Osteochondrosis is one of the most common problems associated with back diseases.
This disease means that the internal shape of the spine changes and the plasticity of the intervertebral discs between the vertebrae is reduced. During this period, diseases related to cellular nutrition will occur.
The lumbar spine is most affected, because this part of the spine bears most of the burden. When a heavy object is lifted, all the force on the body is directed towards the distance between the vertebrae, which can cause nerve root compression. This is why there are problems and pain associated with lumbar osteochondrosis.
Causes of lumbar osteochondrosis
These reasons may occur even in the younger generation, especially when there are various types of problems in the musculoskeletal system. These include:
- Birth defects, such as different lengths of limbs;
- Flat feet of various types and stages;
- Changes in the shape of the spine (scoliosis);
- Changes in the position of the lumbar spine may slide away from the ac bone in different directions.
These diseases have the ability to negatively affect the spine, leading to impaired function. Generally, doctors believe that lumbar osteochondrosis may occur at the genetic level. For example, if your parents have this disease, then their children are likely to also suffer from this spinal disease.
In addition, the most famous cause of the disease is manual labor. Indeed, when lifting a heavy object, the lumbar spine bears a lot of load, causing the lumbar spine to be violated.
The next cause of lumbar osteochondrosis is obesity. Like a ballast, excess pounds can accumulate on the body and body, and negatively affect the spine and vertebrae, causing heaviness and pain during exercise. At first glance, if you feel that violating the shape of your spine will not lead to negative consequences, then you are very wrong. This problem leads to wear of the intervertebral discs located between the vertebrae, leading to further development of osteochondrosis. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the physical condition and prevent excessive body fat. Adipose tissue interferes with movement and puts extra pressure on muscles, joints, ligaments and spine.
Another little-known cause of spinal disease is back injuries. For athletes who are not ready to withstand this load, impacts, bruises, lifting heavy objects and bullet casings can have a negative impact on the back. In the future, injuries to any part of the spine may lead to negative consequences, such as osteochondrosis of the spine.
As we all know, the most common cause of back diseases is an inactive lifestyle, when people mostly sit in one place without exercise or stretching. In most cases, this applies to people who work in an office or who just like to stay in one place for long periods of time without exercising, not participating in sports or stretching. In order to keep your back and spine (and your entire body) healthy, you need to do adequate physical exercise. If you move slightly and keep sitting down, it may cause damage to blood circulation in the body. Due to this factor, back pain will occur, the body cannot absorb all nutrients, the spine becomes weak, and many other diseases will occur.
A healthy lifestyle is one of the assumptions of healthy blood vessels and joints. Take time to exercise regularly and your body will respond positively to it.
Diseases caused by infection or inflammatory processes in the body can negatively affect the condition of bone tissue and ligaments, which can lead to vertebral weakness. Most of the load is borne by the lumbar region, which may cause changes in the shape of the vertebrae.
Stress can also cause pain in the spine, especially among women, because they feel the feelings and emotions more strongly. Stress can negatively affect the health of the entire body (nervous system). Under the background of stress, various diseases including lumbar osteochondrosis can worsen and become inflamed.
Help!You must monitor your nerves carefully to avoid situations related to stimuli or negative emotions.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis
It is difficult to identify this disease in the initial stage. Most diseases are asymptomatic, but everyone can feel abnormal sensations in the body. Therefore, it is extremely important to determine the initial symptoms of spinal disease. Pain will appear gradually, you need to be able to correctly identify them and contact a specialist in time, because in the early stages, it is easiest to cure the disease.
Most symptoms have one characteristic:
- Pain in the waist area. In general, there are two types: neuropathic pain and muscle pain. The intervertebral disc itself does not feel pain because it does not contain nerve endings. Pain is caused by the destruction of the intervertebral disc of the nerve root that emerges from the opening between the vertebrae.
- The pain is too sharp, like shooting. A person holds the lower back and cannot straighten it out for fear of pain again. This type of pain is caused by swelling of the nerve root, which does not have enough space to stay.
- In addition, the pain is caused by swelling of the back muscles. For edema, there is a problem with the transport of glucose and air to the back muscle fibers. This is why the muscles are under pressure. They experience hunger and also have the ability to remove lactic acid from the fibers formed during muscle activity. Therefore, the muscle undergoes contraction, which causes pain and cramps. The person feels pain, stiffness and discomfort in the back and lower back.
- Because the intervertebral disc has the ability to squeeze the motor nerve root, it may cause paresis or paralysis. There may be a feeling of weakness in the limbs, leading to impaired gait.
- Muscle wasting may occur, in which the volume of one of the limbs is reduced. The numbness of the legs, the goose bump, the streaks on the limbs and the growth of the nails are disturbed.
Scoliosis can cause serious consequences, including injuries and internal organ rupture.
Therefore, the following are the general signs and symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis:
- Radical pain;
- Back muscle pain;
- Dyskinesia;
- Physical sensitivity disorder;
- A creepy sensation, the legs are numb, and the hair and nail plates stop growing.
Being overweight is another enemy of your joints and spine.
If your muscle girdle is not strengthened enough, the joint will bear its own burden, which will cause it to be injured.
These symptoms are the main symptoms, but it must be answered that not every patient has individual symptoms. They depend on a person’s personal characteristics and are the most difficult to identify or define.
Stages of lumbar osteochondrosis
The disease develops into four stages.
First stage-The initial stage of the disease. With her, the patient's lower back was painful and swelled in this area of the spine. Watching for symptoms and finding a specialist in time can help prevent further back problems. At this stage, treatment is very easy and fast, which can eliminate back problems and pain.
Second stage-In this stage, the pain is more persistent and severe than the first stage. In the joints and ligaments of the spine, a sensation of abnormal movement may occur. As a result, the pain becomes worse, becoming sharper and more obvious. The contraction of the sciatic nerve causes painful sensations. In some cases, it may violate a person's internal organs. Experts must be consulted to select the correct treatment method.
Third stage-In this stage, a hernia has formed between the vertebrae. The spine begins to bend, changing its shape in different directions (forming scoliosis, lordosis and other diseases). The painful feeling is constant, acute, and tormenting a person. When a person is constantly suffering, the full value of life becomes a problem. As the disease progresses, treatment at this stage may be delayed.
The fourth stageis the most difficult stage. Back pain is regular and sometimes even continuous. A person cannot exercise completely, pain hinders exercise. If the prescription is not prescribed on time, the patient may remain disabled.
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis
The treatment of this disease is very complicated. Need comprehensive treatment. It includes:
- Medication;
- Stick to a therapeutic diet;
- For the severe stage of the disease-surgical intervention;
- Carry out special physical exercises selected by the attending physician.
In order to reduce the swelling of the back muscles, a salt-free diet is required because it can retain water in the body. In case of illness, it is necessary to use a special orthopedic corset to keep the muscles in the desired position.
Use special ointments and plasters that have a warming effect. However, it is worth remembering that if an inflammatory process occurs in your body, you should not use heat medication, as this will increase the symptoms of inflammation.
Acute pain is treated by intramuscular injection prescribed by the attending doctor. If the pain is severe and unbearable, intramuscular anesthetics can be used.
Physical therapy is to speed up the painless process of lumbar osteochondrosis treatment. Don't forget that treatment should be comprehensive and should be carried out under the supervision of the attending physician.
Physical therapy is a necessary means to treat lumbar osteochondrosis. It is carried out in medical institutions. Perform physical exercise after initial warm-up of the patient’s muscle tissue.
The main principle of treatment is to move muscle fibers. The motor function of the muscle tissue must be restored to achieve a full range of exercise. Most commonly, in the early stages, osteochondrosis is treated for several weeks. In the later stages of severe pain and symptoms, treatment may be delayed. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to back pain in time and consult an expert.
Important!The sooner you start treatment, the faster you can overcome the disease.
Prevent lumbar osteochondrosis
This disease will never be prevented redundantly.
Please follow the guidelines below to avoid this problem:
- Keep cool and wear weather-friendly clothes to keep your back healthy.
- Avoid lifting heavy objects. If you need to carry heavy objects, put them in your backpack. It is strongly recommended that untrained athletes do not lift weights immediately.
- Avoid falls, especially in cold winters. Any form of back injury will cause her to become ill.
- Drink plenty of water and other liquids.
- Stay in shape so that being overweight does not cause this disease.
- Exercise and stretch muscle fibers regularly.
- Stretch the muscles of the back. You can hang out at the bar or swim in the pool.
- Receive regular physical examinations. You can perform X-ray or MRI to monitor the condition and health of your back.
Hyperextension back extension is an excellent way to strengthen the muscles supporting the spine.
If you follow these simple guidelines, you can avoid back problems, including lumbar osteochondrosis. If your back feels abnormal suddenly, you should contact your doctor immediately.
Conclusion
Monitor the health of your back and spine to avoid problems and diseases related to them. For this, you need to perform moderate physical therapy exercises, which will help muscle exercise and prevent various diseases that occur in various parts of the back. If various types of pain are detected, experts must be contacted in time to consult and get the correct and correct decision, because in the early stages, the disease is easily cured. Don't run away from yourself and your own health, because life and freedom of movement depend on your back health when performing standard activities in daily life.
We hope this article is helpful to you, you have learned new knowledge about lumbar osteochondrosis, and now you can avoid this problem. Be healthy and take care of yourself, because a healthy back can ensure the health of your entire body, thus making your life long and happy without pain!