by muscle strain, to get rid of it you should try to relax the spasmed muscles.In this case, warming procedures can help.It is not necessary to warm only the back, although this also provides a good effect.It is better to warm up the body completely, then the pain will go away faster.A good option is a bathhouse or sauna, but in case of intense pain in high temperatures, as well as sharp changes in temperature, it is better to avoid it.You will have to postpone bathing with cold water for at least a few months.
Another good option is to take a warm bath with sea salt.This process of 10-15 minutes every evening will be beneficial.
A very important condition for getting rid of pain is not to miss the heat after warming procedures.Therefore, after completing them, you need to wear warm pajamas and cover yourself with a blanket.You can also drink hot tea, this will warm the body not only from outside but also from inside.It is advisable to repeat the process for three days.If the cause of pain is not pinching of nerve endings, the feeling of discomfort will soon disappear.
At the end of the acute period, it is recommended to make it a rule to do exercises daily to relax the spinal muscles.This will take no more than 15 minutes, while the improvement in blood circulation as a result of such a warm-up will relieve pain.
A good way to avoid back pain is to take a daily walk.It facilitates the gentle involvement of each muscle, joint and ligament in the work, resulting in the process of self-massage in the human body.
Doctor's help: For what kind of pain should you call an ambulance?
An ambulance should be called if:
- Back pain resulting from a fall or sharp blow;
- The pain is very severe, accompanied by high fever or loss of consciousness.
Additionally, you should not self-medicate while pregnant, much less prescribe medications.If your child has back pain you should call an ambulance.
In other cases, even if you managed to stop the severe pain attack and there is no need for emergency medical care, it is still advisable to visit a doctor.You should not hope that the problem will resolve itself.So perhaps it would be better not to wait for a new attack?
If the pain is not very severe, it is advisable to consult a doctor.If necessary, this doctor will refer the patient to specialists for examination and determining appropriate treatment.
In case of acute pain, the doctor will refer the patient to specialized specialists specializing in the treatment of spinal cord diseases, for example, to a neurologist.In some cases, the help of a neurosurgeon may be required.