Lumbar osteochondrosis is one of the most common and frequently diagnosed types of osteochondrosis, also known as "sciatica".The frequency of this disease is extremely huge: in about 82% of cases, patients who turn to the doctor with complaints of severe low back pain are diagnosed with radiculitis of the lumbosacral region.
Description of the disease
Osteochondrosis in the sacral or lumbar region occurs equally frequently in women and men, more often in middle and older age.Medical practice shows that this particular disease ranks first among the main causes of temporary or permanent disability and, in some cases, disability.That is why the treatment of pathology must be treated with the utmost care, because osteochondrosis can pose a serious danger to human health.
The lumbar region is the name given to the part of the spinal column made up of 5 vertebrae intended to connect the sacral and thoracic regions.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 a decrease in shock absorption capacity.Gradually, the space between the vertebrae decreases, the intervertebral disc can harden, causing crushing of the nerve roots.This process is accompanied by severe, spasmodic pain in the lower back.
How dangerous is osteochondrosis, its stages?
The process of disease progression is accompanied by degenerative-dystrophic changes, which over time can cause complications such as disc protrusions and herniations.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 by other no less serious diseases of the 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 also 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 potency problems.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is divided into several stages:
- The first stage of radiculitis is a “mild” stage, in which the pain in the lumbar or sacral region is still mild and appears only during physical exertion.In the first stage, the process of destruction of the vertebrae is in the initial stage.
- The second stage is accompanied by the active destruction of the fibrous rings and the decrease of the intervertebral space.This leads to compression of the nerves and causes severe pain.
- The third stage: the destruction of fibrous rings ends, intervertebral hernias appear.The spine is significantly deformed and twisted, losing its normal anatomical shape.
- The fourth stage of the disease is the most serious.At this stage, a person can no longer walk normally;often the fourth phase ends with disability.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis
Symptoms and treatment are determined based on the stage of development of the disease.
In the first stage, a person, as a rule, does not pay attention to the first signs of the disease.When making sharp turns or walking, mild pain and discomfort in the lower back may occur.Additionally, pain often appears after sitting or standing in the same place for a long time.
The main danger of this period is that the symptoms are not yet sufficiently pronounced, a person can simply ignore them, due to which osteochondrosis progresses rapidly.
The second stage of radiculitis is accompanied by a decrease in the space between the vertebrae and, as a result, 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 cause problems with the genitourinary system and gynecological inflammation.
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 sideways or forward, constant and intense pain, which is especially intensified when trying to perform any physical movements.Also at this stage, swelling of the muscles and ligaments, loss of sensation and numbness in the lower limbs may occur.
Modern methods of treatment
It is recommended to carry out the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine comprehensively, with the help of medications, physiotherapeutic methods, physical therapy and phytotherapy.In more serious cases, surgical treatment is used.
The treatment is aimed at achieving objectives such as:
- Reduction of pain in the lumbar and sacral areas.
- Removal of inflammatory processes in the diseased area.
- Elimination of pathological tension in muscle tissue.
- Activation of blood circulation in the lumbosacral region of the back.
- Improve spinal mobility, normalizing sensitivity in the lower limbs.
Pharmacological treatment of radiculitis is an obligatory element in the complex therapy of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine.For therapeutic purposes, several drugs are often prescribed:
- Painkillers are used to relieve pain.But we must remember that by eliminating pain, analgesics do not treat the cause of the disease.
- In most cases, the doctor prescribes chondroprotectors designed to improve metabolic processes in cartilaginous fibers and prevent their further deformation.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - are used to eliminate pain and swelling, release pinched nerve endings and relieve the inflammatory process in the affected tissues.
- Medicines from the category of muscle relaxants are used to normalize muscle tone.
- In some cases, drugs with a diuretic effect may be prescribed to relieve swelling of the affected tissues.
- To activate blood circulation in the lumbosacral spine, drugs with vasodilatory properties can be prescribed.
- 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 highly effective.
Traditional methods
Traditional medicine offers a wide range of different recipes for the effective treatment of osteochondrosis.The most effective methods are considered various rubbing, massage and compresses.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 compresses.To do this, all the veins are cut off from the surface of the cabbage leaf, after which the leaf is lightly beaten with a hammer and applied to the lower back.The compress is fixed with a wide scarf, handkerchief or gauze.It is recommended to change cabbage leaves several times a day.
- Grind 3-4 large cloves of garlic with a garlic press, squeeze the juice from the resulting mass through cheesecloth, separately melt 100 g of pork fat in a water bath.Combine the resulting components in a 1:2 ratio and mix.The composition is used for therapeutic massage and rubbing.
- A spoonful of ground chili pepper should be poured into 250 ml of vodka, after which the container with the medicine should be left in a dry, dark place for a week.The folk remedy is used for rubbing.
- Horseradish rub is prepared the same way.Horseradish root, grated, is squeezed, and the resulting juice is mixed with the same amount of vodka.The mixture is used for regular rubbing.
Physical therapy (physical therapy)
Physical therapy for osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine allows you to eliminate pain, improve the condition of muscle and cartilaginous tissue, restore mobility of the spine, significantly strengthen the musculoskeletal corset and "unload" the lumbar spine.
Exercises for osteochondrosis can be performed only if the person is not bothered by severe back pain.The exercises can be very varied: bending forward and backward, left and right from a standing position, raising your arms overhead, behind your head and tensing your abdominal muscles.At the same time, all therapeutic exercises are performed under the supervision of a specialist.
What to do if osteochondrosis is suspected?
Radiculitis is an extremely dangerous disease that very 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 orthopedic doctor who will prescribe the optimal treatment.Remember, the sooner you start treatment, the faster you can achieve positive results and restore your spine to health.