Back pain, according to statistics, worries almost every second inhabitant of the planet over the age of 18.They can be caused by various reasons.In this article, we will learn about one of the most common causes: osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.It is possible to fight this disease, and even successfully win, if you start doing it in the early stages.
Time to sound the alarm
If you want to successfully deal with a disease such as lumbar osteochondrosis, you should not expect obvious symptoms to appear immediately.In the first phase you will not feel them.
It is important to understand that people who spend a lot of time sitting or standing in the same position are more susceptible to the dangers.If you have had it for many years due to circumstances or other reasons, there may be a reason to check the condition of your spine, even if the symptoms of the disease are not visible.
You should not ignore the following "alarm bells", which may indicate that lumbar osteochondrosis has already progressed beyond the first stage.
- Pain in the lower back.At first, they appear only at higher loads than usual, and disappear during rest.Or after a long stay in an uncomfortable static position.Over time, such pain constantly bothers me, during long walks.
- Gradually, the pain becomes chronic and can manifest as pain, tingling (refers to the thigh), acute pain, lumbago, etc.A feeling of heat or cold in the lower back.
- Dynamically developing pain, which intensifies.Part of the leg goes numb, or there is a "pins and needles" sensation.
- Symptoms such as: constipation, urinary incontinence, numbness between the legs, menstrual irregularities (in women).
- Feet get cold for no reason, the skin on the feet peels.
- The spine begins to bend, the back muscles in the lower back are unnaturally tense and it is difficult to bend completely.
- Unbearable pain.
All these symptoms, especially if they appear together and their approximate sequence matches the one described above, cannot be ignored.
Do the prescribed examination
The doctor you visit will order certain examinations and various tests.This is due to the fact that identifying this disease is not so easy.Numerous laboratory tests aim to rule out possible other diseases (such as diseases of internal organs) that have the same symptoms.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 phase of making an accurate diagnosis now behind us?What choices will you now face among the various treatments?
Methods of influencing the affected spine
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is currently treated in different ways.But we can divide them all into two big groups: symptomatic (they eliminate pain and other consequences of the disease) and pathogenetic (it is believed to act on the cause, eliminating it or preventing its development).
Treatment with drugs that relieve pain.Such drugs are prescribed only by a doctor.The treatment is symptomatic, that is, the person, satisfied that everything has been returned to a previous healthy state, can stop worrying about the back, and in the meantime the disease will progress without symptoms until the pain manifests itself in a more severe form.
Muscle relaxants are drugs that help relieve muscle spasms caused by disc destruction, so this treatment is a symptomatic treatment.
Physiotherapy effects.This includes a wide range of methods that affect lumbar osteochondrosis through the skin.This treatment:
- high frequency current;
- laser;
- magnets.
Various spine extensions: in water or with hardware.You should be careful when using this method if lumbar osteochondrosis is already in a progressive stage.
The homeosiniatric method is a treatment in which homeo-medicines are given exactly to the affected area (more precisely, to a specific active point on the body), which help the body to get rid of toxins.
Hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches).They bring invaluable help, helping many patients to forget about the disease for many years.It is believed that leeches provide the body with hirudin, which helps improve blood circulation in the affected area, relieves pain and inflammation.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, provided there are no protrusions, disc herniations and other contraindications, some trust an experienced chiropractor - a massage therapist who works with the spine.
Special exercises for pain relief in osteochondrosis.It is best to consult a doctor when choosing a set of such activities for yourself.
Pathogenetic method developed by experts
I would particularly like to dwell on interstitial stimulation with physiological current (VTES).Under the guidance of the professor, a new method of influence was developed, which enables the improvement of blood circulation within the vertebral bone itself.
It is believed that precisely because of the weakening of such blood flow, the nutrition of the disc noticeably worsens, which leads to a gradual loss of its properties, ability to function normally and eventual destruction.
The essence of the method is to deliver physiological current to the affected vertebra, bypassing the skin - a natural insulator.Physiological current is a current identical to that produced in our body, multiplied many times over.It is powered through a needle - an electrode inserted to a certain depth (under the skin) at the site of the pathology, that is, at a certain place on the back.The current strongly stimulates the blood vessels inside the vertebral bones, thereby improving the nutrition of the discs.
According to the results of studies (needle rheography, polyoreography), blood circulation inside the bones, including the lumbar spine, improves dramatically.The disc is completely restored (early stage osteochondrosis).
In the later stages, lumbar osteochondrosis produces symptoms such as severe constant back pain due to disc protrusion or herniation.It is interesting that the treatment of VTES in the shortest possible time enables the re-formation of a dense tissue capsule around the hernia, preventing its growth and even reducing its size.
Good tips for prevention
- Knowing that working in a stationary position for long hours, especially while sitting at a computer, can help.For example, take breaks every hour, stretch and walk.Maintain proper posture.Some people are helped by specially produced correctors, for example, with neodymium magnets.
- Constant lifting of heavy weights also contributes to the development of the disease, so you need to know the rules of how to lift them correctly.
- Try to avoid hypothermia and back injuries.Watch your weight, strengthen your back muscles with moderate sports, swimming, then you won't need treatment.
- It is quite possible to overcome lumbar osteochondrosis if you start treatment in the early stages or keep it under control.