Why do back muscles hurt and how to treat?
It is unlikely that there will be at least one person in the world who would never complain of pain in the back muscles. Such problems can disturb both the elderly and very young athletes. However, the causes of such pain can be very different, therapeutic and preventive measures will also differ.
How it hurts
- the concept is rather vague. It can be weak, aching, or it can be very strong, as if a knife was inserted into the back. As a rule, back pain is divided into 3 large types:- periodic;
- permanent;
- one-time.
- pain, the root cause of which are diseases of the spine;
- pain caused by other causes.
Many people stop paying attention to weak, aching, recurrent back pain, as if getting used to them. Meanwhile, the disease continues to progress. Sometimes the diagnosis is made during a random examination, and treatment in this case can stretch for many months or even years.
Palette of reasons
The causes of pain are varied. The thing is that the entire human back is covered with various muscles, which can both decrease and increase in size, while provoking pain of varying degrees of intensity.
muscle strain is one of the most common causes of pain. At risk are office workers, as well as those who spend most of their working day sitting in an uncomfortable position. Very often, such people also experience muscle pain after sleep. This is a signal that the bed is not hard enough, and the pillow is uncomfortable or too soft.
In a different risk group are athletes, as well as those people who lead an active lifestyle, for example, rafting or regularly go hiking with backpacks. During intense activity, the back muscles can be injured, and these mechanical injury provoke various muscle pains. Athletes often complain of such pain, because they regularly experience muscle strain.
However, mechanical injury happen to children too. They are very mobile and cannot always adequately assess their physical capabilities. Adults should carefully monitor their children in order to exclude the possibility of ligament rupture.
After the massage people quite often complain of back pain. The reasons for their occurrence may lie in:
- an incorrectly performed procedure, for example, a relaxing massage was shown to a person, and a stimulating, acupressure was performed;
- muscle exacerbation for the period of the procedure - kneading and mechanical impact even more excited the muscles;
- contraindications - perhaps a person is generally contraindicated in massage or its certain techniques; various chronic diseases can also make themselves felt within 1.5-2 hours after a massage session;
- low qualification of a specialist. Many "gods of massage" with their inept actions can only harm the patient, but in no way help him.
If massage sessions are not constant, but are carried out periodically, then moderate pain is normal. After the procedure, blood and oxygen begin to actively penetrate into weakened muscle tissues. Metabolism accelerates, and lactic acid begins to accumulate in the muscles, which causes moderate pain.
Myositis often causes muscle pain in the back. This disease is much more serious than ordinary mechanical sprains. It's pretty easy to pick it up. It is enough to be warmed up and sweating in a draft. Other causes of myositis can be:
- chronic diseases of the respiratory tract and lungs;
- unhealed bruises and injuries;
- rheumatism;
- helminthic invasions;
- diseases of the central nervous system;
- hereditary factors.
- increasing pain;
- a sharp increase in body temperature;
- infectious processes;
- muscle atrophy.
Other causes of muscle back pain include special anatomical features. Any violation of the symmetry of the spine causes compensatory curvature - scoliosis. He, in turn, violates the so-called. muscle harmony. Other reasons for such disharmony and asymmetry can be:
- flat feet;
- shortened lower limb;
- congenital asymmetry of the pelvis.
Clear localization
Sometimes pain in the muscles of the back makes itself felt in a clear, specific place. A very common pain is pain in trapezius muscle. This muscle is considered the most vulnerable, because its fibers and layers form the shoulders, controlling their movement. Many people simply overexert this particular muscle. At risk are representatives of the arts, for example, dancers.Pain can also provoke a psycho-emotional state, in which involuntarily there is an overstrain of various muscle groups. Surprisingly, pain in this muscle can persist even after the underlying cause has been removed and is often aggravated by headaches. These pains are characterized by:
- limited ability to move the head;
- pain, as a rule, is given to the shoulders and neck;
- aching pains, pressing on the shoulders;
- pain is permanent.
Pain left and right under the shoulder blades may indicate the presence of other very serious diseases. They often indicate the presence intervertebral hernia or intercostal neuralgia.
Pain in the back between the shoulder blades can "remind" of itself osteochondrosis. At the same time, the pains are aching, they can be accompanied by dizziness, visual disturbances, give to the area of the hands.
root cause pain along the spine often become hernias and scoliosis. Scoliosis is generally the scourge of a modern person, and especially young people who spend hours sitting in front of a computer. The pain syndrome in this case is manifested due to compression of the nerve processes. Subsequently, negative processes of mixing parts of the spinal column begin.
Diagnostic measures
To make a correct diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment at the initial stage, you may need the help of several specialists at once: a surgeon, a traumatologist, a neuropathologist, and even a therapist.
This is due to the fact that it is necessary to very clearly differentiate muscle pain in the back, for example, with myositis, from diseases of other internal organs - the heart, stomach, etc.
An experienced specialist will carefully analyze the patient's complaints, and only then will conduct physical examinations.
In the arsenal of modern instrumental methods:
Healing process
There is simply no one-size-fits-all treatment for back pain. All adequate therapeutic measures should be aimed at eliminating the root cause of the disease.To relieve acute pain syndromes use ointments and gels with an anesthetic. Ointments containing red pepper, which have a warming effect, have also proven themselves. In other cases, ointments and gels based on snake venom are very good.
Myositis are treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but in some cases corticosteroids may also be required, which are usually taken as a course. Do not abuse this group of drugs.
In other cases, for example, with herniated disc, shows the use of muscle relaxants, which effectively eliminate muscle spasms.
With scoliosis people are prescribed wearing special corsets.
Basic physiotherapy techniques include:
- electrotherapy;
- acupuncture;
- manual therapy;
- laser exposure;
- therapeutic massages.
Special exercises and prevention
Systematic preventive measures will also help to avoid serious problems, which, with regular use, will strengthen the back muscles.Firstly, you need to accustom yourself to the correct posture while walking and sitting. Determining it is quite simple - stand against the wall so that the heels, back of the head and buttocks touch the wall, which is the correct posture, and then try to maintain it with all your might.
Secondly, with a long standing, you need to change the position of the body every 10 minutes, moving the total body weight from one leg to the other.
Third, during sedentary work, muscle fatigue must be removed by bending forward, stretching your arms up and taking a deep breath and exhalation. In this case, it is useful to stand on your toes and raise both hands, stretch up like a cat. Repeat this stretch several times.
It is also good to regularly hang on the horizontal bar, at least for a minute a day. Ideally, if such a horizontal bar can be hung at home.
Very good for back muscles and swimming. Regular trips to the pool is one of the best preventive measures.
A special exercise is also recommended. To do this, you need to put a sports mat on a flat surface. A person lies on his back, bends his knees, presses his shoulder blades, and then takes his knees as far as possible to the right, and then to the left. There should be a pleasant sensation of stretching in the spine.
Another good exercise can be done on the mat. Lie on your stomach, and at the same time raising your arms and legs, try to do deep backbends. In this case, the body takes the form of a kind of arc.
In addition, it is important to monitor nutrition, constantly saturating your body with the necessary vitamins and minerals. If necessary, you should periodically drink a course of appropriate drugs.
You need to dress strictly according to the weather, avoiding hypothermia and drafts. Regular physical activity should be moderate, based on individual capabilities in each case. Don't overexert your body.
