Osteochondrosis is considered a common disease of the spine. Most of all, due to the specifics of lifestyle, the lower back suffers, therefore, symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine are more common than others. Pathology is equally dangerous for men and women, regardless of age. Patients with the disease wear a corset, suffer during pregnancy. Diet and exercise become essential.
The disease is highlighted in a separate section of the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and is referred to as dorsopathy deformans (ICD-10 M42-43). Osteochondrosis of the spine was assigned a code - M42 according to ICD-10. There are such options for ICD-10:
- Juvenile osteochondrosis - M42. 0 according to ICD-10.
- Osteochondrosis in adults - M42. 1 according to ICD-10.
- Unspecified forms - M42. 9 according to ICD-10.
If earlier the disease spread to people over 30 years old, recently there has been a tendency to affect the pathology of the younger generation. Associated with stress and prolonged exposure to the computer, a passive lifestyle.
The lower back always experiences great loads both in motor character and in the load of body weight. Women suffer a lot during pregnancy, people whose life history includes many lumbar spine injuries and ignore such a factor as exercise. Also, studying the causes of intervertebral hernia, violation of the sciatic nerve, one can single out the main factor - long-term osteochondrosis.
Causes and stages of pathology
All causes leading to pathology can be divided into external and internal. The former are associated with various influences of external factors. People who lead a sedentary lifestyle, who have excessive body weight, are prone to osteochondrosis. In addition, there are such predisposing factors:
- professions associated with a long stay in a sitting position;
- hypothermia;
- weakening of the body's defenses linked to stress, overwork.
Internal causes are based on genetic predisposition and various diseases. With endocrine diseases, the restoration of bones, muscle tissues and their nutrition are disturbed. This condition can be observed with age and with a genetic predisposition, especially if the medical history indicates spinal injuries at a young age.
Pathological disorders of the structure of the spine accelerate the onset of osteochondrosis, if left untreated, the disease progresses rapidly. The most important conditions are kyphosis, scoliosis. Also, the medical history indicates that the most common cause of the disease is a spinal injury.
The disease has 4 stages of development. At the first stage, there are no serious disturbances in the nutrition and structure of the spinal discs. Symptoms are mild. They can be easily removed with painkillers. It is possible to cure the disease during this period as quickly as possible, the main thing is not to heat up, not to strain your back. Diet and rehabilitation help a lot.
Often osteochondrosis begins to appear during pregnancy, if left untreated, it quickly goes to the next stage. The history of the disease considers the brace to be an effective remedy against the progression of the disease.
The second stage is characterized by protrusions and sharp clinical manifestations. Treatment becomes difficult, exacerbation occurs more often. For girls, before pregnancy, it is necessary to cure the disease in order to avoid complications from salt deposition and displacement of the vertebrae. There may be problems with going to the toilet, so special candles will help. A corset, diet, daily exercise, and ERT can also be effective.
The third and fourth stages are dangerous with the appearance of intervertebral hernias, complications and disturbances in the work of internal organs. Only diet and massage will not help. Sometimes the only way out in the fight against the disease can be surgical treatment. In the future, a person will have to wear a corset and recover for a long time.
Symptoms
Signs of lumbar osteochondrosis begin to appear at the first stage of the disease with the appearance of sharp pain in the lumbar region. The exacerbation first passes quickly and does not interfere with the normal functioning of working capacity. During pregnancy, a woman constantly feels discomfort and muscle tension.
With the progression of the disease, exacerbation occurs more often, but it can be eliminated with painkillers. Pain symptoms become prolonged, aching. If the nerve fibers are affected, the pain radiates to different parts of the body. It can be a leg, buttocks and different areas of the back. Increased pain occurs when staying in one position for a long time, sudden movements, or lifting weights. A characteristic sign of osteochondrosis may appear - back pain.
In addition to the feeling of pain, the muscle corset suffers. The back muscles are constantly in a tense state, painful when pressed. Over time, the exacerbation does not go away, the patient develops unbearable pain, aggravated even by slight movement, coughing or sneezing. During pregnancy, weight gain occurs, which worsens the general well-being of a woman and causes constant symptoms of osteochondrosis.
In the extreme stages, the innervation is disturbed and the spinal cord is affected. The muscle corset does not withstand protection, the vertebrae are destroyed, intervertebral hernias are formed. There are malfunctions in the work of the intestines, stomach, genitourinary system. Men have potency issues. Constant pain and symptoms of intoxication worsen a person's well-being. A patient's medical history with such abnormalities often leads the patient to the operating table.
Treatment
To choose the right treatment for osteochondrosis, diagnostics are carried out. The patient's medical history and complaints are studied in detail. Exacerbation makes it possible to more accurately identify the picture using diagnostic techniques. The patient's medical history is updated with new symptoms. An x-ray is ordered to examine the spine. During pregnancy, X-rays cannot be performed in the same way as wearing a corset.
There are other diagnostic methods. It can be magnetic resonance or computed tomography. An ultrasound is done to examine the internal organs, especially if the medical history indicates various pathologies.
Treatment in each case is selected individually and should be comprehensive. There are certain principles that help cure the disease. These are drugs for pain relief, a diet to normalize the functioning of internal organs. Also, you cannot heat the affected area.
During pregnancy, first of all you need to worry about the health of the fetus. With a running course, in addition to the main course of therapy, it is necessary to wear a corset. In case of impaired bowel function, special suppositories are used. Also, you can not warm up the muscles of the lower back in the event of an exacerbation. The diet is prescribed after consultation with a gynecologist. The load must be special and at a certain time.
Treatment is primarily aimed at eliminating symptoms, restoring the physiological functions of the spine.
For pain, it is necessary to take NSAIDs, antispasmodics, analgesics. The necessary remedy will be prescribed by the doctor. You can relieve severe pain with the help of novocaine blockade.
The diet excludes foods that are harmful and hard on the liver and kidneys. Do not abuse alcohol, cigarettes. To cure the disease, you can combine drugs and alternative methods of therapy at the same time. The load must enter the rhythm of life. It is impossible to warm the injured area during the exacerbation and at the beginning of treatment. The diet should be prescribed for a long time.
Effective massage, manual therapy, physiotherapy and daily exercise - this is what will help you get rid of the disease and always stay in good shape.