Treatment of back and back pain

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

What you need to know about back pain

Back pain is also called dorsalgia. It periodically bothers every other person. Most often, the pain is localized in the lower back. As a rule, it occurs on the basis of existing changes in the spine. Depending on the type of disease, the pain can be temporary or permanent. Persistent pain is a sign of a serious illness and, without timely treatment, can lead to spine surgery.

When to go to the doctor

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

• acute back pain does not go away within 2-3 days;
• chronic pain lasts more than a week without improvement;
• pain occurs suddenly without an obvious reason;
• pain occurs regularly after injury;
• back pain radiates to the leg, knee, foot.

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

• elevated temperature;
• limited mobility of arms or legs;
• feeling of numbness in the limbs;
• severe changes in blood pressure;
• pain relievers do not help relieve pain;
• loss of consciousness occurs;
• there are problems with the functioning of internal organs;
• there are signs of poisoning;
• the bleeding began.

But even without these symptoms, you should not delay contacting specialists - some back diseases can only be completely cured in the early stages. Your efficiency directly determines the quality of the treatment.

Risk factors are:

• work related to a computer or driving a car, heavy physical activity, stress;
• intensive training in the gym without the supervision of a trainer;
• working in a forced position while sitting or standing;
• overweight.

Why does my back hurt?

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

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

Pregnancy and back pain

Another common factor that affects the occurrence of back pain is pregnancy. As the belly grows and the lumbar curve increases, the strain on the spine also increases. The intervertebral discs begin to wear out quickly and sometimes the nerves get pinched. You can prevent back pain and the pathologies that cause it if you do not overexert yourself during pregnancy. If necessary, you should wear a supportive bondage and follow the advice of other doctors.

Even if there was no back pain during the pregnancy itself, but the spine was subjected to severe stress, damage can occur that leads to pain during childbirth.

How to identify a disease by the type of pain

Different diseases cause different types of back pain. It can be acute, chronic, tender, stinging, with or without a wire (irradiation).

Type of pain	What disease causes
Acute with wire (irradiation) and without.	Osteochondrosis. Nagging pain in the back sometimes radiates to the leg and intensifies when lifting heavy objects, coughing or sneezing. Back pain can last for several 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 leg. The back hurts when you move, cough, sneeze.
	Radiculitis. The pain is sharp or dull, aching. Usually unilateral, radiating to the leg, buttock, thigh, lower leg. It intensifies with changes in body position and may be accompanied by numbness, tingling, burning, itching or a "pins and needles" sensation.
Chronic and acute soreness	Muscle strain, myositis, long work in an uncomfortable position, heavy lifting, sudden movements, hypothermia.
	Lumbago. It affects people involved in heavy physical work. Severe back pain usually stops after a few days, although it can last for two to three weeks.
	Displacement of intervertebral discs. It is caused by osteochondrosis, heavy lifting and heavy physical work.
Chronic	Spondylosis. Pain may be accompanied by numbness and weakness in the legs. Cervical spondylosis causes pain in the back of the head, shoulders and when the head is turned.
Pain	Inflammation of the muscles of the back and lumbar spine. The disease occurs after hypothermia or muscle strain. The pain is not severe and lasts a long time. The muscles in the affected area are tight and hurt when tense.
Pain with wire (irradiation) to the leg	Inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Hernia in the lumbar spine. Back pain in the lower back and sacrum areas. Pain is felt in the buttocks, back of the thigh, lower leg or foot.

Diagnostic methods

The clinic's specialists will accurately determine the cause of back pain using the following diagnostic methods:

• MR. MRI scanning
• Ultrasound examination (ultrasound)
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Laboratory research

Methods for treating back pain

Doctors at 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 that only use drugs to relieve pain at the beginning of the course.

• Resonance wave UHF therapy
• Rehabilitation on the Thera-Band exercise machine
• Block of joints and spine
• Medical 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 determine what exactly preceded the onset of pain, what the nature of the pain is, and so on. Next, a visual examination of the patient and physical palpation of the spine is performed. If the pain intensifies when you press on the spine, this makes it possible to eliminate diseases of the internal organs. If necessary, the patient can be referred to a cardiologist, gynaecologist, orthopedist or other specialist.

Methods for treating 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 that only use drugs to relieve pain at the beginning of the course.

The clinics help you get rid of pain in the back area, 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 power.

As part of the rehabilitation, the clinic specialist prepares for each patient a personal physical activity plan for independent training, which aims to consolidate the results of the treatment and prevent diseases.

What to do for back pain

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

• Lie down, choose a comfortable position where the slightest 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 play sports until the pain subsides.
• Contact your doctor immediately.

Remember if you haveback pain treatmentcannot be postponed. There is a risk of a serious worsening of the situation.

If the pain has become unbearable and you have to wait until a doctor or ambulance arrives, 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 stress on your 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 section for why.
• It is not recommended to take any food or drink other than plain water, because if an urgent operation is needed, this can interfere (many procedures can only be performed on an empty stomach). It is also not recommended to give any medicine 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.
• It is permissible to apply cold to the sore spot, even if the cause of the pain is unknown, it will not aggravate any of the common pathologies.