Pain in the back and lower back is one of the most common complaints in medicine.They are second in number of all requests, second only to respiratory diseases.A variety of pathologies can cause pain in the lower back, but very often it is caused by lumbar osteochondrosis.How to treat such a disease, what symptoms and signs it has, we will discuss below.
Not so long ago, medical science believed that osteochondrosis in the lumbosacral region occurs only due to age-related changes that cause wear and tear of the spine and intervertebral discs.However, today the age symptom is not exclusive;Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is diagnosed in different age groups.Today, the cut-off age is considered to be more than 25 years.
Causes of lumbar osteochondrosis
It is impossible to name the exact reason;It will almost always be a complex impact of various destructive factors, among which the most important can be distinguished:
- Commitment to a passive lifestyleIn terms of motor activity.By their own will, immobilized people, for example, spending many hours at the computer, do not receive enough useful load, due to which the "corset" muscles relax and the load on the vertebrae increases.In addition, almost always such pursuits are associated with prolonged exposure to incorrect and unnatural positions.
- Problems at the hormonal level, causes metabolic disorders that affect the metabolism of spinal tissue in the lumbar region and contribute to destructive processes.This also includes endocrine diseases.
- The presence of congenital or acquired anomaliesWhen the muscular system undergoes certain changes.This can be reflected in an increased load on the spinal column, for example, in a patient with flat feet, curvature of the legs or spine.
- Chronically increased loadson the lower back.Here, the risks include people who have certain types of occupational activities that are usually associated with heavy lifting.This also includes professional athletes who are constantly subjecting their bodies to the peak.
- Eating and daily routine are disturbed.This also includes regular exposure to stress.These factors affect metabolic processes and affect the body's periodic recovery.
Degrees of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine
The above-mentioned pathological factors gradually lead to the manifestation of the disease.However, it can be manifested in different ways, being practically asymptomatic at the beginning or causing excruciating pain in the late development.Consider the main degrees of development of osteochondrosis:
- A situation where the nucleus pulposus moves through the intervertebral disc.It is characterized by pain caused by irritation of the nerve roots of the fibrous ring and longitudinal ligaments.Discomfort is felt locally in the area where the defective disc is located.The pain can be sharp with shooting or constant darkness.
- When the fibrous layer of the intervertebral disc is destroyed, the mobility of the elements of the spinal column in this area increases, they become unstable relative to each other.To eliminate these pathological manifestations, it is necessary to constantly tense the muscles of this area, which ultimately leads to chronic fatigue in the lower back.
- Next, a breakthrough occurs in the fibrous ring, which causes the nucleus to escape beyond the borders of the disc and creates an intervertebral hernia.Such a case is followed by stretching of the nerve endings, which is called "radicular syndrome".
- The next degree of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region occurs with severe deformation of the spine in this part.Mobility problems appear, but the pain syndrome, oddly enough, disappears at this stage.However, you should not rejoice;This does not mean that the disease is dying.
- The last degree is characterized by pathological growth of bone tissue and general deterioration of health.
Depending on the degree of lumbar osteochondrosis, certain treatment methods are used.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis in the lower back
The main symptom is combat syndrome in the lower back.At the same time, the sensations of pain, the area of their localization and the direction of their spread may differ.This happens because, depending on the degree of damage to the intervertebral disc and surrounding tissues, certain nerve receptors are irritated.In addition, the presence of a protrusion or the hernia itself, the direction of its removal and many other factors play a role.
The main symptoms of lumbar spine osteochondrosis are:
- The presence of excruciating pain in the lower back, which tends to intensify with sudden movement or, on the contrary, without being in a position for a long time.The pain decreases if you take a horizontal position.
- In addition, weakness in the area of the body below the abdomen, including the lower extremities, is likely, as well as a dull tendon reflex in the legs.
- The probability of curvature of the lumbar spine is high.There is a classification of such curvature, for example, when the emphasis is on the right or left side, they talk about scoliosis, lordosis is a state of forward bending, kyphosis is a case when the natural lumbar curve seems to be flattened.
- With a serious development of the disease, it is possible to stretch the channels of the spinal cord, which can cause its dysfunction and cause uncontrolled urination and defecation.
Additional symptoms include:
- The presence of numbness and "coldness" of the skin of the back and buttocks.
- Scaly, dry and blue skin in the same areas.
- Urinary disorder.
- erection problems.
The presence of these symptoms should alert a person;You should not refuse them, this will only lead to greater neglect.In this case, you should definitely consult a doctor for accurate diagnosis and treatment.By the way, treatment can be in the hospital or at home, but more on that later.
Diagnosis of the disease
When making a diagnosis, it is important to understand how far the disease has progressed.Palpation is the easiest way to determine the pain points in the lower back.As a rule, this method is not very informative, and in addition, examinations are carried out that give a more detailed clinical picture:
- X-ray, is an inexpensive and widespread method, it is possible to assess the condition of both the spine and individual vertebrae, for example, in the lumbar region in question.The technique is not very precise;It only allows us to indirectly understand how intact the intervertebral discs and spinal canals are.
- Computed tomographyA more accurate method that allows you to assess the level of damage to the discs between the vertebrae, nerve roots and canals of the spinal cord.
- Magnetic resonance imagingThe most accurate method gives a complete picture of the damage in detail, but it is quite expensive and unavailable.
It should be noted that the diagnostic process is very important, since all the details of the developed osteochondrosis are important for the doctor when prescribing treatment tactics.
Complications of osteochondrosis
The main complication of the pathology is hernia and rash, which inevitably appear in case of neglect of treatment and development of the disease.Other complications may include:
- Inflammation of the sciatic nerve.
- Spondyloarthrosis.
- Schmorl's hernia.
- spondylosis.
- Problems caused by stretching of the spinal canal.
- Functional disorders in the pelvis.
- Development of lameness.
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis
When diagnosing osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, a wide range of therapy is required, the main aspects of which will be:
- Use of moderate loads.
- special medicines.
- Traction of the spine.
- Manual therapy sessions.
- Physiotherapy.
- Therapeutic massages.
The concept of "treatment" of osteochondrosis implies:
- suppression of inflammation.
- Alleviation of pain syndrome.
- Complex for strengthening the waist and surrounding muscle groups.
- Relieving chronic muscle tension.
- Increasing the functioning of the pelvic organs.
- Normalization of blood circulation and metabolism in the pathological area.
Treatment with drugs
A similar approach to the treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis includes taking medications, injections of special preparations, and the use of ointments and gels for external use.The main task of such drugs is to neutralize pain and inflammation.
Depending on the degree of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the doctor may prescribe the following drugs:
- Analgesics that have a pain-relieving effect.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- For muscle spasms, antispasmodics.
- Medicines for the restoration of cartilage tissue, called chondroprotectors.Their effectiveness has not been proven, so they are rarely used in traditional medicine.
- In case of serious pathologies, when the above remedies do not help, apply corticosteroids.
- Vitamin complexes.
In addition to these drugs, drugs are prescribed in tablets, the purpose of which is to calm the nervous system and fight against stress and depression.
Physiotherapy treatment for lumbar osteochondrosis
The treatment process is rarely limited to just taking pills.It is impossible to cure this pathology without stimulating the recovery processes of the spine.A wide range of physiotherapeutic procedures are used for these purposes, the most popular of which are:
- Phonophoresis.
- Therapy with diadynamic currents.
- laser therapy.
In addition, the spine must be subjected to useful loads while simultaneously stretching it.Different types of therapeutic massage are ideal for this.It should be remembered that massage is used only for pain relief.As a rule, it is carried out as a restorative measure, when the disease remission process has started, or during chronic osteochondrosis.After the massage, the muscles overloaded by illness are well relaxed;Its effect will be significantly enhanced when heated at the same time, for example, in a bath or sauna.In the latter case, we will achieve the maximum effect due to additional stimulation of blood circulation in the pathological area and surrounding areas.
Another method of physical therapy is manual therapy.Its advantages are generally the same as those of massage, but in addition, with the help of such techniques, the specialist can return the displaced vertebrae to their normal position.
Therapeutic exercise
Therapeutic exercises are also used as a restorative and preventive measure in the period when pain and inflammation have already been removed.The key to high efficiency of therapeutic exercises is the regularity of exercises;In this case, the damaged area will constantly receive the necessary physical activity for the self-generation and restoration of new tissue.
Surgical operations in lumbar osteochondrosis
Surgery is the last resort for serious complications.The most common of these is an intervertebral hernia, when a so-called "discectomy" or removal of the damaged intervertebral disc is performed.Surgery is very effective, however, as a last resort, it is prescribed only if other methods of therapy have failed for more than 6 months.Modern medicine also offers less traumatic methods of performing such an operation, for example, microsurgical or endoscopic methods.