Back pain, often described as low back pain, is very unpleasant, limiting even the most normal daily activities, let alone entertainment, sports, etc.
Spinal lesions are not only more or less painful, but also discomfort when moving the back, morning stiffness, pain in the loins or even spreading to the thighs, calves and feet, and possible weakness in the legs.
What are the causes of spinal pain?
There can be many causes of spinal pain, such as:
- degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs of the spine ;
- herniated intervertebral discs;
- infection of the vertebrae in the spine;
- diseases of the spinal joints, such as osteochondrosis, psoriatic spondylitis, etc;
- other diseases, more specifically those of the abdominal organs, such as the pancreas, kidneys and gynaecological diseases;
- oncological diseases, such as metastases to the spine;
- spinal curvature;
- Irregular posture;
- irregular positioning of the legs and feet, which can be caused by frequent wearing of high heels, inappropriate (e.g. too small) footwear, different leg lengths, etc.;
- narrowing of the spinal canal;
- fracture of a vertebra due to trauma or osteoporosis ;
- congenital spinal pathology;
- certain changes in the body, such as pregnancy, menstruation, etc.
Although the list of causes of back pain is quite solid, the majority of back pain remains without an identified cause.
People who are obese are at a higher risk of back pain, as are those who live a passive lifestyle, avoid exercise, movement, or work in a specific job where they are forced to sit or stand in an uncomfortable position for long periods. People with poor posture are also at risk of back pain.
What are the symptoms of this disease?
If you have lumbar pain, you are likely to have a diagnosis of a simple intervertebral disc herniation due to degenerative disc changes. It may also be due to a curvature of the spine or other spinal problems.
If you have severe, nagging pain in the cervical and/or lumbar spine, particularly painful movements, and a clearly irregular posture, you are likely to be diagnosed with a spinal hernia. In the case of a large hernia, the pain may spread to the leg, arm, depending on the nerve affected.
A large spinal hernia can also be diagnosed if the patient complains of incontinence, faecal incontinence and leg weakness.
If severe pain in the spine in the mornings and nights, with stiffness and pain relief with exercise, chronic inflammatory diseases of the spinal joints may be diagnosed.
If you are an older woman and you are bothered by pain in your back and loins, especially in the evenings and at night, or when lifting heavy objects, if you notice deformities in your spine, a shrinking height and a hump that catches the eye, you are likely to be diagnosed with osteoporosis, accompanied by a fracture of the vertebrae of the spine.
If you experience any symptoms of back pain, contact your doctor who will carry out an X-ray to determine the cause of the pain. Additional tests will probably be carried out: urinalysis, blood tests, gynaecological tests, abdominal ultrasound, etc.
Treatment of spinal pain
The treatment of back pain depends on the cause of the pain. Acute pain, lasting no more than a month and a half, is treated with medication (muscle relaxants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics), and it is recommended to stay active and exercise. It is useful to attend massage treatments, water, cold, etc.
If there is a large spinal hernia, which paralyses the muscles, the pain is not relieved by medication and other symptoms occur, spinal surgery is performed.
Chronic back pain is treated by strengthening the back muscles, various treatments, balancing rest and work, etc. If necessary, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
An orthopaedic lumbar brace can help with spinal pain . If your back pain is caused by lifestyle aspects (e.g. standing, awkward sitting posture, back strain), special orthopaedic insoles that distribute the loads on the foot are an excellent solution to avoid excessive strain on the legs and spine.
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