Osteochondrosis is the most severe form of degenerative damage to the spine, which is based on damage to the structure of the intervertebral disc between the vertebrae. If the symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis are not recognized as early as possible, then this condition causes deformation of the bodies of the neighboring vertebrae, intervertebral joints. Vessels and the nervous system are involved in the pathological process.
One of the most common forms of this disease is lumbar osteochondrosis, the symptoms are very similar in men and women. Many adults have repeatedly felt discomfort in the waist area, pelvis, legs, which is caused by osteochondrosis and its complications. Among all the causes of loss of the ability to move normally, this disease takes one of the first places.
Reasons
One of the causes of the disease is bad posture, but there are others:
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine, the symptoms and treatment of which cause a lot of inconvenience to the patient, is most often caused by increased stress on the spine. Therefore, the disease appears more often in those whose work activity is related to physical labor and weight lifting.
- Another factor provoking the disease is excess weight, which increases the pressure on the spinal column.
- The absence of any load and physical inactivity worsens the nutrition of disc tissues and slows down the blood flow and metabolic processes of the spine. The muscular corset becomes significantly weaker and creates a favorable background for the development of pathological changes.
- Incorrect body position, if the patient likes to sit with a bent spine, leads to the fact that the load on the discs and vertebrae is uneven, the discs are deformed and wear out quickly.
- Often, the cause of lumbar osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which bring a lot of inconvenience to the patient's life, can be injuries. This happens during sports, doing exercises without proper preparation, improper lifting of heavy weights, injury when falling.
- Some experts believe that osteochondrosis is predetermined even at the level of genetics, regardless of which department the degenerative changes are observed.
- The patient's age also has a special effect: with increasing years, the segments of the spinal column lose their mobility, elasticity, and therefore are subject to destruction and deformation. Previously, osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the symptoms of which are quite unpleasant, was considered a disease of the elderly, but today it occurs in young people aged 25 to 30 years.
- A predisposing factor may be some pathologies accompanied by inflammation of the spinal joints or changes in its structure and shape: ankylosing spondylitis, arthritis, scoliosis, disc instability.
In rare cases, the reason for the development of osteochondrosis can be:
- hypothermia;
- stress
- improper nutrition;
- Violation of work and rest regime;
- poor environmental conditions.
At the first appearance of discomfort in the lower back, it is better to consult a doctor.
Classification according to degrees of osteochondrosis
The classification of osteochondrosis according to degrees is used to systematically characterize the clinical manifestations of the disease. The classification allows you to describe the symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis and determine exactly at what point the patient began to experience pain:
- The first degree occurs when the disc ruptures, which is provoked by sudden movements. It manifests itself in the form of a strong sudden pain, a feeling appears in the spine that a person is shocked, the muscles are reflexively tense.
- The second degree of symptoms resembles intervertebral protrusion and instability of the vertebral column. Physical activity intensifies the pain. Constant alternation of exacerbations and remissions. If osteochondrosis occurs in the cervical region, then the pain intensifies when a person stays in one position for a long time, suffers from frequent headaches, discomfort in the arm and shoulder, fatigue in the lower limbs.
- The third degree manifests itself as symptoms of a herniated disc: numbness of the limbs, changes in posture and gait, headache and discomfort along the affected nerve. The symptoms can be similar to kidney disease, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, reproductive system.
- The fourth degree begins with the fact that the hernia is not felt, the symptoms may weaken, but the symptoms of instability of the spinal cord, twisting of the spine still remain. In addition, growths of the vertebral bodies can appear, which often suffocate the spinal nerves or block the canal, compressing the brain with the back. This quality can be attributed to the results of the operation, if the hernia is removed surgically.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the symptoms of which bring a lot of inconvenience, is a rather unpleasant disease. It requires urgent complex treatment and constant monitoring by a specialist.
Symptoms of pathology
Depending on the symptoms, the treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis can be different. This is due to the fact that the disease affects the nervous system, which is why problems often appear in different parts of the body that are not related to the back in any way.
In the early stages of the disease, pain may appear after heavy physical exertion or long stay in one position, for example, a person often spends time sitting at the computer. As the disease progresses, the pain becomes chronic. If the pain syndrome does not appear, then in its place there may be discomfort that interferes with normal life. A complex of symptoms can be the following:
- pain in the lower back that often radiates to the buttocks or leg;
- spasms in the muscles with a long stay in a statistical state;
- constant tension of the back muscles;
- shooting in the back, which most often occurs after a person has been in the cold for a long time;
- Sensory disorders in the lower part of the patient's body;
- Numbness of the legs, frequent tingling in the fingers;
- cold feet;
- sweating dysfunction;
- Dryness of the skin in the area of pain.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine may worsen if measures are not taken to cure the patient or if one of the provoking factors becomes more intense. In this case, the pain syndrome is transferred to the lower limbs. A person tries to find the most optimal position in order to alleviate the condition and not to feel the unpleasant discomfort caused by the disease.
Diagnostic methods
Initially, before starting the diagnosis, the doctor must collect the anamnesis of his patient, carefully study him, assess the health condition. In addition, instrumental examination methods may be required.
A complete anamnesis will allow the doctor to suggest what causes the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine, as well as to assess the risks of its occurrence. Examination of the patient includes palpation of painful areas, percussion, external examination of the skin. In some patients, the doctor may test the sensitivity using acupuncture.
Based on the data collected by the doctor, the patient is advised to undergo additional instrumental studies to confirm the diagnosis and determine the extent of damage to the spine and other organs. The patient is advised to undergo:
- radiography;
- MRI;
- CT.
All these diagnostic methods help to determine some features of the development of the disease. MRI is considered the most informative of them, and all this is because other methods take pictures of the human body in only a few projections and do not allow a closer look at the whole problem.
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which begin to bother a person, is chosen by the doctor. It is impossible to make a diagnosis and determine the course of therapy only by external examination, it is important to conduct a comprehensive examination and avoid complications.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the lower back
Osteochondrosis cannot be completely cured. Good results can be achieved if the patient has the 1st and 2nd degrees of the disease. But in any case, long-term treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region will be necessary, because the symptoms are unbearable, they are so strong and unpleasant. Therapy is aimed at:
- reduce the intensity of pain in the lumbosacral region;
- eliminate muscle tension that does not allow a person to relax;
- strengthen the muscles of the back, buttocks and lower limbs;
- normalization of blood flow and metabolic processes in the affected area;
- eliminate the inflammatory process;
- Restoring the normal range of motion in the waist area and increasing the sensitivity of the legs;
- to improve the functioning of organs of reproductive and excretory systems.
Among the drugs, the doctor prefers the following:
- Definitely recommend pain relievers. Analgesics help relieve pain, but they cannot eliminate the causes of the disease.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to relieve swelling and radicular pain, and in severe cases, steroid-based drugs are used to relieve the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine in women and men. Their action is aimed at reducing and eliminating inflammation.
- Paravertebral block is used for local anesthesia. The drug is injected into the lumbar region. More often they are recommended for patients with 3-4 degrees of disease.
- Muscle relaxants are recommended to eliminate spastic muscle contractions.
- Chondroprotectors improve metabolic processes in cartilage tissue, stimulate regeneration processes and significantly slow down their deformation.
- Group B vitamins help to improve cell metabolism, reduce inflammation and remove excess fluid from the body.
- Diuretics help eliminate edema.
- Immunostimulants increase the activity of the immune system and improve the body's defenses.
- Means to improve blood flow to the affected area, which are administered as a drip intravenously.
Additional therapy
The doctor can additionally recommend physiotherapy methods. Medicines alone for the treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which bring pain to the patient, will not be enough. To eliminate pain and relieve muscle spasm, the following physiotherapeutic procedures are recommended to improve metabolic processes:
- amplipulse;
- electrophoresis;
- diadynamic currents;
- magnetic resonance therapy;
- magnetotherapy;
- laser treatment.
Therapeutic gymnastics will also not be superfluous, because with its help you can not only relieve the pain syndrome, but also strengthen and relax the back muscles. Physical training can be done not only during the exacerbation of the pathology, but also during the recovery period. Massage and reflexology give excellent results.
surgery
For some patients with stage 4 disease, surgery may be recommended. This measure is used in cases where drug treatment does not give the desired result, with the appearance of serious neurological and motor disorders and the appearance of hernias. During the operation, the hernia is removed, after which plastic surgery is performed, the displaced vertebrae are reliably strengthened.
Folk methods of treatment
The symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine in men do not differ much from the symptoms observed in women. Therapeutic measures are selected individually for each patient, depending on the stage of the disease. In addition to traditional methods of treatment, traditional medicine is recommended. The patient should coordinate all his actions with the doctor. The following herbal products gave good results in complex treatment:
- To prepare an ointment that improves blood circulation in the affected area, you need to take five red peppers and 1/2 cup of kerosene and vegetable oil. After receiving the therapeutic infusion, it is necessary to lubricate the painful areas at night. Place a dry woolen compress on top of the treated area.
- Mix equal amounts of butter and hop cones, this composition is used in the lower back when there is no strength to withstand pain and discomfort.
Folk remedies show good results in the early stages of treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the symptoms of this pathology gradually disappear. It is better to use such recipes as soon as the first signs of the disease appear.
consequences of the disease
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis in men and women cause serious discomfort, a person cannot sit normally, sleep well and constantly experience discomfort. If measures are not taken in time at the first manifestation of the disease, then osteochondrosis can cause serious complications in the form of inflammation of the sciatic nerve. This disease is characterized by severe pain in the waist and legs, possibly even numbness of the limbs. In an attempt to relieve pain, many patients walk, leaning on the healthy side, but this position only aggravates the disease: the degree of curvature of the spine increases and accelerates the process of disc destruction.
Spinal instability can be considered the most dangerous complication. The intervertebral discs cannot cope with the function of fixing the vertebrae, and under a heavy load in the lumbar region, it begins to slide down from the sacrum. This condition can lead to disruption of internal organ systems. Women may have inflammation of the uterus, appendages, and men have potency problems.
Preventive measures
You can prevent the disease if you use the following methods:
- eliminate the heavy load on the lower back;
- strengthening of back muscles;
- maintain correct posture;
- strengthening the spine with regular physical activity;
- follow proper nutrition;
- regulates rest;
- Timely treatment of back pain.
Only a timely visit to the doctor and comprehensive treatment will give a chance to avoid complications and return to the previous way of life.