The lumbar spine is quite mobile and at the same time experiences heavy loads regardless of the person's lifestyle and work. Therefore, osteochondrosis of the back is one of the most common cases of this disease. It affects both men and women, most often after 25-30 years, but recently the disease has become significantly younger. Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, without treatment, progresses continuously and eventually can even lead to disability.
Reasons
Osteochondrosis is a degenerative disease, as a result of which the intervertebral discs begin to collapse, the distance between the vertebrae and the discs changes, the vertebrae are displaced relative to each other, followed by irritation or compression of the spinal cord and nerves. endings and blood vessels running along the spine.
The causes that lead to the development of osteochondrosis are, as a rule, the result of excessive load on the spine: lifting heavy loads, being overweight, back injuries, sedentary lifestyle. The condition is significantly worsened by diseases that cause metabolic disorders, lack of sleep, stress and poor nutrition.
Symptoms
A common symptom of lumbar osteochondrosis is back pain. They are during physical activity, during rest, when changing posture, etc. can happen. Pain sensations can radiate, that is, they can spread further from the place where the nerve is pinched, for example, it radiates to the leg.
As the deformation of the spine worsens, it becomes painful to perform even very simple movements: bending, turning, etc. , This significantly worsens the quality of life. Symptoms of disorders of the genitourinary system, including forced urination, may also appear.
Complications
Without timely and adequate treatment, progressive deformations of the intervertebral discs can cause serious complications: the spine loses flexibility, and it becomes impossible to perform simple movements such as bending and turning due to pain. With a long course of the disease, complications extending to the genitourinary region and inflammation of the sciatic nerve are possible due to compression of nerves by bone growths. Pain can occur even with coughing or minor physical activity.
Treatment
Medicines for osteochondrosis, as a rule, relieve pain and bring only temporary relief. Some warm the muscles, locally increase superficial blood circulation, but this is clearly not enough for the complete regeneration of cartilage tissue. Especially if there is compression of nerves and blood vessels. Therefore, the symptoms of the disease usually recur quickly.
Due to the development of the disease, not only the spine itself suffers, but also muscles, blood vessels and even internal organs. The work of an osteopathic doctor is not aimed at treating the external symptoms of the disease, but at identifying and eliminating the main cause of its occurrence.
Osteopathic treatment has no contraindications for the treatment of osteochondrosis and is comfortable and safe for patients of any age. It helps to avoid surgical treatment in 90% of cases and is equally effective at any stage of the disease. Problems related to internal organs, especially caused by compression of the spinal cord and its roots. In addition, osteopathic treatment is definitely indicated for patients with disc herniations and protrusions. It is completely safe and extremely effective. According to our observations, this is probably the most effective treatment method.
Back pain, numbness spreading to the legs, a feeling that the legs literally fall off, bending, turning and inability to walk normally - these are common symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis.
Lumbar osteochondrosis is a "disease of civilization" directly related to the upright posture of a person. The disease causes stiffness of movement and back pain. These symptoms prevent an active lifestyle and can lead to more serious diseases, including internal organs. With osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, any sudden movement or weight lifting can cause severe pain in the lumbar region.
No two patients are the same. Everyone is unique. In our experience, we have come across diagnoses where the list of diseases looks like a quote from a medical encyclopedia. For example, patient Anastasia, 69 years old: coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, stage II hypertension, chronic cholecystitis, left kidney cyst, hyperplastic process of the endometrium. And finally, osteochondrosis of the back, polyosteoarthrosis, osteoporosis. How can we help such a patient? With so many serious neglected diseases? And what does lumbar osteochondrosis have to do with it?
The meaning of the treatment, as seen by the doctors of our centers, is to restore the speed and volume of the blood flow through the systemic circulation by performing successive exercises of the first, second and third floors of the body: that is. legs, abs and back.
In the absence of normal blood circulation in the spine, as well as in the spinal column, focusing on the internal organs of the pelvis, oxygen starvation occurs, which affects the normal functioning of the whole body. Thus, many diseases from the internal organs to the cardiovascular system.
As a rule, when examining patients with lumbar osteochondrosis, we determine excessive tension in the paravertebral muscles of the chest and spine, and generally lack of flexibility in the muscles of the thighs and lower limbs - that is, muscle stiffness. difficult
Most patients cannot reach the tips of their toes with their hands, often even reaching their knees. Muscles have become so weak that they cannot support their own body weight, let alone perform simple household chores.
Every day, the back, as the most loaded part, is exposed to a number of static and dynamic loads, therefore it is rightfully considered one of the most sensitive. Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the symptoms and treatment of which are discussed in this article, is a real "trouble" for patients after 35 years of age.
Lumbar osteochondrosisa pathology characterized by the development of dystrophic disorders in the intervertebral discs of the lumbosacral spine. Discs provide the flexibility and mobility of the spine, but due to the influence of a number of factors, their structure is disturbed, they lose their strength, elasticity, turgor, which can lead to protrusion and later - vertebral hernia, as well as compression of nerve endings and roots.
You can undergo a course of treatment for lumbar osteochondrosis in the clinic. Seeking professional medical help in time is an opportunity to stop the destructive processes and restore the health of the spine.
Reasons
Lumbar osteochondrosis can appear due to a number of factors:
- spinal injuries; ;
- static and dynamic overload of the spine;
- improper distribution of the load on the spine;
- vertebral mobility;
- intense physical activity;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- age-related changes.
Clinical manifestations
In the initial stage, the clinical manifestations of lumbar osteochondrosis are not clearly expressed in the form of limited mobility and stiffness. However, as the disease progresses, localized pain symptoms appear in the back and back. Pain spreads to the sacrum, legs and (sometimes) pelvic organs. When turning and bending, the pain intensifies and is often unbearable. In addition, the following symptoms are observed:
- limited movement;
- curvature, "bump", scoliosis in the back;
- muscle spasms;
- lameness in one or both legs;
- a feeling of weakness, a violation of the sensitivity of the skin of the legs, a decrease in reflexes - with compression of nerve endings.
Diagnostics
Before prescribing the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, specialists conduct comprehensive diagnostic studies that allow to make a correct diagnosis, determine the degree of development of the pathology and its consequences for both the spine and the patient's body as a whole. They include:
Osteochondrosis- It is one of the most common diseases of the 21st century.
Sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work, improper nutrition, constant stress - all these factors eventually lead to wear of intervertebral cartilage.
Cartilage loses its elasticity, becomes brittle and the disease progresses, significantly worsening the quality of life.
Patients with osteochondrosis experience problems of various complexity: from pain to dysfunction of internal organs.
The reasons for the development of osteochondrosis are:
- Age-related changes
- Spinal injuries
- Postural disorders
- Rachiocampsis
- Straight legs
- Hereditary predisposition
- Excessive exercise
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis, in particular, aching pain in the back or lower back, aggravated by sudden movements and changes in body position, spreading to the hips and legs, anterior abdominal wall, groin area, burning, tingling, numbness, and the appearance of "gas buds".
In addition, with lumbar osteochondrosis, a decrease in skin sensitivity is observed in the thighs, hips and legs, and less often in the legs. There is increased coldness in the feet, a feeling of weakness in the legs, and also a curvature of the back.
You should know that in most cases, the cause of complaints of back pain is osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.
Patients with lumbar spine osteochondrosis require timely and adequate treatment. Otherwise, the destruction of cartilage, ligaments and vertebrae will develop, which can lead to dysfunction of internal organs and disability.
Modern regenerative medicine can significantly improve the condition of patients with lumbar osteochondrosis. Significant improvement can be achieved using a number of methods, including physical therapy, acupuncture, medication, therapeutic massage and more, according to individual prescriptions.
Lumbar osteochondrosis- a very common form of osteochondrosis. It occurs in both men and women. Patients themselves are often mistakenly "diagnosed" as "pinched lumbar nerve", because the pain that occurs with lumbar osteochondrosis is concentrated in the sacral region.
In general, pain is the main symptom of this disease. It comes in different intensities. Some people suffer from excruciating pain that occurs after sitting or sleeping for a long time, while others suffer from "shooting" and sharp pains. In this case, pain occurs when the patient takes an uncomfortable position. Due to severe pain, a person cannot straighten.
Pain in the sacral regionoccurs due to pinched nerve endings, muscle swelling and pinched nerve roots. Pain can also begin due to irritation of the lumbar ligaments.
Lower back painit increases with almost any movement of the body, primarily when bending forward. Even a simple sneeze or cough causes the pain to increase.
However, there are other symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis. First of all, these are disorders in the sensitivity of the skin, muscles of the legs and the lower half of the body. In some patients, the weakening of tendon reflexes in the legs and, in especially severe cases, their complete disappearance is observed. Osteochondrosis is primarily a factor in the development of lumbar scoliosis in children and the elderly.
Lumbar osteochondrosis also has the following clinical signs:
A symptom of lumbar osteochondrosisand at the same time, its most unpleasant complication is instability of the spine. The disc stops stabilizing the vertebra. As a result, when under load, the lower back almost "slips" from the sacrum, which causes severe, unbearable pain. Moreover, with this pathology, the functioning of internal organs is disturbed. This primarily concerns the genitourinary system. Lumbar osteochondrosis affects a man's potential and causes gynecological problems in a woman.
Unfortunately, modern medicine has not yet invented a tool that can quickly and easily solve this problem. Treatment of osteochondrosis is very complex and long-term. It should be comprehensive, only in this case good results can be achieved.
Treatment measures for lumbar osteochondrosis include:
In particularly severe cases, surgical intervention can be performed.
INtreatment of osteochondrosisSanatorium-spa treatment is very effective.
In case of exacerbation of osteochondrosis, the patient is prescribed bed rest. Moreover, the patient should lie on a hard mattress.
During severe attacks, the patient should move as little as possible and seek help from a specialist. A neurologist is involved in the diagnosis and treatment of osteochondrosis.
If any of the above symptoms are detected, you should consult a neurologist
You can make an appointment by calling 8 (928) 337-60-60.
Osteochondrosis of the lower back
Of all diseases of the peripheral nervous system, osteochondrosis of the spine accounts for 80%, of which 60-80% affects the lumbar region consisting of 5 vertebrae. In 40% of people, the first symptoms of the disease appear at the age of 30-35. Spinal osteochondrosis is diagnosed in 90% of people in old age. Painful sensations are experienced by 7 out of 10 people, exacerbation can last from 6 to 16 months.
Stages of development
1st - the beginning of degenerative disorders affecting nerve endings and disrupting blood supply. The inflammatory process causes pain that spreads to the legs. The patient sometimes feels tingling in the back and buttocks. Appears after heavy physical exertion.
2nd - the outer shell (fibrous ring) of the intervertebral disc is destroyed. The distance between the vertebrae decreases, the nerve endings are compressed, which causes severe, sharp pain. Symptoms are especially pronounced when walking.
3rd - due to excessive mobility of the vertebrae, muscle fibers and nerve endings are compressed. Spasms, numbness, burning pain, ruptures occur - displacement of the intervertebral disc to the spinal cord.
4th - the growth of pathological exostoses in the bone structure. The spine literally "turns to stone". Progressive arthrosis and lack of treatment immobilize the patient.
Reasons for development
The disease develops slowly, in a combination of a number of cases, that is, the development of the disease depends on the influence of several factors:
Sedentary lifestyle (physical inactivity), sedentary work, low level of physical activity. At first glance, they are not dangerous. However, with long-term exposure, the muscle tone of the so-called "muscle corset" weakens. Supports the spine and internal organs. Thus, physical inactivity causes disruption of a number of systems - blood circulation, breathing, digestive system.
Excess weight. When the BMI (Quetelet body mass index) is above 25 kg/m2, excess weight creates additional stress on the body: it puts pressure on the spine, overloads the joints and disrupts the blood supply.
Endocrine pathological processes. Hormonal imbalance, disorders in the work of adrenal glands and thyroid gland "slow down" metabolism in the body. Often, hormonal changes "wash" calcium from bone tissue, making it weak and brittle.
Unbalanced diet. Popular and affordable fast food meals fully satisfy the body's energy needs, but they are completely useless in terms of saturating the body with the necessary vitamins and trace elements.
Lumbar osteochondrosis occurs many times more often in men whose profession involves significant physical activity.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis
Pain is the main indicator of the onset and localization of the disease. A preliminary diagnosis can be made based on the nature, frequency and duration of the outbreak. Often, patients with lumbar osteochondrosis feel aching pain that spreads to the leg, groin, and tailbone. In the horizontal position, the discomfort disappears.
Spinal nerves extend from the trunk of the spine to various parts of the body. Each nerve is responsible for a specific area. This is called "segmental innervation". It is for this reason that the affected nerve "responds" in a certain area: "radicular syndrome" manifests itself in this way.
The map of the spinal nerve allows you to identify pain with a specific area of the spine: C1-C8 - 8 cervical, T1-T12 - 12 thoracic, L1-L5 - 5 lumbar, S1-S5 - 5 sacral, C0 - 2 coccygeal. Symptoms of osteochondrosis depending on segmental innervation:
L3-L4 – weak knee reflex, partial numbness, episodic loss of sensation are noted along the front surface of the thigh;
L4-L5 – muscle weakness, the patient cannot straighten his body while standing on the heel, pain and sensory disturbances spread from the waist to the hip, as well as along the entire lateral surface of the thigh. from top to bottom).
L5–S1 – trembling in the calf muscle, inability to stand on the toes, pain in the back of the thigh.
In rare cases, the radicular arteries are also involved in the destructive process, provoking a spinal stroke - a dangerous pathology in which the patient faces paresis and paralysis and dysfunction of the pelvic organs.
Pain reflex signs
Lumbago or lumbago (not sciatica in this case! ) – sharp pain. Any awkward movement, even sneezing and coughing, provokes a spasm. The patient spontaneously changes the body position, moves it to the side. Attempting to maintain a vertical position provokes a new lumbago.
Lumbodynia is a dull and aching pain that occurs on one side. Periods of remission are accompanied by exacerbations, which gradually turn into severe pain.
Lumboischialgia - painful sensations appear in the leg.
Side symptoms of the disease are not so typical and can easily be mistaken for symptoms of another problem: impaired sweating (hypohidrosis), paleness of the skin of the affected area due to poor blood circulation, severe dryness and peeling.
Diagnostics
At the initial stage, the complete medical history of the patient is collected. The general picture should be completed with the results of a surgeon, orthopedist, neurologist and rheumatologist. Specialists conduct a visual examination of the patient to assess changes in posture, muscle tone and skin sensitivity.
X-ray examination is carried out for the initial diagnosis of lumbar osteochondrosis of the 1st degree, it is used to examine the condition of the intervertebral discs, pathologies of the spinal cord, as well as to evaluate the general condition of the spine. However, this type of diagnosis does not provide complete information about the affected tissues.
Computed tomography (CT) is a very sensitive examination using ionizing rays. CT records the degree of disc deformation, inflammatory processes in the spinal cord membrane and nerve endings in a layer-by-layer image.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) informatively shows the general condition of muscle mass, blood vessels and ligaments. Detects tumors and inflammatory processes.
Myelography is one of the methods of visual assessment of the condition of the spinal cord and nerve roots, a contrast agent is injected using a needle into the space between the pia mater and the spinal arachnoid, which is filled with spinal fluid. Like CT, MTP and X-ray, the procedure is performed in real time.
Neurological examination of sensitivity and reflexes for pathologies is a complex of studies that includes a screening method to study the symmetry of limbs, check vibration sensitivity and evaluate Babinsky, Chaddock and Oppenheimer reflexes.
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis
The effectiveness of conservative treatment is achieved by a combination of drugs of different groups, massage and manual therapy. However, lumbar osteochondrosis in the 3rd stage can no longer be treated with conservative methods, surgical intervention is required. One of the surgical methods for osteochondrosis is microdiscectomy. This is a neurosurgical operation performed to remove the hernia without damaging the nerve structures. It is performed under general anesthesia. The patient can walk on the 3rd day.
Drug therapy (for stages 1-2)
- Analgesics for pain relief: local (ointments, gels), oral (tablets, suspensions), intramuscular (injection solutions).
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to prevent the development of the inflammatory process. Reduces temperature, removes swelling. Gels and tablets are most often used, in more serious cases (inflammation of the sciatic nerve) - injections. The initial course is 7-14 days.
- Muscle relaxants. It is prescribed in the acute period for muscle spasms, as well as in the remission period to strengthen the effect.
- Chondroprotectors. Block destructive processes in intervertebral discs, promote regeneration, improve metabolism in cartilage tissues.
- B group vitamin complexes. Improves nerve conduction.
- Diuretics. Reduces swelling.
During an exacerbation, strong injections are used as an emergency - paravertebral blockade, which causes a temporary loss of sensitivity.
Prevention
- active lifestyle with moderate physical activity;
- Choosing comfortable or orthopedic shoes if indicated;
- Body weight control;
- Sleep only on an orthopedic mattress and pillow;
- Only office furniture with a straight back;
- Rejection of heavy loads on the back and waist. When carrying heavy objects, the load should be evenly distributed in both hands.