Most frequent diseases

Chronic pain is pain that persists beyond the time in which healing or recovery might be expected (about 3 or 6 months). It does not perform a warning function, so it is unnecessary for the organism. It can generate problems such as depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, a reduction of the capacity to work or do usual tasks, affecting social and leisure activities. It is currently agreed that chronic pain constitutes a disease in itself.  

Lumbar pain occurs in the lower back, from the bottom of the ribs to the buttocks. It is one of the most frequent reasons for visiting the doctor and occupational disability, affecting 80% of the population at some time in their lives. Lumbar pain may be due to many different causes, which require different treatments. We speak of sciatica when the lumbar pain spreads to the lower limbs.

Cervical pain is perceived in the back and side of the neck, the top of the shoulders, and often the nape and the head (headache). It may spread to the area between the shoulder blades. We speak of cervicobrachialgia when it is accompanied by pain in the arm, forearm, hand and fingers, and it may even be more severe than cervical pain. Occasionally the pain may be accompanied by a tingling sensation in the area, reduction or loss of feeling and/or of strength.

The posterior (dorsal) spine is that between the end of the cervical spine and the bottom of the ribs. The pain may be confined to the back, or spread to the front part of the thorax. The causes are usually degenerative, inflammatory, or due to fractures of the thoracic vertebrae, especially if there is osteoporosis. Other causes, such as pulmonary or cardiac problems, must always be ruled out.

The sacroiliac joints are formed by the union between the sacrum and the bones of the pelvis. They have reduced mobility, but they may suffer inflammatory, traumatic or degenerative alterations, and be the cause of pain. The pain is generally localized in the buttocks, and spreads to the back of the thigh, or even to the groin, the leg, and the sole of the foot. It may cause pain when seated, and pain at night.

Several expressions of it may exist, such as anal or rectal pain, perineal pain, pain in the testicles or the male reproductive system, vaginal pain or vulvodynia, pain in the lower abdomen with bladder spasms, and other more complex forms of presentation. It is usually chronic, difficult to diagnose and responds inadequately to treatment. There are currently several therapeutic options.

Originated by injury or disease of the nervous system, whether a small peripheral nerve, a nerve trunk, the spinal cord or the brain. Those who suffer it explain that their pain has special characteristics, which they often describe as burning, stinging, sharp pain, electric currents or very intense shooting pains, pain produced by stimuli that are not normally painful, and pain out of proportion due to gentle painful stimuli.

The trigeminal nerve transmits the sensitivity of the face and the front part of the head. The pain in trigeminal neuralgia is probably one of the most intense of all, with attacks of shooting or electrical pain in one half of the face, which may be repeated several times a day. The initial treatment is pharmacological. If there is no response to this, minimally invasive percutaneous treatment is necessary using radiofrequency or other techniques. There is also a neurosurgical technique that allows for the decompression of the trigeminal nerve.

The term ‘craniofacial pain’ includes a series of painful chronic disorders in the structures of the face and the cranium. Specialist units exist to treat it. Among other disorders, this group of diseases includes atypical facial pain, occipital neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD), and many types of headaches such as headache caused by problems in the upper region of the cervical spine (cervicogenic headache).

The vertebrae can suffer fractures, fissures or be squashed, which may be very painful. Vertebral fractures are usually triggered by a more or less serious traumatism, such as a fall. However, in elderly patients, with advanced osteoporosis, or with other diseases, fractures can occur with minimal traumatisms (for example, a coughing fit), or even with no traumatism.

Condición patológica debida al estrechamiento del canal lumbar, que puede causar compresión de los nervios que se alojan en su interior, lo que puede causar dolor lumbar, en los glúteos y en las piernas, cojera, dolor y disminución de la sensibilidad en las piernas. Un síntoma común es la mejoría del dolor al inclinarse hacia delante, o el agravamiento del dolor al llevar el tronco hacia atrás. Quienes la padecen suelen caminar algo agachados para evitar el dolor, se detienen frecuentemente para sentarse, y caminan mejor cuesta arriba que cuesta abajo.

The intervertebral discs are anatomical structures interspersed between the vertebrae. They give the spine flexibility, while helping to cushion the loads it receives. In time, the discs tend to suffer disc degeneration, and breakages or fissures may be present. When a fissure is large, an extrusion of part of the material of the nucleus may take place, known as a slipped disc.