Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is a serious disease of the musculoskeletal system belonging to the degenerative-dystrophic group.If you do not start treatment in a timely manner, there is a likelihood of complications in the form of protrusions and hernias.A person is faced with constant painful sensations that are difficult to drown out by painkillers.
When the first signs of this disease appear, you should immediately consult your doctor.With prolonged ignoring the disease, the vertebrates begin to collapse and approach each other, which is why the nerve fiber is transmitted.
Reasons
Statistics show that it is almost impossible to determine the exact cause of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. Both one and several negative factors can lead to this ailment.
Observations of doctors show that most often this ailment occurs against the background of the following diseases:
- Sedentary lifestyle;
- Excessive physical activity;
- Diseases of the endocrine, cardiovascular and digestive systems;
- Belonging to some sports;
- Consequences of injuries and bruises;
- Joints of the articular apparatus;
- Flat feet, spinal defects;
- Violation of metabolic processes;
- Natural aging of the body.
Keep in mind that for a more successful treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, it is also necessary to affect the cause of the disease. This will help stop the degenerative-dystrophic process, which favorably affects the state of the body.
Many doctors believe that the following factors can significantly accelerate pathological changes in the spinal column:
- Improper posture;
- Lack of balanced diet;
- Long stay in uncomfortable poses;
- Hereditary predisposition;
- Excess body weight;
- Frequent stresses and experiences;
- Hypothermia of the body.
Symptoms and stages
The spinal column is a support for the whole organism.It consists of many departments.The lumbar region includes 5 lumbar vertebrae and the same number of fused sacral.Usually osteochondrosis occurs between 3 and 5 lumbar or 5 lumbar and 1 sacral vertebrae.
In the initial stages, discs begin to lose accumulated moisture.Their depreciation drops noticeably, because of which they dry out and become more solid.The height of the gaps between the vertebrae falls.With any physical exercises, a pinching of the nerve fiber can occur, which leads to extremely painful sensations.
A huge number of factors can provoke the occurrence of the initial stage of osteochondrosis.Most often, hypothermia, drafts leads to this.Under the influence of the cold, a muscle spasm occurs, due to which the spine is pulled together.The nerve fiber is pinched, which leads to soreness.
Due to the not clear manifestation of osteochondrosis, few people seek the attending physician for help.In the second stage, there is an increase in the pressure on the intervertebral discs, which leads to their protrusion.This condition is usually called protrusion.
At this stage, discomfort from osteochondrosis of the lumbar region increases significantly.A person has severe and constant pains, aching sensations in the back.Often everything is accompanied by numbness of the limbs, soreness along the nerve.
Over time, the bone tissue is destroyed, there is a feeling of goosebumps through the skin, cold, muscle weakness.Osteochondrosis is the greatest danger due to the fact that it can squeeze the spinal cord.In this case, the patient has disorders in urination, potency, and paralysis of the legs can occur.
In the third stage of osteochondrosis, full -fledged hernias are formed.They squeeze the nerve endings, can affect the spinal cord.If you turn to a specialist in a timely manner, you will be able to get rid of this pathology without surgical intervention.
In other cases, the only method of treating pathology is the surgical removal of part of the disk.
Be sure to consult your doctor to start therapy as soon as possible.
Varieties of osteochondrosis in the spine
Osteochondrosis is a serious disease that requires immediate treatment.There are several varieties of this pathology - it depends on their type of treatment.
At the moment, the following types of pathology are distinguished:
- Reflex syndromes - lumbago, lumbalgia, lumboyshialgia;
- Rine syndromes-lumbosacral radiculite;
- Radio-vascular syndromes-radiculoichemia.
With lumbago, a person feels the strongest back in the back.Lumbalgia is a chronic disease, pain in which is quite acute.Usually occurs with prolonged sitting in one position or due to physical exertion.Lumbosicalgia is a bright pain that gives in the limbs.At the same time, vegetative-vascular deviations may be present.
Radiculite occurs against a background of pressure on two roots.There is a severe pain and impaired sensitivity in a particular zone.
Radiculoichemia occurs if the spinal disk begins to press on the radicular-spinal artery.
Complications
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region is a rather dangerous disease, which in the absence of timely treatment causes dangerous complications.Long -term ignoring the initial stages can lead to protrusion - protrusion of the intervertebral disc.If in the future it breaks, a hernia forms.
An inflamed disk can squeeze the spinal nerve, which leads to radiculitis - an inflammatory process.Also, against the background of this pathology, Ishias may occur - inflammation of the sciatic nerve.Because of it, a person has acute inflammation, numbness and swelling of the limbs appear.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine leads to the instability of individual vertebrae.They begin to crawl from the sacrum, which is why problems appear with sexual internal organs.Osteochondrosis is the greatest danger due to the fact that it disrupts blood circulation in the spinal cord.
Myelopathy can also occur - damage to the spinal cord due to narrowing of the spinal canal.
The greatest danger to humans is the syndrome of the horse tail.
Diagnostic methods
It is possible to diagnose osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine in the initial stages, but in rare cases it succeeds.Many people ignore the emerging symptoms, which is why they do not turn to a specialist.This pathology can be identified using the following studies:
- Radiography of the spinal column - allows you to evaluate the narrowing of the cracks, the size of the intervertebral space;
- MRI and CT - allow us to evaluate the degree of change in nervous and vascular components.
Additionally, the patient is performed by a visual examination of the back, palpation of the spine.It is very important for a specialist to collect a detailed history that allows you to determine the severity of individual signs.
Based on diagnostic data, the specialist determines the stage of the disease, after which he prescribes suitable treatment.
Treatment
In order for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar region to bring the result, it must be comprehensive.It is strictly forbidden to self -medicate or use traditional medicine methods - serious complications may arise.
First of all, the patient needs to put body weight in order, minimize household loads, and begin therapy with vitamin-mineral complexes.This will positively affect the work of the whole organism.It is best to contact a qualified attending physician who, based on the results of the diagnosis, will determine the tactics of exposure to pathology.
Non -drug therapy
In the second stage and further, the main goal of the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar is to get rid of pain.There are many options for how to cope with discomfort.
Most often, doctors resort to the following methods:
- Physiotherapy - the effect on the spinal column with a laser, low -frequency currents, magnetic field, ultrasound.At the same time, drugs can be used during the procedures - so the effectiveness of therapy will increase significantly.Thanks to physiotherapy, it is possible not only to get rid of pain, but also to prevent the development of swelling.
- Acupuncture - the effect on biologically active points with thin needles.The procedure allows you to get rid of muscle tension, inflammation and soreness.
- Massage and manual therapy - allow you to cope with muscle spasm, significantly reduce the load on the vertebral column, improve blood supply, and free up frozen nerves.
- Hirudotherapy - allows you to clear the blood of toxins and toxins, relieves the inflammatory process and swelling.
- Injection ozone therapy is a procedure in which an ozone acid mixture is introduced into the space between the discs.It prevents the development of degenerative processes, improves metabolic rate.
Drug therapy
If drug methods for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine do not bring any result for a long time, therapy may be required.
It is very important that they are prescribed by a qualified attending physician - do not self -medicate.
Typically, therapy for this ailment includes the following drugs:
- Non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs;
- Painkillers;
- Chondroprotectors;
- Vitamin-mineral complexes.
Surgical treatment
Surgical intervention on the spine is carried out with advanced stages of osteochondrosis of the lumbar region and with a long absence of positive dynamics from drug methods of exposure.There are many options for intervention that allow you to get rid of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.
The following methods are most popular:
- Endoscopic microdiscectomy;
- Forsinotomy;
- Laminectomy;
- Osteotomy;
- Facetectomy;
- Vertebroplasty;
- Laser reconstruction of the intervertebral discs;
- Risotomy.
Such procedures allow you to quickly get rid of pain.In addition, a worn -out vertebral disc is replaced with an artificial.Typically, surgery comes to surgery if for several months there has been no positive dynamics from conservative methods of treatment.
Keep in mind that after such therapy, the patient needs some time to restore motor functions.To create a muscle corset, it is necessary to engage in exercise therapy.
Rehabilitation period
To return to a full -fledged lifestyle after surgery, a person needs to undergo comprehensive rehabilitation.It is necessary to restore the motor abilities of the body.The specialist puts up proper posture to the patient, monitors his movements and poses.For some time you will have to wear a special corset.
Within 3 months after the operation, it is forbidden to lift severity or sit - this is how an additional load on the back is created.At the final stage of restoration of the patient, the patient is sent to physiotherapy exercises.
Prevention
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region is a rather dangerous disease that requires immediate treatment.
In order to minimize the likelihood of its appearance and development, it is recommended to adhere to a number of preventive measures:
- Eat rationally and balanced;
- Do not strain the lower back;
- Engage in the strengthening of the muscle back of the back;
- Follow the correct posture;
- Play sports regularly;
- Treat all available pathologies in time;
- Follow the regime of work and rest;
- Abandon bad habits;
- Normalize body weight.