Osteochondrosis is a disease of the spine in which the intervertebral discs are subject to degenerative disorders, and the joints along with them.The interval between them decreases, due to which the nerve endings and roots are compressed, which leads to the development of severe pain.Pathological changes often occur in the lumbar region.
Your doctor will tell you how to treat osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, as self-medication can only make the condition worse.The difficulty lies in the fact that the symptoms of osteochondrosis can 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, one must delve into the anatomy.
The vertebra is a solid, dense structure, cylindrical, with an arch from which processes extend.The vertebral body is attached to them with arches, and in the middle there is a vertebral opening.These openings form the spinal canal.
Not all processes are involved in the formation of joints, only the upper and lower ones, in which small rocking movements are possible.Between the vertebrae there are openings bounded by processes;the nerve roots of the spinal nerves appear through them.
Pathological changes first appear in the nucleus pulposus (a semi-fluid structure with a jelly-like center at the disc opening).The nucleus pulposus has maximum flexibility and is the main shock absorber.Then the pathological process develops in the joints of the vertebrae, which leads to the narrowing of the intervertebral foramina.
The sacrum is a large, triangular bone located at the base of the spine.It consists of five vertebrae that fuse together and have anterior and posterior surfaces.At this stage, there are no discs and osteochondrosis does not develop.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is often diagnosed after the age of 30.The degenerative process occurs after the disruption of the water-salt metabolism of the disc.As a result, the bone structure becomes thinner and more fragile.The nucleus pulposus expands its boundaries and moves towards the spinal canal.As a result, the fluid in the canal and the nerves are compressed and swelling appears.This causes the occurrence of painful sensations and malfunctions of the organs to which these areas belong.
Due to compression, bone cells divide faster and osteophytes (abnormal growths) appear on the vertebrae.Regeneration of the disc is impossible, as the cartilage, and therefore the functioning of the organs, deteriorates even more.
Lumbar osteochondrosis, the symptoms and treatment of which are described below, often occurs due to the weakening of the muscle ligament, so it is very important to train the abdominal, side and back muscles.
Many people wonder whether osteochondrosis can be treated or not.It is easiest to eliminate this disease in the early stages.
Degrees of the disease
Osteochondrosis of the sacrum develops gradually.
The disease has 4 stages:
- Grade 1it is characterized by the manifestation of mild painful sensations that increase after physical activity.There is often a dull ache that radiates into the buttock;
- Section 2.The interval between the vertebrae decreases and they begin to collapse together with the nearby tissues.At the same time, the nerve endings are compressed.Intervertebral osteochondrosis causes sharp, radiating pain.Painful sensations force a person to lean forward.This provokes displacement and stretching of the intervertebral discs;
- Section 3osteochondrosis of the lower spine is manifested by the complete destruction of the vertebrae and the manifestation of intervertebral hernia;
- Section 4.The vertebrae grow, the cartilage atrophies, which makes it difficult for the patient to move.The spine in the lumbosacral area loses its flexibility, becomes less mobile, and often the patient becomes disabled.
It is important to monitor your health and start treatment when the symptoms described above appear.
Causes of the disease
Lumbar osteochondrosis occurs due to constant and uneven loading of 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 as a result of strong stress.People who constantly do heavy physical work suffer more often.
- Lower back pain is caused by excess weight.And this happens because the spine is under constant pressure in the lumbosacral area.
- Due to low physical activity, bone tissue nutrition deteriorates, blood flow slows down, and muscles weaken.
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, the causes of which are different, often develops due to incorrect posture.If a person slouches while sitting, the discs deform and wear prematurely, and all this is due to the uneven load.
- Osteochondrosis often develops as a result of back injuries.Which can be damaged during training if you have low sports training.To avoid problems, it is important to learn how to lift heavy objects correctly.If you fall, you may injure your back.
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is a natural consequence of the body's aging and reduced ability to heal.As a result, the mobility of the discs decreases, they lose their elasticity, and therefore they are deformed.
- This disease often occurs due to rheumatoid arthritis, scoliosis and so on.
In rare cases, osteochondrosis appears due to hypothermia, severe depression, poor nutrition, chronic fatigue and poor environmental conditions.
Symptoms
Signs of osteochondrosis in women and men are very similar.The only difference is that in a fair half of humanity the disease appears earlier.In the early stages of the disease, it does not appear in any way, a person lives a full life without suspecting anything.However, there are symptoms that can prompt you to make the right decision, which consists of a full diagnosis and consulting a doctor.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine:
- Lower back pain.At first, painful sensations appear after training, and they become permanent with the development of the disease.
- In the case of lumbar osteochondrosis, the mobility in the affected area decreases.When the patient tries to bend down, turn over, or sit down, there is severe radiating pain that spreads down 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 drops.
- Sweating increases, especially at night.
- With osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the functioning of the urogenital organs is disturbed.
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 form:
- lumbago - pain occurs after muscle tension.Due to the muscle spasm, the patient bends forward;
- during exacerbation, the pain appears even after slight movement.Painful sensations increase sharply and radiate to the buttocks or legs.The patient's condition is alleviated if he lies on his back and bends the affected limb at the knee.After a few weeks, these signs of lumbar osteochondrosis gradually disappear, motor activity is restored, muscles relax;
- The subacute stage of the disease is characterized by dull, aching, radiating pain.
If a person notices such manifestations, it is worth consulting a doctor.
Diagnostic measures
The treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine should be started after a thorough diagnosis.
First, a neurologist or vertebrologist performs a visual examination based on the patient's complaints and palpates the affected area of the body.If the patient feels pain when touching certain points, the range of motion of the legs is reduced, or the buttocks are located asymmetrically, then the diagnosis is confirmed.In addition, the doctor evaluates the patient's posture.
Lumbosacral osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which are described above, can be identified with the following tests:
- X-rays again confirm the diagnosis.This method cannot assess the condition of the spine.The images show only the narrowing of the openings between the vertebrae and the growth of osteophytes.
- A computerized tomography examination of the lower back allows the diagnosis to be made and the affected area to be viewed on a computer monitor from a different angle or slice.However, the technique is effective in diagnosing bony structures;for soft tissue formations, including discs, the use of magnetic resonance imaging is recommended.
- Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine shows a complete picture of the state of bone tissue and soft structures in the lumbosacral area.
After completing the above tests, you can start treating lumbar osteochondrosis.
Treatment methods
Many patients are interested in whether it is possible to completely cure osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.Unfortunately, the answer will be negative.If you start the treatment in the first or second stage of the disease, you can stop its progress.
Thus, the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is a long and complex process that helps to achieve the following goals:
- relieves pain;
- eliminates spasm;
- strengthens the muscles of the abdomen, back, sides, buttocks and legs;
- restores blood flow and metabolism in the affected area;
- eliminates inflammation;
- restores the motor function of the lower back;
- normalizes the sensitivity of the legs;
- improves the functioning of the pelvic organs.
Conservative treatment
The process of treating osteochondrosis begins with the use of various drugs.They should only be prescribed by a doctor, as self-medication can have negative consequences.The doctor can use several drug groups, only in this case a positive result can be expected.
The following drugs are used for this purpose:
- Pain relievers used to relieve discomfort;
- Using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs relieves radicular pain and swelling.Drugs containing steroid hormones are also prescribed for osteochondrosis.They reduce or completely eliminate inflammation;
- The method of treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis in the later stages is of interest to many patients.Paraspinal blocks are used to relieve pain.For this, painkillers are injected into the lower back;
- You can get rid of muscle spasms with the help of muscle relaxants;
- In order to restore cartilage metabolism, start regeneration processes and stop dystrophic changes, the attending physician prescribes chondroprotectors;
- Lumbar osteochondrosis is treated with B vitamins.They improve metabolism in cells, eliminate inflammation, remove excess fluid;
- With the help of diuretic drugs, the swelling will disappear;
- Immunomodulatory drugs strengthen the immune system;
- In order to improve blood flow in the affected area, the doctor prescribes drugs that reduce blood viscosity.Medicines are injected into a vein with a dropper or in tablet form.
Physiotherapy
The use of physiotherapy can bring success in the treatment of osteochondrosis.A number of techniques can be used;your doctor will help you choose the optimal one if there are no contraindications.Physiotherapy relieves pain, relieves muscle spasms, activates metabolic and recovery processes.
The following procedures are prescribed to solve these problems:
- amplipulseThe affected area is exposed to sinusoidal modular currents;
- sonophoresis- simultaneous ultrasound and drug treatment;
- diadynamic therapy– treatment with low-voltage electricity;
- Darsonvalization.The damaged area is exposed to alternating current of low strength but high frequency and voltage;
- inductive heat– treatment with high-frequency magnetic fields;
- laser therapy– treatment with laser optical radiation.
The therapeutic effect of these procedures is difficult to overestimate.
If you want to know how to get rid of pain, strengthen muscles, relax, then it must be said that this can be done with the help of physical therapy.Reflexology and massage only increase the effectiveness of the therapy.Massage techniques and gymnastics are performed outside the period of inflammation, otherwise the disease will worsen.Swimming and gymnastics in water are useful, in this case the load on the spine will be minimal.
Surgical treatment
Surgery is a last resort, only performed when previous methods have been ineffective and the disease is so advanced that it is the only way to help the patient return to activity.The intervention is performed in case of significant movement disorders or intervertebral hernia.Therefore, it is better not to know how to cure lumbar osteochondrosis surgically, since it is the most radical.
The surgeon removes the herniated discs and stabilizes the slipped vertebrae.The doctor can also perform spinal fusion surgery, the essence of which is to completely immobilize a section of the spine with the help of a special metal structure.This is followed by long-term rehabilitation.
Special instructions
If lumbosacral osteochondrosis is not treated, the sciatic nerve can become inflamed, leading to severe pain.In order to reduce the discomfort, a person leans forward, but because of this, the condition of the spine in the injured area only worsens.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, the symptoms of which can be different, threatens the instability of the vertebrae.The disc cannot hold the vertebra, the lumbar area is displaced from the sacrum due to compression.In this regard, the functioning of the urogenital organs is impaired.
To avoid complications, you must follow the following rules:
- avoid intense physical activity;
- strengthen the ligament;
- maintaining correct posture;
- daily practice;
- establishing nutrition, maintaining the balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates;
- observe the optimal rest regime;
- treatment of back diseases in the early stages.
You should also not self-medicate - then the disease will go away as soon as possible.It will be useful to wear a corset that relieves the load on the lumbar spine.