Treatment for back pain
Complex therapy in the treatment of back pain involves a combination of several factors that allow you to quickly achieve the best results. The possibilities of vertebrology are much wider than individual practices: neurology, manual therapy and massage techniques.
A special art in vertebrology and, in particular, in our medical center is the NON-SURGICAL approach to the treatment of spinal diseases, EVEN IN SEVERE FORMS AND AT CRITICAL STAGES
So, in addition to drug treatment (tablets, injections for back pain, paravertebral blockades, IVs), the following methods are effective:
• Soft manual therapy – when the doctor acts on the patient’s spine with his own hands. There are hundreds of different techniques that can be applied to each vertebra. This treatment helps solve the problem of displaced (locked) vertebrae, relieve muscle spasms, and also eliminate many other disorders. Relief or complete disappearance of pain occurs immediately after the first session.
• Classic, acupressure or segmental therapeutic massage.
• Physiotherapy. Our medical center has a full range of necessary and most modern equipment.
The duration and effectiveness of treatment for back pain depends on how quickly the patient consulted a doctor after discovering his symptoms. As a rule, this is 5-10 daily treatment sessions. On average, the cost of a full 5-day course is 15 thousand rubles.
Remember, the sooner you contact a specialist, the sooner you will return to a normal and healthy life without pain!
What are the dangers of back pain?
Pain is a signal of trouble; in this case, back pain is a signal of some pathological processes occurring in the body.
Back pain is a fairly common problem that can occur in people of all ages. Moreover, they may relate to the spine, its individual joints, soft tissues and even internal organs.
In this case, it is very important to make a correct diagnosis, and only then begin treatment.
We often associate ordinary lower back pain with stress on the back, hypothermia or drafts. It would seem that it is enough to lubricate your back with warming ointment or put on cups, and the next morning the pain will go away as if by hand. And at the same time, much more serious problems can be hidden behind banal lower back pain.
For example, the most common ones are:
• Myofascial pain , which occurs as a result of muscle overload or severe sprain.
• Infection , which may be viral, fungal, bacterial or parasitic in nature. The most common infectious lesions of the lumbar region are various types of spondylitis, myelitis, meningitis, etc. People with weakened immune systems and diabetics are at risk.
Tumors can also cause back pain.
• Inflammatory process . In particular, sacroiliitis is an inflammatory disease that is accompanied by stiffness of the spine in the morning, pain in the hip joints, which slightly weakens with physical activity.
• Pain radiating to the spine due to injuries and damage to internal organs . Rending pain in the lower back can accompany not only a herniated disc, but also an aortic aneurysm.
— Protrusions and herniations of intervertebral discs with compression or pinching of nerve roots.
• Fractures of the lumbar vertebrae . They can occur even due to minor trauma in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis or a malignant tumor.
Given all of the above, it is very important to diagnose the cause of back pain at an early stage by contacting a specialist. Self-medicating in this case is dangerous, especially if the pain occurs for the first time.
The causes of back pain can be divided into two large groups: vertebrogenic and non-vertebrogenic, that is, those associated and not associated with diseases of the spine itself.
The most common vertebrogenic (pathogenetically associated with changes in the spine) cause of pain is, of course, spinal osteochondrosis. Incorrectly treated or untreated osteochondrosis, which is not a disease (in essence), usually gains pathogenic forms under the influence of many external and internal factors. Often these pathogenic forms are very serious and can lead to disability if not treated carefully. The most striking examples are when osteochondrosis leads to spondyloarthrosis (damage to the intervertebral joints), protrusions (protrusion) and herniated intervertebral disc. Among other vertebrogenic causes, we highlight instability of the spinal motion segment, injuries and fractures of the vertebrae, osteoporosis and metastases in the vertebral body.
There are also non-vertebrogenic back pain, which is often called “referred”. Referred back pain occurs in diseases of any organs and systems of the body: cardiovascular system - “reflected” on the shoulders or thoracic spine (back pain above the lower back), respiratory system - “reflected” on the thoracic or lower cervical spine, with pathology kidney pain is reflected in the thoracolumbar junction, pubis, inner thighs (pain in the back below the lower back), with gynecological diseases the pain is reflected in the lower back, pathologies from the gastrointestinal tract give pain in the lumbar spine and so on.
With all this in mind, it is very important to correctly diagnose the cause of back pain. Thus, constant or recurring back pain is a serious reason to consult a specialist who will make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment. Please note that only specialists - vertebrologists can most accurately carry out the appropriate diagnosis, as they have knowledge of orthopedics, traumatology, and neurophysiology. Only a vertebrologist understands how diseases of the spine and internal organs are connected. That is why treatment is comprehensive and is aimed not only at eliminating the pain syndrome, but also at eliminating the very cause of the disease.
An itchy back that does not stop for several days or appears as a result of exposure to a certain allergen is a problem that deserves attention. If, in addition to the subjective discomfort sensations, completely objective signs of skin (and not only) diseases are added: spots, blisters, rashes, fluid-filled blisters, abscesses, etc., you need to go to the clinic as soon as possible.
Itching is not an independent disease, but it can be a symptom. By finding out this in a timely manner, you can prevent the development of the disease. In compiling an anamnesis, both the nature and intensity of the itching and its localization play an important role: if the back itches in the area of the shoulder blades, this may indicate problems with the thyroid gland or diabetes mellitus, and if the itching is concentrated along the spine, doctors’ first suspicion falls on osteochondrosis.
Neither an adult nor a child can be completely protected from such uncomfortable sensations (we are talking about systematic severe itching, not occasional “scratching”), however, older people are at particular risk. This is due to specific transformations of the skin in old age: the formation of nodules, warts, nodules.
The main reasons that the back itches in response to many diseases of different etiologies is the presence of a huge number of sebaceous and sweat glands on it. Over the course of life, the skin becomes rougher, the processes of epidermal renewal are disrupted, and old skin scales flake off, causing severe itching.
Medicine divides all causes of itching on the skin of the back into two sections:
Among the non-pathological causes of skin itching:
When your back itches severely during a hot period, the cause may lie in the bites of parasites and insects: mosquitoes, flies, wasps, hornets, bees, fleas. Of particular danger are parasitic infestations of lice and scabies mites - a dangerous causative agent of scabies (the mite usually causes itching between the shoulder blades).
The most common pathologies, the symptom of which may be severe itching localized in the back and abdomen, include scabies, psoriasis, dermatitis, various diseases of internal organs, and nervous system disorders.
If a patient’s back itches constantly and unbearably (the itching is most painful in hard-to-reach areas: under the left or right shoulder blade, in intimate areas: in the inguinal folds, as well as in the tender areas of the armpits and popliteal cavities, elbow bends), most likely he has scabies. The causative agent of scabies is the scabies mite. This disease is difficult to treat and extremely contagious, which explains the need to see a doctor as soon as possible at the first suspicion.
The first sign of psoriasis is a constantly itchy, dry to the touch, raised area above the skin level with relatively smooth edges (if there is only one such area, the disease is still at an early stage). Externally, these areas look like pink papules merging with each other. The disease is not contagious, but nevertheless has a chronic recurrent nature, and in the absence of treatment progresses significantly.
Atopic dermatitis is a disease that is inherited and manifests itself in childhood. Accompanied by seasonally dependent, itchy rashes on the back (most often appear during periods of decreased immune defense of the body: winter, autumn).
A variety of diseases of the internal organs of an endocrine nature (diabetes mellitus), gall bladder, biliary tract, liver (itching is accompanied by jaundice), blood diseases (anemia developing due to iron deficiency) can cause itching in different areas of the back: most often under the shoulder blade, on the left or on right.
The largest number of complaints from elderly patients indicates itching in the same place on the back. The so-called senile itch is not a disease; it occurs due to age-related changes in the skin, leading to the appearance of nodules and plaques.
Relatively rarely, patients are interested in why their back itches along the spine: the cause of this problem may be osteochondrosis. Itching occurs as a result of compression and irritation of the nerve endings along the spine and is accompanied by mild numbness. To confirm or refute the disease, your doctor will most likely recommend taking an x-ray.
A common cause of itching is stress, neuroses and other disorders of the nervous system. External manifestations are extremely similar to the symptoms of psychogenic allergies: the temperature rises, the skin swells. One of the manifestations of itching due to nervousness is the specific disease “we’ll get tired.” Patients with this diagnosis complain of itching and the movement of non-existent insects on the skin, or even under it. In an attempt to stop this non-existent itch, patients scratch their skin until bloody.
The causes and treatment of itchy skin are determined exclusively by a doctor. First of all, the patient undergoes tests in order to exclude diseases of the digestive and genitourinary system, parasitic infestations, diabetes mellitus, and sexually transmitted diseases from the list of possible causes of itching. The patient should be treated only based on the identified underlying cause.
Complex therapy usually includes the use of:
Traditional medicine can also help combat the problem:
Under no circumstances should you scratch your back: by scratching it until it bleeds, you can introduce an infection into the wounds along with the dirt from under your nails. All synthetic and woolen underwear in the wardrobe should be replaced with body-friendly, hypoallergenic fabrics. It is advisable to give the body rest at least for the period of treatment and free oneself from excessive psycho-emotional stress.
Many people wonder why their back hurts? Pain in the spine indicates dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system. Very often, the causes of back pain are diseases of the spine itself, but sometimes there are other pathologies that you need to know about.
Most people experience problems with the spine. But the spine is the support of the whole body. Timely treatment of the spine is an important point in eliminating the disease. But many people ignore the body's signals, which often leads to severe complications.
People often wonder why their back hurts? An accurate answer can only be obtained after a full examination. However, there are a number of possible causes of pain in the spine.
If your back hurts in the spinal area, there is a high probability of osteochondrosis. This pathology is observed in many people, and in old age – in almost everyone. With osteochondrosis, the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral disc is destroyed and it loses its elasticity. In the early stages, the back hurts precisely at the location of osteochondrosis. Damaged vertebrae can be in the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar regions. Since the greatest load is placed on the lower back, lumbar osteochondrosis is the most common.
Pain can be of a different nature, depending on the stage of development of the pathology and the provoking factor:
If you ignore the pain, continue to put stress on your back, and do not change your lifestyle, complications will begin. The first of these are protrusions - protrusions of intervertebral discs. The next stage is the appearance of intervertebral hernias, when the fibrous ring ruptures and the core of the intervertebral disc leaks out. As a rule, very severe back pain occurs, radiating to the limbs and nearby areas of the back.
Hypermobility of the vertebrae is another reason why the spine hurts. The pain comes and goes. Exacerbations are observed with increased loads on the spine. The cervical region suffers the most. Muscles often spasm, being under constant tension. Regular neck pain reduces muscle tone, making it difficult for a person to hold his head up.
If your back hurts along the spine, birth defects are possible. One of them is an insufficient or excessive number of vertebrae, causing stress. If there is spondipolysis - a disorder in the structure of the vertebral arch, there is a high chance of spondipolysthesis - excessive protrusion of the vertebra.
Another reason why your back may hurt is calcium deficiency. The bone tissue of the spinal column loses its rigidity and microtraumas occur. If nothing is done, severe pain in the spine will soon occur, signaling more severe destruction of the vertebrae. Older women who have been pregnant several times are most susceptible to this pathology. Exacerbations of pain may occur during menstruation.
Pain in the spine always has a cause. One of them may be spondialarthritis. The first signs are aching pain in the back, more precisely in the lumbosacral region. This is how inflammation of the spine manifests itself, starting from the lower sections and moving upward. Sometimes pulsation (throbbing pain) occurs.
Some back pain is caused by pregnancy. When a woman carries a child, the load on her spine increases noticeably, her stomach grows and the curve in her lower back increases. The load not only increases, but also shifts, the intervertebral discs wear out, and nerves may be pinched. During pregnancy, it is important not to overwork in order to preserve the spine. After all, during childbirth, a spinal injury can also occur (especially if the labor is protracted), and if the spine is already worn out, then the chance of injury increases.
When the spinal column is curvature, the load on individual parts of the spinal column greatly increases, the intervertebral discs are compressed, and the cartilage tissue is deformed. People with scoliosis often have back pain from prolonged sitting and increased stress on the spine.
The most dangerous reason for back pain is metastases. Cancerous tumors can arise in nearby organs and, as they progress, put pressure on the spine and spinal canal. People with such tumors have severe back pain, and the pain does not stop in any position of the body. This condition requires immediate medical attention.
One of the most dangerous diseases of the bones, including the spine, is tuberculosis. With this infectious disease, the entire spine hurts. Depending on the stage of progression, symptoms manifest themselves differently, and sometimes nagging pain may occur. Staph infections are also common, and infection of other parts of the body can spread to the spine.
With mechanical damage to the spinal column, deformation of bone tissue or rupture of the fibrous ring can often occur. Sometimes there may be local pain in the vertebra, in some cases the pain can be global (along the entire spine) or radiating to the limbs.
Many people experience lumbar back pain. A common cause of this type of manifestation may be diseases of the digestive system. As a rule, gastrointestinal diseases are accompanied by general fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Some diseases cause throbbing pain in the spine. Many of these diseases can be really dangerous: cholecystitis, pancreatitis, ulcers, etc. Therefore, it is necessary not to delay diagnosis.
Severe pain in the spine can also be a sign of heart disease. Such pain manifests itself closer to the location - in the thoracic spine. All heart diseases carry great danger; such manifestations cannot be ignored. Sometimes a dull ache may occur.
If your back is strained or aching, the cause may be a condition of the nervous system. The spine is surrounded by a dense network of nerve endings. When a person has neurosis, pain can be localized in the spine. Nagging pain, aching pain and many other types may occur. A depressive state is very dangerous, it is important not to let such situations take their course and find ways to normalize the state of the psyche and relieve nervous tension.
The first symptoms of back pain are muscle stiffness. The mobility of the spinal column decreases, tension increases, and the entire back or just the lower back (the most loaded part) begins to hurt.
What to do if your back hurts? Could this be dangerous? Of course, there is danger. However, the pain itself is not particularly dangerous; it only worsens the patient’s quality of life. There are many diseases that are very dangerous to human health and manifest themselves through back pain. It is necessary to know the characteristic signs of such pathologies and be especially vigilant when such symptoms appear.
Diagnosis is simply necessary for back pain:
Many people are interested in how to get rid of back pain? The first step in eliminating it is to contact your attending physician - a therapist. The doctor will determine why your back hurts and why your muscles are pulling. Can give some therapeutic recommendations on how to reduce back pain.
The therapist conducts a preliminary examination of the patient, assesses his general condition, and asks about the manifestations of pain, their nature and strength. The next step will be a referral to a more specialized specialist who will tell you how to cure your back.
To begin treatment for your back, you need to know the exact cause of the pain. A specialist can make a preliminary diagnosis after a thorough examination, but this is only the beginning. Based on such data, treatment cannot be prescribed; you need to be sure of the causes of pain. To identify the causes, the following procedures may be prescribed:
A biopsy is performed if the spine hurts very badly and the pain does not subside even when lying down.
A timely and correct diagnosis plays a very important role in successful recovery.
And yet, how to get rid of back pain? Pain is just a symptom of the disease. To eliminate pain, you must try to eliminate its cause. Often, treating the spine is a long-term and difficult process that requires a lot of endurance and willpower. Even with timely detection and proper comprehensive treatment, some diseases cannot be completely eradicated; part of the disease will still remain. But such therapy reduces pain and reduces the risk of complications.
After diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe treatment for back pain. If the patient has problems directly with the spine (osteochondrosis and its complications, various curvatures), treatment of back pain will be complex using various drugs that improve the quality of life:
There will also be a course of medications aimed at eliminating damage, accelerating the regeneration of cartilage tissue and restoring the elasticity of the intervertebral discs. This back treatment requires the use of chondroprotectors.
Many people are interested in how to cure the spine using alternative methods? Unfortunately, a complete cure is not possible even with the help of modern medicine, and even less so with other methods. But if you have back pain, you can significantly reduce its severity and duration.
How else can you relieve back pain? To prevent back pain, you can do a special massage or conduct a course of therapeutic exercises. It is important that such treatment is carried out by a highly qualified specialist.
After consulting with a doctor, you can find out how to relieve pain in the spine using traditional medicine. There are medications that can only aggravate the course of the disease, so you should not self-medicate. What else can you do if your spine hurts? The answer will be a procedure such as acupuncture. To prevent back pain, you can use acupuncture - a special effect on certain points using needles.
How else to treat the spine? There is another way to treat the back with advanced osteochondrosis - surgery. Doctors, in order to be able to influence the patient, constantly remind them of the enormous risks from operations. This policy is carried out in order to protect people from possible negative consequences.
If a person has serious back injuries, the spine cannot be restored with conservative treatment. An operation is needed under any set of circumstances. Even if successful, the chance of complete recovery is not great. But we must not despair, the spine must be treated.
How to treat back pain if it is not caused by problems with the spine itself? In this case, it is necessary to influence the disease that causes pain. What to do when your back hurts? It all depends on the diagnosed disease and its severity. In some cases, hospitalization is necessary, while in others, treatment at home is possible with a doctor's prescription.
What to do if there is severe pain in different parts of the back and spine? The doctor prescribes a set of medications that reduce inflammation and reduce pain. Having gotten rid of the pain, they begin to treat the disease itself. How to get rid of the aching back pain that took you by surprise? First of all, you need to lie down on a flat and hard surface so that your back stops aching. You can then use a pain reliever.
Never self-medicate, as this can cause irreparable harm to your health.
When the spine starts to hurt, people think about what to do. Many people lead a sedentary lifestyle, do not watch their diet, and do not pay attention to sports. But any person can get a spinal ache; it’s better to prevent such a disease than to doubt what to do if you have back pain. By following simple rules, you can prevent the occurrence of diseases that cause back pain:
If a person has back pain, it is possible to determine how to treat such an ailment, but it is better to follow preventive measures and prevent back diseases.
Muscle hypertonicity is a huge problem in the field of neurology. It is accompanied by pain, secondary changes in muscles and joints, certain restrictions in movement, but most importantly, it is a consequence of diseases of the nervous system.
Muscle hypertonicity is considered the most common syndrome in diseases of the nervous system. This sign can be key in diagnosing and identifying the disease.
There are spastic and rigid types of increased muscle tone. The spastic appearance spreads unevenly and selectively. Rigid (plastic) - spasms all muscles at once. The causes of spasticity are damaged nerve centers and motor pathways, and rigidity is caused by damaged brain or spinal cord.
The state of spasticity is characterized by increased tone. As a result, speech difficulties and difficulties in normal movement arise. This condition can be caused by:
The cause may be damage to the cortical motor neuron and pyramidal tract, hypoxia, encephalitis, meningitis, phenylketonuria.
Patients with cerebral palsy do not always have increased muscle tone, since all functions are taken over by the spinal cord. Deformation of the limbs in this syndrome occurs only after a lapse of time.
Multiple sclerosis may be accompanied by flexion and extension spasticity. The legs are too straightened or, conversely, pressed against the body.
Muscle hypertonicity due to head injuries develops through the damaged brain stem, cerebellum and midbrain. Affected centers of reflex activity lead to stiffness, clenching of the arms and legs.
Very often, high muscle activity is accompanied by pain in the back and legs. During movement, muscle tone increases, which increases pain. Discomfort in the back develops through ischemia of the spinal root and due to other reasons. But tension in the legs occurs after heavy loads. The pain is localized in the muscle itself.
Determining this syndrome is not so difficult. Symptoms of hypertension in adults are as follows:
Characteristic signs in children are sleep disturbances, unstable emotional state, and loss of appetite. People suffering from increased muscle tone walk on their toes, which indicates that the disease is already advanced in childhood.
Temporary cramps in an adult can occur after straining a certain muscle. The process is accompanied by nagging pain. This effect is often observed after physical exercise and stress. This also applies to back pain. The person is stiff and constrained. The presence of such symptoms may indicate the presence of serious diseases, and not just muscle tone.
In advanced cases of muscle spasticity, the affected muscle becomes too dense and cannot be felt. Any mechanical impact, even massage, causes severe pain.
When the symptoms become quite obvious, it is necessary to urgently carry out diagnostics to accurately determine the diagnosis.
To do this, you need to take a blood test, do an MRI and an EMG. Consultation with a specialist is required.
Treatment of muscle syndrome includes two stages. The first is overcoming the underlying disease, against which the increased tone in the muscle arose. The second is correction of an existing problem to facilitate therapy and normal recovery.
Only comprehensive treatment, which includes pharmacotherapy, massage, physical therapy, and psychotherapy, can finally relieve symptoms.
Drug treatment is aimed at minimizing pain and normalizing the functioning of the nervous system. The treatment method depends on the goals:
Muscle relaxants and neuroleptics are used as the main drugs. Treatment can be based on one drug or a combination of drugs.
The electrophoresis method is very often used to treat spasticity. It promotes muscle relaxation and pain relief. Electrophoresis based on anticholinergics and relaxants is effective.
Kinesiotherapy occupies almost the main place among methods of treating spasticity. Movement therapy is based on therapeutic exercises and postural exercises.
Thanks to physical exercises, it becomes possible to move independently. You should alternate between relaxation and tension and do this from the very beginning of the disease. Supplementing gymnastics with massage is the right decision. Classic techniques must be performed slowly and with pauses. Massage different muscle groups separately.
Massage on certain biological points is also gaining popularity. This makes it possible to cure local hypertension. Points are selected depending on the task and functional purpose.
The last resort is surgery. The operation is performed on the brain or spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and muscles.
Psychotherapy can help speed up rehabilitation. The psychological impact on the patient will give confidence in the future and increase the chances of recovery.
Therapy for muscle hypertonicity is complex and lengthy. It requires a lot of effort and patience, comprehensive treatment and good care. For maximum results, it is better to go to a sanatorium and get treatment and improve your health at the same time. Thus, there is an opportunity to spend time with benefit and pleasure.
Loss of sensitivity, or otherwise paresthesia, usually occurs in certain areas of the skin, and the sensation of numbness is accompanied by a tingling, burning or tightening sensation, or iciness. A huge number of different diseases have a similar symptom.
This includes the presence of intervertebral hernias and osteochondrosis, diabetes mellitus, circulatory disorders, vitamin deficiency, compression and damage to nerve endings, migraines, and ischemic attacks.
If you experience frequent regular attacks of numbness, you should immediately visit a doctor. Especially if they are accompanied by other symptoms: pain, lack of coordination, general and muscle weakness, inability to move a limb, impaired vision or speech.
The feeling of numbness in the feet is quite common in middle-aged people . It is mainly caused by pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. But there are other factors that lead to numbness: diabetes, venous disease, fractures and cracked bones.
In most cases, the feet become numb due to the development of osteochondrosis or vertebral hernia. These diseases cause pinching of the nerve roots, which leads to tissue spasm.
Heel spurs also often cause numbness in the feet due to compression of the nerve endings.
Microthrombi of the veins of the foot or leg, usually accompanied by cyanosis and swelling, also often lead to paresthesia.
Numbness of the foot is a dangerous symptom; numbness is often followed by pain and moving becomes more and more problematic . There is a danger of losing the ability to move.
The feeling of numbness in the calf muscles is often accompanied by cramps. Usually the reason for this is a sore back: old injuries, spinal curvature.
Pinched nerve endings in the sacral region are a common occurrence among overweight people.
High load on the base of the spine leads to swelling of the legs and poorer blood supply. Calves can also suffer from the wrong shoes.
Varicose veins and vein thrombosis are also a common cause of numbness and pain in the calves.
The consequence of pathological disorders that lead to deterioration in the functioning of the blood vessels supplying blood to the feet and nerves often becomes numbness in the toes.
Various factors can lead to numbness: metabolic disorders, radiculoneuritis, osteochondrosis. spinal tuberculosis, oncology, when a tumor puts pressure inside and outside the spinal cord.
If the cause of discomfort is osteochondrosis, accompanied by a process of narrowing of the intervertebral spaces, then there is a risk of immobility.
Do you know what hygroma of the wrist joint is and how to treat it? Read also in our issue of diseases - what myopathy is and how to treat it - at this link.
The speed of this process varies and depends on the degree of damage to the spine. Also, numbness in the fingers can be a sign of arterial pathologies, carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, frostbite or micro-stroke.
The first thing to do with a constantly occurring feeling of numbness is to remember when and where it first appeared, whether it was accompanied by injuries or a change in medications.
Pay attention to where, how long the numbness lasts, whether there is a complete loss of sensitivity, at what time of day and under what conditions the numbness occurs.
You should also immediately give up uncomfortable shoes and avoid strenuous exercise if they lead to numbness.
Getting rid of excess weight, refusing to sit for long periods in an uncomfortable position, for example, cross-legged, will have a positive effect; wearing compression stockings, massage. You should also keep your feet warm and avoid drinking alcohol.
It is extremely important to consult with specialists: neurologist, orthopedist, vertebrologist, cardiologist, phlebologist.
The first step is to determine the cause of the discomfort. To do this, an X-ray of the spine is performed, most often of the lumbar region, an ultrasound of the spine, Dopplerography of the vessels of the legs, an MRI, and the sugar level is checked.
After all the procedures performed, a diagnosis is made, for example, dorsopathy of the lumbar spine. Then, based on the diagnosis, treatment is prescribed.
Foot numbness is treated with physiotherapy, laser therapy, cryotherapy, therapeutic exercises, various manual procedures and reflexology.
All types of massage, treatment with the Darsonval apparatus, and electrophoresis with nicotinic acid bring significant relief.
Medicines are prescribed to reduce blood viscosity and stimulate blood circulation. The duration of treatment varies on average from a week to two months, depending on the severity of the disease.
In general, a healthy lifestyle, mobility, balanced diet and daily routine will help maintain immunity, muscle tone and good blood circulation . But if numbness does occur, you should contact a specialist and not take risks by self-medicating.
Unpleasant sensations in the legs can be completely different - from mild discomfort to barely bearable pain that prevents you from sleeping and moving normally. In addition, along with it comes accompanying symptoms - a feeling of numbness, tingling or weakness.
Pain in the legs can occur for various reasons: radiculitis, flat feet, varicose veins, pinched nerves.
Often, the cause of such pain is based on diseases associated directly with the leg itself, but sometimes it acts as a secondary symptom when a nerve bundle in the spine is pinched, most often this occurs in the lumbosacral region. In this case, the pain is not only localized in the affected area, but can also radiate to the leg, as, for example, with lumbosacral radiculitis.
Therefore, if you complain of pain in the leg, impaired sensitivity in the limbs, or the appearance of severe weakness in them, you should especially carefully examine the lower spine. As a rule, in such cases, consultation of two doctors is necessary - a neurologist and an orthopedist.
With swelling and pain in the legs, one can also assume a disease such as varicose veins.
But even if the pain in the legs is associated with a pathology of the spine, such as, for example, scoliosis. pain syndrome can manifest itself differently in each patient.
If you have similar symptoms, it is recommended to consult a specialist for advice and treatment. The first doctor's appointment at the Rehabilitation Medicine clinic is free.
Severe, continuous or jerking pain that radiates from the buttock or lower back and travels down the leg. Some patients describe it as a burning or electric shock sensation. This most often occurs when nerve roots are compressed in the lumbar or sacral spine (during the lumbosacral radiculitis described above).
Impaired sensitivity in the form of numbness or “pins and needles.” It happens that temperature and tactile sensitivity in the leg is disrupted (the patient does not feel touch or pressure), then everything is restored, but tingling in the limb remains. Such unpleasant phenomena are very disturbing when walking or driving a car, since the foot does not feel the pedal.
A disorder in the form of heaviness or muscle weakness in the leg leads to the fact that movement becomes difficult, and normal movement becomes simply impossible. The patient is unable to stand, bend his leg, or move from heel to toe.
Constant pain in the gluteal region. Of course, this no longer directly relates to pain in the legs, but can often accompany it. Most often this occurs on one side and is a symptom of radiculitis of the lumbosacral region or lumbar radiculopathy. This type of pain can be managed with special massage, walking exercises or gentle stretching.
Some leg pain can be positional and occur during movement or even while sitting. They are also often signs of spinal disease. With this pain, the patient tries to change his position and take one in which the pain decreases, for example, when bending over.
In order to prescribe the correct treatment for pain in the legs, it is necessary to accurately diagnose the pathology that caused the pain symptom. The main diseases that cause discomfort in the lower extremities as a result of back disorders are:
Osteopathy gently treats the causes of leg pain.
Lumbar osteochondrosis is a disorder of the structure of the intervertebral discs, which can change with age. At the same time, the spaces between the vertebrae decrease and friction occurs. Such pain can occur at rest and with movement in the affected area and is “reflected” in the leg.
Root canal stenosis occurs when the disc is completely degenerated and the canal through which the neurovascular bundle passes is reduced. This causes pinched nerves. The pain in the leg with this pathology is usually very severe.
A herniated disc is when a disc protrudes beyond its normal position and puts pressure on a nerve and causes pain. If this happens to the sciatic nerve, then the pain goes along its entire length and radiates to the leg.
Lumbar stenosis, which occurs in the spinal canal, or inflammation of the sciatic nerve, occurs due to compression of the spinal nerves. This can occur when the joints along the back of the spine become enlarged. Most often, this phenomenon is observed as an age-related change and progresses over time. In this case, the pain can also radiate to the leg, there is weakness, impaired sensitivity, a tingling sensation in the lower limb. Such pain is reduced if you take a posture with a forward bend, thus reducing the pressure on the nerve bundle.
Spondylolisthesis is a change in the position of the overlying vertebra in relation to the lower one in the horizontal plane. In this case, the lumen of the canals is disrupted and the nerve roots are injured.
This leads to pain not only in the damaged area, but also to its irradiation into the leg. Diseases such as piriformis syndrome or sacroiliac dysfunction are much less common, but can also cause leg pain.
All of the above symptoms refer to lumbosacral radiculitis. In this case, the pain comes from the location of the sciatic nerve in the back and radiates to the legs. Constant pain or “lumbago” in the lower extremities is usually called sciatica.
In order for a specialist to determine the exact cause of your disease, it is necessary to clarify the following points:
After childbirth, redness, swelling and nagging pain appeared in the left leg against the background of long-term varicose veins of the lower extremities.
Numbness of the limbs often occurs in people of working age, accompanied by tingling in the left and right legs (tingling may not be simultaneous in both limbs), burning, lack of sensitivity of the skin, and a feeling of coldness. Numbness of the legs is not an independent disease, but manifests itself as a symptom of diseases of the spine, nervous or vascular system of a person.
To effectively treat numbness in both extremities, you should pay attention to the symptoms that appear and follow the instructions of your doctor.
The causes of numbness in the legs can be both diseases of the body (hereditary or acquired) and an incorrect lifestyle. Common reasons include:
The above diseases are accompanied by a complex of symptoms, including numbness of the right and left legs. If numbness in the legs occurs in rare cases, this may be due to prolonged exposure of the body to an uncomfortable position, a lack of vitamin B12 and microelements, or alcohol and drug abuse.
In any case, to establish an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to undergo a full range of examinations, including ultrasound and MRI of the spine and lumbar region. During a conversation with a doctor, it is important to accurately convey information about exactly how the legs become numb, how often it occurs, and how long the numbness of the limbs lasts.
After accurately diagnosing the causes of numbness in the legs, you must strictly adhere to all the recommendations of your doctor. In addition, there are a number of procedures that relieve leg fatigue, reduce tension in the spine and numbness of the legs, including traditional medicine recipes. It is also worth adhering to general recommendations to maintain the normal functioning of the body, circulatory and nervous systems.
How to deal with numbness in your feet:
Numbness of the little finger on the hand is also a symptom of problems in the body.
And here is an interesting article about numbness of the lips.
Treatment of numbness in the legs with folk remedies
Numbness of the left and right legs can be avoided with timely prevention. A healthy lifestyle and active sports will help strengthen the body and its immunity, maintain the mobility of the spine and limbs, and maintain normal blood circulation. If numbness in the limbs occurs, it is important to consult a specialist in time and follow his recommendations; it is strictly not recommended to self-medicate.