Probably each of us has experienced back pain at least once in our lives.And if it seems possible to determine the cause of pain, for example in the throat, then everything is much more complicated here.
Back pain: cause and effect
When pain occurs in the back or lower back, many people immediately begin to rub various ointments.But there is no desired effect.And all because the problem may be hiding in a completely different place than where it hurts.For example, pain in the lumbar region may appear if it was preceded by an injury to the coccygeal-sacral spine.The man had forgotten about her a long time ago, but she took him and reminded him of herself in such an unpleasant way.Therefore, in this case, influencing the pain area is absolutely useless.Therefore, it is necessary to look for the real cause of the pain.
The human body is a very complex mechanism in which all organs and systems, from the muscles and spine to the nerves and ligaments, are interconnected.Many factors can therefore influence back health, including the correct distribution of load on the spine and the presence of previous injuries.The body has the ability to self-heal and adapt, and the spine's job is to compensate for the consequences of damage.If necessary, it can be slightly rotated and bent, and all this to give the body the most vertical position.This alone can cause negative changes in the spine itself.One of them is a protruding intervertebral disc.In this way, the spine tries to adapt to some mechanical damage in the body, creating additional support for itself.Most often, such disorders occur in the sacrum and coccyx.In this regard, in case of herniated disc, the medicinal effects on the spine or tight muscles help relieve back pain only for a while.After all, its root cause has not been eliminated!
Another of the most common causes of back pain is excessive tension of the muscles and ligaments.In most cases, this occurs due to overload associated with the need to maintain an upright body position during scoliosis or after an injury.Additionally, back pain can occur due to stress, excessive physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle.
In some cases, back pain is not associated with muscle spasms or spinal problems, but with diseases of the internal organs.This type of pain is called referred pain.For example, in cholelithiasis, the pain will radiate to the area between the shoulder blades.And pain in the thoracic spine can occur as a result of the development of myocardial infarction.A sign of referred pain is the absence of a sensation of muscle stiffness during physical activity and the constant nature of the pain, regardless of body position.
The best option to get rid of pain is to consult a doctor.But if for some reason this is not possible, you can try to help yourself (if the pain does not reflect).We will tell you how to do it further.
Treatment and prevention of back pain
The first thing to do when back or lower back pain appears is to give it rest for at least three days.You should not strain your back and overcome the pain.In some cases these precautions are sufficient and after a few days the back pain disappears.
Due to the fact that acute pain in most cases occurs due to muscle strain, to get rid of it you should try to relax the spasming muscles.In this case, warming procedures can help.It is not necessary to warm up only the back, although this also gives a good effect.It is better to warm up the body completely, then the pain will disappear faster.A good option is a bathhouse or sauna, but in case of acute pain at high temperatures, as well as a sharp change in temperature, it is better to avoid it.You will have to postpone watering with cold water for at least a couple of months.
Another good option is a warm bath with sea salt.10-15 minutes of this procedure every evening will only be useful.
A very important condition for eliminating pain is not to lose heat after warming procedures.Therefore, after completing them, you need to put on warm pajamas 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 recommended to repeat the procedure for three days.If the cause of the pain is not compression of the nerve endings, the feeling of discomfort will soon disappear.
At the end of the exacerbation period, it is recommended to establish a rule to perform exercises every day to relax the spinal muscles.This will take no more than 15 minutes, while the improvement in blood circulation resulting from such warm-ups will help relieve pain.
A good way to prevent back pain is to walk every day.This facilitates the gentle inclusion of every muscle, joint and ligament in the work, as a result of which the process of self-massage in the human body is started.
Doctor's help: what kind of pain should you call an ambulance for?
You need to call an ambulance if:
- back pain occurred following a fall or a strong blow;
- the pain is very severe, accompanied by high fever or loss of consciousness.
In addition, you should not self-medicate, much less prescribe medications during pregnancy.You should call an ambulance if your child's back hurts.
In other cases, if you have managed to stop an attack of severe pain and there is no need for emergency medical attention, it is still advisable to consult 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 very strong, it makes sense to consult a therapist.If necessary, this doctor will refer the patient to specialists for examination and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
In case of severe pain, the therapist will refer the patient to specialists who specialize in the treatment of diseases of the spine, for example, to a neurologist.In some cases, the help of a neurosurgeon may be necessary.