Inflammation of the back muscles: symptoms and treatment

The most common pathology of the musculoskeletal system is back pain. Everyone at least once faced them. Such pains do not always arise due to diseases of the spine. Often they are caused by inflammation of the back muscles. This condition can develop at any age for various reasons. If the pathology is timely started to treat, it passes quickly and without complications.

Features of inflammation of the muscles of the back

The muscular corset of the spine performs very important functions. He supports the body in a vertical position, and also participates in all, even small, movements. Therefore, the muscles of the back are constantly subjected to a heavy load. As a consequence, they are more likely than others to have inflammatory diseases. In addition, proximity to the spine, permeated with a large number of nerve roots, provokes the emergence of very severe pain in the inflammatory process.

Characteristics of pathology

Inflammation of the back muscles, if it is not a symptom of other diseases, is called myositis. Pathology is characterized by the appearance of inflamed tight nodules, swelling of the tissues and pain. Inflammatory foci can be localized in different places. It usually affects one muscle, but with some diseases, inflammation can capture the entire muscle corset.

A feature of the inflammatory process in the muscles is that it is very difficult to get rid of the pain. Inflammation develops on this principle: tissue swelling leads to squeezing the nerve roots located in the thickness of muscle tissue or nearby. This causes severe pain, which provokes a reflex spasm of the muscles. The nerve is further impaired, and a vicious circle is obtained.

Why the disease develops

Inflammation of the back muscles occurs under the influence of various external factors or in certain diseases. Most often, various infectious diseases become its cause. Inflammation can develop with flu or ARVI. This is the most common cause of pathology. Sometimes the muscles are affected by parasitic diseases, penetration through the wound surface of bacteria or toxic substances, as well as in autoimmune diseases. But such internal causes of the inflammatory process are not very common.

In general, the inflammation of the muscles of the back develops under the influence of external factors:

• With prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position. This is subject to office workers, drivers, musicians, cashiers.
• Strong physical overstrain of muscles, for example, when doing sports or lifting weights.
• Injury of muscles - stretching, bruising, dislocation of vertebrae.
• Severe hypothermia, especially in combination with exercise.
• Stressful situation leading to muscle spasms.

In addition, very often myositis accompanies various pathologies of the spine. If there is pain in osteochondrosis, disc herniation or radiculitis for a long time, muscle spasm occurs. This condition causes the development of inflammation.

Types of inflammatory diseases

Inflammation of the back muscles along the spine, in the region of the upper humeral girdle, shoulder blades, waist or pelvis can be subdivided depending on the cause of occurrence, localization and severity of the flow. Usually, two forms of myositis are isolated: acute and chronic. Most often the disease begins acutely, with severe pain, fever.

If the patient is not serious about the pathology, during the treatment he only relieved the pain symptoms, was engaged in self-medication or did not follow all the doctor's instructions, the illness turns into a chronic form. In addition, chronic myositis can develop with prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, sedentary lifestyle or autoimmune diseases. The danger of this type of disease is that it proceeds secretly, the pains occur periodically under the influence of provoking factors. Therefore, the chronic form of myositis often causes complications.

In addition, with inflammation of the back muscles at the site of localization and manifested symptoms, several types of the disease can be diagnosed:

• Normal myositis - an inflammatory process affecting usually one muscle;
• Polymyositis - affects several groups of muscles, and is characterized by a greatly increasing weakness;
• Dermatomyositis - inflammation is accompanied by damage to the skin with the appearance of rash, swelling and high fever;
• Purulent myositis develops when the infection enters the muscle, is characterized by high temperature, general intoxication and tightening of the muscle tissue.

How is the disease manifested?

If you are attentive to your condition, even an ordinary person can find inflammation of the back muscle in time, the symptoms of which appear bright and rather characteristic in most cases. On what grounds can determine the occurrence of the disease:

• Severe pain in one or more muscles, usually exacerbated by touch or physical exertion, but sometimes pain can be exacerbated even at rest;
• The appearance of painful seals in the muscle tissue;
• Muscle spasm;
• Swelling, redness of the skin;
• Fever, chills, headache, nausea and weakness;
• The limitation of mobility of the nearest joints, muscle atrophy is gradually developing.

Diagnosis of pathology

Acute and rapidly passes into a chronic form of inflammation of the muscles of the back. Symptoms and treatment therefore need to be determined as soon as possible. If the patient is on time to see a doctor, you can get rid of the pathology quickly and without consequences. But it is necessary to make a precise diagnosis. After all, muscle spasm arising from inflammation often causes nerve infringement. Therefore, the symptoms appear the same as with some other diseases, for example, with a disc herniation or even a heart attack. Usually, for the precise diagnosis, the following types of examination are prescribed:

• Blood tests can detect the inflammatory process and exclude autoimmune pathologies;
• MRI is performed to detect inflammation;
• Electromyostimulation determines the state of the affected muscles.

Inflammation of the back muscles: symptoms and treatment

Under the scapula pain can resemble a heart attack, in the lower back - radiculitis. Therefore, sometimes patients start treatment on their own, trying to just get rid of the pain. But this does not lead to anything good, since it only increases the inflammation of the muscles of the back. Treatment should be carried out by a specialist, choosing methods strictly individually. The main thing is not only to remove symptoms, but also to get rid of the cause of inflammation. For example, if a bacterial lesion is prescribed antibiotics, if the disease is caused by parasites - antiparasitic drugs, and in the autoimmune process, only glucocorticoids can help.

But there is also a general treatment regimen effective for all types of myositis. Therapy should be comprehensive, including both preparations for internal use and external means. How is inflammation of the back muscles treated?

• First of all, anesthetics and medications are prescribed to relieve inflammation. As a rule, these are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. With the defeat of the back muscles, "Diclofenac", "Ketorolac", "Metindol" are good.
• Outwardly with local myositis, ointments, rubbers and compresses are good. These can be preparations with a warming or anti-inflammatory effect. For example, "Finalgon", "Apizarthron", "Capsicum" have a locally irritating effect, which leads to the subsidence of pain. They remove inflammation of the ointment Diclofenac, Bystrum Gel, Indomethacin, and Naise.
• In an acute period, the patient is usually recommended to observe peace. Only then the affected muscle can recover. The warming up of the affected area also helps, so it is recommended to wrap your back with a warm kerchief.
• It is very effective for the removal of muscle tension massage. It improves blood circulation, has a warming effect. It is contraindicated only with a purulent form of the disease and with dermatomyositis.
• In addition, physiotherapeutic procedures are shown for treatment. Ozone baths, electro- current therapy, shock wave therapy, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture are used.
• When the pain subsides, special exercises of physiotherapy exercises are performed to restore the muscles. Yoga is effective because it relaxes muscles well.
• It is necessary to observe a special diet, except for salted, fatty and fried foods. The diet should include vegetables, fish, sour-milk products. Be sure to drink at least 2 liters of water.
• Features are only in the treatment of purulent myositis. Warming is contraindicated, and treatment consists in surgical opening of the purulent focus and removal of its contents.

Inflammation of the back muscles: treatment with folk remedies

As an auxiliary therapy at home, you can use traditional medicine recipes. There are many of them, but some of them are easier to use and effective. To remove the inflammation of the muscles of the back, you can use these tools:

• Do a compress of cabbage leaves with soda and soap;
• Rub the affected area with ointment made of butter and water;
• Helps compress of fresh burdock leaves;
• Heating with boiled mashed potatoes.

Possible complications of pathology

Usually, with timely treatment, inflammation can be removed in a few days. If the patient fulfills all the doctor's recommendations, the disease passes without consequences. But with chronic course, and also when treatment was stopped too early, complications are possible. Most often this is muscle atrophy or necrosis of muscle fibers. Because of the constant spasm, nerve roots and blood vessels can also be damaged.

Prevention of disease

Inflammation of the back muscles can be prevented. To do this, you must avoid increased physical exertion and hypothermia. When working with static stress, it is recommended to take breaks more often, stretching the muscles. The food should be balanced in order to eliminate the shortage of microelements. And chronic and infectious diseases need to be treated on time.