Almost 75 percent of the population in developed countries consult a doctor at least once for back pain.Nine out of ten people will experience back pain at least once in their lifetime.Most often, back diseases affect people between thirty and fifty years of age, that is, of active working age.More than a third of all patients who come to the clinic come because of back pain.There are effective drugs to relieve pain.
Types of back pain
Back pain is acute if it is located in the spine and started no more than six weeks ago.Acute pain is difficult for patients to tolerate, but in many cases it is a relatively unpleasant symptom that can be treated.With timely treatment, patients return to professional activity within a month.
If the pain lasts more than six weeks, it becomes chronic, which is an equally dangerous problem, because there is a significant deterioration in the quality of life of able-bodied patients.The proportion of patients with chronic back pain is ten percent.
Reasons
It should be noted that the reasons behind the development of pathological processes have been studied quite well.Back pain can occur due to both risk factors and advanced disease.Most often, pain in the back and spine occurs in the following cases:
- overweight;
- muscle tension;
- damage to intervertebral joints;
- spasm;
- hypothermia;
- osteochondrosis;
- protrusion and rupture of the intervertebral disc;
- neuralgia.
It is known that the presence of excess body weight significantly increases the load on the musculoskeletal system: with an increase of one unit of the body mass index, the load on the lower back increases to forty kilograms.A sedentary lifestyle, staying in a static position for a long time with incorrect posture, and lack of physical activity cause both acute and chronic back pain.
Osteochondrosis
Spinal osteochondrosis ranks first among the causes of back pain.Osteochondrosis of the spine is a pathological destructive process that develops in the intervertebral discs.As the disease progresses, the degenerative process involves the adjacent vertebral bodies, intervertebral joints, and ligaments that support the spine.
First, the process develops in the core of the disc, which becomes less elastic due to moisture loss.These processes in a relatively localized region of the spinal segment lead to inevitable changes in the adjacent vertebrae and intervertebral joints, which ultimately disrupts the mobility of the spinal column.
A ruptured disc
Lumbar disc herniation is the most common.The patient feels pain in the back, which spreads to the leg, hip, reaches the leg or is localized on the inner side of the thigh.
Mobility is limited.Sensitivity is disturbed, which can occur in the form of burning and tingling.
Neuralgia
The presence of muscle neuralgia can be assessed by the appearance of a sharp shooting pain in the back.It occurs due to compression of the nerve under the influence of inflamed surrounding tissues.
The narrow space between the ribs in the back is where the pain most often occurs.Neuralgia occurs both in childhood and in adulthood.
Needles for back and back pain
Today, the doctor involved in therapy issues is guided by information from the scientific literature, his own experience and the experience of his colleagues, because there are no standards to be officially recommended by the Ministry of Health for the diagnosis and treatment of back pain.
The following medications can be used to treat back pain:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- steroid anti-inflammatory drugs;
- muscle relaxant;
- chondroprotectors;
- vasodilators and improve microcirculation;
- synthetic drugs;
- B vitamins.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
This group of drugs is indispensable for diseases of the musculoskeletal system.It is sold without a prescription.
It is available in the form of ointments, gels, tablets, suspensions, capsules, rectal suppositories, injections for intravenous and intramuscular injection.
Appointed:
- An anti-inflammatory drug from the group of phenylacetic acid derivatives with analgesic effect.It is well tolerated and effectively relieves pain.Side effects include inhibition of proteoglycan synthesis in cartilage tissue and ulcerogenic properties, that is, it promotes the formation of gastric ulcers.
- An anti-inflammatory drug from the sulfonamide class with an analgesic effect.The difference from the previous remedy is the prevention of the destruction of proteoglycans and cartilage tissue, a selective effect on inflammatory mediators, which reduces the risk of gastric ulcer and increases the effect of corticosteroids.Ideal for quick relief of acute pain.Side effects include the risk of toxic liver damage.
Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
It is used in cases where non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs do not have the desired effect.
They have a rapid effect, have a systemic anti-inflammatory effect and reduce pain in the pathological focus.It is available in the form of ointments, tablets, injections for intramuscular, intravenous, intra-articular injection.
It is used in severe cases.They are available only by prescription because they have many side effects: weight gain, edema, osteoporosis, ulcerative processes in the stomach and intestines.
Muscle relaxants
They are used only as part of complex treatment with drugs from other groups.Action is based on muscle relaxation, i.e.they themselves do not have a therapeutic effect.However, muscle relaxation helps in the presence of long-term spasm that causes pain and increases the effectiveness of manual therapy, massage and physical therapy.
It is used both together with NSAIDs and in cases of intolerance or contraindications to them.
They are available only with a doctor's prescription because they have side effects: sudden changes in blood pressure, convulsions, muscle weakness and a depressant effect on the central nervous system.
Chondroprotectors
These include glucosamine and chondroitin preparations.Chondroitin promotes calcium retention and slows down bone resorption.Glucosamine helps to improve the functions of the affected joint by increasing the production of hyaluronic acid.It is available in the form of ointments, tablets, injections for intramuscular and intra-articular injections.It is prescribed together with NSAIDs.They have practically no contraindications and side effects.
In this case, for the best effect, oral administration should be combined with parenteral administration:
- Injections for intramuscular administration: one ampoule three times a week for one to two months.
- Powder: dissolve in water and take half an hour before meals.Take one pack once a day for one to three months.
- Tablets: take two tablets three times a day with meals.
Vasodilators
The drug, based on the deproteinized hemoderivative of calf blood, helps to expand blood vessels and reduce trophic and microcirculation disorders by improving the delivery of oxygen and nutrients.With radiculopathies, osteochondrosis and intervertebral hernias, there is a decrease in hypoxia in the pathological focus.It is available as an over-the-counter tablet and injection.
Intravenous injections of a purine derivative are carried out in the morning and afternoon, 200-300 mg of the drug.Intramuscular injections are carried out two to three times a day, 100 mg.Tablets, when taken simultaneously with injections, increase the effect of the drug, and one tablet is taken two to three times a day.
B vitamins
It is used as part of complex therapy.Only three vitamins are used from this group.Thiamine is involved in energy exchange, improves the conduction of nerve impulses, relieves pain and helps to restore intervertebral discs.Pyridoxine prevents hypoxia and improves trophism of intervertebral discs.Cyanocobalamin eliminates inflammation, increases tissue trophism and restores the structure of nerve tissue.
Available without a prescription.They have practically no contraindications and side effects.It is available in the form of tablets and injections.Use one ampoule a day for ten days.If the pain is not acute, then a regimen of 3 ampoules per week (every day) is used for three to four weeks.
The above drugs should be combined depending on the type of disease.But no matter what, the main treatment will be aimed at relieving pain, stopping inflammation and restoring the functions of the musculoskeletal system at the source of the pathology.
The following are used as therapeutic measures:
- massage;
- manual therapy;
- physical therapy;
- physiotherapy;
- electrical neurostimulation;
- therapeutic blockade;
- decompression and surgical stabilization.
Adequate therapy is prescribed by a general practitioner after a complete examination.If necessary, he will refer the patient to a specialist: neurologist, gynecologist, urologist.
Block for back pain
Performing a paravertebral block allows you to deliver the drug directly to the pathological focus that is the cause of acute pain.When the block is applied, patients feel immediate relief.However, this can only be done in a hospital setting and only by a competent specialist.Pain relief is temporary but noticeable.The procedure also has diagnostic value.If there is no immediate pain relief after the blockade, then the cause is not related to a disease of the spine.
The blockade can be carried out in biologically active points of muscles and tendons, soft tissues surrounding the affected segment of the spine, nerve membranes, nerve ganglia, joints and joints.In this case, the injection consists of one, two, three or more drugs.These can be local anesthetics, corticosteroids, NSAIDs, vitamins, ATP.The effectiveness of blockades for osteochondrosis, disc herniation, spondylosis and spondyloarthrosis, lumbago, radiculitis, acute and chronic pain in the spine is undeniable.
Blocking procedure
When performing a blockade with any of the above drugs, the following is observed:
- immediate feeling of impact by the patient;
- almost complete absence of contraindications;
- creating a high concentration of the drug, especially in the pathological focus.
Description of the procedure:
- examination of the pathological center with the localization of the maximum pain point;
- the patient is placed on his stomach;
- treat the blockage site with an antiseptic;
- anesthesia of the puncture site and administration of the drug.
There are several contraindications for blockade, but they exist: pregnancy, individual intolerance to drugs, infection in the procedure area.
There are many ways to get rid of back pain.You should not only resort to pills or injections for back and back pain, but also remember home remedies.The first aid at home is to apply cold to the back (ice from the refrigerator, frozen meat, meatballs from the freezer).Painful spasm is relieved by massage.