Treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine

Lumbar osteochondrosis affects many patients. This is an unpleasant and very dangerous disease, which can then lead to unpleasant complications. And, by the way, among all the varieties of this disease, this is found much more often in medical practice, as the lower back has more loads. At the same time, the spine does not receive a sufficient amount of nutrients, the intervertebral discs lose their elasticity and simply dry out. The back can not withstand such heavy loads, the fibrous ring comes out in different directions and fractures.

Diagnosis

If a patient complains of acute pain in the lumbar region, it does not mean that he has osteochondrosis of the lumbar or lumbosacral region. But,to identify the cause of the disease, the doctor must diagnose the patient. And for that he:

• investigates the affected area, trying to identify the inflammatory processes that the patient complains about;
• evaluates behavior, whether it looks straight or not, how curved it is;
• may send a patient for additional examination - X-rays;
• Schedules an additional examination using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

Symptoms

The most important symptom of lumbar osteochondrosis is unbearable lumbar pain. And this symptom occurs either immediately or after a while, after a heavy physical exertion. In this case, the nature of the pain may be completely different:

• low back pain becomes unbearable and may radiate to the legs;
• whenever a patient tries to do some kind of physical work, the pain begins to intensify, moreover, this symptom can occur when 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 back muscles are constantly tense, as if the patient is constantly holding some weights;
• as a result of less hypothermia, the lower back begins to "shoot";
• nerve endings in the buttocks, knees, legs begin to atrophy, i. e. the sensitivity in these places decreases;
• goose bumps and tingling sensations appear on the feet; feet cool;
• the arteries of the legs may have spasms and the pulse may feel weak;
• the patient begins to sweat actively;
• In the affected area, the skin dries and begins to peel.

Help: It should be remembered that osteochondrosis can turn into an acute stage if, with the main symptoms, you continue to load the back or severely cold the body.

Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, treatment

In our time, there are various schemes for treating the disease. There is medication therapy, acupuncture and there is also gymnastics for osteochondrosis. But in each case, the doctor prescribes the method of treatment.If a patient self-medicates, this can worsen 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 get rid of it completely 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 stress on the spine and 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 regaining the sensitivity of the lower body.

First Aid

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

Conservative and operational methods

Methods of treating osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine are divided into conservative methods of treatment and surgical methods of treatment. What is the difference? Andthe difference lies in the fact that with conservative methods of treatment, the doctor uses a complex technique that affects different areas of medicine.

This means, this technique implies a long-term and sometimes unsuccessful treatment. Surgical intervention depends on the negligence of the disease. For example, an operation, as one of the methods of surgical treatment, is an extreme, but it is impossible without it.

Effective Conservative Methods

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

Medications

1. The most basic and effective medicine for acute pain are pain relievers (analgin, amidopyrine, phenacetin, etc. ). Medications relieve pain but do not eliminate the cause.
2. Doctors also prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs that affect the radicular nerves and eliminate bloating. Such drugs reduce and eliminate the foci of inflammatory processes.
3. In case of 3-4 degree illness, local anesthetics (for example, novocaine) are prescribed.
4. To eliminate spastic muscle contraction, your doctor prescribes muscle relaxants.
5. Condoprotectors are used to normalize metabolism as well as to restore cartilage tissue. This treatment reduces the risk of cartilage deformation and tissue destruction.
6. 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.
7. Diuretics may also be prescribed.
8. To improve the patient's condition, he was prescribed drugs that boost the body's immunity as a whole.
9. The picture is complemented by medicines that improve blood circulation to the site of a lesion.

Physical Education

Practice shows that physical therapy helps with osteochondrosis. And it does not help alone, in the Far East it is practiced every day and, first of all, prescribed to patients. At present, there are various methods of gymnastic exercises to combat this disease.And among the ancient techniques they practice yoga, qigong, etc.

What complex of gymnastic exercises is decided by the doctor together 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 exercises. With the decision of the doctor, gymnastic exercises can be combined with medication and physiotherapy.

Physiotherapy

It happened that in our country physiotherapy is prescribed, basically, as the fact that drug treatment turned out to be invalid. Although a person is constantly affected by some physiological processes.

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

Massage

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

But this technique is dangerous for the layman, so it is better to schedule an appointment with a professional. At the same time, it is now possible to massage both hands and special equipment.

Classes in specialized simulators

Doctors believe that the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine mainly depends on the desire and aspiration of the patient himself. The method of treating a disease is like choosing an instrument through which cure is possible.Exercise machines are one of the tools that help improve the condition and speed up the healing of a disease. But doctors recommend going to the gym when the patient is recovering and the disease starts to recede.

Among the simulators that will help in this matter are:

• horizontal bar;
• extender;
• cardiovascular equipment;
• fitness (in this case, it is better to enroll in special courses, where the patient will have their own personal trainer who will help with the selection of exercise equipment).

Joint injections

When the disease gets worse, your doctor may prescribe injections. This is an effective remedy in which the spine artificially takes in 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 it can have its side effects. Therefore, injections should be done under the clear guidance of the attending physician.

Noti

Swimming is considered an additional treatment. But at the same time, everyone should know thatbefore you start exercising in the 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 lower the temperature to 23 ° C. Proper breathing is the key to a successful workout. First you need to take a deep breath, and then a short breath. And you also need to choose the right swimming exercises and technique.

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

First you need to dip your body in water up 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 stretch your arms sideways at the same time. Think about your chest swim. Do the same, leaning only sideways. After that, you should bend forward, keeping your hands on your belt. Then imagine you are a hippopotamus and pull your belly back and forth. Then, sitting sideways, do some squats.

How much is treated and what will happen if not treated

The duration of treatment for osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine depends on the negligence of the disease. Basically, when the patient visits the hospital for the first time, the doctor prescribes treatment (course), which lasts a certain time (it all depends on the method). You also need to consider how the patient behaved during the course. Since this disease is chronic in severe stages of the disease, the symptoms may return and treatment will need to be repeated.

Prevention

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

• if your work is related to physical activity, then it is necessary not to overload your back and give it a break;
• start playing sports, especially strengthening your back muscles;
• look at your attitude; move more often, evening walks are best;
• observe proper nutrition (not to be confused with diet, proper nutrition is a complete balance of all vitamins and minerals);
• follow the correct rest routine;
Osteochondrosis can be the cause of other back diseases, so pay attention to your health at that time.

Which doctor to contact

When a patient starts having back pain, the first thing you need to do is visit a local doctor. But in this case, he only identifies the external symptoms and directs further for examination. And the first person to whom he will write a referral isa neurologist or vertebrologist.

These two doctors deal specifically with the problem of osteochondrosis. But when a patient is in remission, massage therapists, gymnastics trainers, physiotherapists and many others come into play, depending on the type of recovery activities the doctor prescribes.

Conclusion

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