Painful symptoms in the lumbar region are concerned about 80% of the population of the planet at different stages of life.Often these are manifestations of osteochondrosis.Doctors state the fact - the disease is no longer the destiny of older people.Increasingly, the symptoms of the disease are manifested in people who have not reached a 30-year age line.Without treatment, osteochondrosis leads to complete immobilization of the lumbar spine and the subsequent disability of the patient.
What is osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine
The diagnosis implies the course of degenerative processes in cartilage, which consists of intervertebral joints.Osteochondrosis in the lower back is characterized by changes in the joints and vertebrae precisely in the lumbar region.
Osteochondrosis is a gradual degeneration of cartilage into the bone.
Often osteochondrosis ends with the formation of an intervertebral hernia, which is a source of constant lower back pain in the patient.Pop osteochondrosis gives rise to pinching of nerves, as well as blood vessels, causing a violation of trophic tissues of internal organs, which is fraught with symptoms of functional disorders in the functioning of the body.
The causes of the lumbar disease
Osteochondrosis of the spine belongs to a number of diseases, the exact causes of which have not yet been established.It is known that the defeat of the spine is preceded by metabolic disorders, to which a huge number of adverse factors can lead.The most common examples:
- Acute lack of movement.
- Details of electrolyte metabolism.The intervertebral joint trophy is disturbed due to chronic diseases.
- Congenital or acquired violations of the ODA.
- Expensive physical activity is the most common reason.
- Incorrect lifestyle.The abuse of salt, fried, fat, smoked products leads to dystrophic changes in intervertebral joints.
With osteochondrosis, the muscles of the back are gradually atrophy, the patient begins to stoop.
Doctors note a hereditary predisposition to the development of the disease.Also, provoking factors include the lack of treatment for spinal curvature - lordosis, scoliosis, kyphosis.
Characteristic symptoms
Signs of osteochondrosis of the lumbar region are characterized by the appearance of various symptoms, as well as the development of three pathological syndromes: radicular, ischemic, spinal.
The pain symptom may appear:
- Lumbalgia- aching lumbar pain.The symptom almost completely disappears when the body is placed in a horizontal position.
- Lumbago- Lightning pain.The symptom is distinguished by the ability to radiate.
- Sciatica- Lumbar pain spreading into the buttocks and legs.The symptom is accompanied by the loss of the sensitivity of surface tissues.
The back in the back is compared with the shock of the current, and the patient freezes in the position in which there is no pain.
Signs of lumbar osteochondrosis include symptoms of specific syndromes:
- Symptoms of radicular syndrome include drilling pain in the area innervated by a pinched nerve.At the same time, the epicenter of painful symptoms is observed in the limbs, buttocks, hips, and the bottom of the abdomen.
- Symptoms of ischemic syndrome are associated with circulatory disorders, a lack of flowing into certain tissues of nutrients.
- Symptoms of spinal syndrome include muscle atrophy, vertebral displacement, a change in the position of the pelvis, which leads to obvious changes in the gait and the method of movement of the patient.
When lifting the severity of the nerve roots and blood vessels are squeezed and the pain in the nerve zone begins to bother.
Differences from other ailments by signs
Distrophic lesions of the vertebrae of the lumbar region are accompanied by a number of symptoms characteristic only for this disease:
- Constant cold of the skin of buttocks and hips.
- Libido decrease, impotence.
- The feeling of goosebumps on the inside of the thigh and buttocks.
- Increased dry skin on the lower back and buttocks, accompanied by peeling.
- Teenage to constipation.
- Urine incontinence.
- A burning sensation in the sacrum.
Even the complete coincidence of the manifestations of the disease with the described symptoms requires diagnostic studies to confirm the diagnosis (MRI, radiography, computed tomography).
Determination of stage and type
Intervertebral osteochondrosis can be acute and chronic.Very often there is a transition of the disease in a sluggish form, since it is difficult to completely cure the disease.Chronic osteochondrosis is characterized by the regular occurrence of relapses - they complicate the patient's life during the off -season.
Local degenerative changes are quite rare.Often the destruction of the vertebrae of the lumbar region is accompanied by common osteochondrosis, which affects several parts of the spine at once.The disease is characterized by the vastness of pain and obvious disorders of the patient's mobility.
4 degrees are distinguished by osteochondrosis:
- Initial changes.The jacket nucleus moves inside the disk.Symptoms - shelters may occur in the affected section.
- Damage to the fibrous ring.Multiple cracks are formed on it, an increase in the mobility of the vertebrae and the hypertonicity of the nearest muscles are observed.
- Rupture of a fibrous ring.It is accompanied by severe soreness of the department, the formation of hernias, and radicular syndrome.
- Deformation of the spinal column.It is accompanied by a displacement of the vertebrae, as well as the growth of bone tissue of the spine, which leads to immobilization of the patient.
The stage of development of the ailment is determined by a vertebrologist using a palpation examination and diagnostic measures.
How is osteochondrosis of the lumbar region treated
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar region depends on the degree of changes.A prerequisite - timely taking measures, conducting an examination and choosing a treatment tactics in order not to start the disease.In the later stages of osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, only surgical treatment of the spine (vertebroplasty) is effective.
It is very important to consult a doctor for treatment in time, since in the late stages of osteochondrosis, only surgical treatment of the spine is effective.
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis has the main goals:
- Elimination of the cause of dystrophic processes.
- Removal of the symptoms of the disease.
- Activation of the restoration of intervertebral joints.
- Strengthening the muscle apparatus.
To achieve goals, a set of measures is used, including exercise therapy, physiotherapy, diet, drug treatment, massage.An important condition is regularity.Methods for the treatment of osteochondrosis may include fixing the affected area of the back with corsets.To get rid of osteochondrosis and prevent its relapse will help kinesiotherapy.
Therapeutic starvation is carried out in agreement with the doctor.As a rule, compliance with the principles of a healthy diet, information to the minimum of salt use, as well as normalizing the drinking regime.
With severe osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, it may be necessary to comply with the bed regime at first treatment.After eliminating severe pain, the patient should get up, perform elementary physical exercises.
With osteochondrosis of the lumbar department, doctors complement the treatment regimen with physiotherapeutic procedures:
- Electrophoresis.
- Magnetotherapy.
- Acupuncture.
- Electroacupuncture.
It is important to observe the regularity of procedures for osteochondrosis, as well as undergo a full course of treatment.
With osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, as with other localizations of the disease, an increase in physical activity is recommended by performing exercises recommended by the orthopedic doctor.
Whether the belt will help
It is worth choosing a belt for the lower back with osteochondrosis only with the attending physician.There are bandages, corsets, warming and neoprene belts that have various indications and contraindications for their application.
Wearing a corset and bandage is one of the main auxiliary methods for restoring the joint joints.The hard belt from osteochondrosis fixes the lumbar region in a certain position, removes the load from the muscles and joints.A warming belt for osteochondrosis can be used independently to eliminate pain and prevent relapse of the disease.The dog belt protects the lower back from drafts well, relaxes the muscles.
With serious damage, only a doctor selects the belt for the treatment of osteochondrosis.As a rule, these are enhanced hard corsets that provide the immobility of the lumbar and sacral spine.
Massage
With lumbar osteochondrosis, a course of therapeutic massage is indicated, aimed at normalizing the trophic joints of the lower back and bringing the muscles to a normal state.Massage should be performed by a specialist.Contraindication for osteochondrosis for massage is intervertebral hernia.Manipulations are prohibited that imply a strong mechanical effect (the use of plastic devices and vibration massagers).
Exercises
Exercises for the lumbar spine in the framework of the exercise therapy for osteochondrosis should select an orthopedist.General rules for treating physical exercises:
- The predominance of static exercises.
- Lack of sharp movements during execution.
- Moderation of physical activity.
- Sparing methods that exclude the destruction of the vertebrae.
The regularity of physical exertion is important.Exercises from osteochondrosis are included in the program of morning charging, performed daily.
Drug therapy
The duration of the course of treatment for osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, as well as the list of medicines, are determined by the doctor.
In the early days of therapy, they are prescribed:
- NSAID injections.
- Injections of vitamins of group V.
- Injections of chondroprotectors.
- Injections of muscle relaxants.
- External NSAIDs.
After eliminating severe pain and acute inflammation, the patient is transferred to tablet forms of drugs.The first two weeks continue to treat NSAIDs.The use of chondroprotectors involves prolonged comprehensive treatment with a combination of internal and external dosage forms.
When detecting the lumbar disease in the early stages, medicines from the group of chondroprotectors are prescribed.The minimum duration of their reception is 3 months.In the absence of pronounced painful symptoms, the internal use of NSAIDs is replaced with external painkillers to reduce the negative effect of pharmacological agents on the gastric mucosa.
With severe pain, blockade is carried out - the introduction of analgesics into the affected area of the lower back.
Symptoms of advanced lumbar osteochondrosis are able to spoil a person life.For successful treatment of the disease, you should consult a doctor at the first signs of the disease - pain in the lower back of weak severity.Timely complex therapy can prevent irreversible changes in the lumbar spine.