Lumbar osteochondrosis: symptoms, causes, extent

Lumbar osteochondrosis is a pathology associated with the degenerative process of cartilage tissue.This disease causes damage to all joints, but the intervertebral discs are primarily affected.If you experience lower back pain, you should consult your doctor immediately. If this is not done, pathology will lead to serious complications.

What is lumbar osteochondrosis?

This term refers to diseases that cause damage to the spinal discs. They are a gel-like substance located in the annulus fibrosus. The upper and lower parts of the intervertebral disc are covered with thin cartilage tissue.Over time, the gel-like substance loses moisture and becomes thinner and less elastic. Under the influence of load, cartilage tissue deforms. The result of these processes is the formation of a protrusion or hernia. These structures can compress the nerve roots, causing disease.Lumbar osteochondrosis is quite common and can have negative health effects. With this disease, compression of the sciatic nerve often occurs. Therefore, there is a risk of severe pain.

Possible complications of the disease

If treatment for lumbar osteochondrosis is not initiated promptly, the pathology can lead to dangerous health consequences. The disease can cause reactive spondylosis. It can also cause the development of osteoarthritis in the knee or hip joints.For women, lumbar spine injuries can lead to complications during pregnancy. This is especially dangerous in the third trimester because of the high loads on the spine during this period. In men, the degenerative process can cause potency issues.In addition, lack of adequate and timely treatment can lead to the following consequences:

• Sciatica;
• Spinal deformity;
• loss of sensation in the limbs;
• spinal instability;
• Pathology of internal organs;
• Radiculitis;
• Complete loss of motor activity.

Main symptoms and signs of lumbar osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is characterized by slow growth. Typically, diagnosis is made in advanced cases when severe symptoms appear. This is why it is so important to recognize the signs of lumbar osteochondrosis promptly. These include the following:

• Lower back pain. In the early stages of the disease, symptoms may appear only after lifting weights. As the pathology progresses, the pain syndrome becomes unbearable.
• Reduced physical activity. This symptom is caused by compression of nerve fibers. When bending or turning, discomfort may occur and radiate to the leg.
• Loss of sensation in the lower limbs. As lumbar osteochondrosis progresses, the nerve roots are permanently damaged and numbness occurs. The symptoms increase and decrease periodically. In this condition, patients experience burning, numbness, and tingling in the waist and below.
• Local skin temperature decreases. It becomes pale, dry, and flabby.
• Excessive sweating.
• Spinal Syndrome. This symptom appears in advanced cases. People often experience sexual dysfunction and urinary problems.

Causes of lumbar osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis occurs due to increased loading on the spine. Excessive pressure on the lower back can cause damage to the cartilage structure. The risk of developing the disease increases under the influence of:

• Bad posture.
• Lack of physical activity. Lack of physical activity can lead to muscle weakness.
• Calcium metabolism disorder.
• Long-term deficiency of trace elements and macroelements. This may be due to an eating disorder.
• Genetic susceptibility.
• Low temperature.
• stress factors.
• Strength or extreme sports.
• Damage to the musculoskeletal system.
• excess weight.

What are the stages of the disease?

The disease progresses gradually. Doctors divide lumbar osteochondrosis into the following stages:

• First, at this stage, waist pain is bearable and will worsen after exercise. This symptom indicates a destructive process on the disk. Patients may experience burning and stinging sensations. Sometimes these symptoms radiate to the buttocks.
• Secondly, at this stage, the distance between the vertebrae decreases and the annulus fibrosus is destroyed. The patient will experience severe pain. It radiates to the buttocks, buttocks, and legs during exercise. The affected area may feel cold or burning. During the attack, the patient is forced to lean in the opposite direction.
• Third, the annulus fibrosus is completely destroyed at this stage. The spinal tissue is severely deformed. This can cause an intervertebral hernia to develop. As this degree of lumbar osteochondrosis progresses, persistent, high-intensity pain occurs.
• The fourth is accompanied by abnormal intervertebral disc growth and bone destruction. At this stage, the cartilage tissue is severely atrophied. This can lead to disruption of a person's motor activities and even lead to disability.

When should you see a doctor?

If you have any discomfort in your lower back, you should consult your doctor immediately. To make an accurate diagnosis, experts perform diagnostic tests. To do this, the patient needs to be investigated and examined. Doctors may also prescribe X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging tests.To cope with the pathology, complex therapies are used. It must solve the following problems:

• Stop inflammation;
• Strengthen leg musculature;
• Eliminate pain syndrome;
• Improves metabolic processes and blood circulation;
• normalizes the function of pelvic organs;
• Restore sensitivity.

The pathology is characterized by the progression of pain. In the initial stages, tablet painkillers are sufficient. In advanced cases, this is not possible without injectable drugs.Pharmacological treatment includes the following medications:

• NSAIDs. They help deal with swelling and inflammation. Therefore, the compression of blood vessels and fibers can be eliminated and pain can be relieved. The most effective drugs include diclofenac and nimesil.
• Painkillers. They are prescribed during pathological exacerbations and are accompanied by severe pain. These medications have many side effects. Therefore, they must be prescribed by a doctor. Most commonly, Baralgin or Pentalgin is prescribed.
• Muscle relaxants. These treatments can help manage muscle spasms. This allows you to eliminate discomfort. This category includes Mydocalm, Sirdalud.
• Glucocorticoids. These are hormonal preparations that help deal with inflammation and improve the function of the nervous system. The drug Ambene is very effective.

In addition to medication, the following treatments are used:

• physiotherapy. Performing special exercises can help strengthen your muscles. This helps create correct posture, increases ligament flexibility, and prevents complications of osteochondrosis. Gymnastics improve blood circulation, normalize metabolic processes, increase the distance between vertebrae and reduce the load on the vertebrae.
• Manual therapy. It involves using personal manual techniques to help control pain and improve posture. This treatment restores motor activity, normalizes blood flow, strengthens the immune system and activates metabolic processes.
• massage. This process can have a relaxing or tonic effect on the body. With its help, the load on the muscles is relieved, blood flow is stimulated and lymphatic drainage is activated. Massage can also relieve pain and have a restorative effect.
• physiotherapy. For lumbar osteochondrosis, ultrasound, low-frequency current, and magnetic fields may be used. This helps relieve pain, relieve inflammation, and normalize blood circulation. Physiotherapy products stimulate the healing process and increase the effectiveness of medications.

Prevention of lumbar osteochondrosis

To avoid developing lumbar osteochondrosis, you should follow these basic recommendations:

• Avoid lumbar hypothermia;
• control posture;
• exercise;
• Change body position while performing monotonous tasks;
• Refusal to lift heavy objects;
• Healthy Food.

Lumbar osteochondrosis is a common pathology that can cause dangerous complications. In order to reduce the symptoms of the disease, timely consultation with a neurologist is required. The doctor will perform diagnostic tests and choose appropriate treatment.

How is treatment performed in modern clinics?

Doctor consultation: medical history, myofascial diagnosis, functional diagnosis.how is the progress?History collection - analysis of the disease, identification of limitations and contraindications, explanation of principles of exercise therapy, characteristics of the recovery period.Myofascial Diagnosis is a manual diagnostic method in which a doctor can assess a joint's range of motion and identify painful tightness, swelling, muscle hypotonia or hypertonia, and other changes.Functional diagnosis (conducted in the recovery room) - the doctor explains how to perform certain exercises on the equipment and observes: how the patient performs these exercises, the range of motion he can perform, which movements cause pain, the weight the patient can tolerate and the cardiovascular systemHow to react to work together. Vascular system. Identify problem areas. The data is entered into the card. The accent is set.Based on the results of the doctor's preliminary examination and functional diagnosis, a preliminary individualized treatment plan will be formulated. It is recommended that you bring:

• Spinal pain - MRI or CT (magnetic resonance or computed tomography) of the problem area;
• Joint pain – X-ray;
• Presence of concomitant diseases - medical history or outpatient card extract;
• Comfortable (athletic) clothes and shoes

Take classes with a coach

At the beginning of a treatment cycle, the doctor and patient create a treatment plan that includes treatment dates and times, follow-up visits with the doctor (usually 2-3 times per week).The basis of the treatment process is the use of simulators in the recovery room and treatment in the gym.Rehabilitation simulators allow you to accurately adjust the load on individual muscle groups to provide an appropriate physical activity program. Treatment plans are individually formulated by doctors based on each patient's physical characteristics. Supervision is provided by qualified lecturers. During all stages of recovery, it is important to follow correct movement and breathing techniques, know your weight standards when working on exercise equipment, adhere to prescribed treatment regimens and follow expert advice.Joint gymnastics classes help restore visual coordination, improve joint range of motion and spinal elasticity (flexibility) and are an excellent self-use preventive system.Each treatment cycle consists of 12 sessions. Each class is supervised by an instructor. The duration of a treatment ranges from 40 minutes to 1. 5 hours. Instructors will develop plans taking into account comorbidities and the patient's condition on the day of class. Teach practice techniques and monitor correct execution. Every sixth session, there is a second consultation with the doctor, where changes and additions to the plan are made based on the dynamics.How many cycles are needed? – individually for each personIt's important to know:

• How long have you had this problem (stage of disease)
• How your body prepares for physical activity (whether you do gymnastics or any sport)

If the disease is in its early stages and the body is ready, one treatment cycle is enough. (For example, young people aged 20-30 who participate in sports. We focus on their exercise techniques, breathing, stretching, excluding "wrong" exercises that are harmful to problem areas. Such patients receive training and receive "carebody" techniques, accept advice as your condition worsens and continue to learn on your own).If the problem has been present for a long time, you don't do gymnastics, or you have concomitant medical conditions, then you will need different periods of time:

• Relieve aggravation? One or two cycles is enough
• Restoration of function, walking without stopping (climbing stairs), stooping, performing certain tasks without effort, remaining still for long periods of time while traveling, general improvement, may require three or more treatment cycles

Every organism is individual, and so is each patient's procedure.