Lumbar osteochondrosis. Symptoms and Treatment. gymnastics, drugs

Lumbar osteochondrosis is not only diagnosed in elderly patients. Recently, pathological phenomena have appeared even in young people under 30 years old. Ignoring symptoms can lead to complications. Therefore, it is necessary to know the signs of the disease so that treatment can be started promptly.

What is lumbar osteochondrosis

This pathology involves unhealthy transformation of the vertebrae located in the lower back. With this disease, the elasticity of the intervertebral discs decreases due to insufficient nutrient delivery at the cellular level. The localization of the disease is due to the fact that this area of the spine is subject to the greatest load.

reason

The main factors leading to pathology are as follows:

• Genetics.Doctors warn that younger generations are at higher risk of developing lumbar osteochondrosis if one parent has the disease. Therefore, when encountering such a situation, children need to take preventive measures from an early age.
• Lift weights regularly.This applies not only to people who make money from manual labor, but also to athletes who ignore safety precautions.

• Injuried.Any injury to the back can lead to pathology. If present, you should consult an osteopath or neurologist. Remarkably, many people don’t even realize they are injured. For example, a person may experience vertebrae shifting when braking hard while driving a car.
• obesity.The spine is able to bear the load of normal weight. If a person is overweight, this organ may become deformed in the lumbar area.
• Bad posture.Curvature of the spine leads to a disruption in the proportional distribution of loads, leading to osteochondrosis.
• Chronic lack of physical activity,Lack of exercise in lifestyle. Minimal physical activity results in the spine being unloaded. At this point, muscles and ligaments begin to weaken and blood circulation is disrupted, resulting in a lack of nutrients in the intervertebral discs. Over time, the discs lose their elasticity. In this case, the entire load and weight is transferred to the disc, extruding and subsequently forming a hernia.
• flatfoot.This pathology indicates a lack of normal shock-absorbing ability in the legs. This results in the spine having to do more work than during normal gait. As a result, the vertebrae wear out faster.
• pressure.The human body is designed such that any psychological or emotional stress will first cause tension in the neck. This is a biological atavism. After all, when a predator attacks a mammal, it immediately grabs it by the neck. Chronic stress can cause a reflex shift in spasm throughout the spine. Eventually, this can lead to pinched nerves, including those in the lumbar spine. Therefore, it is important to relieve tension with the help of special gymnastics after stress.

• Positive Obstetric Practice. When the birthing process is stimulated, the baby moves through this path more quickly and may be injured. This may occur when a baby's head is tilted strongly to the right or left during a C-section. The infant was subsequently diagnosed with vegetative vascular dystonia. The real cause of the pathology is usually discovered during adolescence.

degree

This article details the symptoms and treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis, which has 4 stages of development. Its detailed description is shown in the table.

degree	physiological	painful feeling
first	The process of destruction of the intervertebral discs located in this area begins.	It manifests as burning, dull or stabbing pain in the waist. Sometimes the unpleasant symptoms are transferred to the buttocks. Pain syndrome becomes more pronounced after physical exertion.
second	Disks are becoming increasingly susceptible to damage, under the influence of which the distance between them is significantly reduced. At this stage, bumps may appear.	The pain becomes a constant aching feature. They can radiate to the buttocks, thighs, and knees.
third	The tissue in this part of the spine is completely susceptible to damage. Formation of intervertebral hernia.	The pain is intense and constant. However, they do not depend on the level of physical activity.
fourth	The cartilage completely atrophies and the vertebrae begin to grow. The spine loses mobility, resulting in disability.	Unpleasant feelings may disappear completely or partially.

diagnosis

In order to make a correct diagnosis, doctors perform the following activities:

• examine.During the initial appointment, the specialist will visually assess the patient's size, weight, and height proportions. Additionally, gait, posture, and characteristics of performing simple exercises were studied. Check the skin on your back for areas of inflammation.
• palpation.The doctor carefully palpates the patient's back to identify the location of tension and pain. In some cases, special hammers are used.

• Radiography.This diagnostic method is performed in two locations: back and side. If functional studies are required, radiation is performed in the bent and unbent states. This diagnostic method is already common in the CIS countries and requires minimal money. However, it does not allow identification of pathology at early stages of development. Additionally, X-rays are harmful types of radiation.
• CT scan.Unlike radiography, it yields the best quality images. The procedure is performed using a tomography scanner and takes approximately 10 minutes. Therefore, not only the condition of bone tissue, but also changes in blood vessels and nerves can be studied in detail. This method is not suitable for pregnant and breastfeeding women. It should be noted that, although it is possible to obtain more detailed information, the patient is exposed to 5 times more radiation than with radiography. It is recommended that such inspections be performed no more than once a year.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.This is the most informative diagnostic method. During the procedure, the patient is placed on a surface that is rolled into a special chamber, where detailed images of the spine are obtained using magnetic waves that travel through the patient's body. The main disadvantage of this diagnosis is that the patient needs to stay indoors for about 30 minutes. For people with a certain psychological quality, this process may be a difficult test. Additionally, MRI is contraindicated in patients with pacemakers or metal parts in their bodies and in women in early pregnancy. However, this diagnostic method has many advantages, the main one being that it has no harmful effects on the human body. The resulting images clearly show not only changes in the vertebrae themselves, but also the direction of blood flow, the condition of nerve endings and blood vessels. Unlike previous diagnostic methods, MRI can detect any adverse changes in the spine in the earliest stages of lumbar osteochondrosis.
• Blood and urine tests.These procedures should not exactly be called diagnostic procedures. They are necessary additional tests whose purpose is to rule out or confirm rheumatism.

treat

Lumbar osteochondrosis, symptoms vary in severityFor the development of the above-mentioned diseases, the following treatment strategies are recommended:

• take medications prescribed by your doctor;
• One course of physical therapy;
• Perform a specific set of exercises regularly;
• massage.

In some cases, experts recommend surgery.

medical treatement

All drugs for the treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis can be divided into the following groups:

• painkiller;
• Muscle relaxants;
• chondroprotectant;
• vitamins.

Medications with analgesic properties can be divided into two components: hormones and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Not only do they eliminate pain, they also reduce inflammation.However, the first group of drugs is used in special situations. After all, they can cause imbalances in the endocrine system and lower immunity. Therefore, hormonal drugs can only be purchased at pharmacies with a prescription.This article details the symptoms and treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis, which involves oral or intramuscular NSAIDs.But it is not recommended to use it for more than 3 days. Otherwise side effects may occur. Next, you can apply a variety of ointments and topical creams.Oral medications are available as tablets, injections, and suppositories.Injections are used to relieve acute inflammation and pain. It is prohibited to do this for more than 2 days in a row.Muscle relaxants help relax muscles. The danger with their use, however, is that such drugs block impulses from nerves to muscles.

It should be clarified that motor nerves originate from the spinal cord and travel through the spine to all muscle fibers.

When muscle relaxants are taken, the impulse transmission mechanism is blocked. Due to the compression and overexertion of lumbar osteochondrosis, the connection between nerves and muscles has been destroyed. The use of these drugs further suppresses this system. Taking chondroprotectants will promote the recovery of cartilage tissue.However, there is a theory that chondroprotectants cannot restore discs because they are composed of fibrous tissue. In this case, the drug acts only on cartilage tissue.B vitamins are necessary for maintaining nerve fibers.

physiotherapy

All physical therapy-related procedures affect the localized area of pathology while leaving nearby tissues and organs untouched.This includes the following treatments for lumbar osteochondrosis:

• Perform electrophoresis with anesthetic.Special medicine is injected into the patient's lower back. The entire process is stimulated by electrical current.
• ultrasound.The purpose of this treatment is micromassage of the tissue. This process helps relieve inflammation and relieve pain. Blood circulation improves and metabolism becomes active.
• Magnet therapy.This method involves the use of magnetic fields. There are many devices with similar effects, which makes it possible to use them at home.
• vibration effect.These devices produce certain vibrations in the desired areas of the body.
• Stress reduction therapy.The surgery is performed on a special mattress. The goal is to straighten your spine.

physiotherapy

You should consult your doctor about the symptoms and treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis, and you need to follow certain rules when exercising. The main principle is to stop the movement immediately when pain occurs. Move carefully and smoothly to avoid damage.The complex assumes the following algorithm:

1. Lie on your back and lift one leg at a time.

2. Turn to your side and extend your arms forward. Pull your thighs back. Then flip to the other side and repeat the above steps in a mirror image.
3. Lie on your stomach while pulling your legs and arms back.
4. Stand up on all fours. Take turns pulling back one hand at a time.
5. In the same position, pull your right arm and leg up. Then repeat the same on the left side.

massage

When having a massage, the following rules must be observed:

• Movements should be from the upper back to the lower back;
• Massage movements can only act on soft tissue, not the spine;
• Before surgery, patients are advised to go to the bathroom.

Massage algorithm:

1. Make your strokes in the right direction;
2. Knead it with one palm first, then with both palms. In this case, it is necessary to monitor the pressure exerted by the massage therapist on the patient's back.
3. Gently pull and then squeeze the muscle tissue.
4. Vibrations are produced by hand or with special preparations.
5. The process can be completed with a gentle stroke.

folk remedies

Traditional medicine involves the use of herbal medicine. The main function is to relieve pain.

Homemade Pain Relief Ointment

For this recipe you will need hop cones and animal fat. The first ingredient is crushed and mixed with the second ingredient.Next, the ointment needs to sit for a while and then can be rubbed into the lower back. If desired, the composition can be supplemented with chamomile. It has a calming effect and can relieve inflammation.

Honey and potato compress

Raw potatoes must be chopped with a grater. Next, mix the ingredients in equal proportions. The resulting mass should be distributed over sore areas of the back. Patients are advised to remain in this position for several hours and then rinse everything thoroughly. This compression can temporarily relieve the patient's condition.

Ginger Pain Relief Cream

Grate equal parts ginger and garlic using a fine grater. Then you should add a small amount of butter. Mix everything thoroughly and rub on the lower back. Ointments must be prepared immediately before use.

Lilac Alcohol Tincture

Pour a small handful of lilac flowers into a glass liter jar. Then pour vodka, alcohol or moonshine into the container up to the neck of the bottle. Jars must be tightly closed with lids and kept in a cool, dark place. After a week and a half, the product is ready for use.In this case, there is no need to pass the tincture through a filter. You can use the resulting product to rub your back. However, the dosage should be minimal. If the used product is stored in the same manner as it was infused, it can be used for a full year.

herbal bath

This article will examine the symptoms and treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis, which is often accompanied by severe pain. You can get rid of it by taking a bath. The warm water will help relax the soft tissues and relieve the spasm, and the pain will temporarily disappear.In some cases, experts recommend using contrasting temperatures to relieve inflammation. It should be noted that taking a hot bath accelerates the metabolic processes in the body. Another advantage of this method of treating pathology is that it can be used at home. In addition, the surgery helps relieve neuropsychological stress.You can increase efficiency with the help of herbal baths, in which the following points should be emphasized:

• coniferous.It is best to use needles from 3 types of trees - pine, fir and cedar. You can also add cones. About 5 handfuls of the collected ingredients should be boiled for about 15 minutes. Then, leave it for 2 hours without opening the lid. Then pour the broth through the strainer into the tub.
• Chamomile.For this recipe, there is no need to use fresh flowers; you can use a ready-made potion mixture. A cup of chamomile should be filled with water and heated over low heat.Can't make soup. When the peak temperature is reached, the heating must be turned off. Do not open the lid and continue brewing for 3 hours, then it is ready to use. Such a bath is useful not only for osteochondrosis, but also for skin redness and inflammatory processes.
• Juniper.Boil handfuls of the mixture for about 20 minutes. The broth must then pass through a filter. In this case, there is no need to wait until the composition cools completely; you can pour it into the bath immediately. This procedure also brings additional aromatherapy benefits to help relieve stress and relieve insomnia.

After taking any of the above baths, you should lie down for about an hour. It is best to perform this procedure at night before going to bed.

Surgical treatment

Although conservative treatments can effectively treat the disease, there are some cases where patients are recommended to undergo surgery. It should be noted that it must be done in a timely manner. After all, sometimes a person becomes disabled simply because he did not consult a doctor promptly about complications.Surgical intervention requires the following indications:

• Pain that lasts for two months and can be resolved with the help of non-steroidal drugs;
• Progressive problems with motor function.

There are several types of lumbar osteochondrosis surgery:

• Discectomy.Represents replacement disk. It can be partial or complete.

• Foraminotomy.During the surgery, some of the damaged tissue is removed. The surgery is performed under local anesthesia.
• Laminotomy.The surgeon partially removes the osteophytes.
• Facet resection.The purpose of the surgery is to remove the joint. It is performed under general anesthesia.
• Laminectomy.The purpose of this surgery is to remove part of the spine. At the same time, the remaining parts are also fixed.

What to do when the condition worsens

During an exacerbation of the disease, it is best to follow the following recommendations:

• Prefer hard chairs to soft chairs;
• sleeping on an orthopedic mattress;
• Avoid lifting heavy objects;

• Change body position every quarter of an hour;
• Get a massage.

complication

Lack of treatment for lumbar osteochondrosis may lead to changes in the normal position of the intervertebral discs. A hernia develops between the fifth vertebra and the sacrum. In addition, this pathology disrupts blood circulation in the pelvis. For men, this can lead to erectile dysfunction and possibly impotence.For women, the disease can threaten reproductive system problems. However, the most serious complication is disability, starting with the progressive impairment of motor activities.Lumbar osteochondrosis has characteristic symptoms. The above complications illustrate the dangers of ignoring them. After all, modern medicine offers a variety of treatment options that produce effective results.