Many people, regardless of age, report that they often have back pain with a cold. The manifestations of this condition can be different. What is the reason for this?
Causes of back pain
When the virus enters the body, immunity is activated. Biologically active substances are being produced to help eliminate the threat.
There is an increase in metabolic processes and blood supply where necessary, while other processes slow down somewhat.
Such a redistribution determines the characteristics that determine viral disease: there is aches in the joints, muscles, the temperature rises. For the same reason, the lower back hurts with a cold.
Many systems experience problems. Some lack of oxygen supply leads to difficulty in thinking processes, loss of appetite, chilliness of the limbs.
The sensitivity of surface receptors changes, so the skin on the back hurts after a cold or right during an illness.
Gradually, the immunity is depleted, and those problems that already existed in the body earlier are aggravated. That is why during ARVI or, as well as after these ailments, back pain may occur as a result of:
- local muscle inflammation, or myositis;
- pyelonephritis;
- diseases of the female genital organs;
- neuralgia.
Symptoms
With myositis, soreness occurs in the affected muscle, which increases with pressure and movement.
During palpation, its tension is felt, areas of compaction are clearly identified, puffiness develops. With myositis of the upper back, the neck often hurts.
The destruction of the spine (osteochondrosis, sciatica) manifests itself in pain and restriction of movement in the zone of violation. Neuralgia is characterized by severe discomfort along the affected nerve.
They are especially dangerous. In this case, you should pay attention to urine.
It becomes cloudy, sediment, a small amount of blood and leukocytes can be determined in it.
Inflammation of the appendages in women can sometimes be accompanied by irradiation to the lumbar region.
Therefore, if the patient has a cold back, and her lower back hurts, you should visit a gynecologist. This will avoid such a serious complication as infertility.
Treatment
Treatment should be prescribed only by a doctor, since such symptoms can be present in a wide variety of diseases. Only after the correct diagnosis has been made can we talk about the use of drug and other therapy:
- Treatment of myositis consists in using mainly local remedies - warming ointments, compresses, rubbing. These funds will speed up metabolic processes, relieve stress and soreness. Massage also helps a lot. When severe pain and limited movement is recommended to take anti-inflammatory drugs or analgesics.
- Assisting with osteochondrosis consists in a long and complex effect. For this, NSAIDs, glucocorticoids, muscle relaxants, etc. are used. After the exacerbation has been removed, classes should be started, and manual therapy should be used.
- With nephritis, treatment begins with antibacterial agents to eliminate the infection. The increase in pressure is stopped by taking antihypertensive drugs. If pain is caused by urolithiasis, then litholytic drugs, diuretic fees, antispasmodics are used. Sometimes the issue is resolved only with the help of surgical intervention.
- With neuralgia, the main task is to relieve pain with the help of analgesics, NSAIDs. Sometimes you have to resort to or drugs. With severe nervousness, sleep disturbance, sedatives and hypnotics are sometimes used.
There are many natural prescription treatments available. But they can only be used as an adjunct to the general complex of therapy.
Contrary to popular belief, their use is not always completely safe. Before trying a particular alternative medicine technique, you should consult with your doctor.
By the way, you can now get my free e-books and courses to help you improve your health and well-being.
It happens that with a cold, the back begins to ache and it becomes unclear what to do with it and what to treat. We'll figure out.
Can my back hurt with a cold?
During a cold, an infection enters the body and, in order to overcome the disease, it activates the immune defense. The patient usually has a fever, which is a sign of fighting the infection. After that, he feels pain in muscles and joints, the patient experiences malfunctions in some systems, for example, the blood supply to certain parts of the body is disrupted. Gradually, due to the disease, immunity decreases and, as a result, existing diseases, including those that cause back pain, may worsen.
Why does my back hurt with a cold?
Postponed flu or SARS can cause complications and back pain can signal this. It has been established that they occur in the following cases:
- General intoxication of the body. As a result of the body's struggle against viruses and bacteria, their dead cells enter the bloodstream and poison it. Therefore, aching pains in the muscles appear.
- Exacerbation of osteochondrosis or radiculitis. By themselves, these diseases are not associated with a cold, but due to the onset of muscle weakness, some kind of displacement in the spine can occur and cause back pain.
- The occurrence of local muscle inflammation or myositis. During illness, lactate and ammonia accumulate in the muscles, which have a damaging effect on cells and thereby provoke inflammation of the muscle fibers. With a cold, it is observed quite often.
- The development of pyelonephritis due to inflammation of the kidneys, it can become chronic and occur after every cold.
- Disease of the female genital organs, for example, inflammation of the appendages. The pain in this case can be given to the lower back.
As you can see, the causes of the pain are quite serious and if after a cold the back begins to hurt, then it is necessary to undergo an examination and identify the cause.
Cold pain symptoms
Symptoms of pain with a cold can be as follows: pain appears in the morning, there is a strong tension in the muscles, while you can even feel the tense area, when walking, the pain radiates from the back to the leg. The pain can be localized in different parts of the back.
With a cold, the back hurts, where are the shoulder blades
When, with a cold with a cough and fever, the back between the shoulder blades begins to hurt, then this may be a sign of inflammation in respiratory system, i.e. the occurrence of pleurisy, bronchitis, tracheitis and pneumonia is possible.
If a cold is caused by accidental hypothermia, being in a draft, then the chilled muscles can also create a feeling of pain in the upper back, then it can seize the muscles of the neck, shoulder and chest.
Also, pain between the shoulder blades can occur due to intercostal neuralgia with exacerbation of osteochondrosis and radiculitis.
With a cold, the back hurts below the shoulder blades
If the back hurts below the shoulder blades with a cold, then kidney inflammation can be suspected, which is often observed in such cases. In addition to pain, there are other signs: increased urination, changes in the volume and color of urine, pain during urination, fever, swelling of the eyelids and ankles, increased pressure.
With inflammation of the appendages, there may also be a temperature, a decrease in the amount of urine, gastrointestinal disorders, but at the same time, the pain gives more to the lower back and thigh.
With a cold, the skin of the back hurts
With a cold, due to the redistribution of blood supply processes, the sensitivity of the surface receptors is often disturbed, this explains the fact that the skin on the back begins to ache. After an illness, everything usually returns to normal.
Back muscles hurt with a cold
Muscle pain occurs due to intoxication of the body due to poisoning with toxins from dead virus cells and immune cells. The body spends energy on the fight against infection, and does not always have time to remove the products of this fight. After the acute phase of the disease, the body will cope with this task.
Back hurts with a cold, what to do?
If back pain occurs with a cold, then it is necessary to undergo an examination, the doctor after the examination will prescribe the necessary tests and studies, and only after that he will be able to make a diagnosis. Self-medication in this case should not be dealt with, it is better to carefully track all the symptoms and describe them in detail to the doctor, so it will be easier for him to determine the diagnosis.
Back pain massage
When combined with medication for back pain, massage works well, it improves blood circulation and helps restore muscles. It can be done by another family member, it is not necessary to go to a specialist. During massage, you can do strokes, light rubbing and patting. During the acute period of the illness, touching can be very painful, therefore, massage should be performed during the recovery period, when the pain has subsided somewhat.
After the massage, rubbing the back with a healing gel or ointment helps. There are warming, analgesic, anti-inflammatory ointments, as well as drugs with complex effects. A doctor will help you choose an ointment for each specific case.
You can remove toxins with the help of honey massage, even a non-professional can do it. To perform it, it is enough to lubricate your hands with honey and start patting painful areas. Gradually, the hands will stick more and more to the back, and the honey will turn white. The more the hands stick, the greater the warming effect. But with this massage you need to be careful, start with a few minutes and gradually increase the duration of the procedure. If you immediately do such a massage for a long time, then the person can "break" and for several days he will not be able to get out of bed at all.
After the honey massage, wash off the honey with warm water, wrap the patient warmly and give him tea with raspberries or cranberry juice.
Back pain gymnastics
At the beginning of the disease, it is recommended to use bed rest, but after a couple of days you should start doing gymnastics, which also helps to restore blood circulation in the muscles, otherwise the pain may even intensify. At first, even while lying in bed, you can do some light exercises, even simple muscle tension and relaxation will help in this situation.
This exercise helps well: lying on your back, bend your knees, wrap your arms around them, press them to your chest and group. After 2-3 minutes, stretch your arms well. This exercise relieves lower back pain well.
The following exercise relieves pain in the shoulder and shoulder blades: lying on your back, place the hands folded into the lock on the back of the head and raise your head to the maximum height with a delay in the upper part for a few seconds. Lower your head and relax, repeat 10 times.
This exercise will help stretch the muscles of the back: while lying on your back, raise a straight leg, with your hands pull it to your chest until slight tension arises. After 30 sec. lower your leg and relax. Repeat with each leg several times.
Exercise "cat" strengthens the back muscles well. To perform it, while standing on all fours, bend and bend your back alternately, making a slight delay in each position.
Any yoga exercise also helps to relax the muscles.
Nutrition for back pain
During illness, appetite tends to decrease. Sometimes the patient does not eat at all for several days, limiting himself only to drinking. This largely contributes to the fight against illness, the body is not distracted by digesting food, but concentrates on recovery. Therefore, one should not feed the patient if he does not have such a desire. If there is a need for food, then you do not need to feed fatty and heavy food, especially not to overeat. This also applies to the recovery period. It is better to stick to the so-called Mediterranean diet: eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, legumes, cereals, fish, cottage cheese and cheese, eat gray or rye bread, limit animal fats and replace them with olive oil.
How and how to treat back pain with colds?
It is better not to treat back pain with a cold with hot baths and baths, heating pads are all the more unacceptable, because with inflammation of the kidneys or appendages, they can lead to an exacerbation of the disease. If you use heat, it is better to tie your back with a shawl or a special belt. Of course, bed rest is necessary to avoid excessive muscle tension.
For grinding, you can use special ointments and gels, for example, Fenalgon or Voltaren. Gels penetrate better into the body and thus help to heal deeper muscles. Ointments have the best warming properties, because form a film on the surface.
To relieve inflammation, you can use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, Diclofenac or Movalis, it is better to select them with the help of a doctor.
If the pain is very strong, then it is better not to try to endure it, but to take No-shpa or Spazmalgon.
For severe cramps, your doctor may prescribe injections of muscle relaxants.
Of course, a lumbar cold is more a common name for an ailment than a strict medical diagnosis. But no matter how we call the problem, it will not become easier: if a cold overtakes and at the same time “grabs” the lower back, it is necessary to take urgent measures to save the back. Indeed, most often the so-called lower back cold is one of side effects work of immunity. Sometimes he rushes so zealously to fight the viruses of colds and flu that literally takes all the strength from the muscles and joints.
Why does the lower back often hurt with a cold?
So why does your back hurt with a cold? It is no secret that most of the symptoms of the flu or cold are signs that the body is actively fighting the disease. Including the so-called lower back cold is a sure sign that the immune system does not sleep, but fights against the infection.
The fact is that when a cold or flu virus enters our body and enters the circulatory system, the immune system is instantly activated. As a result, an increased amount of interferon, interleukin and other protective substances begins to be released into the blood. Their temporary excess in the blood is the reason that we are in a fever (the temperature rises). This disrupts the metabolic process, increases blood supply in those parts of the body where it is necessary for a speedy recovery, and sharply decreases blood flow where it "can wait". That is why, during the flu or cold, we lose our appetite, experience muscle weakness and aching joints - after all, the blood “bypasses” the stomach, muscles, joints. And often the brain - and this explains the fact that during the illness, even super-smart individuals turn for a while into slow-witted. For the same reason, we often experience during colds and lower back pain.
How to relieve low back cold pain?
For colds, warming up will help. But not in the form of a hot bath or a steam room in a sauna - these procedures are categorically contraindicated at high temperatures, since in this case the load on the heart and blood vessels increases several times. It is best to warm up the back with the help of pharmacy ointments or special devices - heating pads, belts from dog hair, a large woolen shawl, and also with the help of a warming drink.
Usually, with flu and colds, doctors advise you to lie down for several days to help the body cope with the disease. But if, among other symptoms of a cold, you also experience lower back pain, do not lie down for more than two days. The fact is that from lack of movement, muscles and joints "stagnate" and this can only increase back pain. It is necessary to move, but in moderation - we are not talking about going to the fitness room, but only about ensuring that the body receives a minimum load. Even while lying in bed, you can do a couple of useful exercises: for example, pull your knees up to your chest, wrap your arms around them, and try to group as much as possible. Hold this position for a few seconds, then straighten your legs and stretch a little, as if you just woke up. This manipulation will stretch your back muscles and relieve lower back pain.
If your back is stuck, your lower back hurts and you have a fever, all this may indicate that you have caught the flu or a cold. Especially if other symptoms are also observed: loss of appetite, drowsiness, weakness, runny nose and cough. And in this case, it is quite possible to count on the fact that lower back pain will go away on its own as soon as your body defeats the infection. Alternatively, you can use the tips above to help a lower back cold release you even faster. But if of all the symptoms of discomfort, you note only back pain and high temperature - you should see a doctor immediately. Because in this case, we may not be talking about a cold or flu, but about a more serious illness.