Osteochondrosis is a disease of the spine in which the intervertebral discs are subject to degenerative disorders, as well as the joints.The interval between them is reduced, which leads to compression of the nerve endings and roots, which leads to the formation of severe pain.Pathological changes often occur in the lumbar region.
Your doctor will tell you how to treat osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, because self-medication can only aggravate the situation.The difficulty lies in the fact that the symptoms of osteochondrosis can also manifest themselves in other diseases, the treatment of which has fundamental differences.
Basic information about the disease
Not everyone knows what osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is.In order to understand the essence of the disease, it is necessary to delve into the anatomy.
The vertebra is a strong, dense, cylinder-shaped structure with an arc from which the processes extend.The vertebral body is attached to it with the help of arches and in the middle there is a vertebral foramen.It is these openings that form the spinal canal.
Not all processes participate in the formation of joints, but only the upper and lower processes, in which small swinging movements are possible.Between the vertebrae are openings limited by processes;it is through them that the nerve roots of the spinal nerves emerge.
Pathological changes first appear in the nucleus pulposus (a semi-fluid structure with a gelatinous center at the disc opening).The nucleus pulposus has maximum elasticity and is the main shock absorber.And then the pathological process develops in the joints of the vertebrae, leading to narrowing of the intervertebral foramina.
The sacrum is a large, triangle-shaped bone located at the base of the spine.It consists of five fused vertebrae and has anterior and posterior surfaces.There are no discs in this section and osteochondrosis does not develop.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is often diagnosed in people over 30 years old.The degenerative process occurs after a disruption of water-salt metabolism in the disc.As a result, the bone structure thins and becomes fragile.The nucleus pulposus expands its boundaries and moves towards the spinal canal.As a result, the fluid inside the canal and nerves is compressed and swelling appears.This causes the appearance of painful sensations and dysfunction of the organs to which these areas belong.
Due to compression, bone cells divide more quickly and osteophytes (abnormal growths) appear on the vertebrae.Disc regeneration is impossible, because it is cartilage, and therefore the functionality of the organs is further impaired.
Lumbar osteochondrosis, the symptoms and treatment of which will be described in more detail, often occurs due to a weakening of the muscular corset and therefore it is so important to train the muscles of the abdomen, sides and back.
Many people wonder whether osteochondrosis can be treated or not.This disease is easiest to eliminate at an early stage.
Degrees of illness
Sacral osteochondrosis progresses gradually.
There are 4 stages of the disease:
- 1st degreecharacterized by the manifestation of mild painful sensations that intensify after physical activity.There is often a dull pain that radiates to the buttock;
- Step 2.The distance between the vertebrae decreases and they begin to collapse along with neighboring tissues.At the same time, the nerve endings are compressed.Intervertebral osteochondrosis causes acute, radiating pain.Painful sensations force a person to lean forward.This causes the intervertebral discs to shift and stretch;
- Step 3osteochondrosis of the lower spine is manifested by complete destruction of the vertebrae and the manifestation of intervertebral hernia;
- Step 4.The vertebrae enlarge, the cartilage atrophies and this makes it difficult for the patient to move.The spine in the lumbosacral region loses flexibility, becomes less mobile and the patient often becomes disabled.
It is important to monitor your health and start treatment if the symptoms described above appear.
Causes of disease
Lumbar osteochondrosis occurs due to constant and uneven load on the lower back.Sometimes the causes of the disease are autoimmune in nature.In some cases, the disease is preceded by an injury, especially if several vertebrae are affected.
Causes of lumbar osteochondrosis:
- The disease develops due to severe stress.People who constantly perform heavy physical labor suffer more often.
- Lower back pain is caused by excess weight.And this happens because the spine in the lumbosacral area is under constant pressure.
- Due to low physical activity, the nutrition of bone tissue deteriorates, blood flow slows down, and muscles weaken.
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, the causes of which vary, often develops due to poor posture.If a person leans while sitting, the discs deform and wear out in advance, and all this is due to uneven loading.
- Osteochondrosis often occurs as a result of back injuries.Which can be damaged during training if the level of sports training is low.To avoid problems, it is important to learn how to lift heavy objects correctly.You can injure your back when falling.
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is a natural consequence of aging of the body and a decrease in its ability to recover.As a result, the mobility of the discs decreases, they lose their flexibility and therefore become deformed.
- This disease often occurs due to rheumatoid arthritis, scoliosis, etc.
In rare cases, osteochondrosis appears due to hypothermia, severe depression, poor diet, chronic fatigue and poor environmental conditions.
Symptoms
The signs of osteochondrosis in women and men are very similar.The only difference is that in the beautiful half of humanity the disease manifests itself earlier.At an early stage, the disease does not manifest itself in any way, the person, without guessing anything, continues to live a full life.However, there are some symptoms that can prompt you to make the right decision, which is a full diagnosis and consulting a doctor.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine:
- Lower back pain.At first, painful sensations appear after exercise, and as the disease develops, they become permanent.
- With lumbar osteochondrosis, mobility in the affected area decreases.When the patient tries to bend, turn over or sit down, intense radiating pain appears that spreads along the leg to the foot.
- When the nerves are pinched, the sensitivity of the legs changes (increases or decreases).Sometimes there is a burning sensation or numbness in the limb.
- The skin in the affected area becomes pale, dry, and the temperature decreases.
- Sweating increases, especially at night.
- With osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the functioning of the genitourinary organs is disrupted.
These are the main signs of lumbar osteochondrosis.
The disease is chronic, but it can get worse.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis in acute and subacute forms:
- lumbago – pain occurs after muscle tension.Due to muscle spasms, the patient leans forward;
- during an exacerbation, pain appears even after slight movement.The painful sensations increase sharply and radiate towards the buttock or leg.The patient's condition is relieved when he lies on his back and bends the affected limb at the knee.After a few weeks, these signs of lumbar osteochondrosis gradually fade, motor activity is restored and the muscles relax;
- The subacute phase of the disease is characterized by dull, aching, radiating pain.
If a person notices such manifestations, it is worth consulting a doctor.
Diagnostic measures
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine should begin after a thorough diagnosis.
First, a neurologist or vertebrologist conducts a visual examination based on the patient's complaints and palpates the affected area of the body.If the patient feels pain on palpation of certain points, the range of movement of the legs has decreased or the buttocks are placed asymmetrically, then the diagnosis is confirmed.Additionally, the doctor assesses the patient's posture.
Lumbosacral osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which are described above, can be identified using the following studies:
- X-rays will again confirm the diagnosis.This method cannot assess the condition of the spine.The images only show a narrowing of the openings between the vertebrae and the growth of osteophytes.
- A CT scan of the lower back will help make a diagnosis and view the affected area on a computer screen from a different angle or cross-section.However, the technique is effective in diagnosing bone structures;for soft tissue formations, including spinal discs, it is recommended to use magnetic resonance imaging.
- Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine shows a complete picture of the condition of the bone tissue and soft structures of the lumbosacral region.
After carrying out the above studies, you can start treating lumbar osteochondrosis.
Treatment methods
Many patients wonder whether it is possible to completely cure osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.The answer will unfortunately be negative.If you start treatment at the first or second stage of the disease, you can stop its development.
Thus, the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is a long and complex process that allows you to achieve the following goals:
- relieve pain;
- eliminate spasms;
- strengthen the muscles of the abdomen, back, sides, buttocks and legs;
- restore blood flow and metabolism to the affected area;
- eliminate inflammation;
- restore motor function of the lower back;
- normalize the sensitivity of the legs;
- improve the functionality of the pelvic organs.
Conservative treatment
The process of treating osteochondrosis begins with the use of various medications.They are prescribed only by a doctor, since self-medication can lead to negative consequences.The doctor can use several groups of drugs, only in this case a positive result can be expected.
For these purposes, drugs are used:
- Painkillers, used to relieve discomfort;
- The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs eliminates radicular pain and swelling.Medicines containing steroid hormones are also prescribed for osteochondrosis.They reduce or completely eliminate inflammation;
- How to treat lumbar osteochondrosis in later stages interests many patients.Paraspinal blocks are used to relieve pain.To do this, painkillers are injected into the lower back;
- With the help of muscle relaxants, you can get rid of muscle cramps;
- In order to restore cartilage metabolism, start regeneration processes and stop dystrophic changes, the attending physician prescribes chondroprotectors;
- Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis is carried out using B vitamins. They improve cell metabolism, eliminate inflammation, remove excess fluid;
- With the help of diuretic drugs, swelling is eliminated;
- Immunomodulatory drugs strengthen the immune system;
- In order to improve blood circulation in the affected area, the doctor prescribes drugs that reduce blood viscosity.Medicines are injected into a vein using a dropper or taken as tablets.
Physiotherapy
The use of physiotherapy can bring success in the treatment of osteochondrosis.Many techniques can be used;your doctor will help you choose the optimal one if there are no contraindications.Physiotherapy relieves pain, relieves muscle spasms and activates metabolic and recovery processes.
To resolve these issues, the following procedures are prescribed:
- amplipulseThe affected area is exposed to sinusoidal modular currents;
- sonophoresis– simultaneous exposure to ultrasound and medications;
- diadynamic therapy– treatment with low voltage electric current;
- Darsonvalisation.The damaged area is exposed to alternating current of low intensity, but with high frequency and voltage;
- inductothermy– treatment with high frequency magnetic fields;
- laser therapy– treatment with optical radiation from a laser.
The therapeutic effect of these procedures is difficult to overestimate.
If you want to know how to get rid of pain, strengthen your muscles, relax, it must be said that this can be done with the help of physiotherapy.Reflexology and massage will only increase the effectiveness of the therapy.Massage and gymnastic techniques are carried out outside the period of inflammation, otherwise the disease will worsen.It is useful to swim and do gymnastics in water, in which case the load on the spine will be minimal.
Surgical treatment
Surgery is a measure of last resort, which is only performed if previous methods have proven ineffective and the disease progresses so much that it is the only way to help the patient return to activities.The intervention is carried out in cases of significant movement disorders and the presence of intervertebral hernias.Therefore, it is better not to know how to surgically cure lumbar osteochondrosis, since it is considered the most radical.
The surgeon removes herniations between the discs and strengthens misaligned vertebrae.The doctor can also perform a spinal fusion operation, the essence of which is that a section of the spine is completely immobilized using a special metal structure.This is followed by long-term rehabilitation.
Special Instructions
If lumbosacral osteochondrosis is left untreated, the sciatic nerve can become inflamed, which can lead to severe pain.To reduce discomfort, a person leans forward, but due to this the condition of the spine in the damaged area only worsens.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, the symptoms of which can be different, threatens spinal instability.The disc is unable to retain the vertebra and the lumbar area is displaced from the sacrum due to compression.In this regard, the functionality of the genitourinary organs is impaired.
In order to avoid complications, you must adhere to the following rules:
- avoid strenuous physical activity;
- strengthen the muscular corset;
- maintain correct posture;
- exercise daily;
- establishing nutrition, maintaining a balance between proteins, fats and carbohydrates;
- observe the optimal rest regime;
- treat back diseases at an early stage.
You should also not self-medicate - then the disease will disappear as quickly as possible.It will be useful to wear a corset, which will relieve the lumbar spine.