Back pain is one of the most common causes of doctor visits. It has often become a cause of disability around the world. According to statistics, more than 70% of the world’s population has experienced back and lumbar pain at least once. Fortunately, in most cases, there are ways to prevent or treat back pain. Often, the pain goes away on its own within a few days due to the incorporation of the body’s protective mechanisms. It can have different characters:
- muscle pain;
- shot or stabbing pain;
- pain radiating to his leg;
- Restricting back mobility
Which diseases cause back pain?
The causes of back pain can vary. Often this is damage to the muscles or ligaments of the back due to severe lifting, sudden movements or injuries. There are several diseases that can cause back pain in the lumbar region:
- osteochondrosis, spondylosis, spondyloarthrosis;
- sprain, myositis, muscle contraction;
- scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis, kyphoscoliosis;
- osteomyelitis, epiduritis, ankylosing spondylitis;
- intervertebral hernia;
- intercostal neuralgia, diseases of the pelvic organs;
- spine extension
- spinal stenosis, spinal instability and fractures;
- sciatica, lumbago or lumbago, inflammation of the sciatic nerve;
- occasionally - spinal tumors, myeloma.
When should I see a doctor right away?
In most cases, the back pain resolves within two weeks without treatment. If this does not happen, please consult a doctor. In rare cases, back pain indicates a serious medical problem. Therefore, you should see a doctor urgently if:
- has problems with urination or defecation;
- fever;
- the pain spreads to the legs or radiates to both legs;
- the pain was caused by a fall, backstroke, or other injury;
- pain does not go away after intense rest and painkillers;
- pain is accompanied by weakness and numbness of the foot;
- pain is associated with sudden weight loss.
Individuals should also seek professional advice:
- is over 50 years old;
- who have ever been diagnosed with cancer or osteoporosis;
- who are taking steroid hormones.
Which professionals should I contact?
These may be physicians in the following areas:
- orthopedic traumatologist;
- neurologist;
- neurosurgeon;
- urologist;
- phthisiatrician;
- oncologist;
- rheumatologist;
- nephrologist;
Risk Factors
Back pain can affect anyone, at any age, including children and adolescents. However, the following factors increase your risk of occurrence:
- Cor.Most often, the back and lower back occur at age 30;
- Sedentary lifestyle.Weakening of the back muscles due to low physical activity is one of the factors in the incidence of spinal problems;
- Overweight.Excess pounds cause additional stress on the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, leading to disease;
- Concomitant diseases.Back pain occurs in many diseases, including cancer.
- Psychological disorders.People with depression or anxiety are at higher risk for back pain.
Diagnosing back pain
A number of tests are performed to make a correct diagnosis.
Spine MRI
The gold standard for diagnosing back pain is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Depending on the changes detected in the MRI, the doctor will make a treatment plan for the patient along with the clinical picture and neurological condition. In addition, the MRI image allows the prognosis of the disease to be predicted.
Diagnostic Blocks
Diagnostic blockades are highly informative in confirming the diagnosis of patients with a complex, unclear clinical picture. For example, the effectiveness of diagnostic blockade of facial or sacroiliac joints reinforces the axial nature of patients ’pain and is an important criterion in setting indications for radiofrequency denervation of appropriate joints.
In addition to the high diagnostic value, intra-articular blockades are a therapeutic procedure with a pronounced analgesic effect with a variable duration over time. In patients with radical pain, diagnostic blocks may be performed if further diagnosis is required.
Treating Back Pain
There are several ways to treat back pain:
Pharmacological therapy
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have a pronounced effect, but their long-term effectiveness is relative due to the rapid development of addiction and the risk of side effects. Muscle relaxants have worked well, especially when used during the acute period. Antidepressants and some antispasmodics are used to good effect in the complex treatment of pain. The treatment regimen is selected individually by the physician for each patient, depending on the patient's drug tolerance, individual sensitivity, and the severity of the effect of the therapy.
Radiologically controlled treatment blockade
Over the past decade, minimally invasive procedures, including epidural and intraarticular blockades, have increased dramatically due to their rapid and pronounced analgesic and therapeutic effects. Epidural block is the most commonly prescribed procedure for radical disease. With the right diagnosis and the presence of indications, the procedure is simply amazing! Pain relief is available for a period of 6 weeks to 6 months, which in many cases avoids the need for surgical treatment.
Neurosurgery
The spectrum of neurosurgery for back pain is wide. Techniques such as spinal cord decompression, discectomy, foraminotomy, intervertebral disc replacement, minimally invasive and microsurgical interventions, and many other surgical techniques are used.
Radio frequency denervation
Radiofrequency denervation (RFA) is one of the most optimal ways to avoid or significantly delay surgery. Thanks to him, you can not only eliminate the symptoms of pain quickly, but you can also minimize or completely eliminate the use of painkillers. Post-procedure recovery is done fairly quickly, allowing you to quickly return to your normal lifestyle.