Back pain is one of the most common medical problems in the world in general, and the most common in the United States. Anyone can suffer from back pain, and almost everyone will suffer from back pain at some point in their life.
Back pain
Back pain is the most common body pain of all. Every day, about two percent of people suffer from disability due to back pain, causing an inability to perform daily tasks. In the United States alone, between 80 and 90 percent of people suffer from back pain at some point in their lives.
Back pain may start out mild, causing some discomfort, or it may develop to become so bad that it becomes unbearable, disrupting normal life, and causing absence from work.
There are many possible causes of back pain, and it is wise to see a health care provider to find out the cause and take treatment instead of guessing and trying to self-discover. It may have a common cause, such as muscle strain, or there may be an underlying condition such as kidney stones, a herniated disc, or inflammation of the lining of the back. The uterus in women.
Treatment varies depending on the cause and symptoms, and there are often many contributing factors. However, there are steps you can take to improve your health and reduce your chances of developing chronic or long-term back pain.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), back pain is the second most common reason for visits to health care providers (just after the common cold).
Professor Mohamed Melhem Arous
Types of back pain
According to the Cleveland Clinic, back pain is classified in several ways by medical professionals. Depending on the location of the pain, you can describe back pain as: Pain in the upper, middle, or lower part of the back on the left, middle, or right side. Different types of pain can also be identified to the health care provider, such as: mild, moderate, or severe pain. The pain may be like a sharp stabbing, or non-specific pain.
Back pain can also be classified according to how long it lasts. Back pain can last a day, a few weeks, months, or a lifetime. It may be described as an acute attack (in the form of a sudden and short attack, often linked to an injury) or chronic/persistent pain, which means that it Continuous for between 3 and 6 months.
Injury risk factors
Who is at risk for back pain? There are several factors that increase the risk of developing back pain, and they may include the following:
* Fitness level: Back pain is more common among people who are not physically fit. For example, weak back and stomach muscles may not support the spine properly (core strength). Back pain may also be more likely if you exercise vigorously after being inactive for a while (overdoing it).
* Weight gain: A diet high in calories and fat, combined with an inactive lifestyle, can lead to obesity, which can put excess pressure on the back.
*Job-related risk factors: Jobs that require lifting heavy objects, pushing, pulling, or twisting can lead to back injury. A desk job may also play a role, especially if you have poor posture or sit all day in an uncomfortable chair.
* Stress level: If you suffer from poor sleep, chronic depression, or anxiety, back pain may be more frequent and more severe.
* Genetics: Genetics play a role in some disorders that cause back pain.
* Age: The older you are, the more likely you are to suffer from back pain, especially after the age of 45 years. A person is at greater risk if:
– He does not exercise.
– You already have arthritis or a type of cancer.
– He is overweight.
– Lifts heavy objects using the back instead of the legs.
– He suffers from anxiety or depression.
– Smokes or uses other tobacco products.
Local and widespread pain
What causes back pain? Back pain is either local, such as pain in the spine, muscles, and other tissues in the back, or it is diffuse, such as pain caused by a problem in an organ that radiates to the back or is felt as if it is present in it. Examples of both include:
* Local back pain: The cause may be in the spine, such as:
Herniated disc or herniated nucleus pulposus (disc) – Degenerative spondylolisthesis – Intervertebral disc degeneration – Radiculopathy – Arthritis – Sacroiliac joint dysfunction – Intervertebral disc degeneration – Spinal stenosis – Spondylolisthesis – Trauma/injury – Tumor – Ligament sprain – Muscle tightness – muscle tightness.
* Common back pain, such as: aneurysm of blood vessels, such as abdominal aortic aneurysm – appendicitis – cancer (very rare) – fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome – infections (very rare) – cholecystitis – kidney infections and kidney stones – liver problems – inflammation Pancreas – Pelvic inflammatory diseases (sexually transmitted diseases) – Perforated stomach ulcers – Urinary tract infections.
* In women, the cause of widespread back pain may be: endometriosis – pregnancy – uterine fibroids.
* In people assigned male at birth (AMAB), radiating back pain may be caused by testicular injury or torsion.
Slipped disc
A herniated disc is one of the causes of back pain. What are its causes? And its symptoms? And methods of treatment? Can it be avoided and prevented?
Professor Mohamed Melhem Arous, senior consultant in neurosurgery, spinal surgery and minimally invasive surgery, and senior consultant for chronic pain management, spoke to “Your Health”, and he initially gave a simple overview of the anatomy of the spine, saying that it consists of 33 vertebrae: 7 cervical vertebrae. 12 thoracic vertebrae, 5 lumbar vertebrae, 5 sacral vertebrae, and 4 coccygeal vertebrae, and is found between the vertebrae; That is, between each vertebra and another, there is a cartilage called a “disc.”
The function of this “disc” is that it acts as a cushion between the vertebrae, protecting the spine by absorbing shocks from it. The cartilage, or disc, contains a gelatinous substance surrounded by an external fibrous belt that prevents the disc from moving or slipping out of place.
The causes of disc pain are:
*Unspecified reasons; Where pain occurs as a result of:
– Lack of movement and weakness of trunk muscles.
– Muscle tension resulting from the wrong and heavy continuous load.
– Long and incorrect sitting without movement (sitting in front of the computer) for hours, and driving for long periods.
– Overweight and obesity.
– Hard physical work on one hand.
– Depression and psychological stress, such as stress at work and study.
– Changes in pain sensation and genetic predisposition.
– Family and financial problems, constant anxiety, and self-doubt.
* Back pain that occurs for identifiable physical reasons, such as:
– Acute herniated disc.
– Fracture of the vertebrae for various reasons, including: accidents – osteoporosis – metastases and tumors – infections – stenosis of the spinal canal (central, peripheral, lateral, central and peripheral).
– Inflammatory diseases of the spine.
– Inflammatory rheumatic diseases (Bekhterov syndrome).
Nucleus pulposus herniation occurs at all ages and reaches its peak between 40 and 50. 70 percent males, 30 percent females. Lumbar; About 90 percent, the cervical vertebrae about 10 percent, and the thoracic vertebrae about one percent.
Symptoms and diagnosis
* Symptoms of a herniated disc:
– Pain localized in the back and lower back.
– Pain that extends to the knee and foot or to the forearm and hand, with a feeling of tingling, numbness, lack of sensation in the leg or hand, or paralysis. In advanced cases, there are problems with urination and excretion.
* How is a herniated disc diagnosed?
Professor Muhammad Melhem Arous stresses the importance of arriving at a final diagnosis early and in a timely manner, as it leads to a good result, and this in turn gives the patient a greater opportunity to avoid greater harm, and that the diagnosis depends on:
– Medical history of the injured person and his family.
– Clinical diagnosis.
– General examinations and blood tests.
– Radiography (computed tomography – magnetic resonance imaging).
-Nerve planning.
After diagnosing the condition, a treatment plan is drawn up, noting that each patient needs his own treatment plan that is consistent with his symptoms and clinical and radiological condition.
The fourth and fifth steps are usually the last resort in treatment when the patient is in a critical situation due to paralysis, urinary incontinence, defecation problems, foot drop, etc.
Treatment of herniated disc
Treatment methods for a herniated disc are divided into 5 sections:
* Conservative treatments, including: physical therapy – ultrasound therapy – electrotherapy – heat and freezing therapy – magnetic field therapy – swimming.
* Pharmaceutical treatments, including: first-class analgesics (Ibuprofen, Diclac) – second-class analgesics containing mild morphine (Tilidin, Tramadol) – third-class analgesics containing high concentrations of morphine.
* Minimal treatments without surgery:
– Injection of nerves and nerve roots directed through the CT system.
– Epidural directed injections (medullary membranes).
– Catheter directed to the affected disc.
– Endoscopic catheter directed to the disc.
– Laser-guided treatment (rays).
– Plasma-guided therapy (PRP).
– Radiofrequency-guided treatment (RADIO-FREQUENCY).
– Stem cell targeted therapy (under testing).
* Various microsurgical treatments.
* Ultimate treatments for postoperative pain (ultimate ratio).
Emergency
When is back pain an emergency that requires admission to the emergency department?
When it happens:
– Sudden and severe pain.
– Pain and lack of bowel or urinary control, along with nausea, fever, or vomiting.
– Pain so severe that it prevents daily activities.
The Cleveland Clinic offers the following advice: Back pain can be very frustrating and hinder daily life. But remember that there are many treatment options to help treat back pain and return to normal daily activities.
See your health care providers to discuss your options. They are here to help you.
* Community medicine consultant
2023-09-28 14:05:19
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