BACKACHE

Back pain is one of the most common reasons to visit a doctor. It also often becomes 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 involvement of the body’s own protective mechanisms. It may have a different character:

• muscle aches;
• shooting or stabbing pain;
• pain radiating to the leg;
• Restrict back mobility

What diseases cause back pain?

The causes of back pain can vary. It is often damage to the muscles or ligaments of the back due to heavy lifting, sudden movements or injuries. There are a number of diseases that can cause back pain in the lumbar region:

• osteochondrosis, spondylosis, spondyloarthrosis;
• sprain, myositis, muscle contusion;
scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis, kyphoscoliosis;
• osteomyelitis, epiduritis, ankylosing spondylitis;
• intervertebral hernia;
• intercostal neuralgia, diseases of the pelvic organs;
• spine bulge
• spinal stenosis, spinal instability and fractures;
• sciatica, lumbago or lumbago, inflammation of the sciatic nerve;
• occasionally - neoplasms of the spine, myeloma.

When should I see a doctor right away?

In most cases, back pain will go away without treatment within two weeks. If this does not happen, see your doctor. In rare cases, back pain signals a serious medical problem. Therefore, it is necessary to seek medical help immediately if:

• have problems urinating or defecating;
• has a temperature;
• pain spreads down the legs or radiates to both legs;
• pain caused by a fall, a blow to the back or other injuries
• the pain is intense and does not go away after resting and taking painkillers;
• pain accompanied by weakness and numbness in the leg;
• pain is accompanied by sudden weight loss.

Individuals should also seek expert advice:

• over 50;
• who have ever been diagnosed with cancer or osteoporosis;
• who take steroid hormones.

Which experts should I contact?

These can be doctors of the following specialties:

• orthopedic traumatologist;
• neurologist;
neurosurgeon;
• urologist;
• phthisiologist;
• oncologist;
rheumatologist;
• nephrologist;

Risk factors

Back pain can occur in absolutely anyone at any age, including children and adolescents. However, the following factors increase the risk of their occurrence:

• Age.Back and lower back pain most often appear at the age of 30;
• Sedentary lifestyle.Weakening of the back muscles due to low physical activity is one of the factors in the development of spinal problems;
• Overweight.Excess weight creates additional stress on the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, leading to the development of the disease;
• Concomitant diseases.Back pain occurs in a number of diseases, including cancer.
• Psychological disorders.People with depression or anxiety have a higher risk of back pain.

Diagnosing back pain

In order to make a correct diagnosis, a number of studies are being conducted.

MRI of the spine

The gold standard for diagnosing back pain is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Depending on the detected changes on MRI, along with the clinical picture and neurological status, the physician develops a treatment plan for the patient. In addition, an MRI image allows you to predict how the disease will progress.

Diagnostic Blocks

Diagnostic blockades are highly informative for confirming the diagnosis in patients with a complex, unclear clinical picture. For example, the efficacy of diagnostic blockade of facet or sacroiliac joints confirms the axial nature of the patient's pain and is an important criterion for setting indications for radiofrequency denervation of the corresponding joints.

In addition to high diagnostic value, intra-articular blockades are also a therapeutic procedure, they have a pronounced analgesic effect with different duration of action. In patients with radicular pain, diagnostic blocks may be reported when there is a need for additional diagnosis.

Treatment of back pain

There are different ways to treat back pain:

Pharmacological therapy

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have a pronounced effect, but their long-term efficacy is relative due to the rapid development of addiction and the risk of side effects. Muscle relaxants have been well proven, especially when used in the acute period. Antidepressants and some anticonvulsants are used with good effect in the complex treatment of pain. The treatment regimen is selected by the physician individually for each patient, depending on the patient's tolerance to the drugs, individual sensitivity and severity of the therapeutic effect.

Blockade of treatment performed under radiological control

In the last decade, due to the rapid and pronounced analgesic and therapeutic effect, the use of minimally invasive procedures, including epidural and intraarticular blockades, has increased dramatically. Epidural block is the most commonly prescribed procedure for radicular disease. With an accurate diagnosis and the presence of indications for this procedure, its effect is simply amazing! Pain relief is achieved in the period from 6 weeks to 6 months, which in many cases avoids the need for surgical treatment.

Neurosurgery

The range of neurosurgical operations for back pain is wide. Techniques such as spinal cord decompression, discectomy, foraminotomy, intervertebral disc replacement, minimally invasive and microsurgical interventions, as well as other surgical techniques are used.

Radiofrequency denervation

Radiofrequency denervation (RFA) is one of the most optimal treatments to avoid or significantly delay surgery. Thanks to it, you can not only quickly eliminate the symptoms of pain, but also minimize or completely eliminate the use of painkillers. Recovery after this procedure occurs quickly enough, which allows you to quickly return to your normal lifestyle.