You probably can't find any adult who doesn't know what "lumbar osteochondrosis" is.On average, every third healthy person in the middle years, and sometimes more often, in his life he had an episode of acute lower back pain and every fifth - six shows that such problems occur regularly and are even a "source" of the hospital record.
However, to explain in detail what exactly the violation happened in the lower back, patients are most often unable.Most of them have never been studied and treatment consisting in the form of "injections", "ointments", massage sessions usually help for several months to a year.
If you "pose" such a patient and start asking yourself for the diagnosis, then, after having suffered a little, he will say that he is ill with "osteochondrosis".What does this disease mean in connection with the lumbar spine?
Lumbar osteochondrosis - disease or "norm of life"?
First of all, you have to say authoritatively: "osteochondrosis" cannot harm.And in any way it cannot manifest itself, since it is the process of dystrophy and degeneration of the intervertebral discs, that is, cartilage, which consists of a pulpic nucleus and a fibrous ring.The intervertebral disc is cartilage and is designed to operate as an "airbag", Agres - assistance of shock, softening vertical and angular accelerations - inhibition between adjacent vertebrae.
As you know, cartilage is devoid of nervous and vascular tissue, so the processes that go "clean to the disks" simply cannot affect the adjacent structures and do not appear in any way.A similar example of the vertebrae is the hernia of Shomor, in which the hernial convex is reliably covered by the sponge bone tissue on the adjacent vertebra.The intervertebral discs do not hurt.
Chondrosis (suffix "-O" indicates an increase, increase), in which case-it is not quite correct.This does not happen during the human life of growth and increase of cartilage.Here with fibrosis (cirrhosis) of the liver, it can be noted that the mesh structure of the liver begins to develop, to the detriment of the function.
And with chondrosis (or osteochondrosis), intervertebral discs begin to change only their configuration, under the influence of many years of loads.
They cause pressure on the adjacent vertebrae, since according to the law of Newton, any action in static load gives rise to exactly the same opposition or reaction to support.How does osteochondrosis develop and for what reasons this happens?
The causes of “lumbar osteochondrosis”
Signs of lumbar osteochondrosis (more precisely, intervertebral discs) can already be found at a young age, especially with various disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
They can be attributed, for example:
- congenital anomalies (different leg lengths);
- different types of flat legs (longitudinal, transverse);
- Deformity of the spine (scoliosis);
- Spondylolistz (slipping the lower, lumbar vertebra of the sacral bone both forward and rear).
All of these diseases can cause or increase the impact load on the spine (for example, with flat feet, when the elasticity of the arch of the foot decreases) and with severe asymmetry of the spine when the maintenance function is systematically realized due to the load on the edge of the disc.
It was known that the experiments were found to be healthy and young cartilage, if they were given loads evenly and statically across the surface, they were able to withstand up to 2000 kg and even higher for themselves.Of course, there is no such load in everyday life, but it can increase to such values when exposed to the edge of the disc.
If the support area is 20 times smaller and the disc will not be as healthy (for example, in the elderly), then exposure to 60-80 kg (for example, the fall of ice in a slope on the side, with a load on the shoulders) can cause the disk to be destroyed, which can be in the form of convexity or hernia.
It is the appearance of bulge or hernia that the disc has been deformed and even "crawled" on one or more sides.And around the disc, as you know, there is no empty space.As soon as the disc begins to contact nerve roots, adjacent ligaments and muscles, then the effects of osteochondrosis occur: reflex pain and muscle tonic syndromes that cause the patient to turn to a neurologist, manual therapist and massage therapist.
Meanwhile, the discs have a normal shape and wear out evenly, without extreme loads, and then osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine bothers the patient no more than the usual era abrasion of the teeth, for which criminals are well known.How do reflex pain syndromes occur?
Symptoms and signs of complex lumbar osteochondrosis
You have already noticed that we diligently "grow" bridges: ordinary osteochondrosis is a completely inevitable process of ordinary aging of elastic intervertebral "seals" in the type "reasonable person" as it moves vertically throughout life.And "osteochondrosis", which patients with acute pain reminder are a complex condition.
Maybe we will start with signs of radicular compression.The signs of lumbar osteochondrosis, of course, are associated with pain due to the segmental nerve spine pressed by the disc.In addition to pain, sensitive, motor and vegetatively trophic disorders are possible.
Low pain in osteochondrosis has the following characteristics:
1) Pain slid.It is secondary and continues according to the type of neuralgia, when the swollen nervous spine is very "forcibly" responding to a concussion.
The pain is acute, sudden, firing, piercing the lower back, probably refuses.The pain occurs and instantly increases, so it is called "lumbago" or "background".This is such a "prison" that causes a person to "face Razakan" as any movement leads to increased pain.
In addition, the pain is exacerbated by the smallest cough, sneezing, tension, laughter - every situation in which the swollen spine shakes.
If the spine is part of the sciatic nerve, the pain "shoots" through the ass in the poplial well and below, and this is called "lumbar -algia".
2) muscle pain.Near the nerve spine are large muscle massifs.Often in the spring and autumn they "stand up" and swell, become dense.Vegetable outflow is difficult in them and they themselves are a source of pain.
This pain is sick, constant and not so harsh.On the contrary, it intensifies not only with a sharp movement, but also with a long -term monotonous position (worsening of blood supply).
- Sometimes such a myofascial syndrome occurs after exacerbation of convexity or hernia when the acute "hook" of hernia "massages" the muscles and connections for a long time.
3) motor disorders.As the disc can remove not only a sensitive but also a motor spine, it is possible to develop peripheral paresis or even paralysis.With different levels of damage, weakness in the legs (such as weakness when climbing stairs on the one hand), weakness in the foot, leading to impaired gait is possible.
There is muscle hypotrophy, one leg is "weight loss".Such a purely motor, painless disorder is rare and, leaving unnoticed, can lead to damage.
4) Sensitive disorders.They occur along with pain, often exist even after the end of pain instead of pain.They are manifested by numbness, reducing the sensitivity of the skin of the feet by the type of "stripes", in the form of vertical stripes, a feeling of "crawling geese" in the fingers and toes.
- Sometimes with damage to the vegetative fibers, the symptoms are combined with hyperhidrosis, skin cooling, hair growth and nails.
These are the most general signs of complex lumbar osteochondrosis existing in the lumbar region.There are separate syndromes, for example, damage to the outer skin of the thigh or damage to the ponytail, epiconus, pure radiculitis or pear muscle syndrome - but even their short description will take too much time.
For patients, the above is sufficient, the main signs to register for a neurologist.How can you "remove exacerbation with your own hands"?How to treat lumbar osteochondrosis of the house?
What to do during exacerbation of lumbar osteochondrosis?
The basis of all treatment is ethitropic therapy (elimination of cause) and pathogenetic treatment (affecting the mechanisms of the disease).Symptomatic therapy joins it.
With vertebrae (caused by spinal problems), things are like that:
- The elimination of the cause is the removal of pressure by convexity, hernia, or a spasmized muscle on the nerve root;
- The effect on the mechanisms is the elimination of muscle spasm, the restoration of venous outflow in the muscles, the removal of the edema of the nerve spine and the fight against inflammation;
- The elimination of symptoms (fight against pain, numbness, restriction of mobility) is carried out by returning to paragraph No. 2, since the removal of edema and inflammation, for example, will restore mobility and relieve pain.
To get rid of convexity and hernia
As a rule, it does not begin to cure acute back pain.Almost at first, they stop the pain syndrome, then, after the massage and treatment sessions of the manual therapist, all symptoms go away and the surgery is not required.
The issue of surgery arises with the progression of weakness in the foot and in severe, unconscious pain within 2 months.In addition, surgery is necessary for compressing the central channel at high levels in which the spinal cord is located, or the "ponytail".
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis, medicines
The treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis and its complications provide the following measures.In the acute phase (first day - two):
- To reduce muscle edema and spine, a sleepless diet and limiting the amount of fluid used is indicated.You can even give a tablet with a mild diuretic medicine that saves potassium.
- The wearing of a half -rhigid orthopedic corset is shown, which saves muscles from excessive movement.
- From the first days, the rubbing ointments containing NSAIDs have been shown, the application of plasters, such as "pepper", has been shown.
- You cannot warm your back in the acute phase.As inflammation increases, edema increases.Therefore, any heating pads are prohibited.You can warm by picking up your own heat (wool belt, warming ointments) that are not added from the outside, but, on the contrary, are removed from the depths.
- In the acute phase of lumbar osteochondrosis, short -term treatment with intramuscular "injections" of NSAI and muscle relaxants can be performed.This will help to stop the edema of the nerve tissue, eliminate inflammation and normalize muscle tone.
In the subacute period, after overcoming the maximum pain, "injections" should no longer be taken and attention should be paid to restorative agents, such as modern vitamins in the B group.They effectively restore impaired sensitivity, reduce numbness and paresthesia.
Physiotherapy measures continue, comes the time to perform osteochondrosis exercises of the lumbar spine.His task is to normalize blood circulation and muscle tone when edema and inflammation have already withdrawn and muscle spasm has not yet been fully resolved.
Exercises for lumbar osteochondrosis of the spine should be performed after a slight ordinary warm -up, on "warm -Up muscles".
The main therapeutic factor is movement, not the degree of muscle contraction.Therefore, to avoid relapse, it is not allowed to use weights, a gymnast rug and a gymnastic wand is used.With their help you can effectively restore the volume of movements.
Rubbing ointments, the use of iPllicator kuznetsov continues.Swimming, underwater massage, Sharko shower are shown.It is at the stage of depreciation exacerbation that medicines for home magnetotherapy and physiotherapy are shown.
Usually, treatment takes no more than a week, but in some cases osteochondrosis may occur with such dangerous symptoms that surgery may be necessary and urgent.
Complications of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine
First of all, it is a condition when the hernia of the disc has become an independent fragment and, after penetrating the central channel, forms free sequestion.There it can pull the nerves of the ponytail, and it can suddenly develop (right in the gym, after an episode of acute pain) develop acute weakness or paralysis in the legs, numbness of the perineum.
After a few minutes, brutal leg pain occurs and then a reflexive slowdown of urine or the onset of incontinence, develops, impotence develops.This arose from horse syndrome as a complication of disc herniation.In this case, emergency intervention, sequinally removing and restoration of the function of the horse nerves with their decompression are required.
Most often, however, other complications arise.With age, many hernias and convexity appear, osteoporosis of the vertebrae occurs and mobility simply reduces and the risk of acute back pain increases.Such patients will surely "take sick leave" several times a year and are often treated in sanatoriums.
Treatment forecast
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the symptoms and treatment from which we dismantled ourselves higher, as we have learned about ourselves, is not at all a disease at all, but simply by a manifestation of inevitable aging and premature "shrinking" of interior discs.
Can humanity be completely spared by lumbar osteochondrosis?This answer can be responded to affirmatively, but then we will have to master a different style of movement: our whole life, in order to continue to four, or, like Ihtander, to swim in the depths of the ocean, constantly moving in the water from childhood.It is then that the axial, static load on the intervertebral discs will disappear and with it the signs of "chondrosis" will disappear.But another problem will arise: in the water such a powerful design will just become unnecessary and start to change until it disappears or will not decrease significantly.
As for the personal, individual prediction of osteochondrosis, it all depends on the time when one "decides to take the mind."If so far there is no pronounced destruction of the intervertebral discs, convexity, hernia and deformities, then, subjected to a healthy lifestyle and hygiene, physical activity cannot be known at the very age of the back of the lower back.
In the same case, when there is already a "hot spot" in the area of the lumbar region, for example in the form of hernia, which periodically presses the nerve spine, then one has to particularly care for uncomfortable turns, physical exertion, improper lifting of weight and seasonal hypothermia, which usually causes the osteochondrosis.