Disease of the lumbar spine: symptoms and treatment

Lower back problems have a very diverse etiology. At risk include the elderly and people interested in sports or engaged in heavy physical labor. To defeat the disease back, not enough pills, ointments and warming compresses. You need to change the way of life: to do physical therapy, to lose weight, a pool and massage treatments.

Why is a sore lower back

The cartilage of the lower back is not capable of regeneration and can be easily damaged, if lacks of nutrients. Diseases of the lumbar – Board of human bipedalism. Due to the fact that people most of the time, loading the back and especially the lumbar region, deteriorating blood circulation of the lumbar cartilage. And so begins the nutrient deficiency.

Most stress the lower back receives when heavy physical labour or heavy lifting. Hernia and protrusion of the lumbar – occupational disease weightlifters. But even if a person does not expose his back to such overload, it can injure her, say, the incorrect technique weight lifting.

The lower back is deformed, if the person always sits. The lion's share of mankind is occupied in intellectual work and spends time in front of the monitor, staring at him intensely. While the loins is not based sufficiently on the back of a chair. Due to the fact that this posture becomes chronic, the muscles of the lower back no longer withstand the load, and the lumbar vertebrae begin to compress the intervertebral discs and facet joints.

• Suggest to read: a sore lower back after lifting weights

Worse the blood starts to circulate through the cartilage, and disturbed metabolism in the tissues of the lower back. But our joints do not have their own capillaries – they eat from the neighbouring lumbar soft tissues. If the capillaries in the tissues constrict, and then cease to function, cartilage experiencing a shortage of supply. As a result, they dry out, lose their elastic properties. That is why developing the majority of diseases of the lumbar spine.

Lumbar osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis of metabolic processes begins cartilage degeneration of the intervertebral discs. Lumbar disc ceases to operate as a spring between the vertebrae. He is not restoring its normal position is reduced in height. As a result, the lumbar vertebrae begin to touch each other. But if the disc bulges and then bursts, can occur complications such as protrusion and hernia.

Symptoms of lumbar osteoarthritis include stiffness and pain. If the result of the degenerative disc disease pinched nerve roots, the clinical picture gets worse:

• Disturbed sensitivity of their feet as they become numb at him "run creepy";
• Deteriorating rectum and bladder;
• The pain become stronger, give in the pelvic and femoral region.

Osteophytes of the vertebrae

In this disease like spondylosis, on the edges of vertebral bodies appear sharp thorns of bone – osteophytes. Occurs because bone bodies touch each other and are erased at the sides. The body builds up new bone tissue to replace the old, formed the excess, resembling spikes. Not surprisingly, osteophytes of the spine have sharp edges. These edges, they deform the cartilage tissue touching the nerve roots, and vessels.

But the worst complication of the disease is spinal stenosis, in which the osteophytes put pressure on the spinal cord. As a result the person may become disabled, lose all sensitivity below the waist.

Spondylosis intensifies the symptoms of degenerative disc disease lumbar. The patient becomes worse, and increases the risk of more serious complications.

Protrusion of lumbar

The intervertebral disc is essentially a spring between the vertebrae that allows the spine following the movements and loads to return to its physiological position. Osteochondrosis discs lose moisture, as a result cease to be elastic. And like a broken spring, they can bulge to the side. Such a change in shape of the intervertebral disc and is called a protrusion, or a protrusion.

The protrusion may enhancesymptoms of degenerative-dystrophic processes: pain, stiffness, and deterioration of the innervation of internal organs and hands. Increases the likelihood of the clamp of the nerve roots of the lumbar spine.

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But the protrusion is not so much scary in itself, but to its extreme form – intervertebral hernia. This is a disease in which the protrusion can not withstand the pressure of bone and torn bodies.

A herniated lumbar

The intervertebral disc consists of dense fibrous and soft nucleus pulposus. If the cartilage shell dries, and then bulges, there is a risk of rupture. When under pressure from bone bodies this happens, purposee core partially leaves its physiological position outside.

The pulp can pinch the nerve roots of the lumbar. The result will be a strong sharp pain, do not give to move. As well as a violation of the innervation of the muscles or internal organs for which the nerve was responsible. In the lumbar region is the muscles of the legs, bladder, rectum, genitals. May begin leaking urine or feces or, on the contrary, a malfunction of these organs. People can't go to the toilet, and because of the excess fluid in the body, appear swelling in the body.

Legs due to innervation are experiencing symptoms paresthesia – the violation of their sensitivity. It seems like they run a tingling numbness is present. Muscles of the legs weaken, the patient hard for a long time to go.

Pain cannot be sometimes even minimal body motion. Pain give in the legs and pelvic area.

A hernia is dangerous only if the output purposei tissue occurred in the direction of the spinal canal. Then it is possible such a condition as spinal stenosis. If you do not take urgent measures, the patient may remain disabled for life. The situation is complicated by the fact that the back (dorsal) hernia due to its location is very difficult to achieve by the surgeon.

Lumbalgia

Lumbodynia, or, as they say, cross the waist, formed as a result of compression of nerve roots lumbar. People in this state (usually after a sudden movement) freezes in a certain position, immobilized by pain. To move in the affected area there is no way.

Happens due to spasm of lumbar muscles, causing the strongest stiffness. In fact, it is a special protective reaction of the organism. Not allowing the muscles to move, he saves the nervous tissue from further damage, which may occur if the patient begins to perform a further movement.

Lumbago is not a stand-alone disease or diagnosis, it is a manifestation of some other pathological process.

Most often it is the degenerative disc disease, osteophytes or protrusion gryzenia. When there is a cross, you can't try to forcibly start to move the muscles. Try to calm down, take a comfortable position. Take an analgesic, and after an attack, think about going to a neurologist. Perhaps in your case this must be done as quickly as possible, otherwise there is even more serious complications.

Lumbar arthrosis

Lumbar osteoarthritis is a disease in which the collapse of the facet joints of the lumbar spine. Inflammation, as in osteoarthritis, does not occur, as the danger of pinch nerve tissue. However, a disease such as arthritis often goes in hand with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar cartilage, appends its unpleasant symptoms. In the first place is a pain. Another uncomfortable manifestation of the disease is a feeling of stiffness.

Exhausted the facet joints experience friction between each other. Patient difficult to perform the movement of the body, always want to straighten. It looks like the lower back was stiff.

Hardest hurts after waking up and at the end of a busy day. In the first case the reason is in a static position during sleep. To avoid this symptom will not work, but it is easy to eliminate. It is enough just to actively move, and even better – to carry out targeted morning exercises for patients with osteoarthritis. In the second case, the source of pain in loads, that have had joint compound in the course of the day. The pain calmed down enough to just lie down and relax, eliminate all the stressful factors.

• See also: Spondylosis of the lumbar spine.

Drugs

When a patient plagued by endless pain attacks, it is early to think about how not to let the disease develop further. At first, the most important thing is to stop the symptoms. To eliminate pain, regain mobility and sensitivity. And the need for this primary medication. Primarily used pain relievers such as Ketorol or Ketanov. If the pain is too strong, is assigned to the injection blockade of the spine with Novocain.

The lion's share of cases the source of the pain is an inflammatory lesion. To cope with it, used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ibuprofen or Diclofenac.

When the patient is plagued by spasms of the lumbar muscles may be prescribed a course of muscle relaxants, such as Sirdalud Mydocalm or. These funds need to drink only courses outside of the acute period of the disease. They act on the head, brain, and relax the muscles.

• See also: How to treat contusion of the lumbar spine.

In recent years, increasing the popularity of such novelties as chondroprotectors. These products were developed by pharmacists in order to include mechanisms of cartilage regeneration. Not all doctors are inclined to believe that any substances or complexes of substances able to cope with this task. Neuroscientists argue that the effect of chondroprotectors are based on placebo plus connects the background of General improvement from physical therapy and other medical procedures. Like it or not, it is difficult to say, because of research and experience in the use of such funds are few. In any case, the use of chondroprotectors or not – this question is left to the decision you and your doctor.

Physical therapy

Exercises of physiotherapy have on the condition of the lumbar invaluable positive effect. Improves blood circulation to the affected tissues, are exempt sandwiched articular joints and nerve roots. Goes muscle spasm.

If a patient wants to slow the development of deformational changes, not only to stop the symptoms, he needs to do physical therapy. But you need to remember that motor activity is only good outside the period of exacerbation. The first classes to spend under the supervision of an experienced instructor. Then you can do at home. The most important requirement is regularity. If you do exercise once a week or less, as the affected tissues will not improve.

• I advise you to read: how to stretch lower back

We offer to your attention the following exercises that you can use as a regular charge:

• Lying down or sitting, begin to strain the abdominal muscles until then, a little while not get tired;
• Get up on all fours. Begin to bend and bend to the maximum of the lower back. The head flexes in the direction opposite the lumbar region. It will be enough five or ten repetitions, look at the state of health;
• Lie on your back, slightly bend your knee, put his hands under the back of the head. Performed by bending both legs simultaneously first in one direction ten times, then in the other direction ten times;
• Lie on the back, maximum pull socks of both feet to the side of the head. Hold maximum point in about five seconds. It will be enough five or seven repetitions.

• Be sure to read: what to do at home, if shot in the lower back

Also, useful are the usual visy on the bar – they stretch the lower back, relieve joint cartilage from pressure. Swimming in the pool – perfect physical activity. In water the body weight is distributed evenly, none of the spine is not experiencing excessive load. While strengthening muscles, it also helps to get rid of the symptoms. Another interesting option, allowing you to defeat diseases of the lumbar – exercises on the boards Evminov.