Pain in the back and the lumbar region is one of the most common complaints in medicine.It is second in the number of all calls, just respiratory disease.A large number of pathologies can cause lower back pain, but very often, the cause of it is osteochondrosis in the lumbar region.How to treat such a disease, that the symptoms and signs it has will be taken into account below.
Not so long ago, the medical sciences thought that osteochondrosis in the Lombo-Sacré department occurs exclusively due to age-related changes which bring the vertebrae and the intervertebral discs.However, today, the age trait is not exceptional, osteochondrosis of the lumbar column is diagnosed in patients in various age groups.To date, the age of the cut is considered to be over 25 years old
The causes of the appearance of lower back osteochondrosis
It is impossible to name the exact reason, almost always, it will be a complete effect of various destructive factors, among which the most important can be distinguished:
- Membership of a passive lifestyleIn terms of motor activity.By their own will, immobilized people, for example, spending many hours on the computer, do not receive a payload, which is why the muscle of the "corset" occurs and the load on the vertebrae increases.In addition, almost always such a hobby is associated with a long stay in erroneous and unnatural poses.
- Hormonal background problems, leading to violations with metabolism, which affects the metabolism of the tissues of the spine in the lower back and contributes to the destructive processes.This also includes endocrine diseases.
- The presence of congenital or acquired differences, when the musculoskeletal system undergoes certain changes.This can be reflected in increased loads on the spine, for example, the patient with the presence of flat feet, the curvature of the legs or the spine.
- Increased chronic chargesIn the lower back.Here, among the risks are people with certain types of professional activities, generally associated with lifting weights.This also includes professional athletes who constantly exhibit their bodies with advanced loads.
- Altered flour and daily routine.This also includes regular stress exposure.These factors are reflected in metabolism processes and affect the periodic restoration of their forces.
Degree of osteochondrosis of the lumbar column
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 tolerant pain in difficulty in late development.Consider the main degrees of development of osteochondrosis:
- The situation in which the jet nucleus moves in the intervertebral disc.It is characterized by the pain caused by the irritation of the nerve roots of the fibrous ring and longitudinal ligaments.The discomfort is felt locally where a defective disc is placed.Pain can be clear with bastards, a permanent mute.
- When the fibrous layer of the intervertebral disc is destroyed, there is an increase in the mobility of the elements of the spine in this area, they become unstable compared to each other.To eliminate these pathological manifestations, it is necessary to keep the muscles of this tense area constantly, which therefore leads to chronic fatigue in the lower back.
- Then there is a breakthrough in the fibrous ring, which is why the nucleus leaves the disc, forming the intervertebral hernia.Such a case will be accompanied by the excess of the nerves, which is called "root syndrome".
- The next degree of osteochondrosis of the lombo-sacred department occurs with a severe deformation of the spine in this part.There are mobility problems, but pain syndrome, quite strangely at this stage, lights up.However, you should not rejoice, it does not talk at all about the discoloration of the disease.
- The last degree is characterized by the pathological growth of bone tissue and general deterioration in well-being.
Based on the degree of lower back osteochondrosis, certain treatment methods are used.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis in the lower back
The main symptom is combat syndrome in the lumbar column.At the same time, the sensations of pain, the area of their location and the direction in which they spread can vary.This is due to the fact that on the basis of the degree of damage to the intervertebral disc and the tissues around, some nervous receptors are annoyed.In addition, the role is played by the presence of projections or directly a hernia, the direction of its protrusion and many other factors.
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis in the lumbar column include:
- The presence of lower back pain, which tends to increase with strong mobility or, conversely, to remain without change of posture for a long time.The pain is falling if you take a horizontal position.
- In addition, the weakness of the body is probably lower than 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 spine.There is a classification of such curvatures, for example, with an accent in the right or left side, they speak of scoliosis, lordosis is called the situation forward, and the cyphosis is called when the natural lumbar turn, so to speak, is smoothed.
- With a serious degree of development of the disease, the spinal cord canals are possible, which can cause its dysfunction and provide uncontrolled urination and stools.
Among the additional symptoms, they note:
- The presence of numbness and "coldness" of the skin of the lower back and buttocks.
- The peeling skin, dry and blue in the same places.
- Altered urination.
- Problems with an erection.
The presence of these symptoms should alert a person, you cannot signal him with one hand, which will lead to greater negligence.In this case, you should certainly consult a doctor for precise diagnosis and treatment.By the way, the treatment can be either in a hospital and in a family environment, but more about it later.
Diagnosis of the disease
In the diagnosis, it is important to understand the degree in which the disease enters.The simplest way is palpation in the lower back with the identification of pain areas.As a rule, this method is not informative and in addition to carrying out examinations which give a more detailed clinical image:
- By x -ray, inexpensive and widespread method, it is possible to assess the state of the spine as a whole and individual vertebrae, for example, the lumbar region considered.The technique is not very precise, it only allows an indirect to understand how the intervertebral discs and the vertebral channels are integrated.
- Computed tomographyA more precise method to assess the level of damage to the discs between the vertebrae, the nerve roots and the canals with the spinal cord.
- Magnetic resonance tomographyThe most precise method gives a complete image of the defeat in detail, but is quite expensive and inaccessible.
It should be noted that the diagnostic process is very important, because for a doctor, when prescribing treatment tactics, all the details of the developed osteochondosis are important.
Complications of osteochondrosis
The main complications of pathology are hernias and protuberances, necessarily occurring if you neglect treatment and leave the development of the disease by equipment.Other complications may be:
- Inflammation of the sciatic nerve.
- Spondylarthrosis.
- Schmorl Hernia.
- Spondylosis.
- Problems caused by vinetand channel pinching.
- Functionality disorders in the basin.
- Development of lameness.
Treatment of lower back osteochondrosis
With the diagnosis of osteochondrosis in the lumbar column, a wide range of therapy is necessary, the main aspects of which will be:
- The use of moderate loads.
- Special drugs.
- Traction of the spine.
- Manual therapy sessions.
- Physiotherapy.
- Therapeutic massages.
The concept of "treatment" for osteochondrosis implies:
- Suppression of inflammation.
- Remove pain syndrome.
- The complex to strengthen lumbar and adjacent muscle groups.
- Get rid of chronic muscle tension.
- Increase the functionality of the organs in the basin.
- Standardization of blood circulation and metabolism in the pathology area.
Treatment with drugs
A similar approach in the treatment of lower back osteochondrosis includes taking medication, special medication injections, use of ointments and gels for external use.The main task of these drugs is to neutralize the pain and the 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 which have an anesthetic effect.
- Preparations against inflammation of non -steroidal origin.
- With muscle, antipasmodic spasms.
- Cartilage restoration drugs, called chondroprotectors.Their effectiveness is not proven, so 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 the tablets, the aim of which is to calm the nervous system, to fight against stress and depression.
Physiotherapy treatment for lower back osteochondrosis
The processing process is rarely limited to taking pills only.The pathology considered cannot be cured without stimulating the processes of restoration 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 receive useful loads, fragmenting it simultaneously.Various types of therapeutic massage are ideal for this.It should be remembered that massage is used only for removed pain.As a rule, it is carried out as a restorative measure with the process of remission of the disease or with chronic osteochondosis.After massage, the muscular muscles survived by the disease relax well, its effect will increase considerably with warming simultaneously, 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 pathology area and surrounding areas.
Another method of physiotherapy is manual therapy.Its advantages in general are the same as massage, but in addition to such techniques, a specialist can return the moved vertebrae in normal position.
Therapeutic gymnastics
Therapeutic gymnastics is also used as a restorative and preventive measure during the period when pain and the inflammatory process have already been deleted.The guarantee of great effectiveness of therapeutic exercises in the regularity of the exercises, in this case, the damaged area will constantly receive the motor activity necessary for the self-generation of new tissues and recovery.
Surgical surgery for lower back osteochondrosis
Surgical surgery is an extreme measure that is prescribed for serious complications.The most frequent of these is the intervertebral hernia when the "disctomy", called SO, is carried out or the elimination of the affected intervertebral disc is carried out.The operation is very effective, however, being the extreme extreme, its objective only occurs if other therapy methods have no results for more than 6 months.Modern medicine also offers less traumatic methods to carry out such an operation, for example, a microsurgical or endoscopic method.