In developed countries, almost 75 percent of the population consults a doctor at least once due to back pain.Nine out of ten people will experience back pain at least once in their lives.Most often, back diseases affect people aged thirty to fifty, that is, of active working age.Of all the patients who come to the clinic, more than a third come because of back pain.There are effective medications to relieve pain.
Types of back pain
Back pain is acute if it is localized in the spine and started less than six weeks ago.Acute pain is difficult for patients to tolerate, but in many cases it is a relatively mild symptom that can be treated.With prompt treatment, patients return to professional activities within a month.
If the pain lasts more than six weeks, then it becomes chronic, which is an equally dangerous problem, since there is a significant deterioration in the quality of life of patients of working age.The proportion of patients suffering from chronic back pain is ten percent.
Reasons
It should be noted that the reasons for the development of pathological processes in the back have been studied quite well.Back pain can occur both due to risk factors and a developed illness.Most often, pain in the back and spine occurs when:
- overweight;
- muscle tension;
- injury to the intervertebral joints;
- spasm;
- hypothermia;
- osteochondrosis;
- protrusion and herniation of the intervertebral disc;
- neuralgia.
It is well known that the presence of excess weight significantly increases the load on the musculoskeletal system: the load on the lumbar spine increases by forty kilograms with an increase in body mass index by one unit.A sedentary lifestyle, prolonged exposure to a static position with poor posture and lack of physical activity lead to acute and chronic back pain.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis of the spine takes first place among the causes of back pain.Vertebral osteochondrosis is a destructive pathological process that develops in the intervertebral discs.As the disease progresses, the adjacent vertebral bodies, intervertebral joints and ligaments supporting the spine become involved in the degenerative process.
Initially, the process develops in the core of the disc, which becomes less elastic due to moisture loss.These processes in a relatively localized area of the spinal segment lead to inevitable changes in the adjacent vertebrae and intervertebral joints, which ultimately impair the mobility of the spine as a whole.
Herniated disc
Lumbar disc herniation is the most common.The patient feels pain in the back, which radiates towards the leg, buttocks, reaches the foot or is localized on the inside of the thigh.
Mobility is limited.Sensitivity is impaired, which can manifest itself in the form of burning and tingling.
Neuralgia
The presence of muscular neuralgia can be judged by the appearance of sharp shooting pain in the back.This occurs due to compression of the nerve under the influence of inflamed surrounding tissues.
The most common place where pain appears is in the narrow spaces between the ribs on the back side.Neuralgia occurs both in childhood and adulthood.
Injections for back and lower back pain
Today, the attending physician in therapeutic matters is guided by data from scientific literature, his own experience and that of his colleagues, since there are no standards for the diagnosis and treatment of back pain that would be officially recommended by the Ministry of Health.
The following medications may be used to treat back pain:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- steroidal anti-inflammatory medications;
- muscle relaxers;
- chondroprotectors;
- vasodilators and improves microcirculation;
- synthetic drugs;
- B vitamins.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories
This group of drugs is indispensable for diseases of the musculoskeletal system.Sold without a prescription.
Available in the form of ointments, gels, tablets, suspensions, capsules, rectal suppositories, injections for intravenous and intramuscular injections.
Prescribed:
- An anti-inflammatory drug from the group of phenylacetic acid derivatives with analgesic effect.Well tolerated and effectively relieves pain.Side effects include inhibition of proteoglycan synthesis in cartilage tissue and ulcerogenic properties, i.e. promoting the formation of gastric ulcers.
- An anti-inflammatory drug from the sulfonamide class with analgesic effect.The difference from the previous remedy is the prevention of destruction of proteoglycans and cartilage tissue, a selective effect on inflammatory mediators, which reduces the risk of gastric ulcers and enhances the effect of corticosteroids.Ideal for quickly relieving acute pain.Side effects include the risk of toxic liver damage.
Steroidal anti-inflammatories
Used in cases where nonsteroidal 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.Available in the form of ointments, tablets, injections for intramuscular, intravenous and intra-articular injections.
Used in severe cases.They are only available with a prescription because they cause many side effects: weight gain, edema, osteoporosis, ulcerative processes of the stomach and intestines.
Muscle relaxers
They are used only as part of complex treatment with drugs of other groups.The action is based on muscle relaxation, that is, they themselves do not have a therapeutic effect.But muscle relaxation helps in the presence of prolonged spasms leading to pain and increases the effectiveness of manual therapy, massage and physiotherapy.
They are used both in combination with NSAIDs and in cases of intolerance to them or the presence of contraindications to them.
They are only available with a doctor's prescription because they cause 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 bone resorption.Glucosamine helps improve the functions of the affected joint by increasing the production of hyaluronic acid.Available in the form of ointments, tablets, injections for intramuscular and intra-articular injections.Prescribed in combination with NSAIDs.They have practically no contraindications or side effects.
In this case, for optimal effect, oral administration must 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 sachet once a day for one to three months.
- Tablets: Take two tablets three times daily with meals.
Vasodilators
The drug based on deproteinized hemoderivative of calf blood helps to dilate blood vessels, reduce trophic and microcirculatory disorders by improving the supply of oxygen and nutrients.There is a decrease in hypoxia in the pathological focus with radiculopathies, osteochondrosis and intervertebral hernias.Available without a prescription in the form of tablets and injections.
Intravenous injections of a purine derivative are made in the morning and afternoon, in the amount of 200-300 mg of the drug.Intramuscular injections are given two to three times a day, at a rate of 100 mg.Tablets, when taken simultaneously with injections, enhance the effect of the drug and are taken one tablet two to three times a day.
B vitamins
Used as part of complex therapy.Only three vitamins from this group are used.Thiamine participates in energy metabolism, improves the conduction of nerve impulses, relieves pain and promotes the restoration of intervertebral discs.Pyridoxine prevents hypoxia and improves the trophism of intervertebral discs.Cyanocobalamin relieves inflammation, increases tissue trophism and restores the structure of nervous tissue.
Available without a prescription.They have practically no contraindications or side effects.Available in the form of tablets and injections.Use one ampoule per day for ten days.If the pain is not acute, a regimen is used in which 3 ampoules are used per week (every other day) for three to four weeks.
The above medications should be combined depending on the type of disease.But in any case, the main treatment will be aimed at eliminating pain, stopping inflammation and restoring the functions of the musculoskeletal system that caused the pathology.
The following are used as therapeutic measures:
- massages;
- manual therapy;
- physiotherapy;
- physiotherapy;
- electrical neurostimulation;
- therapeutic blockade;
- decompression and surgical stabilization.
Adequate therapy is prescribed by a general practitioner after a comprehensive examination.If necessary, he will refer the patient to a specialist: neurologist, gynecologist, urologist.
Block for back pain
Carrying out a paravertebral blockade ensures the delivery of the drug directly to the pathological site, at the origin of the acute pain.Patients feel immediate relief when the block is performed.But it can only be carried out in a hospital environment and only by a competent specialist.Pain relief is temporary, but noticeable.The procedure also has diagnostic value.If after the blockade there is no immediate relief from pain, the reason is not related to spinal disease.
Blocking can be carried out in biologically active points of muscles and tendons, in soft tissues surrounding the affected segment of the spine, in nerve sheaths, in 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 is undeniable for osteochondrosis, herniated discs, spondylosis and spondyloarthrosis, lumbago, radiculitis, acute and chronic pain in the spine.
Blockade procedure
When blocking with any of the above drugs, the following are observed:
- immediate sensation of the effect by the patient;
- almost complete absence of contraindications;
- creating a high concentration of the drug specifically in the pathological focus.
Description of the procedure:
- examination of the pathological focus with localization of the site of maximum pain;
- 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 few contraindications to the blockade, but they do exist: pregnancy, individual intolerance to medications, infection in the area of the intervention.
There are many ways to get rid of back pain.You not only have to resort to pills or injections to relieve back and lower back pain, but also remember about home remedies.First aid at home involves applying cold to the back (ice from the refrigerator, frozen meat, ravioli from the freezer).Painful spasms are relieved by massage.