According to statistics, almost every two inhabitants of the planet over the age of 18 are worried about back pain.They can be caused by a variety of reasons.In this article, we will learn about one of the most common causes: osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.If you start doing this in its early stages, it's possible to fight the disease and even win.
It's time to sound the alarm
If you want to successfully manage a condition like lumbar osteochondrosis, you shouldn't expect to have noticeable symptoms right away.During the first phase, you won't feel them.
It is important to realize that people who sit or stand in the same position for long periods of time are more at risk.If you've been in this condition for many years due to environmental or other reasons, it may be reasonable to check the condition of your spine, even if the symptoms of the disease are not obvious.
You should not ignore the following "alarm bells," which may indicate that lumbar osteochondrosis has progressed beyond stage one.
- Lower back pain.At first they appear only under heavier loads than usual and disappear at rest.Or after being in an uncomfortable static position for an extended period of time.Over time, this pain continued to bother me during long walks.
- Gradually, the pain becomes chronic and can manifest as soreness, tingling (referring to the thigh), acute pain, low back pain, etc.Feeling of heat or cold in the lower back.
- The pain develops and intensifies dynamically.Partial numbness or "pins and needles" sensation in the legs.
- Symptoms such as: constipation, urinary incontinence, numbness between legs, irregular menstruation (in women).
- My feet get cold for no reason and the skin on my feet peels.
- The spine begins to curve and the back muscles in the lower back tense unnaturally, making it difficult to bend fully.
- Unbearable pain.
All these symptoms, especially when they appear together and in an approximate order consistent with that described above, cannot be ignored.
Complete required exams
The doctor you see will order certain exams and various tests.This is because identifying the disease is not that easy.Many laboratory tests are designed to rule out other possible diseases with the same symptoms (such as internal organ disease).The best way to determine the cause is MRI - magnetic resonance imaging (possibly even with paramagnetic enhancement).But radiography is also used.
Is the important stage of making an accurate diagnosis now past?What choices will you now face among the various treatments?
Methods of affecting the affected spine
There are currently many treatments for lumbar osteochondrosis.But all of them can be divided into two broad categories: symptomatic (which eliminates pain and other consequences of the disease) and pathogenic (which are believed to act on the cause of the disease, eliminating it or preventing its progression).
Treat with pain-relieving medications.Such medications are only prescribed by the attending physician.Treatment is symptomatic, that is, the patient is happy with everything returning to the previous healthy state and can stop caring for his back, while the disease progresses without symptoms until the pain manifests itself in a more severe form.
Muscle relaxants are medications that help relieve muscle spasms caused by disc destruction, so this treatment is symptomatic.
Physiotherapy effect.These include various methods of affecting lumbar osteochondrosis through the skin.This treatment:
- high frequency current;
- laser;
- magnet.
Various spinal extensions: in water or using hardware.If lumbar osteochondrosis is already in an advanced stage, caution should be used when using this method.
Homeopathy is a treatment method in which homeopathic medicines are precisely applied to the affected area (or rather, to an active point on the body), which helps the body eliminate toxins.
Leech therapy (leech therapy).They bring valuable help and help many patients forget about the disease for years.It is believed that leeches provide the body with hirudin, which helps improve blood circulation in the affected area and relieve pain and inflammation.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, as long as there are no herniations, disc herniations and other contraindications, some people trust an experienced chiropractor - a massage therapist who practices spinal treatment.
Special exercises to relieve osteochondrosis pain.It is best to consult a doctor when choosing a set of such activities for yourself.
Disease-causing methods developed by experts
I would particularly like to discuss interstitial stimulation with physiological electrical current (VTES) in detail.Under the guidance of the professor, a new impact method was developed that improves blood circulation within the bones of the vertebrae themselves.
It is believed that it is due to this weakening of blood flow that the nutrition of the intervertebral disc significantly deteriorates, resulting in the gradual loss of its properties, ability to function normally and ultimately destruction.
The essence of this method is to deliver a physiological electrical current to the affected vertebra, bypassing the skin (a natural insulator).Physiological current is the same electrical current produced in our bodies, amplified many times.It is done by inserting an electrode through a needle to a certain depth (subcutaneously) into the pathological site, that is, at a certain point on the back.The electric current strongly stimulates the blood vessels in the vertebrae, thereby improving nutrition of the intervertebral disc.
According to the results of studies (needle rheology, polyrheology), blood circulation within the bones, including the lumbar spine, is significantly improved.Complete recovery of the disc (early osteochondrosis).
In its later stages, lumbar osteochondrosis can produce symptoms such as severe, persistent back pain due to a herniated or herniated disc.Interestingly, treating VTES in the shortest possible time can re-form a dense woven sac around the hernia, preventing it from growing and even reducing its size.
Good tips for prevention
- It helps to know that you have to work in a fixed position for long periods of time, especially when sitting in front of a computer.For example, take breaks, stretch, and walk every hour.Maintain correct posture.Some people can help with this by having specially produced correctors, such as those that use neodymium magnets.
- Continuous weight lifting can also lead to the development of disease, so you need to know the rules of how to lift weights correctly.
- Try to avoid hypothermia and back injuries.Watch your weight and strengthen your back muscles through moderate exercise and swimming, and you won't need treatment.
- Overcoming lumbar osteochondrosis is possible if you start treating it early or controlling it.