With complaints of back pain, patients resort to doctors almost more often than with a cold.Lumbar spine discomfort may be a symptom of various diseases, but in 80% of cases, doctors diagnose: osteochondrosis.Men and women aged 30 to 50 years or older face him.Recently, osteochondrosis is diagnosed in patients under 25 years of age.Prevention, symptoms and treatment of this disease will be analyzed in detail in this article.
Previously, it was believed that osteochondrosis is inevitability and disorders in the spine are caused by age -related changes.Modern medicine considers osteochondrosis as a disease that requires treatment and can be avoided and delayed for many years.
Causes
It is believed that, as such, the cause of lumbar osteochondrosis cannot be distinguished.The development of the disease triggers a set of factors, among which they distinguish:
- A sedentary lifestyle.Working on the computer, lack of exercise, avoiding walking contributes to the fact that the back muscles are weakening and the spine load increases.
- Violation of metabolism and disease of the endocrine system.These processes worsen the nutrition of the spinal spine tissues.
- Existing diseases of the musculoskeletal system:Flat feet, curvature of the spine.
- Excessive physical activity, especially weight lifting.The risk zone includes athletes involved in heavy athletics, engines, work professions associated with the transport of goods.
- Incorrect nutrition, overweight, insufficient sleep, stress.
Lumbar osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis develops gradually:
- In the first stage, Jetty's core inside the vertebral album begins to change.As a result, a person feels pain, as nerve endings in the fibrous ring are compressed.Pain can be local and acute - like a long and long shutter.
- The second stage begins with the destruction of the fibrous ring.Vertebrae become unstable, mobile, cannot completely fulfill their function.The muscles surrounding the spine are in continuous tension.Patients feel fatigue, their backs reach hard work.
- In the third stage in the development of osteochondrosis, the fibrous break, the core of the Jacket Sai and the hernia of disc form.At this time, patients observe intense back pain, limiting movement.This is due to compression of nerve roots with falling fragments.
- The fourth stage of the disease brings imaginary relief: Patients cease to feel painful, although motor activity is still limited.The issue arises from disability.
- In the last stage of osteochondrosis, bone tissue begins to grow pathologically.
Osteochondrosis cannot be considered frivolous diseases that require minimal intervention.In case of pain in the lumbar spine, you need to consult a doctor who will select the treatment, depending on the stage.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis
The first symptom to which patients pay attention immediately is pain.Its intensity depends on the stage of the disease, as well as the degree of destruction of the intervertebral disc and cartilaginous tissues.
The nature of pain is affected by the presence of protrusion or hernia.Signs of lumbar osteochondrosis include:
- Lumbar spine pain syndrome.Patients complain of painful pain, which becomes acute with clear movements as well as with a long stay of the body in a position.
- Often, a sense of weakness or fatigue in the legs, as well as the absence of reflexes of the leg tendon, joins pain.
- During a visual examination, a spine curvature is observed in the lower back.Osteochondrosis may be the result of scoliosis (bending the vertebral spine to the right or left, lordosis (when the spine column leans forward) and kyphosis (when, on the contrary, natural curves are softened).
- Sometimes the vertebrae hold the spinal cord, so patients feel numbness from the lower extremities, in rare cases, unconteed urination and feces.
Frequently, lumbar osteochondrosis is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- decreased temperature of the lower extremities, numbness of the lower body;
- dry skin in the lower back, skin pallor;
- violation of perspiration;
- Lack of control over urination.
Diagnosis
Before making a diagnosis, the doctor discovers the nature of pain, collects an anamnesis and then throbbing the lower back.In addition, the patient is sent to various procedures:
- X -Ray.The figure shows the state of the spine column, you can evaluate the integrity of intervertebral discs, detect the presence of hernias and protrusions.
- Tomography.It also provides an idea of the condition of intervertebral discs and also helps to find out if there is damage to the cerebral shell.
- Magnetic resonance imaging.A particularly precise study is used to clarify the diagnosis and details of the general image of the disease.
The timely diagnosis is the key to the successful treatment and the minimum destruction of the spine.
Complications
You cannot treat osteochondrosis lumbar frivolously.This ordinary disease can be accompanied by complications that affect the quality of life.The most frequent followers of osteochondrosis are:
- Protrusion and hernias;
- inflammation of the sciatic nerve;
- osteofitosis;
- spondylartrosis;
- spinal canal stenosis with compression, which leads to a violation of the spinal cord;
- Claudication;
- Paresis of the lower ends.
Treatment of lumbar spine osteochondrosis
It is impossible to completely cure osteochondrosis, but doctors are able to stop the development of the disease, eliminate pain and restore motor activity.Patients receive comprehensive prescribed treatment, which begins with a change in lifestyle: balanced nutrition, eight hours of sleep, physical activity (home physiotherapy exercise classes and specialized centers), and the right to sleep.
If the patient spends more than three hours a day, sitting at the table, it is necessary to change the body position every 40 minutes: take a walk, do several inclinations.
To reduce pain syndrome, medications, massage, physiotherapy and tensile in the spine are used.As a result, all manipulations are intended to:
- Encouraging effects.
- Elimination of acute pain.
- Strengthening the muscles (using loading and massage).
- Improving blood circulation.
- Restoration of sensitivity at the bottom of the body.
In rare cases, surgical intervention is necessary for treatment.
Drug treatment
For the treatment of osteochondrosis, medication in the form of ointments, tablets and injections are used.All medications are used to relieve pain and inflammatory process.Usually, patients are prescribed:
- Non -steroid anti -inflammatory drugs - diclofenac, ibuprofen and analogs.
- Painkillers.
- Condropoprotectors.They prevent the additional destruction of cartilage fabric.
- Corticosteroids.
- Music to remove muscle spasm.
- Vitamins.
MUSO -LAXANTS AND ANTIDEPRESSIVES prescribed to relieve spasm should be taken under the rigorous supervision of a doctor.
How is lumbar osteochondrosis treated with physical therapy?
Often, patients ask the question: is it possible to heal only osteochondrosis lumbar pills?As a rule, medications are removed only by pain, but physiotherapy interrupts the cause of pain - the destruction of intervertebral discs, stimulates metabolic processes and prevents additional development of the disease.In the fight against osteochondrosis, they use it:
- phonophoresis;
- Darsonvalization;
- Diadnemic current;
- Magnetic Resonance Therapy;
- laser;
- Ampls.
Massage is not prescribed during exacerbation, only when a strong pain attack is removed or during the period of remission in the chronic course of the disease.In addition to manual exposure, doctors advise to visit the sauna to warm up and relax the sick muscles, improve blood circulation.With the help of massage, you can also stimulate blood circulation in the area affected by the disease, normalize tissue nutrition, relax muscles and return displaced vertebrae to place.
Therapeutic gymnastics
No ointment and massage are capable of returning mobility, as physical therapy physical education can return the spine.An active lifestyle, saving sports, interrupts the development of osteochondrosis and restores the amplitude of the movements.In the early stages of the disease, there is virtually no restrictions on sports.In more severe cases, it is necessary to start with special therapeutic exercises.Classes must be performed regularly, the load will gradually increase.
First, each movement may hurt, but this is not a reason to stop treatment.Over time, the muscles will become stronger, the joints are more mobile.
It is not necessary to participate in the gym for this, the classes at home will be effective.
Surgical intervention
Usually, the treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis is performed by conservative methods.Operations are necessary in rare cases.
Surgical intervention is necessary in cases where medication can no longer be influenced, for example, if there is an intervertebral hernia.The vertebra projects itself from the fibrous ring and presses nerve roots, causing unbearable pain to the patient.In such cases, an operation is required to remove the disc.Effective and less traumatic methods are considered microcurgical and endoscopic intervention.
Popular remedies
Often, with back pain, patients are trying to deal with the help of popular remedies.It should be remembered that before its use consults a doctor and use this treatment only as an auxiliary therapy, along with official medicine.Popular remedies are good for their availability, the main ingredients that everyone can find at home.
Popular Remedies Recipes:
Home analgesics
To prepare ointment, you need to take 300 ml of alcohol, 10 drops of iodine, pill analgin, 10 drops of camphor.All components are mixed, while tablets must be crushed in powder.The solution is applied to a painful point.You need to be prepared for the camphor to give a slight burning sensation to the skin, which should pass in 7 to 10 minutes.
Honey and Potato Compress
A grated raw potato is mixed with a small amount of honey.The resulting mass is applied to the painful point and tied with a cloth.Keep compaction for up to two hours.
Anesthetic ointment with ginger
Grated or chopped garlic and ginger is mixed with butter.Consistency should be like an ointment or cream.
They rub the lower back at night to eliminate painful pain that prevents patients from falling asleep.
Baths with herbs
The warm water with herbs relaxes the muscles, improves blood circulation, soothes pain and inflammation.
- To treat back pain, a decoction of birch leaves is used.A concentrated solution is added to a bath with water about 40 degrees.The duration of the procedure is up to 30 minutes.
- The bathroom with brown leaves is well relaxed.Horse chestnut leaves are made with water, boiled and insisted for about an hour.Then the resulting solution is added to the bath.The duration of this procedure is up to 20 minutes.
- Inflammatory and soft effects are chamomile flowers infusions.The pharmacy sells ready fees - bags and spread.They need to be manufactured with hot water and insisted for 30 to 40 minutes.Add the finished solution to the bath.In this bath, you can spend up to 30 minutes.
- Baths with needles relax the muscles and calm pain in the lower back, but are against allergies.The needles of spruce, pine or cedar should be spilled with water and boiled for 15 to 20 minutes.Add the broth finished to a bath with hot water (about 45 degrees).The time of the procedure is up to 30 minutes.
Remember that a medical appointment is required before bathing.Some herbs have against -indications.It should be remembered that hot baths are not shown to patients with cardiovascular disease.In addition, one cannot be treated with baths and other popular remedies such as osteochondrosis panacea.
In the fight against this disease, an integrated approach will help: an active lifestyle combination, proper nutrition, sports, medical treatment, physiotherapy and folk medicine will help deal with lumbar osteochondrosis.