One of the most common problems with the spine is nonspecific pain in the back.According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 26-32% of the adult population suffer from chronic lower back pain.The common cause of this pain is osteochondral disease.
Osteochondrosis is premature wear and aging of intervertebral discs and vertebrae.Osteochondrosis may occur in any part of the spine: the cervical spine, the chest, the lumbar spine, or the lumbar spine.The lumbar segment is most commonly affected, and lumbar bone chondropathy is developing.If you do not start treatment in time, the disease will immediately affect multiple departments.
Osteochondrosis in the lumbar area is a chronic degenerative disease in which the intervertebral disc cartilage tissue in the lumbar area is damaged.There are two main parts in the intervertebral disc: the core and the fibrofilament.As the load increases, these structures are destroyed, resulting in compression of the nerves and the emergence of acute pain.
Due to the slow development of the disease, it is difficult to notice signs of it at first.The patient does not pay attention to it, and does not even understand its pain accurately.Therefore, when vertebral hernia develops, they often have come to the doctor.
Causes of osteochondrosis
Like most musculoskeletal diseases, lumbar chondrosia has a non-infectious cause.Risk factors for the development of osteochondrosis are mainly related to people's sports activities, lifestyle, professional working conditions and genetics.Let us live on the main, and perhaps the most important factor.
Violation of posture and reducing sports activities.Given the pace of modern life, whether it is office work, driving or studying, people must be in a position for a long time.As a result, many people violate positions on the back, including scoliosis.When the posture is damaged, the load on the spine is unevenly distributed: some discs load more than others.The waist area suffers more than other areas.As far as the waist department is concerned, this burden is many times more than the load of other departments.
Excessive physical exercise.When a person does not participate in exercise and has weak back muscles, intense training can hurt.Additional burden on the waist area and excessive workouts can lead to injuries and premature wear of the discs.
Too much weight and obesityIncrease the axial load on the spine.At the same time, the nutrition of the intervertebral disc is disturbed by the malnutrition process.
Age-related changes.After 60 years, the tissue recovery process slows down, so in the elderly, the likelihood of spinal hernia is higher.
Genetic factors.If a person is naturally disturbed by the characteristics of cartilage and bone tissue, his osteocartilage will develop earlier and will be faster.
The first signs and main symptoms of lumbar chondrosis
The disc softens and vibrates while walking, running and jumping.This function is affected due to structural changes in the lumbar cartilage.
When the intervertebral discs of osteochondrosis become thinner, this leads to increased vulnerability of nerves and blood vessels.The nerves are pinched, nutrition is disturbed, acute pain and other symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis.
Sharp and chronic lower back pain- This is the main complaint of lumbar osteochondrosis.Personal activities, hypothermia, and uncomfortable postures can cause pain.Sometimes the pain can extend throughout the back and legs.
Stinging, burning and numbness in the lower back and legs (abnormal)- Symptoms of osteocartilage degeneration in the waist, which occurs due to compression of the nerves.
Increase the tone of the back muscles in the waist areaIt increases pain and leads to reduced mobility.
Stages of lumbar vertebrae
Cartilage and bone tissue change slowly.According to the prevalence of pathological processes, four stages of lumbar osteochondral disease were distinguished.
Phase 1.This is the beginning of the disease (chondrosis).The position of the disc relative to the fibers of the fiber annulus changes.This leads to nerve and painful stimulation.Sometimes there is no harm at this stage.
Stage 2.Due to the displacement of the intervertebral disc, the intervertebral space decreases and cracks appear in the intervertebral disc.The nerves were compressed and the patient suffered from acute lower back pain.
Stage 3.The disc is completely damaged and the annulus of fibrous fibrous are damaged.At this stage, the risk of developing disc hernia is high.The pain is exacerbated and occurs more frequently, with different characteristics: from acute to chronic soreness.
Stage 4.The disease applies to nearby tissues.In the waist area, the mobility decreases and pain can occur even if the body position changes slightly.At this stage, disc hernia is developing, and the risk of nerves and blood vessels being compressed is high in the lumbar area.
Diagnosis of lumbar vertebrae
If you are suffering from acute lower back pain while moving and resting, your legs are numb – Contact a neurologist.He will conduct a test to determine the possible cause of the pain and prescribe the necessary diagnosis.
The main research methods are radiographs and tomography.
- Two projections of the spine's line of sight, aiming and functional radiography.This method allows you to assess the condition of the spine, but the soft tissue (such as muscle) and cartilage in the picture are not shown.
- Computed tomography allows you to get more information because the images are obtained in different predictions.Based on the results of the study, doctors can determine the extent of damage to the lumbar spine.
- Magnetic resonance imaging is the "gold standard" for accurately diagnosing "lumbar osteochondrosis".According to the MRI, doctors can evaluate the condition of soft tissue and identify hernia between the vertebrae.
Treatment of lumbar vertebrae disease
After diagnosis, neurologists chose treatment separately.It depends on the stage of the disease and the severity of the symptoms.Most patients are helped through comprehensive conservative treatment (pharmaceutical therapy, physical therapy exercise, physical therapy).If the patient does not have better and serious complications, prescription procedures should be taken.
Conservative treatment
Conservative therapy task:
- Relieve pain.
- Reduce inflammation.
- Prevent the development of complications.
- Reduce the load on the spine by strengthening the muscles in the back.
- Reduce nerve compression.
- In intervertebral hernia - creates conditions for its absorption and natural healing.
In the acute phase of the disease, doctors mainly reduce pain and inflammation through painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs.Afterward, the neurologist developed a separate procedure consisting of physical therapy, manual therapy and physical therapy exercises.
physiotherapyIt is based on the use of physical factors: cold, heat, current, magnetic radiation, laser, etc.They help reduce the intensity of pain and improve tissue nutrition, which helps with natural recovery.
Exercise therapyIt is active (sports therapy) and passive (massage, traction).It allows you to strengthen the muscles in your back, relieve muscle tone, improve microcirculation and activate the recovery process.
Manual treatment and massageRemoves increased muscle tone from the lower back and restores mobility.Therefore, nutrition in damaged areas improves the degree of nerve pinching.
recordingOr sports tape is based on the use of elastic stucco, which sticks to the skin to weaken or strengthen muscle tone.Therefore, the muscle frame is strengthened, the microcirculation in the waist area is improved, and the distribution of load on the spine is standardized.
Laser TherapyIt is based on the use of low-intensity laser radiation and its positive impact on cellular function.It naturally restores the intervertebral disc by improving its nutrition.
Plasma therapy(PRP Therapy) - A method to improve the regeneration process.Injecting purified plasma in patients stimulates their immunity.
Reflexology, acupunctureImprove blood supply to affected areas and relieve pain.
Shockwave therapy- This is the effect of high-frequency waves on the affected area.It stimulates the natural process of tissue regeneration and improves tissue nutrition.
orthopedics- Personally choose corset for extra support of the spine.Allows partial compensation for load on the spine.When wearing a corset, the pain will be reduced and the patient's life will increase mobility and quality.
Lumbar chondropathy is a chronic disease.It is important to change his lifestyle and learn to live with this disease.To this end, there are some special educational programs that can improve the quality of patients’ lives.
The positive effects of conservative treatment are achieved within 2-3 months.If this treatment is ineffective, prescriptions will be performed.
Operation
With the development of vertebral hernia in the lumbar department, minimally invasive surgery was performed.The choice of the direction of neurosurgery treatment is to threaten the patient's life through serious special signs.
Operation is a complex invasive treatment associated with risks.Complications may occur during or after the operation.The success of treatment also depends on postoperative rehabilitation, which includes conservative treatment and orthopedic correction methods.
Don't postpone treatment
Lumbar chondropathy is a progressive disease.If it is not discovered promptly and it is not started to be treated, it can lead to disability and a degradation in quality of life.As time goes by, several parts of the spine are affected and acute pain falls into chronic condition.
Timely prevention of symptoms and treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis in the initial stage can prevent the development of the disease and the worsening of the disease.