Lumbar osteochondrosis is a degenerative and dystrophic disease of the lumbar spine.With the development of the disease, intervertebral discs suffer more, damage also extend to joint surfaces, ligaments, vertebrae.
The participation of spinal spine osteochondrosis is 80% of all diseases of the peripheral nervous system.In 60 to 80% of cases, this is lumbar osteochondrosis.At least 7 out of 10 people experience regular lower back pain throughout their lives.For periods of exacerbations, on average, 3 to 16 days a year are responsible.But the disease can and should be treated to maintain high quality life and the health of the muscle system.We will give you why this disease develops, how it manifests itself and what should be the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.
What is osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a chronic spine, which is accompanied by a change in structure (destruction) and a decrease in volume (dystrophy) of intervertebral discs.They begin to stand out in the spinal cord and tighten the blood vessels.In addition, the disease is characterized by the destruction of the arched joints between the thorny processes of the vertebrae.
With osteochondrosis, osteophytes are also formed.This is the name of pathological growths, which are a consequence of marginal bone growth.It is facilitated by a violation of calcium metabolism in vertebrae and high loads that cause their deformation.
Attention!Lumbar osteochondrosis is characterized by all pathological processes inherent in osteochondrosis in general.But they only affect the lumbar spinal spine, which includes 5 vertebrae.
The reasons for development and risk factors
To understand the causes of lumbar osteochondrosis, you need to know the structure of the spine.It is a column consisting of the vertebrae, which are connected with us discs and intervertebral ligaments.The holes within them form a hollow channel.Inside is the spinal cord, whose roots arise between each pair of vertebrae.
When a person leans, the spine folds.At the fold site, the intervertebral discs are compacted and their nuclei are displaced.This reduces pressure on the spine column during loads.Thus, the intervertebral disc is a biological damper.When it fails to perform a shock absorption function, osteochondrosis develops.
The following factors predisposed to the development of pathology:
- Sedentary or very hard work.In the sitting position, the corset muscles are relaxed, which increases the load in the spine.The heavy elevator leads to this.
- Hypodinamia.In people who carry a sedentary lifestyle, muscle corset is not developed hard enough to keep the spine in the right position.
- Overweight body weight.Overweight presses the spine column and overload it.
- Endocrine diseases.Hormones affect metabolism, including intra-national.Hormonal imbalance can lead to a violation of calcium metabolism.
- Inadequate nutrition.Insufficient intake of vitamins, minerals and proteins interrupts spine nutrition and leads to changes in its tissues.
- Pathology of the musculoskeletal system.Osteochondrosis can occur against boring feet bottom, lesions and curvature of the spine spine.
- Genetic predisposition.The risk of developing osteochondrosis increases if you have close relatives.
- Age -related changes.With age, elasticity and spine mobility.
In men, lumbar spine osteochondrosis is more common.This is due to the fact that your work is often associated with heavy physical work.Men are also undergoing large loads during strength training at the gym.
Symptoms of Lumbar Osteochondrosis
Pain is the main sign of the disease.Its character, location and direction of the distribution are determined by the receiver that was arrested in the spine.Normally, patients complain of painful pain, which intensifies with a change in body position, a long absence of a change in the pose and sudden movements.With lumbar osteochondrosis, it often gives it to the leg, sacred or groin.In a horizontal position, the pain disappears.
Other possible symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis:
- A sensation of tension in the lower back due to flexion and extension.It is caused by a displacement of the roots of the spinal cord.
- A feeling of weakness in the legs.Perhaps the extinction of the tendon's reflexes in them.This is due to the compaction of nerve fibers that lead signs from the brain to the lower limbs.
- The curvature of the lumbar spine to the side (scoliosis) or forward (lordosis), softening their natural curves (kyphosis).
- Untilty urination and defecation (if the spinal cord is stuck).For the same reason, an erection can be harmed in men.
- The cooling of the lower back.The buttocks can also get cold.This happens with lumbosacro osteochondrosis, whose symptoms and treatment are similar to pathology, located only in the lower back.
- Damage sensitivity violations.They can last from a few minutes to several hours.Sensitivity may increase, decrease or disappear.Perhaps the development of paresthesia - tingling feelings and scarlet shivers.
Lumbar spine osteochondrosis, symptoms and treatment of which we will analyze in this article is an insidious disease.It starts with discomfort and light pain.But they are ignored because they pass quickly after rest.Over the years, the pathology advances, its signs are improved.And only when pain becomes unbearable, patients seek medical help.
Lumbar osteochondrosis
The development of lumbar osteochondrosis includes 4 stages:
- The first stage is characterized by the core displacement of the intervertebral disc.It is accompanied by a poor monotonous lumbar pain, intensifying during movement.Short tingling on the back and buttocks is possible.
- In the second stage, the fibrous ring of the intervertebral disc is destroyed, which leads to the approach of the vertebrae.They tighten nerve endings, which causes intense pain as walking.It can spread to the buttocks, thigh and leg.If you double, the pain is less than the burning, sometimes a feeling of cold.
- In the third stage, complete destruction of fibrous rings occurs.Propheses (hernias) appear - protruding intervertebral discs in the spinal cord.Lumbar department vertebrae are deformed.The pain is constantly felt, but at rest is weaker.
- In the last step, the osteophytes are formed, the spine cartilage fabric is destroyed.The pain disappears and then aggravates with renewed vigor.Body movements become limited.
Early diagnosis of lumbar osteochondrosis, whose symptoms and treatment are closely interconnected, are very important.The less pathology manifests itself, more effective is treated.Therefore, a doctor should visit when any pain in the incomprehensible and lower back appear.
Possible complications
If there is no treatment for 1 and 2 degrees of development of lumbar osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernias are formed.This indicates the transition from the disease to the final stages and threatens the development of complications such as:
- inflammation of the sciatic nerve;
- Arthrosis (destruction) of intervertebral joints;
- Destruction of the fibrous ring of intervertebral discs;
- narrowing of the intervertebral channel;
- Spinal cord dysfunction as a result of compression;
- Horse tail syndrome;
- Schmorl Hernia;
- lameness and stiffness of the movements.
Properly selected treatment will help to avoid herniate formation with lumbar osteochondrosis and other complications.It is prescribed after a diagnostic study of the patient.Otherwise, the disease will continue to progress, which may lead to the development of disability.
Diagnostic methods
With lumbar pain, you should contact a neurologist.He will hear complaints, examine and feel his back, ask about existing diseases.In addition, the doctor can prescribe:
- X -Ray.A ray image of the spinal spine will help to evaluate the condition of intervertebral discs and spinal cord.In the absence of visible changes, 1st degree lumbar osteochondrosis is diagnosed.
- Computer Tomography (CT).Assign if a root x showed changes in the lumbar spine.With your help, you can evaluate the degree of damage to the discs, nerve endings and the spinal cord shell.
- Magnetic resonance tomography (magnetic resonance imaging).It is an alternative to CT, which can be prescribed in the presence of against -indications to a study of radius.Suitable for pregnant and lactating women.
Sometimes computed and magnetic resonance tomography is performed with intravenous contrast administration.This is the name of a substance that highlights tissues inside.With it, you can get the photos of the maximum quality spine.CT and contrast magnetic resonance imaging are performed to exclude tumors with non -characteristic symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis, and treatment in this case is postponed for the final diagnosis.
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis and its types
The doctor prescribes the treatment taking into account the stage of development of the pathology.It is designed to eliminate pain, interrupt inflammatory processes, restore metabolism and blood circulation in the lesion area.With lumbar department osteochondrosis, treatment also involves adopting a complex of measures designed to strengthen the lower back, legs and buttocks.
Most treatment methods are conservative.They include drug therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures and physiotherapy exercises, folkloric remedies.When changing to 3 degrees, the treatment of lumbosacra spine osteochondrosis with conservative methods does not always lead to the desired result.In this case, the patient's condition can facilitate surgery.
Medicine treatment
Drug therapy is effective in 1 and 2 stages of pathology.But it is important to remember that drug selection is determined by symptoms caused by lumbar osteochondrosis, and treatment is a treatment strictly prescribed by medicines.You cannot simply go to the pharmacy and ask for a medicine for osteochondrosis.Even if it is sold to you, the treatment will not be effective.
The patient can be shown the following drug groups:
- Painkillers.They help to get rid of the intense pain by preventing lumbar osteochondrosis.They can be used locally (ointments, gels), collected inward (tablets) or administered intramuscularly using a syringe (solution).
- Non -steroid anti -inflammatory drugs.They have a triple action: reduce temperature, relieve pain, reduce inflammation.They are prescribed if, with lumbar osteochondrosis, the lower back hurts or the sciatic nerve is inflamed.To relieve pain, gels are used locally, to combat inflammation, take pills or injections.
- Muslaxantes.This is the name of remedies that relieve painful muscle cramps.They are taken orally in the form of pills or administered in the form of a solution.
- Condropoprotectors.Provide effective treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis with drugs in the early stages, provided your full course is approved.This group of medicines prevents the destruction of intervertebral discs and regenerates them.
To restore intraosseous metabolism, the patient receives prescribed vitamins and vitamin-minineral complexes.The doctor may also recommend compliance with the diet.Its goal is not only a decrease in body weight, but also the enrichment of the body with proteins, natural vitamins and minerals.
Physiotherapy
With lumbar spine osteochondrosis, drug treatment is not enough.It should also include physical therapy methods.They relieve pain, relax the muscles, and restore local metabolism.Often, patients receive the following procedures:
- laser therapy (spine exposure with a laser);
- Magnetic Resonance Therapy (exposure to the magnetic field);
- Darsonvalization (exposure to the area of damage to high frequency pulsed currents);
- Phonoforesis (administration of medical solutions in deep layers of the skin using ultrasound).
Manual therapy also has high efficiency.The back massage with lumbar osteochondrosis is prescribed after the disappearance of the pain.It relates the muscles, accelerates blood circulation and therefore tissue nutrition.It is useful to combine massage with a bath or sauna.But heating procedures are allowed only during periods of disease remission.
Medical Physical Education
The gymnastics for lumbar osteochondrosis includes exercises designed to strengthen muscle corset.They also increase the mobility of the spine and increase blood circulation in its tissues.This interrupts degenerative processes and improves the patient's condition.
The Exercise Therapy Base Complex includes 5 exercises:
- Cheering.Strengthen the muscles of the abdomen.Lie down your back, bend your knees and cross your arms behind your head.Then breathe and, exhaling, lift the trunk as if you want to touch the pubis.The lumbar region must remain pressed on the floor.
- "Cat" exercise.Relax the muscles from the back, unload the spine.Stay in the karachka (on your knees, resting with your palms on the floor).Raise your head and bend your back the way the cat does when he sees the danger.Then lower your head and lean your back, as the cat does when you wake up.
- The curves lying down.Strengthens the oblique muscles of the abdomen and hips.Link your back, cross your arms behind your head, fold your knees and press them to each other.Without disconnecting your legs, first turns to the right, tap the floor with them, return to the original position and do the same with the left side.The torso must remain motionless.
- Bumping bridge.Strengthens the muscles of the buttocks, avoids the curvature of the spine and soften its curves.Lie on the floor, put your arms along the body, fold your legs on your knees.Raise the pelvis and remain in this position for 5 seconds.
- Exercise to stretch the lower back and legs.Sit on the floor, stretch your legs in front of you, spread your shoulders over the width.First, lean into one leg, pull it with your hands to the foot, feel like the muscles extend.Stay for 20 to 30 seconds.Now do the same with the second leg.
You should start with a minimum number of exercise repetitions, gradually leading them to the maximum (3 approach 10 to 20 times).They must be performed every day.This takes no more than 10 to 15 minutes, but helps to avoid a relapse of osteochondrosis.
Attention!The gymnastics is against -Indicated in acute lumbar pain.
Traditional medicine
At home, the treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis can be performed by popular medicines.They will not replace drug therapy, but will become a good complement to it.In the table below, we provide several more effective recipes for traditional medicine against lower back pain.
Boil water in a pan so that the strong steam comes from it.Hold some Bardana leaves for 10 minutes.| Meaning | Action | Culinary | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adam's root dye | Heating, analgesic. | Grate 200 g of root in a thin grater, place in a jar and pour 0.5 liters of vodka.Put in a dark place and insist 5 days. | Rub the tincture in the lower back, place a wool belt on top or tie a hot scarf. |
| Bedana leaves compress. | Anesthetic. | Boil water in a pan so that the strong steam comes from it.Hold some Bardana leaves for 10 minutes. | Apply leaves to the pain location site.Cover with plastic wrap and get involved.Keep 1-2 hours. |
| Pine bath | Heating, relaxing, analgesic. | Pour a hot shower, put several branches of spruce or pine in the water.Add 10 drops of essential oil from any conifer tree (cedar, pine, fireplace, juniper). | Take a bath lasting 10 to 15 minutes.Then clean the drought and get wrapped. |
| Herbal decoction | Vitamin metabolism, anti -inflammatory, normalizing. | Put 10 g of insole leaves, hop cones, thymus and fish -saber in a pan.Pour 500 ml of water, put it on the stove and boil.Turn off the heat.Cover with a lid and let it make it for 1 hour.Variety. | Take 1/4 of art.After eating three times a day.The course of treatment is 1 month.The maximum duration is 6 months. |
| Lidocaine ointment | Anesthetic. | Melt and cold 200 g of Smalz, add 75 g of bee wax, 30 g from the root of the chopped alteum to dust state.Pour 1 ampoule of lidocaine into the mixture, mix everything until smooth. | Rub in sore points as needed.Store no more than 6-7 weeks. |
Attention!The possibility of using non -traditional medicine recipes depends on what type of lumbar osteochondrosis are symptoms, and home treatment should be strictly controlled by a doctor.
Surgical treatment of osteochondrosis lumbar
Surgical intervention is a radical method.Therefore, they resort to it only with the development of complications or in the case where conservative methods did not have the necessary result.Generally, at this point, the disease reaches 3 or 4 stages of development.
With osteochondroscro osteochondroscro, treatment with an operational method usually implies a disco removal from a destroyed intervertebral disc.Less usually removes an entire vertebra, squeezing the nerve fibers.Instead of discs and vertebrae, artificial prostheses or fragments obtained from the patient's rowing are inserted into the spine.To avoid vertebral displacement and disease progression, they are immobilized.For this, the spine of the spine is strengthened with metal plates and screws.
The operation is performed under local anesthesia through a 3-5 cm in length incision.For spine access, tissues are pressed by a special tool.From the introduction of anesthesia to the suture, the wound goes from 1.5 to 2 hours.
Attention!Modern technologies allow you to perform operations using an endoscope - a long, flexible tool, inside through an incision about 1 cm long.
Prevention of Lumbar Osteochondrosis
To maintain the health of the musculoskeletal system, preventive measures must be taken.They will reduce the risk of osteochondrosis.And if pathological changes in the spine have already begun, they will help to avoid their additional development.
Preventive tips:
- If you have sedentary work, put a roll or special orthopedic pillow on the bottom.
- Seen the climate and do not allow hypothermia from the back and the lower back.
- Make gymnastics, running or other easy sport.
- Feeling discomfort or lower back, consult a doctor immediately.
- Refuse bad habits and eat correctly.
- Sit in hard chairs with your back.Furniture up cannot support the body of the body;Therefore, the column should carry the entire load.
- The perfect height of the stool is equal to the length of the leg.Then, when sitting, the legs rest on the floor.If the growth is small, you can put a support under your feet.
- The ideal depth of sitting is 2/3 of hip length.You can less, but not anymore.
- Under the work area, the legs should be spacious.
- You feel so that the back rests on the back of the chair.
- When sitting, do not lean your head or body - keep you straight.
- Not to tilt your head as you read, use a pupista.
- After many hours of driving, perform several gymnastics exercises.
- Change the pose every 10 to 15 minutes, trusting first and then the other leg.
- If you can move in place, do it.
- Every hour, make some inclinations back with your hands raised.During the slope, take a deep breath.This exercise relaxes the back and belt as well as the back of the head and neck.
- If you work on your feet (passing, cook), place a bench under one leg.Its height must be equal to the height of an internship.
- In order not to bend during home cleaning, prolide the cleaning powder hose, with an additional tube.And to wash the floor, use a mop.You can wash the floor, crawling on your knees, but without leaning out of the position of standing.
- Sleep in a hard orthopedic mattress.
- Instead of the mattress, a thick solid shield (plywood) is suitable, covered with foam rubber with a thickness of up to 8 cm.Put a wool blanket and a sheet on top.
- If your legs hurt, put a folded towel in a roll under your knees.
- If you like to sleep on your stomach, put a thin pillow under it.
- If you like to sleep on your side, put one leg from the other and your hands under your head.
- Distribute the load in both hands evenly.Frequent use in the same hand leads to the curvature of the spine.
- If you have already diagnosed osteochondrosis, do not use items that weigh more than 15 kg.To move them, it is better to use a bag with wheels or cart.
- If you need to increase and transfer a heavy item, first squat, holding your straight back.Then take the weight, climb the feet and carry it, pressing it to the stomach.To decrease the heavy object, you also need to squat.
- Eat 3-4 times a day.
- Enrich the diet with protein: fish, low fat meat, vegetables, cottage cheese.
- Limit the consumption of sweets, cooking and fatty foods.
- Include more vegetables and fruits in the diet.
- Consume products rich in calcium and phosphorus (cheese, dairy, fish).
- Not eating too much - Excessive calories is deposited in the form of fats, which leads to the formation of overweight.