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 consult a doctor with complaints of severe lower back pain are diagnosed with radiculitis of the lumbosacral region.
Description of the disease
Osteochondrosis of the sacral or lumbar region occurs with the same frequency in women and men, most often in middle and old age.Medical practice shows that this particular disease takes first place 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 great care, since osteochondrosis can pose a serious danger to human health.
The lumbar region is the name given to the part of the spine 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 progressive deformation takes place.
The basis of radiculitis is the slow destruction of the vertebrae, their loss of moisture and elasticity and a decrease in their shock absorption capacity.Little by little, the space between the vertebrae decreases, the intervertebral disc can harden, leading to pinching of the nerve roots.This process is accompanied by intense, 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 a 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 pinched sciatic nerve, which is accompanied by severe pain in the lower back and a feeling of numbness in the limbs.
Radiculitis can also lead to 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 spheres;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 only appears during physical exertion.Initially, the process of destruction of the vertebrae is in its early stages.
- The second stage is accompanied by active destruction of the fibrous rings and a decrease in the intervertebral space.This leads to pinched nerves and causes severe pain.
- The third stage - the destruction of the fibrous rings ends, intervertebral hernias appear.The spine is noticeably deformed and twisted, losing its normal anatomical shape.
- The fourth stage of the disease is the most serious.At this point, a person can no longer walk normally;often the fourth stage ends in disability.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis
Symptoms and treatment are determined depending on the stage of development of the disease.
At the first stage, a person usually does not pay attention to the first signs of the disease.When making sharp turns or walking, minor pain and discomfort may occur in the lumbar region.Additionally, pain often appears after prolonged sitting or standing in one place.
The main danger of this period is that the symptoms are not yet pronounced enough, a person can simply ignore them, which leads to rapid progression of osteochondrosis.
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.
At the third stage, osteochondrosis is characterized by pronounced symptoms - severe pain, back spasms, decreased mobility of the vertebrae and the beginning of pathologies of internal organs and systems.This can lead to 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 severe pain, which especially intensifies when trying to perform any physical movement.Also at this stage, swelling of muscles and ligaments, loss of sensitivity and numbness of the lower extremities may occur.
Modern methods of treatment
It is recommended to carry out the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine comprehensively - using medications, physiotherapeutic methods, exercise therapy and medicinal plants.In the most severe cases, surgical treatment is used.
Treatment aims to achieve goals such as:
- Reduce pain in the lumbar and sacral areas.
- Suppression of inflammatory processes in the diseased area.
- Elimination of pathological tensions in muscle tissues.
- Activation of blood circulation in the lumbosacral region of the back.
- Improve spinal mobility, normalize sensitivity of the lower limbs.
Drug treatment of radiculitis is an obligatory element of complex therapy of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine.For therapeutic purposes, several medications are most often prescribed:
- Painkillers are used to relieve pain.But it must be remembered that by eliminating pain, analgesics do not treat the cause of the disease.
- In most cases, the doctor prescribes chondroprotectors designed to improve the metabolic processes of 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.
- Drugs from the category of muscle relaxants are used to normalize muscle tone.
- In some cases, medications with a diuretic effect may be prescribed to help relieve swelling in affected tissues.
- To activate blood circulation in the lumbosacral spine, drugs with vasodilator properties can be prescribed.
- Calcium supplements are often used to increase the strength of bone and cartilage tissues.
At the first and second stages of the disease, medications 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 effective treatment of osteochondrosis.The most effective methods are considered to be various rubbings, massages and compresses.But we must not forget that traditional methods can only be effective in the early stages of the disease.
- One of the most famous recipes is cabbage compresses.To do this, all the veins are cut off on 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 using a garlic press, squeeze the juice from the resulting mass through cheesecloth, separately melt 100 g of pork fat in a water bath.Mix the resulting components in a ratio of 1:2 and stir.The composition is used for therapeutic massage and rubbing.
- A tablespoon of ground red 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.The horseradish root, grated, is extracted 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 cartilaginous tissues, 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 pain in the back.The exercises can be very varied: bending forward and backward, left and right while standing, raising your arms, behind your head and contracting your abdominal muscles.At the same time, absolutely all therapeutic exercises are carried out under the supervision of a specialist.
What to do if you suspect osteochondrosis?
Radiculitis is an extremely dangerous disease that most often begins unnoticed by humans.The danger of radiculitis lies in the fact that in the absence of the necessary treatment, the disease can lead to the most unpleasant consequences - even paralysis of the legs and curvature of the spine.
That is why, as soon as the first signs of the disease appear, it is necessary to consult an orthopedic doctor who will prescribe the optimal treatment.Remember, the sooner treatment is started, the sooner you can achieve positive results and regain the health of your spine.