Osteochondrosis is the most severe form of degenerative lesions of the spine, 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 early as possible, then this condition leads to deformation of the bodies of the adjacent vertebrae, intervertebral joints. Blood 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, which is caused by osteochondrosis and its complications. Among all the reasons for the loss of the ability to move normally, this disease takes one of the first places.
Reasons
One of the causes of the disease is bad posture, but there are others:
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine, whose symptoms and treatment bring a lot of discomfort to the patient, occurs most often due to increased load on the spine. That is why the disease manifests itself more often in those whose work activity is associated with physical work and weight lifting.
- Another factor that provokes the disease is excess weight, which increases the pressure on the spinal column.
- Absence of any load and physical inactivity worsen the nutrition of disc tissue and slow down blood flow, metabolic processes in the spine. The muscle corset is significantly weakened and creates a favorable background for the development of pathological changes.
- An incorrect position of the body, if the patient likes to sit with a hunched spine, leads to the fact that the load on the discs and vertebrae is uneven, the discs are deformed and wear out quickly.
- Often the cause of osteochondrosis of the lumbar part, the symptoms of which bring a lot of inconvenience to the patient's life, can be injuries. They occur during sports, performing exercises without proper preparation, improper lifting of heavy weights, injuries during falls.
- Some experts believe that osteochondrosis is predetermined even at the genetic level, regardless of the department in which degenerative changes are observed.
- The patient's age also has a special influence: as the years pass, the segments of the spinal column lose their mobility, elasticity, and therefore are susceptible to destruction and deformation. Earlier, osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, whose symptoms 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 in 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;
- stress;
- malnutrition;
- violation of work and rest regime;
- poor environmental conditions.
At the first appearance of complaints in the lumbar region, it is better to seek the advice of a doctor.
Classification by degrees of osteochondrosis
The classification of osteochondrosis by degrees 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 feel pain:
- The first degree occurs when the disc ruptures, which is caused by sudden movements. It manifests itself in the form of severe sudden pains, a feeling of being shocked occurs in the spine, muscles are reflexively tense.
- The second degree of symptoms resembles intervertebral protrusion and instability of the spinal trunk. The pain is aggravated by physical activity. Constantly alternating exacerbations and remissions. If osteochondrosis occurs in the cervical region, then the pain intensifies when a person stays in one position for a long time, frequent headaches, discomfort in the arm and shoulder, fatigue in the lower extremities are disturbed.
- The third degree manifests itself in the form of symptoms of a herniated disc: numbness of the limbs, change in posture and gait, headache and discomfort along the affected nerve. Symptoms may resemble kidney disease, gastrointestinal tract, disorders in the reproductive system.
- The fourth stage begins with the fact that the hernia is not felt, the manifestations may weaken, but the symptoms of instability of the spinal trunk, twisting of the vertebrae still persist. In addition, growths of the vertebral bodies can appear, which often compress the spinal nerves or block the canal, squeezing the brain with its back. This degree can be attributed to the consequences of surgery, if the hernia was removed surgically.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the symptoms of which bring a lot of inconvenience, is a rather unpleasant disease. It requires urgent complex treatment and constant monitoring by a specialist.
Symptoms of pathology
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 problems often occur in different parts of the body that are in no way related to the back.
In the early stage of the disease, pain may appear after heavy physical exertion or a long stay in one position, for example, a person often spends time sitting at a computer. As the disease progresses, the pain becomes chronic. If the pain syndrome does not manifest itself, then in its place there may be discomfort that interferes with normal life. The complex of symptoms can be as follows:
- pain in the lumbar region, which often spreads to the buttocks or leg;
- muscle spasms with a long stay in a statistical position;
- constant tension of the back muscles;
- shooting pains in the back, which most often occur after a person has been in the cold for a long time;
- sensory disorders in the lower part of the patient's body;
- numbness of the legs, frequent tingling in the fingers;
- cold feet;
- sweating dysfunction;
- dryness of the skin in the area of pain.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine can worsen if measures are not taken to cure the patient or if one of the provoking factors becomes more intense. In this case, the pain syndrome moves to the lower extremities. A person tries to find the most optimal position in order to relieve his condition and not feel the unpleasant discomfort caused by the disease.
Diagnostic methods
In the beginning, before starting the diagnosis, the doctor should collect his patient's medical history, carefully examine him, assess his state of health. In addition, instrumental test 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 assess the risk of its occurrence. Examination of the patient consists of palpation of painful areas, percussion, external examination of the skin. In some patients, the doctor may test 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;
- MRI;
- CT.
All these diagnostic methods help to determine some characteristics of the development of the disease. MRI is considered the most informative of them, all because other methods image the human body in only a few projections and do not allow a closer look at the whole problem.
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which begin to disturb a person, is chosen by the 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 achieved if the patient has 1 and 2 degrees of the disease. But in any case, long-term treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region will be necessary, 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 the normal range of motion in the lumbar region and increase the sensitivity of the legs;
- improve the work of organs of the reproductive and excretory system.
Among the drugs, the doctor prefers the following:
- I definitely recommend painkillers. Analgesics help relieve pain, but they cannot remove the causes of the disease.
- To eliminate swelling and radicular pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used, and in severe cases, steroid-based 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 applied along the lumbar region. They are more often 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 to improve cellular metabolism, reduce inflammation and remove excess fluid from the body.
- Diuretics help to eliminate swelling.
- Immunostimulants increase the activity of the immune system and improve the body's defenses.
- Means to improve blood flow in the area affected by the disease, which are applied by drip intravenously.
Complementary therapies
The doctor can additionally recommend physiotherapy methods. Only drugs for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar sacral area, the symptoms of which bring pain to the patient, will not be enough. To eliminate pain and relieve muscle spasms, the following physiotherapy procedures are recommended to improve metabolic processes:
- amplipulse;
- electrophoresis;
- diadynamic currents;
- magnetic resonance therapy;
- magnetotherapy;
- laser treatment.
Therapeutic gymnastics will also not be superfluous, because with its help 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 worsening pathology, but also during recovery. Massage and reflexology give excellent results.
Operation
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 serious neurological and motor disorders and the appearance of hernias. During the operation, the herniated discs are removed, after which plastic surgery is performed, and the displaced vertebrae are reliably strengthened.
Folk methods of treatment
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine in men do not differ much from those observed 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 can also be recommended. The patient must coordinate all his actions with the doctor. Such herbal products gave good results in complex treatment:
- To prepare 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 the therapeutic infusion, it is necessary to lubricate the painful places at night. Place a dry woolen pad on the treated area.
- Mix equal amounts of butter and hop cones, this composition is applied to the lumbar region, when it has no strength to withstand pain and discomfort.
Folk remedies show good results in the early stages of treating 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 serious inconvenience, a person cannot sit normally, sleep well and constantly feels discomfort. If measures are not taken in time at the first manifestations of the disease, then osteochondrosis can lead to serious complications in the form of inflammation of the sciatic nerve. This disease is characterized by severe pain in the lumbar region and leg, perhaps even numbness of the limbs. To try to alleviate the pain, many patients walk, bending to the healthy side, but this position only worsens the disease: the degree of curvature of the spinal trunk increases, and the process of disc destruction accelerates.
Vertebral instability can be considered the most dangerous complication. The intervertebral discs cannot cope with the function of fixing the vertebrae, and the lumbar part, under heavy load, begins to slide down from the sacrum. This condition can lead to disturbances in the work of the internal organ system. 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 back muscles;
- maintain proper posture;
- strengthen the spine with regular physical activity;
- adhere to a proper diet;
- to 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 way of life.