Treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine

9 November 2020

Lumbar osteochondrosis affects many patients. This is an unpleasant and very dangerous disease, which can subsequently lead to unpleasant complications. And by the way, among all varieties of this disease, it is much more common in medical practice, because the lower back has the most load. At the same time, the spine does not receive enough nutrients, the intervertebral discs lose their elasticity and simply dry out. The back cannot withstand such heavy loads, the fibrous ring protrudes in different directions and breaks.

Diagnostics

If the patient complains of acute lumbar pain, it does not mean that there is osteochondrosis of the lumbar or lumbosacral region. But, to determine the cause of the disease, the doctor must diagnose the patient. And that's why he:

examines the affected area, trying to identify the inflammatory processes that the patient complains of;
evaluates the posture, whether it looks upright or not, how curved it is;
can send a patient for further examination - X-ray;
scheduled an additional examination using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Symptoms

The most important symptom of lumbar osteochondrosis is unbearable low back pain. And this symptom comes either immediately or after some time, after strenuous exercise. In this case, the nature of the pain may be completely different:

the pain in the lower back becomes unbearable and can radiate to the legs;
every time the patient tries to do some kind of physical work, the pain begins to intensify, in addition, this symptom can occur with coughing, chewing, as well as any change in body position;
as soon as the patient is in the same position for a long time, any attempt to change position causes pain in the lumbar region;
the muscles of the back are constantly tense, as if the patient is constantly carrying some weights;
as a result of the slightest hypothermia the lower back begins to "shoot";
nerve endings in the buttocks, knees, feet begin to atrophy, ie the sensitivity of these places decreases;
goosebumps and slight tingling appear in the legs; the feet cool;
the arteries of the legs may spasm and the pulse may be weak;
the patient begins to actively sweat;
In the affected area, the skin becomes dry and begins to peel off.

Help: it should be remembered that osteochondrosis can become an acute stage if the primary symptoms continue to burden the back or greatly overcool the body.

Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, treatment

Nowadays, there are different treatment regimens for the disease. There is drug therapy, acupuncture, and there is gymnastics for osteochondrosis. But in any case, the doctor prescribes the method of treatment.If the patient self-medicates, this can exacerbate the disease and end very badly.

Important: it should be remembered that osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is a disease from which it is very difficult to recover. You can completely get rid of it only in the first or second stage.

Protocol and Scheme

There are many methods of treating osteochondrosis, but the treatment regimen is the same. It is necessary to reduce the tension on the spine and to strengthen the muscles of the back and lumbar spine. It is also necessary to normalize the nutrition of the spine by restoring metabolic processes and blood circulation. And the ultimate victory will be the return of lower body sensitivity.

First Aid

When sudden sharp pain covers the lumbar region, it is first necessary to insulate this area with something warm (woolen scarf, heating pad, etc. ). But at the same time you need to make sure that the affected area is warm, not hot.
The body must be placed on something solid and flat (bench, board, board, floor).
A roller should be placed under the back, in the lumbar region. But if the lower limbs are tense, the roller should be placed below the knees.
Call a doctor and get some painkillers before he arrives.

Conservative and operative methods

The methods of treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine are divided into conservative methods of treatment and surgical methods of treatment. What is the difference? And thedifference lies in the fact that in conservative methods of treatment the doctor uses a complex technique that affects different areas of medicine.

That is, this technique involves long-term and sometimes unsuccessful treatment. Surgery depends on the neglect of the disease. For example, an operation, as one of the methods of surgical treatment, is an extreme, but without it it is impossible.

Effective conservative methods

In the early stages, medical and wellness gymnastics are suitable for suppressing pain and normalizing metabolism. However, if the disease progresses to more severe stages, the doctor may prescribe physical therapy as well as surgery. Moreover, in the latter case, such a method is considered extreme, but quite effective. The most important thing in the treatment of osteochondrosis is not to strain the spine and at the same time try to immobilize the inflammatory foci.

Medicine

The most basic and effective medicine for acute pain are painkillers (analgin, amidopyrine, phenacetin, etc. ). Medications relieve pain, but do not eliminate the cause.
Also, doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs that act on the root nerves and eliminate swelling. Such drugs reduce and eliminate foci of inflammatory processes.
In case of disease of 3-4 degrees local anesthetics (for example novocaine) are prescribed.
To eliminate spastic muscle contraction, the doctor prescribes muscle relaxants.
In combination with medication the patient is prescribed vitamin B. This group of vitamins improves the body's metabolism, reduces inflammation, is a natural diuretic that allows you to get rid of excess fluid.
Diuretics may also be prescribed.
To improve the patient's condition, he is prescribed drugs that increase the body's immunity as a whole.
The picture is complemented by drugs that improve blood circulation at the site of the lesion.

Physical education

Practice shows that physiotherapy helps with osteochondrosis. And this not only helps, in the Far East it is practiced daily and in the first place is prescribed to patients. There are currently various methods of gymnastic exercises to combat this disease.And among the ancient techniques they practice yoga, qigong and others.

What set of gymnastic exercises to perform, the doctor decides with the patient. But it must be remembered that each technique has its own indications and contraindications. For example, severe forms of the disease cannot be treated with physiotherapy. At the doctor's discretion, gymnastic exercises can be combined with medication and physiotherapy.

Physiotherapy

It happened that in our country physiotherapy is prescribed mainly after the drug treatment turned out to be invalid. Although man is constantly affected by certain physiological processes.

The principle of physiotherapy is that the body is influenced by simple physical processes (using a current, magnet, etc. ). But unlike natural phenomena, physiotherapy methods help to direct the effects of methods of impact in the right direction. That is, take electrotherapy, for example. With the help of electricity, doctors help to normalize metabolism or eliminate spasms.

Massage

Massage is prescribed to patients who are recovering. But in some cases, massage may be prescribed during the exacerbation of the disease. Then only healthy parts of the body are massaged.A session of one lesson usually lasts 15-20 minutes, and the number of sessions takes up to 7 procedures.

But such a technique is dangerous for the layman, so it is best to make an appointment with a professional. At the same time, it is now possible to massage with both hands and special devices.

Classes in specialized simulators

Doctors believe that the treatment of lumbar spine osteochondrosis largely depends on the desire and aspiration of the patient. The method of treating a disease is like choosing a tool through which healing is possible.Exercise machines are one of the tools that help to improve the condition and quickly cure the disease. But doctors recommend going to the gym when the patient recovers and the disease begins to subside.

Among such simulators that will help in this matter are:

horizontal bar;
expander;
cardiovascular equipment;
gym (in this case it is best to sign up for special courses where the patient will have his own personal trainer who will help with the choice of exercise equipment).

Joint injections

When the disease worsens, the doctor may prescribe injectable treatment. This is an effective tool in which the spine artificially receives all the nutrients and trace elements. In this case, the injections act directly on the spine, the painful sensations pass much faster.But this method belongs to drug treatment, which means that it can have its side effects. Therefore, injections should be given under the clear guidance of your doctor.

Swimming

Swimming is considered an additional treatment. But at the same time, everyone should know that before training in water, you need to warm up to warm up your muscles. In this case, the water should be at least 27-30 ° C. And after each lesson you can safely reduce the temperature to 23 ° C. Proper breathing is the key to successful training. You must first take a deep breath and then take a short breath. And you also need to choose the right exercises and swimming technique.

To achieve positive results, you must first swim 30-100 m with a pillow in hand. Then you need to rest a bit, and then keep the pillow at your feet and swim the same amount, working only with your hands. Then rest again and swim on a 20-30 m breaststroke without holding your breath. After a little rest and you can continue.

First you have to immerse your body in water next to your chest and start walking on the spot, and then just walk around the pool. Then raise your knees as high as possible and at the same time spread your arms to the sides. Think about swimming with a breaststroke. Do the same, just leaning on the side. Then you should lean forward, holding your hands on the belt. Then imagine that you are a hippopotamus and stick your belly back and forth. Then, sticking to the side, do a few squats.

How much is treated and what will happen if left untreated

The duration of treatment for osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine depends on the neglect of the disease. In general, when the patient first visits the hospital, the doctor prescribes treatment (course), which lasts a certain time (it all depends on the method). You should also take into account the fact that the patient behaved during the course. As this disease is chronic in severe stages of the disease, symptoms may return and treatment will need to be repeated.

Prevention

In order not to feel for yourself what is the osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the following rules must be observed:

if your work is related to physical activity, it is necessary not to put too much strain on your back and give it a rest;
start exercising, especially to strengthen your back muscles;
monitor your posture; move more often, evening walks are best;
follow proper nutrition (not to be confused with diet, proper nutrition is a complete balance of all vitamins and trace elements);
follow the correct rest routine;

Which doctor to contact

When a patient begins to have back pain, the first thing to do is visit a local doctor. But in this case, he identifies only external symptoms and directs further examination. And the first person to write a recommendation to is aneurologist or vertebrologist.

These two doctors deal specifically with the problem of osteochondrosis. But when the patient is in remission, masseurs, gymnastics coaches, physiotherapists and many others come into play, depending on what type of rehabilitation activities the doctor prescribes.

Conclusion

Osteochondrosis is a rather unpleasant disease. But, as practice shows, the main patients in hospitals are those people who have not monitored their health. So remember thatearly detection of the disease and its prevention will cost you much less than the advanced stage of the disease.