Back pain: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment.

 

 

Back pain

Back pain:

In daily life, we ​​all suffer from back pain. Interestingly, back pain is not a disease in itself. Rather it is created as a result of any problem associated with our bones, muscles, etc. Problems with any one of the limbs around the back can cause back pain. Although this problem is very common, back pain is also an early symptom of many major diseases. Back pain can be the same for everyone and for different reasons. In some cases, there may be a pain in the entire spine. Again, in many cases very sharp pain may be felt in one part of the back. There may even be a very general feeling of pain.

 

Causes of back pain:

Back pain can be caused by:

• Weakening of the back and abdominal muscles to maintain the normal shape of the spine.
• Weak placement of the bones of the spine, due to which the shape of the spine is not maintained.
• If you have been sitting, standing, or in the same position for a long time. In this case, due to prolonged stay, the muscles get tense, and the muscles contract.
• Sudden severe tremors in the body often lead to muscle tension, which can lead to muscle tears.
• For long-term sleep without a pillow or for bed problems.
• If the shoulder joint is displaced once or more.
• If you have rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and inflammatory arthritis.
• If the ligaments, tendons, and muscles of the joints become weak or torn due to injury or disease.
• Inflammation of muscles, tendons, and bursa.
• If the collar bone is broken, if it becomes small, if it is attached, or if it is displaced.
• Osteoporosis due to calcium deficiency.
• Fractures due to disease or injury.
• Bone infections and tumors.
• Nerve pinched or injured.
• If there is pain due to gallbladder, lung and heart disease, and scapula, it is called referred pain.
• If the body suddenly shakes violently or if the body is bent. This can lead to muscle tension and muscle tears. This condition can occur when lifting a heavy object.
• Back pain can occur due to uterine contractions during menstruation in girls.
• Chronic and intense emotional pain can also be one of the causes of back pain. Suffering from stress puts pressure on the muscles, neck, and back.

 

Symptoms of back pain:

Mild back pain is occasionally accompanied by any other symptoms. These symptoms also help the doctor understand the cause of the pain. Symptoms include:

• Sitting, lying down, lifting weights, or leaning will make the pain worse.
• Spreading back pain towards the legs and buttocks.
• Pain with tingling and numbness in the legs or groin.
• Pain including loss of control in urination and bowel movements.
• Pain that causes discomfort with extreme stiffness when sitting, standing, or walking.
• Frequent urination with pain spreading from the back to the bladder.
• Back pain with severe abdominal pain associated with fever and vomiting.
• Swelling of the abdomen sometimes causes back pain.
• Tumors cause low back pain which increases when lying on the abdomen and is associated with fatigue and weight loss.

 

Prevention of back pain:

To prevent back pain, always keep the shape of the spine normal. All you have to do is:

• Can't stand for long.
• Use a cushion or something else to fill the space between the chair and your back if the chair does not support your back properly while working or sitting in the chair.
• Take some precautions when sleeping. For example, sleeping on a hard and flat mattress. Do not sleep with your face down (upside down), sleep on your back or tilted. It is better to sleep on the right side, then sleep with your knees slightly bent.
• Once you have back pain, after the pain has healed, you can do light exercise so that you do not have to suffer from such pain again.

 

Treatment of back pain:

Treatment of back pain can generally be divided into three categories. The doctor prescribes treatment based on the nature of the pain and symptoms that appear with back pain.

Non-drug treatment:

Acute and indefinite back pain, in general, tends to get better at rest and self-care. Some of the self-care methods for back pain include:

Hot bake & massage: 

It increases blood flow and relaxes muscle stiffness.

Physiotherapy exercises and traction:

These should be done under the supervision of physiotherapists. These help to reduce pain significantly.

Medical treatment:

Medications play a vital role in managing chronic back pain and become essential when non-drug treatment measures fail to alleviate the pain. Among the commonly prescribed medicines are:

Paracetamol or acetaminophen:

This medicine is usually the first medicine prescribed for back pain. It also has fewer side effects.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs):

These are pain relievers and include ibuprofen and naproxen. These are prescribed when paracetamol cannot relieve pain. Painkillers are also available as creams, ointments, and sprays applied to any part of the body that help reduce the severity of pain.

Muscle relaxants:

Doctors recommend muscle relaxants such as cyclobenzaprine and methocarbamol with NSAIDs to reduce muscle stiffness.

Drugs like anesthetics:

Tramadol and morphine are used to relieve acute pain. These are provided for a short period of time (2-3 weeks). Due to side effects such as drowsiness, constipation (dry stools), dry mouth, shortness of breath, and itchy skin, prolonged use is not recommended.

Antidepressants:

They are used mainly for chronic back pain and for those who are exhausted due to long-lasting pain. These include amitriptyline, duloxetine, and imipramine. Since side effects (for example, blurred vision, weight gain, and nausea) are very common, these medications should be taken under strict medical supervision.

Steroids:

Corticosteroids, such as prednisolone, help to relieve lower extremity pain. They also reduce the inflammation and swelling at the site of injury, which can cause back pain.

Surgery:

Doctors recommend surgery when non-surgical treatment cannot reduce the pain. Radiating nerve pain, increased muscle weakness, spinal deformities (spinal stenosis), fractures of any disc in the spine, which could not be successfully cured by medication or non-drug treatment, require surgery. Surgery is also performed in emergencies, such as fractures (fractures) and cauda equina syndrome, which can lead to paralysis (numbness in the body) along with back pain.