With back pain complaints, patients turn to doctors almost more often than colds.The discomfort of the lumbar spine may be a symptom of various diseases, but in 80% of cases doctors are diagnosed with osteochondrosis.Both 30-50 years old and older men and women face it.Recently, osteochondrosis has been diagnosed with patients under 25 years of age.The prevention, symptoms and treatment of the disease are analyzed in detail in this article.
Previously, it was believed that osteochondrosis was inevitable and the abnormalities of the spinal are caused by age -related changes.Modern medicine considers osteochondrosis as a disease that requires treatment and can be prevented and then postponed for years.
Reasons
It is believed that, as such, the cause of lumbar osteochondrosis cannot be distinguished.The development of the disease causes factors that are distinguished:
- Sitting lifestyle.Working on computer, lack of physical exercises, and avoiding hiking contributes to the fact that the back muscles are weakened and the spinal load increases.
- Violation of metabolism and disease of the endocrine system.These processes exacerbate the nutrition of spinal tissues.
- Already existing diseases of the muscle bone system:Flat legs, curvature of the spine.
- Excessive physical activity, especially weight lifting.The risk zone includes athletes dealing with difficult athletics, movers and transport workers.
- Malnutrition, overweight, insufficient sleep, stress.
The degree of osteochondrosis of the lumbar
Osteochondrosis develops gradually:
- In the first stage, the core of the pier inside the vertebrate plate changes.As a result, one feels pain because the nerve endings of the fibrous ring are squeezed.The pain can be local and acute - like a shutter or long and stupid.
- The second stage begins with the destruction of the fibrous ring.The vertebrae become unstable, mobile and cannot fully fulfill their function.The muscles surrounding the spine are in constant tension.Patients feel fatigue, in the back, as after hard work.
- In the third phase of osteochondrosis, the fibrous ring breaks, the coat core comes out and the formation of the disk hernia.At this time, patients detect severe back pain and restrictive movement.The reason for this is the compression of the nerve roots with the rain fragments.
- The fourth stage of the disease results in an imaginary relief: patients do not suffer painful pain, although motor activity remains limited.The issue of disability arises.
- In the final stage of osteochondrosis, bone tissue begins to grow.
Osteochondrosis is not considered a light disease that requires minimal intervention.In case of pain in the lumbar spine, you should consult a doctor who chooses treatment depending on the stage.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis
The first symptom to which patients immediately pay attention to is pain.Its intensity depends on the stage of the disease and the destruction of the intervertebral disc and cartilage tissue.
The nature of the pain is influenced by the presence of protrusion or hernia.Signs of lumbar osteochondrosis are as follows:
- Pain syndrome in the lumbar spine.Patients complain of pain, which will be acute with sharp movements and a long stay in a position.
- Often the feeling of weakness or fatigue of the legs and the lack of reflexes of the legs are connected to the pain.
- During visual examination, the curvature of the spine in the lumbar region can be observed.Osteochondrosis is skoliosis (the spine can be the result of bending to the right or left, lordosis (when the spinal column leans forward) and kyphosis (when, on the contrary, natural bends are smooth).
- Occasionally the vertebrae fix the spinal cord, and the patients feel numb the lower limbs, rarely uncontrolled urination and stool.
Lumbar osteochondrosis is often accompanied by the following symptoms:
- decrease in the lower limbs, numbness of the lower body;
- Dry skin in the lower back, pale skin;
- Sweating violation;
- Lack of control over urination.
Diagnosis
Before you diagnose, the doctor learns the nature of the pain, collects the history, and then feel the groin.In addition, the patient is sent to many procedures:
- X -Ray.The image shows the state of the spinal column, it can evaluate the integrity of the intervertebral plates, and to recognize the presence of hernia and protrusions.
- Tomography.In addition, it gives an image of the condition of the intervertebral plates and helps you find out that there is an injury to the brain.
- MRI.A particularly accurate study is used to clarify the diagnosis and details of the general image of the disease.
Timely diagnosis is the key to successful treatment and minimal destruction of the spine.
Complication
You cannot handle lumbar osteochondrosis easily.This common illness is accompanied by complications affecting the quality of life.The most common followers of osteochondrosis are:
- protrusion and hernia;
- Inflammation of the nerve;
- osteophytosis;
- spondylarthrosis;
- Compression stenosis of the spinal canal, which leads to a spinal cord violation;
- lameness;
- Paresis of the lower limbs.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine
It is impossible to completely cure osteochondrosis, but doctors are able to stop the disease, eliminate pain and restore motor activity.Patients prescribe comprehensive treatment that begins with a change in lifestyle: balanced nutrition, eight -hour sleep, physical activity (classes of physiotherapy exercises in the house and special centers), and choosing a suitable place for sleep.
If the patient spends more than three hours a day while sitting at the table, you need to change the position of your body every 40 minutes: walk, make more tendencies.
Medicines, massage, physiotherapy and spine adhesion are used to reduce pain syndrome.As a result, the purpose of all manipulations is:
- Encouraging effects.
- Eliminating acute pain.
- Confirmation of muscles (use of charge and massage).
- Improving blood circulation.
- Recovering sensitivity in the lower body.
In rare cases, treatment requires surgical intervention.
Drug treatment
Ointments, tablets and injections are used to treat osteochondrosis.All drugs are used to relieve the pain and the inflammatory process.Usually patients are prescribed:
- Non -steroid anti -inflammatory drugs - diclofenac, ibuprofen and analogs.
- Painkillers.
- Chondroprotectors.Prevent further destruction of cartilage tissue.
- Corticosteroids.
- Music to remove muscle spasm.
- Vitamins.
Musorelaxants and antidepressants prescribed to relieve cramps should be taken under the strict supervision of a doctor.
How is lumbar osteochondrosis with physiotherapy?
Patients often ask the question: Can only cure lumbar osteochondrosis?As a general rule, drugs are lost only by pain, but physiotherapy stops the cause of the pain - destroying intervertebral discs, stimulating metabolism and preventing the disease from developing.Used in the fight against osteochondrosis:
- phonophoresis;
- Darsonvalization;
- Diadynamic current;
- Magnetic resonance therapy;
- laser;
- Amplimuls.
Massage is not prescribed during aggravation, only if the painful attacks of pain are removed during the chronic age of pain.In addition to manual exposure, doctors advise you to visit the sauna to heat up and relax the sick muscles, to improve blood circulation.Massage can help stimulate blood circulation in the area affected by the disease, normalize tissue nutrition, relax the muscles, and return to the displaced vertebrae.
Therapeutic gymnastics
No ointment or massage can return mobility as physiotherapy physical education can return the spine.Active lifestyle, economical sports stop the development of osteochondrosis and restore the amplitude of the movements.In the early stages of the disease, there is virtually no restriction on sport.In more severe cases, special therapeutic exercises should be started.Classes should be done regularly and the load is gradually increasing.
First of all, all movement can harm, but this is not the reason for stopping treatment.Over time, the muscles become stronger and the joints are more mobile.
You don't have to attend the gym, the home classes will be effective.
Surgical intervention
Usually the treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis is carried out by conservative methods.Operations are necessary in rare cases.
Surgery intervention is required in cases where medication can no longer be influenced if there is a vertebral hernia.The vertebrae protrudes from the fibrous ring and trapped in the nerve root and causes unbearable pain to the patient.In such cases, a disk removal is required.The actual and the least traumatic methods are regarded as microsurgery and endoscopic intervention.
Folk medicines
Often due to back pain, patients try to cope with folk medicines.It should be remembered to consult a doctor before using them and use such treatment only as an additional treatment, including official medicine.Folk medicines are good for their availability, the main ingredients that everyone can find at home.
Recipes of folk medicine:
Homemade painkillers
To prepare the ointment, you need to take 300 ml of alcohol, 10 drops of iodine, analgin in tablets, 10 drops of camphor.All parts are mixed while the tablets should be crushed into dust.The solution is applied to a sore spot.You have to be prepared for the fact that camphor gives a slight burning feeling on the skin that must go within 7-10 minutes.
Compress from honey and potatoes
Mix the grated raw potatoes with a small amount of honey.The resulting mass is applied to the sore spot and tied with a cloth.Hold the compression for up to two hours.
Anesthetic ointment with ginger
The grated or finely chopped garlic and the ginger are mixed with butter.Consistency should be like an ointment or cream.
At night, the lower part is rubbed to eliminate the pain that prevents patients from falling asleep.
Bath baths with herbs
Warm water with herbs relaxes muscles, improves blood circulation, soothes pain and inflammation.
- The decoction of birch leaves is used to treat back pain.A concentrated solution is added for approx.With 40 degrees of water.The procedure is up to 30 minutes.
- The bathroom with brown leaves is quite relaxed.Cook the horse's chestnut leaves with water, boil and approx.They insist for an hour.The resulting solution is then added to the bath.The duration of this procedure is up to 20 minutes.
- Inflammatory and soothing effects are infusions of chamomile flowers.The pharmacy is finished fees - bags and standard deviation.Cook them with hot water and stick for 30-40 minutes.Add the finished solution to the bath.You can spend up to 30 minutes in such a bath.
- Baths with needles relax the muscles and soothe the sore back, but are contraindicated in allergies.Pine, pine or cedar needles should be poured with water and cooked for 15-20 minutes.Add the finished soup to a bath with hot (about 45 degrees) water.The procedure time is up to 30 minutes.
Remember that a doctor consultation is required before bathing.Some herbs have contraindications.It should be remembered that hot baths are not presented to patients with cardiovascular disease.In addition, people cannot be treated with baths and other folk drugs such as the miracle cure of osteochondrosis.
An integrated approach helps to fight the disease: a combination of active lifestyle, proper nutrition, sport, medical treatment, physiotherapy and folk remedies help to cope with lumbar osteochondrosis.