Pain in the back and lumbar region is one of the most common complaints in medicine.It is in second place in the number of all appeals, second only to respiratory diseases.A great many pathologies can cause soreness of the lower back, but very often the cause of it is osteochondrosis of the lumbar region.How to treat such a disease, which symptoms and signs it possesses will be considered below.
Not so long ago, medical science believed that osteochondrosis in the lumbosacral department occurs exclusively due to age-related changes that bring the vertebrae and intervertebral discs.However, today the age trait is not exceptional, osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is diagnosed in patients in various age groups.To date, the age of cut off is considered more than 25 years
The causes of the appearance of osteochondrosis of the lower back
It is impossible to name the exact reason, almost always it will be a comprehensive effect of various destructive factors, among which the most important ones can be distinguished:
- Adherence to a passive lifestyleIn terms of motor activity.By their own will, immobilized people, for example, spending many hours at the computer, do not receive a useful load, which is why the muscle of the “corset” occurs and the load on the vertebrae increases.In addition, almost always such a pastime is associated with a long stay in the wrong and unnatural poses.
- Hormonal background problems, leading to violations with metabolism, which affects the metabolism of tissues of the spine in the lower back and contributes to destructive processes.This also includes endocrine diseases.
- The presence of congenital or acquired deviations, when the musculoskeletal system undergoes certain changes.This can be reflected in increased loads on the spinal column, for example, the patient with the presence of flat feet, curvature of the legs or spine.
- Chronic increased loadsOn the lower back.Here, among the risks are people with certain types of professional activity, usually associated with lifting weights.This also includes professional athletes who constantly expose their body with peak loads.
- Impaired meal and daily routine.This also includes regular exposure to stress.These factors are reflected in the processes of metabolism and affect the periodic restoration of their forces.
Degree of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine
The above pathological factors gradually lead to the manifestation of the disease.However, it can manifest itself in different ways, being almost asymptomatic at first or with difficulty tolerant pain in late development.Consider the main degrees of development of osteochondrosis:
- The situation in which the jet nucleus moves in the intervertebral disk.It is characterized by pain caused by irritation of the nerve roots of the fibrous ring and longitudinal ligaments.Discomfort is felt locally in the place where a defective disk is placed.Soreness can be either sharp with bastards, or permanent dumb.
- When the fibrous layer of the intervertebral disc is destroyed, there is an increase in the mobility of the elements of the spinal column in this area, they become unstable relative to each other.To eliminate these pathological manifestations, it is necessary to constantly keep the muscles of this zone tense, which as a result leads to chronic fatigue in the lower back.
- Next, there is a breakthrough in the fibrous ring, which is why the nucleus exits the disk, forming the intervertebral hernia.Such a case will be accompanied by the excess of the ends of the nerves, which is called the "radicular syndrome."
- The next degree of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral department occurs with severe deformation of the spine in this part.There are problems with mobility, but the pain syndrome, oddly enough at this stage, subsides.However, you should not rejoice, this does not speak at all about the fading of the disease.
- The last degree is characterized by pathological growth of bone tissue and a general deterioration in well -being.
Based on the degree of osteochondrosis of the lower back, certain methods of treatment are used.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis in the lower back
The main symptom is the combat syndrome in the lumbar spine.At the same time, the sensations of pain, the zone of their localization and the direction in which they spread can vary.This is due to the fact that based on the degree of damage to the intervertebral disc and fabrics around, certain nerve receptors are annoyed.In addition, the role is played by the presence of protrusion or directly a hernia, the direction of its protrusion and many other factors.
The main symptoms for osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine include:
- The presence of aching lower back pain, which has a tendency to increase with sharp mobility or, conversely, staying without a change of posture for a long time.The pain recedes if you take a horizontal position.
- In addition, weakness in the body is likely below the abdomen, including the lower limbs, as well as a dull tendon reflex of the legs.
- There is a high probability of the presence of curvature in the lumbar spinal column.There is a classification of such curvatures, for example, with an emphasis in the right or left side, they talk about scoliosis, lordosis is called the situation of bend forward, and the kyphosis is called when the natural lumbar bend, as it were, is smoothed.
- With a serious degree of development of the disease, the spinal cord channels are possible, which can cause its dysfunction and bring to uncontrolled urination and stool.
Among additional symptoms, they note:
- The presence of numbness and the "coldness" of the skin of the lower back and buttocks.
- The peeling, dry and blue skin in the same places.
- Impaired urination.
- Problems with an erection.
The presence of these symptoms should alert a person, you can’t wave at them with a hand, this will only lead to greater neglect.In this case, you should definitely consult a doctor for accurate diagnosis and treatment.By the way, treatment can be either in a hospital and in a home environment, but more on that later.
Diagnosis of the disease
In diagnosis, it is important to understand the degree on which the disease comes in.The easiest way is palpation in the lower back with the identification of pain zones.Typically, this method is uninformative and in addition to conduct examinations that give a more detailed clinical picture:
- By radiography, inexpensive and widespread method, it is possible to assess the condition of both the spine as a whole and individual vertebrae, for example, the lumbar region under consideration.The technique is not very accurate, it allows only an indirect to understand how integral intervertebral discs and spinal canals are.
- Computed tomographyA more accurate method to assess the level of damage to the disks between the vertebrae, nerve roots and canals with the spinal cord.
- Magnetic resonance tomographyThe most accurate method gives a complete picture of the defeat in the details, but is quite expensive and inaccessible.
It should be noted that the diagnostic process is very important, since for a doctor, when prescribing treatment tactics, all the details of the developed osteochondrosis are significant.
Complications for osteochondrosis
The main complications of pathology are hernias and protrusions, necessarily arising, if you neglect treatment and let the development of the disease by gear.Other complications can be:
- Inflammation of the sciatic nerve.
- Spondylarthrosis.
- Schmorl hernia.
- Spondylosis.
- Problems caused by pinches of spinal canals.
- Functionality disorders in the pelvis.
- Development of lameness.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the lower back
With the diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, a wide range of therapy is required, the main aspects of which will be:
- The use of moderate loads.
- Special drugs.
- The traction of the spinal column.
- Sessions of manual therapy.
- Physiotherapy.
- Therapeutic massages.
The concept of "treatment" for osteochondrosis implies:
- Suppression of inflammation.
- Removing the pain syndrome.
- The complex to strengthen the lumbar and adjacent muscle groups.
- Getting rid of chronic muscle tension.
- Increasing the functionality of organs in the pelvis.
- Normalization of blood circulation and metabolism in the pathology zone.
Treatment with medicines
A similar approach in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lower back includes taking medications, injections of special drugs, the use of ointments and gels for external use.The main task of such drugs is to neutralize pain and inflammatory process.
Based on the degree of osteochondrosis of the spine in the lumbar region, the following drugs can be prescribed by the doctor:
- Analgesics that have an anesthetic effect.
- Preparations against inflammation of non -steroidal origin.
- With muscle spasms, antispasmodics.
- Medicines for restoration of cartilage, called chondroprotectors.Their effectiveness is not proven, therefore they are rarely used in traditional medicine.
- In case of serious pathologies, when the above funds do not help, resort to corticosteroids.
- Vitamin complexes.
In addition to these funds, drugs are prescribed in tablets, the purpose of which is to calm the nervous system, struggle with stress and depression.
Physiotherapy treatment for osteochondrosis of the lower back
The treatment process is rarely limited to only taking pills.The pathology under consideration cannot be cured without stimulating the restoration processes of the spine.For these purposes, a wide range of physiotherapeutic procedures is used, the most popular are:
- Phonophoresis.
- Therapy with diadynamic currents.
- Laser therapy.
In addition, the spine must be given useful loads, simultaneously fragmenting it.Various types of therapeutic massage are ideal for this.It must be remembered that massage is used only for pain removed.As a rule, it is carried out as a restorative measure with the process of remission of the disease, or with chronic osteochondrosis.After the massage, the muscular muscles overvalled by the disease relax well, its effect will significantly increase with simultaneously warming up, for example, in a bath or sauna.In the latter case, we will be the maximum effect due to additional stimulation of blood circulation in the area of pathology and surrounding areas.
Another method of physiotherapy is manual therapy.Its advantages in general are the same as the massage, but in addition to such techniques, a specialist can return displaced vertebrae to normal position.
Therapeutic gymnastics
Therapeutic gymnastics is also used as a restorative and preventive measure in the period when pain and inflammatory process have already been removed.The guarantee of high efficiency of therapeutic exercises in the regularity of the exercises, in this case, the damaged area will constantly receive the necessary motor activity for the self -generation of new tissue and recovery.
Surgical surgery for osteochondrosis of the lower back
Surgical surgery is an extreme measure that is prescribed for serious complications.The most frequent of these is the intervertebral hernia when the so -called “discetomy” is carried out or the removal of the affected intervertebral disc is carried out.The operation is very effective, however, being the extreme extreme, its purpose occurs only if other methods of therapy have no result for more than 6 months.Modern medicine also offers less traumatic methods of conducting such an operation, for example, a microsurgical or endoscopic method.