Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine: symptoms and treatment. Exercises, massage, acupuncture

Osteochondrosis in the lumbar region of the spine can be attributed to the group of diseases that significantly complicate the process of life of the patient and can lead to even permanent loss of ability to work (in the absence of treatment).

What is the essence of such a disease as osteochondrosis

Initially, it is important to note that this problem is a consequence of the destruction of the connective tissue of the intervertebral discs, articular surfaces, ligaments and bodies of adjacent vertebrae.

Cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis is essentially the same process, only localized in different places. To such degenerative changes lead stable overload and metabolic disorders.

In the initial stage of the disease, the decomposition of glycoproteins is fixed. These are complex substances, which consist of proteins and polysaccharides. It is their availability that provides such properties of connective tissue as elasticity and elasticity. At the next stage of the development of the disease, destructive processes affect the bony structures of the spine, which are related to cartilage. This type of change is defined as degenerative-dystrophic.

The lesion occurs in the area of the intervertebral disc, which consists of an external fibrous ring and a gel-like pulpous core inside. Pain with lumbar osteochondrosis begins to be felt when, due to the drying out of the core and the loss of damping properties, the fibrous ring is unraveled. In this condition, considerable mechanical stress is exerted on the vertebrae, which ultimately leads to an increased formation of fibrous and bone tissue in places that are overloaded. As a result, there are bony growths. They are called osteophytes.

What can lead to the appearance of osteochondrosis

Degenerative-dystrophic processes in the spine develop under the influence of various factors. And although, as a rule, one of them prevails, nevertheless lumbar osteochondrosis is a product of influence of a whole complex of causes.

Initially, it is worth paying attention to the role of the above mentioned strong and stable loads. If this factor is supplemented by incorrect posture and lack of a healthy lifestyle, the development of the disease can accelerate and, moreover, lead to some complications.

Another reason why lumbar osteochondrosis can make itself felt is a back injury. In the group of risk are also professional athletes. Sufficiently high chances of progression of degenerative-dystrophic changes of the spine are in people doing sports on their own and performing incorrectly complex exercises, especially with a lot of weight.

Do not ignore and such a factor as the regime of the day, not allowing the body to fully recover. If under such conditions a person does not sleep enough, is in a state of chronic fatigue and experiences constant stresses, then there is every reason to expect pain in the back.

But not always external factors cause the development of such a disease as lumbar osteochondrosis. Symptoms of this disease can be a consequence of poor heredity. We are talking about the initially increased level of looseness of the structure of the disk. In this state, the spinal elements easily deform.

If a person has to stay in one position for a long time (sitting, standing, bent), in this case conditions for the development of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the disk are also created.

Often cases, when osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region develops in those who suffer from inflammatory diseases of the articular tissues of the spine.

Symptomatics

With such a serious disease as osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, symptoms and treatment should be studied thoroughly. This will help in time to determine the development of destructive processes and promptly turn to a highly qualified doctor.

The first and the main symptom, which is worth paying attention to, is a feeling of pain in the lumbar region. And it can arise in a state of rest, and with sudden movement, and in some cases - after heavy loads. As to the nature of the pain, it can be either localized in a particular area, or spreading up the back from the waist.

When the disease passes into the stage of active development, pain can be felt even when coughing, sneezing, or any minor activity that affects the lumbar region. Moreover, the mobility of this part of the back is significantly disturbed. This problem makes itself felt especially when trying to bend over or turn aside.

In the event that in osteochondrosis, bone formations or a protruding fibrous ring affected the nerve root, the following symptoms may appear:

- Sharp, shooting pain in the lower back;

- weakness in the muscles;

- disruption of the internal organs connected with the pinched nerve;

- a feeling of constant cold in the legs and a spasm of the arteries of the feet;

- a significant decrease in tendon reflexes;

- disturbed sweating.

It is worth highlighting such nonspecific symptoms as weakness, fatigue, problems with sleep, urogenital system, loss of strength and irritability.

In order to better understand the essence of this disease, it is worth considering separately the degree of osteochondrosis of the lumbar region.

First degree

In this period of the development of the disease, pain is felt due to irritation of the nerve endings, which are located in the longitudinal ligaments and the fibrous ring. The patient feels severe discomfort only in that part of the back where the affected disc is located. Such sensations can take the form of sharp lumbago along the back or acute pain. In some cases lumbulgia is fixed - dull pain, which has a permanent character.

This fact, like irritation of nerve endings, can cause the development of reflex syndromes. They very vividly characterize the first degree of such a disease, as the osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the symptoms and treatment of which It is important to determine precisely in this period.

The essence of reflex syndromes is reduced to the spread from the irritated endings of impulses that spread throughout the spinal cord. Thus, they affect other tissues and organs.

It is this process that explains the fact that with destructive processes in the lumbar region, pain can be felt in completely different places. In some cases, reflex syndromes can manifest themselves through the violation of blood supply in the ligaments and limbs, spasms of blood vessels and muscles, as well as in the improper operation of internal organs.

In turn, the disturbed nutrition and blood supply of the tendons and ligaments entails the appearance of painful seals, as well as changes in the places where they are attached to the bones. Often this problem is the most painful.

Considering such a topic as "osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine: symptoms and treatment", it is worth paying attention to other signs characteristic of a given degree of the disease. This is about ischialgia (pain localized only in the leg) and manifested much more often - lumboschialgia (painful sensations giving in the leg).

If there was a spasm of the thigh vessels mentioned above, then there are all reasons to expect the appearance of arterial diseases of the lower extremities (obliterating atherosclerosis, etc.). Very rarely urinary incontinence and bladder dysfunction are possible.

Second degree

At this stage, there is a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae and the subsequent jamming of the nerve endings. As for the fibrous ring, it continues to deteriorate. With this level of disc disruption, the pain manifests itself vividly and is given to the thigh and shin. In the lumbar region, there is a feeling of cold or fever.

This degree of development of lumbar osteochondrosis is characterized by bouts of pain accompanied by heavy sweating and paresthesia (goose bumps).

Due to instability and increased mobility of the vertebrae, the muscles of the back pass into a state of persistent and prolonged stress. The consequence of these processes is a stable fatigue of the waist and discomfort.

Third degree

For such a period, the fragmentation of the disc, the compression of the nerves, and as a consequence the manifestation of radicular syndromes are characteristic.

In the area where the nerve root was squeezed, the patient's sensitivity is impaired. At first it becomes elevated and is accompanied by tingling and burning. After a numbness comes, and in some cases, a complete loss of sensitivity. Such processes can cause disruption of motor function. In this case it (violation) can reach the level of paralysis or muscle atrophy.

It makes sense to mention and the symptom of Lasega: if you lie in the prone position, you will experience severe pain in the lumbar spine, which spreads over the back surface of the leg. When the leg is in its original position, the pain stops.

At the third stage, because of the fall of the fragments of the discs, damage to the spinal cord is possible.

Fourth degree

Considering osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, symptoms and treatment of the fourth degree should be studied without fail.

At this stage of disease progression, destructive processes affect the intervertebral joints and ligaments, and at the same time the development of fibrosis of the disc takes place, which is understood as the pinching of all its elements with a dense connective scar tissue. With this condition, the pain syndrome can go away and there is even a chance of restoring the supporting function of the spine. But the amplitude of the motion becomes very limited.

It is worth noting that different discs can record different stages of the disease, so the symptomatology can be diverse.

Lumbar osteochondrosis: symptoms and medication treatment

Depending on the symptomatology and the stage of the disease you have to deal with, specific drugs are prescribed.

In this treatment is focused on several key tasks:

- neutralization of pain syndrome;

- competent drawing up of the plan of treatment-and-prophylactic measures, which will help to slow down degenerative-dystrophic processes in the spine;

- return to normal activity.

Concerning the treatment of osteochondrosis in more detail, it is worth noting that drug therapy implies the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents. This may be Nimesulide, Ibuprofen, Lornoxicam, Etoricoxib, Ketoprofen, and others. Depending on the condition of the patient, tablets or injections can be used.

If the above drugs do not have an effect, doctors can use glucocorticoid hormones. These are medications such as Betamethasone, Prednisolone, Triamcinolone, Dexamethasone, and others. Such drugs are injected directly into the place where the pain is localized and the focus of the disease is located.

Medication for lumbar osteochondrosis includes the use of vitamins of group B (B 12, B 6, B 1). If there are reflexogenic and concomitant psychogenic disorders, then sedatives and antidepressants are prescribed. In the case where the radicular syndrome is fixed , diuretics and anticholinesterase drugs are used in case of paralysis.

When the exacerbation of lumbar osteochondrosis is fixed, novocain blockades can be used.

Using Acupuncture

With this method of treatment, disposable sterile needles with a rounded tip are used. This allows you to expand the tissue without puncturing the skin and vessels. Due to the fact that such needles for a long time are in the body, there is irritation of the tissues, leading to a response of the body.

As a result, the treatment with acupuncture gives the following effect:

- There is a cortisone release, which has a strong anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effect.

- Spasm of muscles is eliminated, which is extremely important for full blood supply.

- The injected hormones react hormones, injecting into the body hormones that block pain.

Thus, acupuncture treatment allows you to relax the muscles and provide the vertebral cartilage and joints nutrition.

The peculiarity of this technique is the fact that it is able to help those patients who could not get tangible improvements with the help of traditional treatment. In addition, the pain often decreases after the first session. But to fix the effect you need exercises for osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.

In general, considering reflexology, it is worth highlighting some obvious advantages of such treatment:

- the procedure itself is not painful;

- side effects and allergic reactions to needles are excluded;

- The pain is removed effectively and quickly, which significantly reduces the need for the use of medication.

But it is important that this technique is applied by a highly qualified specialist.

The role of curative gymnastics in the process of treatment

Exercises have a significant effect on the treatment of osteochondrosis and have a noticeable preventive value.

In order to effectively deal with such a problem as degenerative-dystrophic changes, it is necessary to use an integrated approach:

- sparing stretch marks;

- massage with lumbar osteochondrosis;

- exercises for the lower spine;

- special food, which in some cases should include a salt-free diet.

As for the complex of exercises, it should be composed by the attending physician, who will be able to take into account all the peculiarities of the condition of the individual patient.

If it is stable and competent to perform exercises with osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, then in 2-3 months the patient's condition will improve significantly: the normal blood supply of the site that has been damaged, as well as the functions of the nerve roots, normalizes the lymph drainage and creates favorable conditions for restoring cracks in the fibrous ring .

Thus, anyone who intends to quickly and effectively overcome the disease, it is necessary to pay attention to exercise therapy.

How to treat lumbar osteochondrosis at home

In the home, with the concomitant consultation of a doctor, you can use medication and restorative gymnastics. It is very important to pay attention to the following detail: for a full restoration of intervertebral discs, you must use the right bedding, in particular a mattress. This is important for the reason that, being in the wrong position during rest, the muscles of the lumbar region can not completely relax. This fact, in turn, interferes with the recovery processes, which are extremely important for recovery.

Home treatment for osteochondrosis can also include the use of compresses and infusions. As an example, the following recipe can be cited: 1 garlic head and lemon with skin are rubbed and poured with a liter of boiled water. All this is insisted for 2 days. Ready infusion is taken three times a day on a tablespoon.

Do not forget about the therapeutic bath, which can have a significant effect on the lumbar region.

Such a topic as "Lumbar osteochondrosis: symptoms and treatment with medicines and folk remedies" is more than relevant, as many people suffer from this disease. The main thing to remember is that any medical measures should be carried out with the concomitant consultation of a doctor. Otherwise, you can only aggravate the situation.