Osteochondrosis is the most severe form of degenerative spinal injury, which is based on damage to the structure of the intervertebral disc located between the vertebrae. If the symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis are not recognized as soon as possible, this condition leads to deformation of the bodies of neighboring vertebrae, intervertebral joints. The 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 in women and men are very similar. Many adults have repeatedly felt discomfort in the lumbar region, sacrum, legs, caused by osteochondrosis and its complications. Among all the reasons for the loss of the ability to move normally, it is this ailment that occupies one of the first places.
The reasons
One of the causes of the disease is poor posture, but there are others:
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine, the symptoms and treatment of which cause a lot of inconvenience to the patient, most often occurs due to increased stress on the spine. That is why the disease most often manifests itself in those whose work activity is associated with physical work and weight lifting.
- Another factor that causes the disease is excess weight, which increases the pressure on the spine.
- The absence of any load and physical inactivity worsen the nutrition of the disc tissues and slow down blood flow, metabolic processes in the spine. The muscular corset is noticeably weakened and creates a favorable background for the development of pathological changes.
- Incorrect body position, if the patient likes to sit with a curved spine, leads to the fact that the load on the discs and vertebrae is uneven, the discs are deformed and quickly wear out.
- Often the cause of lumbar osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which bring a lot of inconvenience to the patient's life, can be injuries. They happen during sports, doing exercises without proper preparation, improper lifting of large weights, injuries in the event of a fall.
- Some experts believe that osteochondrosis is predetermined even at the level of genetics, regardless of which particular department degenerative changes are observed.
- The age of the patient also has a special influence: over the years, the segments of the spine 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.
- A predisposing factor can be some pathologies that are accompanied by inflammation of the joints of the spine or changes in its structure and shape: ankylosing spondylitis, arthritis, scoliosis, disc instability.
In rare cases, the cause of the development of osteochondrosis can be:
- hypothermia;
- fatigue;
- malnutrition;
- violations of the regime of work and rest;
- bad environmental conditions.
At the first appearance of discomfort in the lumbar region, it is best to seek the advice of a doctor.
Classification by degrees of osteochondrosis
Grade classification of osteochondrosis 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 moment the patient began to be disturbed by pain:
- The first degree occurs when the disc breaks, caused by sudden movements. It manifests itself in the form of sudden severe pain, in the spine there is a feeling that a person has been shocked, the muscles are reflexively strained.
- The second degree of symptoms resembles intervertebral protrusion and spinal trunk instability. The pain is aggravated by physical activity. Constantly alternating exacerbations and remissions. If osteochondrosis occurs in the cervical region, the pain intensifies when a person remains in one position for a long time, frequent headaches, discomfort in the arm and shoulder, and fatigue in the lower limbs disturb.
- The third degree manifests itself in the form of disc herniation symptoms: numbness in the limbs, changes in posture and gait, headache and discomfort along the affected nerve. Symptoms can resemble kidney disease, gastrointestinal tract, reproductive system disorders.
- The fourth degree begins with the fact that the hernia does not make itself felt, the manifestations may weaken, but the symptoms of spinal trunk instability, twisting of the vertebrae still persist. In addition, outgrowths of the vertebral bodies may appear, which often compress the spinal nerves or block the canal, compress the brain with the back. This degree can be attributed to the consequences of surgery if the hernia was surgically removed.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the symptoms of which bring a lot of inconvenience, is a rather unpleasant disease. Requires urgent complex treatment and constant monitoring by a specialist.
Pathology symptoms
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 there are often problems that occur in different parts of the body and are in no way related to the back.
In the early stages of the disease, pain can appear after intense physical exertion or a 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 manifest itself, in its place there may be discomfort that interferes with a normal life. The symptom complex can be as follows:
- pain in the lumbar region, often radiating to the buttock or leg;
- spasms in the muscles with a long stay in a statistical position;
- constant tension of the back muscles;
- shootings in the back, which most often occur after a person has been in the cold for a long time;
- sensory disturbances in the patient's lower body;
- numbness in the legs, frequent tingling in the fingers;
- coldness of the legs;
- sweating dysfunction;
- dryness of the skin in the area of the appearance of pain.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine can worsen if measures are not taken to treat the patient or if one of the provoking factors becomes more intense. In this case, the pain syndrome passes to the lower limbs. A person tries to find the most optimal position to relieve his condition and not feel the unpleasant discomfort caused by the disease.
Diagnostic methods
Initially, before starting the diagnosis, the doctor must collect an anamnesis of his patient, carefully examine him, assess the state of health. In addition, instrumental examination methods may be required.
A complete history will allow the doctor to suggest what causes the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine, as well as to evaluate the risks of its occurrence. Examination of the patient consists in palpation of painful areas, percussion, external examination of the skin. In some patients, the doctor may test for sensitivity using acupuncture.
Based on the data collected by the doctor, the patient is recommended to undergo additional instrumental studies to confirm the diagnosis and determine how much the spine and other organs are affected. The patient is advised to undergo:
- radiography;
- magnetic resonance;
- CT.
All these diagnostic methods help to determine some features of the development of the disease. MRI is considered the most informative and all because other methods take pictures of the human body only in 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 selected by a 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 prevent complications.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the lower back
It is impossible to completely cure osteochondrosis. Good results can be obtained if the patient has 1 and 2 degrees of disease. But in any case, long-term treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region will be required, because the symptoms cannot be tolerated, 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;
- normalize blood flow and metabolic processes in the affected area;
- eliminate the inflammatory process;
- restore normal mobility in the lumbar region and increase the sensitivity of the legs;
- improve the functioning of the organs of the reproductive and excretory systems.
Among the drugs, the doctor prefers the following:
- I absolutely recommend painkillers. Analgesics help relieve pain, but cannot remove the causes of the disease.
- To remove swelling and radicular pain, NSAIDs are used, and in severe cases, steroid drugs are used to eliminate the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine in women and men. Their action is aimed at reducing and eliminating inflammation.
- Paravertebral blocks are used for local anesthesia. The medicine is administered along the lumbar region. Most often they are recommended for patients with 3-4 degrees of the disease.
- Muscle relaxants are recommended to eliminate spastic muscle contraction.
- Chondroprotectors improve metabolic processes in cartilage tissue, stimulate regenerative processes and significantly slow down their deformation.
- Vitamins belonging to group B help improve cellular metabolism, reduce inflammation and help remove excess fluids from the body.
- Diuretics help eliminate swelling.
- Immunostimulants increase the activity of the immune system and improve the body's defenses.
- Means for improving blood flow to the area affected by the disease, which are administered by intravenous drip.
Complementary therapies
The doctor may also recommend physiotherapy methods. Drugs alone for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar sacral region, the symptoms of which bring pain to the patient, will not be enough. To eliminate pain and relieve muscle spasm, the following physiotherapy procedures are recommended to improve metabolic processes:
- breadth;
- electrophoresis;
- diadynamic currents;
- magnetic resonance therapy;
- magnetotherapy;
- laser treatment.
Therapeutic gymnastics will also not be superfluous, because with the help of him you can not only remove the pain syndrome, but also strengthen and relax the back muscles. Physical exercises can be performed not only during the period of exacerbation of the pathology, but also during recovery. 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 results, with the appearance of severe neurological and motor disorders and the appearance of hernias. During the operation, herniated discs are removed, after which plastic surgery is performed and the displaced vertebrae are reliably strengthened.
Folk methods of treatment
Symptoms of lumbar spine osteochondrosis in men are not very different from those seen 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 may be recommended. The patient must coordinate all his actions with the doctor. Good results in complex treatment were given by such herbal products:
- To make 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 a therapeutic infusion, they need to lubricate the painful places at night. Put a dry wool compress over the treated area.
- Mix equal amounts of butter and hop cones, this composition is applied to the lumbar region, when there is no strength to withstand pain and discomfort.
Folk remedies show good results in the early stages of the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the symptoms of this pathology gradually disappear. It is better to use such recipes immediately after the first signs of the disease appear.
Consequences of the disease
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis in men and women cause severe discomfort, a person cannot sit normally, sleep well and constantly experience discomfort. If measures are not taken in time at the first manifestations of the disease, osteochondrosis can lead to serious complications in the form of inflammation of the sciatic nerve. This disease is characterized by severe lower back and leg pain, possibly even numbness in the limbs. To try to relieve pain, many patients walk, bending over on the sound side, but this position only aggravates the disease: the degree of curvature of the spinal trunk increases and the process of disc destruction accelerates.
The most dangerous complication can be considered the instability of the vertebrae. The intervertebral discs cannot cope with the fixing function of the vertebrae, and the lumbar region, under heavy load, begins to slip from the sacrum. This condition can result in disruption of internal organ systems. Women can experience inflammation of the uterus, appendages, and men have problems with potency.
Preventive measures
You can prevent the disease if you use the following methods:
- eliminate heavy loads on the lower back;
- strengthen the back muscles;
- maintaining correct posture;
- strengthen the spine with regular physical activity;
- adhere to proper nutrition;
- regulate rest;
- treat back pain in a timely manner.
Only a timely visit to the doctor and comprehensive treatment will give a chance to prevent complications and return to the previous lifestyle.