Do you notice that you are experiencing back pain? If so, you may be suffering from dorsalgia. Dorsalgia, commonly known as back pain, can affect people of all genders and ages, with many factors acting as underlying causes.
If we break down the word Dorsalgia, “Dorsal” refers to the back, and “algia” refers to pain. Therefore, Dorsalgia describes pain Dorsalgia is a general term that can refer to pain in any part of your backbone, including the cervical spine or neck, the middle back or thoracic backbone, and the lower spine or lumbar back. Lumbar in particular, it refers to a range of conditions that affect the muscles, bones, joints, nerves, ligaments, and other structures in the spinal back of the body, potentially causing moderate to chronic pain. pain.
Differentiating Dorsalgia, Types, and Characteristics
Following are six types of dorsalgia:
Cervical Dorsalgia
It includes the cervical backbone or neck area, clinically known as cervicalgia. Pain radiates from the cervix and moves upwards to the shoulders, head, and mid back. Some of the usual causes might be arthritis in the cervical backbone, whiplash, stress, and bad ergonomics resulting in postural dysfunctions.
Cervicothoracic Dorsalgia
As the name implies, this type of dorsalgia encompasses the thoracic or middle spine as well as the cervical backbone region. The pain may originate from the middle spine or neck region and progress towards the shoulders, both sides of the shoulder blades, and the area surrounding the shoulders. A few common reasons are arthritis, improper ergonomics, postural dysfunctions, and incorrect exercise and lifting techniques.
Thoracic Dorsalgia
This type is uncommon and affects the thoracic backbone area. It can additionally be a reason for pain and restricted motion in your middle spine, impacting your capability to sit other than back support, sit/walk/stand for prolonged periods, and exercise.
Thoracolumbar Dorsalgia
This includes the mid back and lower back areas. Ache can radiate from the thoracic and/or lumbar parts. Along with causing pain and limiting mobility, it can also affect your ability to sit without help, stand, bend forward, walk, exercise, or work.
Lumbar Dorsalgia
This includes the lumbar spine part. Pain radiates from the lower back. This condition is one of the most common ones, as our daily activities often injure this part of the spine. Additionally, it can lead to leg aches due to nerve compression.
Lumbosacral Dorsalgia
It includes the sacral and lumbar spines. The discomfort starts because of damage to the lumbar and/or sacral backbone.
Causes and Risk Factors
There are various causes of dorsalgia.
- Arthritis of the backbone
- Disc herniation and degenerative issues
- Poor lifting techniques
- Extensive work or physical activity
- Improper ergonomic techniques
- Postural dysfunctions, i.e., poor posture
- Stress
- Physical movements are lacking.
- Any type of injury, such as a sports injury, fall-related injuries, or a car accident, can cause whiplash.
Symptoms of Dorsalgia
General symptoms of Dorsalgia might include:
- There is discomfort in the specific area of the spine.
- The area has stiffness and hardness.
- Difficulty or incapacity to perform spinal activities, such as forward or backward turning, side turning, or backbone rotation
- Numbness and tingling (paresthesia)
- An ache can radiate or refer to another part.
- Muscle pain
- Heating sensation
- Compensatory positions include standing slightly shifted, bending forward, or maintaining a straight posture without allowing any movements at the backbone.
- There is discomfort with functional movements such as walking, sitting, standing, bending, lifting, twisting, as well as with household, work, and exercise activities.
- Discomfort or changes in balance
Diagnosis of Dorsalgia
Dorsalgia is not diagnosed solely based on pain complaints. A complete interview related to history, onset of aches, clinical assessment, and analysis can identify the precise diagnosis. Your physiotherapist can arrange this for you, initiate your recovery on a care plan, or suggest you to a healthcare expert if necessary.
Treatment for Dorsalgia
The ideal treatment for Dorsalgia involves physical therapy. At the pain stop clinic, we thoroughly examine the patient to obtain a precise diagnosis. The expert doctors employ unique manual techniques and methods such as DNS (dynamic neuromuscular stabilization), Schumann’s approach, Vojta therapy, Klapp Crawling Method, and Levitz Method, among others, to effectively alleviate symptoms and address the underlying causes of pain, thereby providing long-lasting and effective care.
When to Seek Medical Advice for Your Back Pain
While self-care and non-surgical measures can treat most cases of dorsalgia, seeking medical help, such as spine surgery in Dallas, is crucial in certain conditions. Consult a doctor if you experience persistent or extreme pain that does not resolve with rest and self-care. Similarly, if you notice any accompanying indications like numbness, weakness, or tingling in your extremities, you should seek immediate evaluation by a medical expert.
If your dorsalgia is the result of a significant concussion, such as a fall, a sports-related shock, or a car accident, you should seek immediate medical attention. In such cases, a comprehensive evaluation is crucial to find out any severe spinal injuries or breakages. Remember, early clinical intervention and suitable treatment can contribute to a more successful rehabilitation and prevent possible complications.
