Osteochondrosis is considered to be a common disease of the spine. Most importantly, due to the specifics of the lifestyle, the lower back suffers, so the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine are more common than others. Pathology is equally dangerous for both men and women, regardless of age. Patients with the disease wear a corset, suffer during pregnancy. Diet and exercise become essential.
The disease is highlighted in a separate section of the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and refers to deforming dorsopathy (ICD-10 M42-43). Osteochondrosis of the spine was assigned a code: M42 according to ICD-10. There are such options for ICD-10:
- Juvenile osteochondrosis - M42. 0 according to ICD-10.
- Osteochondrosis in adults - M42. 1 according to ICD-10.
- Unspecified forms - M42. 9 according to ICD-10.
If earlier the disease has spread to people over the age of 30, then recently there has been a tendency to affect the pathology of the younger generation. Associated with stress and prolonged computer exposure, a passive lifestyle.
The lower back always undergoes great loads both in the motor character and from the load of body weight. Women suffer a lot during pregnancy, people whose life history includes numerous lumbar spine injuries, and they ignore a factor like exercise. Also, studying the causes of intervertebral hernia, violation of the sciatic nerve, it is possible to single out the main factor - long-term osteochondrosis.
Causes and stages of the pathology
All the causes leading to pathology can be divided into external and internal. The former are associated with various influences of external factors. People who lead a sedentary lifestyle, who have excessive body weight, are prone to osteochondrosis. In addition, there are such predisposing factors:
- professions associated with a long stay in a sitting position;
- hypothermia;
- weakening of the body's defenses associated with stress, overwork.
Internal causes are based on genetic predisposition and various diseases. With endocrine diseases, the restoration of bones, muscle tissue and their nutrition is disrupted. This condition can be seen with age and with a genetic predisposition, especially if the history indicates spinal injury at a young age.
Pathological disorders of the structure of the spine accelerate the onset of osteochondrosis, if not treated, the disease progresses rapidly. The most significant conditions are kyphosis, scoliosis. Additionally, medical history indicates that the most common cause of the disease is spinal injury.
The disease has 4 stages of progression. In the first stage, there are no serious disturbances in nutrition and the structure of the spinal discs. Symptoms are mild. They can be easily removed with pain relievers. It is possible to cure the disease during this period as quickly as possible, the main thing is not to warm up, not to strain the back. Diet and rehabilitation help a lot.
Often osteochondrosis begins to appear during pregnancy, if left untreated, it quickly moves on to the next stage. The history of the disease considers the brace an effective remedy for the progression of the disease.
The second stage is characterized by protrusions and vivid clinical manifestations. Treatment becomes difficult, exacerbation occurs more often. For girls, before pregnancy, it is necessary to treat the disease to avoid complications due to salt deposits and displacement of the vertebrae. There may be problems with going to the bathroom, so special candles will help. A brace, diet, daily exercise, and ERT can also be effective.
The third and fourth stages are dangerous with the appearance of intervertebral hernias, complications and disturbances in the work of internal organs. Only diet and massage will not help. Sometimes the only way out in the fight against the disease can be surgical treatment. In the future, a person will have to wear a corset and recover for a long time.
Symptoms
Signs of lumbar osteochondrosis begin to appear in the first stage of the disease with the onset of severe pain in the lumbar region. Exacerbation at first passes quickly and does not interfere with the normal function of working capacity. During pregnancy, a woman constantly experiences discomfort and muscle tension.
With the progression of the disease, exacerbation occurs more often, but it can be removed with analgesics. Pain symptoms become prolonged, aching. If nerve fibers are affected, the pain radiates to different parts of the body. It can be a leg, buttocks and different areas of the back. Increased pain occurs when you stay in one position for a long time, sudden movements, or lift weights. A characteristic sign of osteochondrosis may appear - back pain.
In addition to the sensation of pain, the muscle corset suffers. The back muscles are constantly tense, painful when pressed. Over time, the exacerbation does not go away, the patient develops unbearable pain, aggravated even with a slight movement, cough or sneeze. Weight gain occurs during pregnancy, which worsens a woman's general well-being and causes constant symptoms of osteochondrosis.
In the extreme stages, the innervation is interrupted and the spinal cord is affected. The muscular corset does not cope with protection, the vertebrae are destroyed, intervertebral hernias are formed. There are malfunctions in the work of the intestines, stomach, genitourinary system. Men have problems with potency. Constant pain and symptoms of intoxication worsen a person's well-being. The medical history of a patient with such anomalies often leads the patient to the operating table.
Treatment
To choose the right treatment for osteochondrosis, diagnostics are performed. The patient's medical history and complaints are studied in detail. Exacerbation allows you to identify the image more accurately using diagnostic techniques. The patient's medical history is updated with new symptoms. An x-ray is ordered to examine the spine. During pregnancy, x-rays cannot be done in the same way as a brace.
There are other diagnostic methods. It can be MRI or computed tomography. An ultrasound examination is done to examine the internal organs, especially if the history indicates various pathologies.
The treatment in each case is selected individually and should be comprehensive. There are some principles that help cure the disease. These are pain relieving drugs, a diet to normalize the functioning of internal organs. Also, it is not possible to heat the affected area.
During pregnancy, you must first worry about the health of the fetus. With a running course, in addition to the main course of therapy, it is necessary to wear a corset. In case of impaired intestinal function, special suppositories are used. Also, you can not warm up the muscles of the lower back, if there is an exacerbation. The diet is prescribed after consultation with a gynecologist. Charging should be special and at a certain time.
Treatment is mainly aimed at eliminating symptoms, restoring the physiological functions of the spine.
For pain it is necessary to take NSAIDs, antispasmodics, analgesics. The necessary remedy will be prescribed by the doctor. You can relieve intense pain with the help of novocaine blocker.
The diet excludes foods that are harmful and difficult for the liver and kidneys. Do not abuse alcohol, cigarettes. To cure the disease, you can simultaneously combine medicines and alternative therapeutic methods. Charging should get into the rhythm of life. It is impossible to warm the lesion area during exacerbation and at the beginning of treatment. The diet should be prescribed for a long time.
Effective massage, manual therapy, physiotherapy and daily exercise - that's what will help you get rid of the disease and always stay fit.