Lumbar osteochondrosis is one of the most common and most frequently diagnosed types of osteochondrosis, which is also known as "sciatica".The frequency of this disease is extremely high - in approximately 82% of cases, patients who turn to the doctor with complaints of severe pain in the lower back are diagnosed with radiculitis of the lumbosacral region.
Description of the disease
Osteochondrosis in the sacral or lumbar region occurs equally often in women and men, most often in middle and old age.Medical practice shows that precisely this disease is in the first place among the main causes of temporary or permanent disability, and in some cases even disability.Therefore, the treatment of the pathology must be treated with the utmost care, because osteochondrosis can pose a serious threat to human health.
The lumbar region is the name for the part of the spine that consists of 5 vertebrae designed to connect the sacral and thoracic parts.Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is a pathological change, during which there is a rapid decrease in flexibility and a change in the natural anatomical structure of the intervertebral discs.Their gradual deformation occurs.
The basis of radiculitis is the slow destruction of the vertebrae, their loss of moisture and elasticity, and the reduction of the ability to absorb shock.Gradually, the space between the vertebrae decreases, the intervertebral disc can harden, which results in compression of the nerve roots.This process is accompanied by severe and cramping pain in the lower back.
How dangerous is osteochondrosis, its stages?
The process of disease progression is accompanied by degenerative-dystrophic changes that can cause complications such as protrusions and disc herniation.Such degenerative changes can be the main cause of leg paralysis.
Lumbar osteochondrosis can be accompanied not only by the development of protrusion or herniation of the intervertebral disc, but also by other, no less serious diseases of internal organs and systems.One of the most common complications is pinching of the sciatic nerve, which is accompanied by intense pain in the lower back and a feeling of numbness in the limbs.
Radiculitis can cause other serious consequences - spondyloarthrosis, osteophytosis, spondylosis, stenosis, lameness, curvature of the spine.The disease can also cause a pathological process in the genitourinary and reproductive sphere;in women, inflammation of the uterus and ovaries;in men it causes various problems with potency.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is divided into several stages:
- The first stage of radiculitis is the "mild" stage, in which the pain in the lumbar or sacral region is still mild and occurs only during physical exertion.In the first stage, the process of destruction of the vertebrae is in the initial stage.
- The second stage is followed by the active destruction of the fibrous rings and the reduction of the intervertebral space.This leads to pinching of the nerves and causes severe pain.
- The third stage - the destruction of fibrous rings ends, intervertebral hernias appear.The spine is noticeably deformed and twisted, it loses its normal anatomical shape.
- The fourth stage of the disease is the most severe.At this stage, the person can no longer walk normally;often the fourth degree ends in disability.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis
Symptoms and treatment are determined depending on the stage of disease development.
In the first stage, a person, as a rule, does not pay attention to the first signs of the disease.When making a sudden turn or walking, there may be minor pain and discomfort in the lumbar region.In addition, pain often occurs after prolonged sitting or standing in one place.
The main danger of this period is that the symptoms are not yet pronounced enough, the person can simply ignore them, which is why osteochondrosis progresses quickly.
The second stage of radiculitis is accompanied by a decrease in the clearance between the vertebrae and, accordingly, severe pain in the lower back and sacrum, which can radiate to the groin and lower extremities.
In the third stage, osteochondrosis is characterized by pronounced symptoms - intense pain, back spasms, reduced mobility of the vertebrae and the onset of pathologies of internal organs and systems.This can result in problems with the genitourinary system and gynecological inflammations.
The symptoms of the fourth, most severe stage of the disease are expressed in the form of a noticeable deformation of the spine, which can bend to the side or forward, constant, strong pain, which especially intensifies when attempting any physical movement.Also in this phase there may be swelling of muscles and ligaments, loss of sensitivity and numbness of the lower extremities.
Modern methods of treatment
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine is recommended comprehensively - with the help of drugs, physiotherapeutic methods, exercise and herbal medicine.In the most severe cases, surgical treatment is used.
The treatment is aimed at achieving goals such as:
- Reduction of pain in the lumbar and sacral area.
- Removal of inflammatory processes in the affected area.
- Removal of pathological tension in muscle tissue.
- Activation of blood circulation in the lumbosacral region of the back.
- Improving the mobility of the vertebrae, normalizing sensitivity in the lower extremities.
Treatment of radiculitis with drugs is a mandatory element in the complex therapy of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine.Several drugs are most often prescribed for therapeutic purposes:
- Painkillers are used to relieve pain.But we must remember that by removing pain, analgesics do not treat the cause of the disease.
- In most cases, the doctor prescribes chondroprotectors designed to improve metabolic processes in cartilage fibers and prevent their further deformation.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - are used to remove pain and swelling, release pinched nerve endings and alleviate the inflammatory process in the affected tissues.
- Medicines from the myorelaxant category are used to normalize muscle tone.
- In some cases, drugs with a diuretic effect can be prescribed to help reduce swelling in the affected tissue.
- Medicines with vasodilating properties can be prescribed to activate blood circulation in the lumbosacral spine.
- Calcium supplements are often used to increase the strength of bone and cartilage tissue.
In the first and second stages of the disease, drugs for external use, produced in the form of ointments, creams and lotions, are very effective.
Traditional methods
Traditional medicine offers a wide range of different recipes for the effective treatment of osteochondrosis.Various rubbings, massages and compresses are considered the most effective methods.But it should be remembered that traditional methods can be effective only in the initial stages of the disease.
- One of the most famous recipes is cabbage wraps.To do this, all the veins are cut on the surface of the cabbage leaf, after which the leaf is lightly hit with a hammer and applied to the lower back.The compress is fixed with a wide scarf, handkerchief or gauze.Cabbage leaves are recommended to be changed several times a day.
- Crush 3-4 large cloves of garlic using a garlic press, squeeze the juice from the resulting mass through cheesecloth, separately dissolve 100 g of pork fat in a water bath.Combine the obtained components in a ratio of 1:2 and mix.The composition is used for therapeutic massage and rubbing.
- Pour over a spoonful of ground red pepper with 250 ml of vodka, after which leave the container with the medicine in a dry and dark place for a week.A folk remedy is used for rubbing.
- Horseradish rub is prepared in the same way.Grated horseradish root is squeezed out, and the resulting juice is mixed with the same amount of vodka.The mixture is used for regular rubbing.
Exercise therapy (physical therapy)
Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine allows you to eliminate pain, improve the condition of muscle and cartilage tissue, restore mobility of the spine, significantly strengthen the musculoskeletal corset and "relieve" the lumbar spine.
Exercises for osteochondrosis can only be performed if the person does not suffer from severe back pain.Exercises can be very diverse - bending forward and backward, left and right from a standing position, raising your arms up, behind your head and straining your abdominal muscles.At the same time, absolutely all therapeutic exercises are performed under the supervision of a specialist.
What to do if you suspect osteochondrosis?
Radiculitis is an extremely dangerous disease that often begins unnoticed by a person.The danger of radiculitis lies in the fact that in the absence of the necessary treatment, the disease can have the most unpleasant consequences - even paralysis of the legs and curvature of the spine.
That is why, when the first signs of the disease appear, it is necessary to consult an orthopedist who will prescribe the optimal course of treatment.Remember, the sooner you start treatment, the faster you will achieve positive results and restore your spine to health.