Many people who experience pain in the lumbar region, diagnose osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the symptoms and treatment of the disease depend on the patient's age and stage. If you do not take measures and do not carry out treatment, the consequences can be serious and even dangerous.
Causes of osteochondrosis
In the human body, the lumbar connects the thoracic and sacrum. It consists of five vertebrae, between which are disks, capable of giving the ridge mobility and flexibility. They consist of a semi-liquid core located inside the fibrous ring. Over time, there is a gradual destruction of them due to degenerative-dystrophic changes.
The diagnosis of lumbar osteochondrosis is more often than in the cervical or thoracic region. The main reason for this fact is the maximum load exerted on the lower back during exercise, walking, running and even sitting. With such a disease, the proper nutrition of the intervertebral discs is broken, which lose elasticity and shrink, and their height decreases.
Fibrous ring stops coping with the load, bulges and crackles. This factor leads to a reduction in the distance between the vertebrae, and then jamming the nerve roots occurs. All this causes a person a severe pain in the lower back, which doctors call lumboishiasia. The main causes leading to osteochondrosis are:
- heavy physical labor;
- excess weight affecting the vertebral discs;
- back injury;
- incorrect posture;
- the lack of physical activity leads to muscle weakening and deformation of the discs;
- inflammatory processes;
- genetic predisposition.
An important factor in the onset of osteochondrosis of the lumbar region is age. A few decades ago, the disease arose in people overstepped by a 30-year-old line. Today such a diagnosis is put even by adolescents. The children are affected by:
- unbalanced nutrition;
- stress;
- supercooling;
- bad ecology;
- wrong rest;
- long sitting at a desk or computer.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region - degrees
Disease of the spine occurs gradually. Doctors distinguish 4 main degrees:
- The first stage is manifested by tolerable pain in the lumbar region, which increases after exercise and physical exertion. This symptom signals that discs have already begun a destructive and irreversible process. Patients feel burning and tingling, sometimes giving in the buttocks.
- Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region of the 2nd degree is characterized by a reduction in the distance between the vertebrae and the destruction of the fibrous ring. People can feel a sharp pain, which when walking radiates to the shin, thigh and buttocks. The affected part feels cold or burning, and during the attack, the person bends in the opposite direction.
- The third degree - at this stage, the fibrous rings are completely destroyed, and there is also significant degeneration and deformation of the vertebral tissues in the lumbar region. This contributes to the development of intervertebral hernia . A person experiences constant and very severe pain.
- The fourth degree of osteochondrosis is characterized by abnormal growth of discs in the ridge and destruction of bone tissue. At this stage, there is a strong atrophy of cartilage, which makes it difficult for the patient to move and even leads to disability.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine - symptoms
In the late stages of a disease such as lumbar spine osteochondrosis, symptoms can occur with minor physical exertion that does not strain the affected area directly, such as coughing or sneezing. The back begins to lose its flexibility, the patient is hard to make simple movements:
- slopes;
- turns;
- walking.
With the diagnosis of lumbar osteochondrosis, the symptoms are as follows:
- chilliness of feet;
- violation of sweating;
- tingling or crawling in the lower limbs;
- spasm of the arteries in the feet;
- constant and significant tension of the muscles of the waist;
- skin peeling;
- loss of sensitivity in the lower back;
- violation of the sensitivity of the lower limbs;
- backache.
In order to answer the question about what symptoms and treatment the osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine has, one should know the stage of the disease and establish the correct diagnosis. Sometimes such feelings as irritability, general fatigue and insomnia signal about the initial stage. The patient can feel:
- the decay of forces , because of what physical activity can decline;
- signs of malfunction of the urinary system;
- men have impotence, and women have discomfort and itching in the vagina.
Pain in osteochondrosis of the lumbar region
When a lumbar osteochondrosis is diagnosed, the symptoms manifest themselves in the form of pains that have a different character. They arise spontaneously in unsuccessful movements or spontaneously, when a person rests, and sometimes after physical labor. Sensations can be localized in one area, spread all over the back or give to the hip area.
How to treat osteochondrosis of the lumbar region?
Before you start treatment for osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, you need to undergo a diagnosis. It is done by doctors in several ways:
- radiography is assigned;
- is estimated visually posture;
- the affected area is felt;
- applies MRI ( magnetic resonance imaging ).
When you are diagnosed with osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the symptoms and treatment are individual, but you can not completely get rid of the disease. The first and second stages are best adjusted. Patients are required to completely change their lifestyle and household habits, and the doctor prescribes intensive therapy, which lasts a long time.
When the disease lumbar osteochondrosis treatment includes such areas as:
- removal of inflammation;
- strengthening the muscles of the lower limbs;
- reduction of pain;
- regulation of metabolic processes and circulation;
- improvement of functioning in the pelvic area;
- increased sensitivity.
Therapeutic exercises with osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine
LFK at an osteochondrosis of a lumbar department of a backbone is appointed to:
- relieve tension;
- strengthen the muscles of the back,
- eliminate pain;
- stretch muscles;
- relax the loins.
Gymnastics classes are recommended by doctors at any stage of the disease. Exercises for osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine will be effective and productive only if they are correctly and regularly performed. The patient must set a goal and strive to achieve it, but in this case it is impossible to overstrain. If you experience discomfort when performing tasks, then stop doing it.
Massage with osteochondrosis of the lumbar region
Specialists prescribe a massage to all people who are diagnosed with osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, after the phase of exacerbation subsides. The course of treatment allows patients to feel relief in the back. It consists of ten sessions and has such rules:
- the duration of the procedure lasts no more than 20 minutes;
- massage performed in the supine position;
- The session is carried out 2 hours after eating;
- Traffic specialist must be from the bottom up;
- the first procedures are carried out sparingly;
- During the massage, only soft tissues can be worked.
Tablets from osteochondrosis of lumbar region
To relieve inflammation and pain, doctors prescribe a medicine for osteochondrosis. It is:
- analgesics and NSAIDs ( non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ) - Advil, Ketonal, Ibuprofen, Renalgin;
- chondroprotectors (chondroitin sulfate, Rumalon);
- diuretic drugs (Furosemide, Indap);
- immunomodulators (T-activin, Timogen).
Injections in osteochondrosis of the lumbar region
When a patient can not tolerate pain or has the last stage, doctors prescribe injections for lumbar osteochondrosis. In order to conduct local anesthesia, paravertebral blockades (Novocaine, Dexamethasone) are performed. Intravenous drugs are administered to improve blood circulation (Pentoxifylline, Trental ). Additional therapy may include B vitamins.
Treatment of osteochondrosis with folk remedies
When the disease osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine treatment is sometimes carried out at home. It consists in such actions as:
- use of warm compresses;
- application of the applicator Lyapko or Kuznetsov;
- playing sports;
- staging of leeches.
Complications of lumbar spine osteochondrosis
If you do not treat lumbar osteochondrosis of the spine, then such serious complications can arise:
- sciatica;
- rachiocampsis;
- radiculitis;
- numbness of limbs;
- instability of vertebrae;
- violations of the functioning of organs;
- Disability, when a person stops moving independently.