Is back pain the biggest drag on quality of life?

Author Dr. Dóra Mihola | 2021.11.16.

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A back pain and spinal complaints are not only affecting the older age group, as sedentary work, incorrect posture or even rheumatological tests more and more young people are also suffering from back pain. According to studies on the health of the world's population back pain is the biggest detriment to our quality of life.

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What can cause back pain?

A rheumatology specialists and the qualified physiotherapists agree that an accurate diagnosis is essential, as painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs can only relieve the pain for a short period of time, and but they do not remove the root causes. And without proper treatment longer term, serious complaints can develop. Studies show that the factors affecting quality of life spinal disorders the cause is complex, often involving a combination of different lesions such as spinal osteoarthritis, arthrosis, disc wear, hernia, muscle imbalance.

The most common musculoskeletal complaint is back pain, which every human being experiences in his or her lifetime. It can be caused by poor posture, overweight, improperly fixed loads on the lower limbs, flat feet, X- or O-legs, or a sedentary lifestyle. From sedentary work also greatly increases the risk of developing spinal pain, as the muscles supporting the spine are weakened and are unable to adequate stability assure. For athletes, the poorly fixed movement patterns, and complaints can arise from overuse. People who do physically demanding work are also at greater risk.

Since back pain can result from many underlying conditions, it is necessary to fully, to examine in a complex way all cases. A rheumatologist specialist first check whether there is a medical condition that requires special treatment. This may include infection, tumour, or even immune-derived inflammation. A common feature in these cases is that the lower back pain often occurs at rest, without exertion.

Back pain: what does your rheumatologist say?

A chronic the vast majority of spinal or back pain is not caused by specific pathologies, but by degenerative lesions of the spine that naturally appear as you age. These include discography, calcification of the vertebrae, stiffness or tightness of the connective tissues, i.e. muscles and ligaments. Many patients an imaging study but professional recommendations suggest that in these cases it is not necessarily necessary, or at least can be postponed. For severe complaints, it may be necessary to use painkillers, anti-inflammatory and muscle-relaxing drugs for a short period, but in the long term it is more important to proper posture to restore optimal loading of the spinal components

- he said Dr. Dóra Mihola, a Budapest Musculoskeletal Private Clinic a specialist rheumatologist.

Already at a younger age, it is not uncommon for mild abnormalities to be associated with persistent back pain. During the pandemic period, many people were forced to work from home, where back pain has been caused by poorly designed workstations. As a consequence there has also been an increase in the number of people visiting the doctor's surgery.

Therapeutic exercises for lower back pain

A the importance of physiotherapy is often underestimated in the treatment of back pain, as its benefits are longer lasting. Bad habits and incorrect movement patterns that have been ingrained over many years can take a long time to shed. A back pain treatments with physiotherapy, physiotherapy massage, physiotherapy equipment, in most cases significantly can be repaired or even completely eliminated.

A Targeted movement therapy is tailored by the physiotherapist, which the patient learns and then regularly performs in your home. It may also be necessary to correct orthopaedic deviations, which can be helped by custom orthopaedic insoles and shoes.

However if the pain does not go away, sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, which can lead to isolation. Treatment may also require the involvement of a psychologist or psychiatrist.

There are several globally recognised techniques for pains affecting the spine It depends on the complaint and the individual whether the physiotherapy programme what other techniques are used in addition to. These can be physiotherapy procedures, such as ultrasound, laser, or various soft tissue treatment techniques, manual therapy, possibly complementary treatments such as kinesiotape, sputum, massage guns or one of the most well-known therapeutic procedures, McKenzie's Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy.

- said Loránd Szabó physiotherapist-physiotherapist.

According to the physiotherapist important, that regardless of complaints, we place great emphasis on the correct posture and the muscles around the spine to professionally strengthen, so that we can spare ourselves from future complaints, even from the disc herniation could be prevented.

When a patient is suffering from back pain and with the help of a physiotherapist want to get rid of various complaints, you should first have a physiotherapist functional testing to get a more complex picture of the problem. Then personalised learning a series of exercises, always adapted to the patient's specific fitness level, physical condition and goals.

Physiotherapy helps to relieve pain, to increase endurance, normalise body weight, improve balance and coordination, or even to prepare athletes for competition.

Patient education is very important, as we cannot be with patients 24 hours a day. They need to know the background of their particular injury or problem, so that they can understand and understand the cause and effect relationships, what we ask them to do in their rehabilitation. This not only makes working together smoother, but also the recovery time can also be reduced.

- added the physiotherapist.