Back pain, according to statistics, worries almost one in two inhabitants of the planet over 18 years of age.They can be due to several reasons.In this article we will learn about one of the most common causes: osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.It is possible to combat this disease, and even defeat it successfully, if you start doing so in the early stages.
It's time to sound the alarm
If you want to successfully cope with a disease such as lumbar osteochondrosis, you should not expect obvious symptoms to appear immediately.In the first stage you will not feel them.
It is important to realize that people who spend a lot of time sitting or standing in the same position are more susceptible to danger.If, due to circumstances or other reasons, this has been your case for many years, 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 "alarms", which may indicate that lumbar osteochondrosis has already progressed beyond the first stage.
- Lumbar pain.At first they appear only under greater loads than usual, disappearing during rest.Or after a long stay in an uncomfortable static position.Over time, this pain bothers me constantly, during long walks.
- Little by little, the pain becomes chronic and can manifest as pain, tingling (referring to the thigh), acute pain, lumbago, etc.Sensation of heat or cold in the lumbar area.
- Pain that develops dynamically and intensifies.Part of the leg becomes numb or there is a “tingling” sensation.
- Symptoms such as: constipation, urinary incontinence, numbness between the legs, menstrual irregularities (in women).
- The feet get cold for no apparent reason, the skin on the feet peels off.
- The spine begins to bend, the lower back muscles are abnormally tense, and it is difficult to bend completely.
- Unbearable pain.
All these symptoms, especially if they appear together and their approximate sequence coincides with that described above, cannot be ignored.
Complete the prescribed exam.
The doctor you visit will order certain exams and various tests.This is due to the fact that identifying this disease is not so easy.Numerous laboratory tests are aimed at excluding possible other diseases (such as diseases of the internal organs) that present 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 stage of making an accurate diagnosis behind us?What options will you now face between the different treatments?
Methods to influence the affected spine.
Currently, osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is treated in various ways.But all of them can be divided into two large groups: symptomatic (eliminates the pain and other consequences of the disease) and pathogenic (it is believed that it acts on the cause, eliminating it or preventing its development).
Treatment with medications that relieve pain.These medications are prescribed only by the treating doctor.The treatment is symptomatic, that is, the person, happy that everything has returned to its previous state of health, can stop taking care of the back, and in the meantime the disease will progress without symptoms until the pain manifests itself more intensely.
Muscle relaxants are drugs that help relieve muscle spasms resulting from disc destruction, making this treatment a symptomatic treatment.
Physiotherapeutic effects.These include a wide range of methods that affect lumbar osteochondrosis through the skin.This treatment:
- high frequency current;
- laser;
- magnets.
Various column extensions: in water or with hardware.You should be careful when using this method if lumbar osteochondrosis is already in a progressive stage.
The homeosinatric method is a treatment in which homeopathic medications are administered precisely to the affected area (or rather, to a certain active point in the body), which help the body eliminate toxins.
Hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches).They provide invaluable help and help many patients forget about the disease for many years.Leeches are believed to provide the body with hirudin, which helps improve blood circulation in the affected area, relieves pain and relieves inflammation.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, provided there are no protrusions, herniated discs and other contraindications, some trust an experienced chiropractor, a massage therapist who works with the spine.
Special exercises to relieve pain in osteochondrosis.It is better to consult a doctor when choosing such a set of activities.
Pathogenetic method developed by specialists.
I would like to dwell especially on interstitial stimulation with physiological current (VTES).Under the direction of the professor, a new method of influence was developed that allows improving blood circulation within the bone of the vertebra itself.
It is believed that it is precisely due to the weakening of such blood flow that the nutrition of the disc noticeably deteriorates, which leads to a gradual loss of its properties, the ability to function normally and eventually to its destruction.
The essence of the method is to deliver a physiological current to the affected vertebra, bypassing the skin, a natural insulator.The physiological current is a current identical to that produced in our body, amplified many times.It is fed through a needle, an electrode inserted at a certain depth (under the skin) at the site of the pathology, that is, at a certain point on the back.The current powerfully stimulates the vessels within the bones of the vertebrae, thus improving the nutrition of the discs.
According to the results of studies (needle rheography, polyorheography), blood circulation within the bones, including the lumbar spine, improves dramatically.The disc is completely restored (osteochondrosis in an early stage).
In later stages, lumbar osteochondrosis produces symptoms such as severe and constant back pain due to a bulging or herniated disc.Interestingly, treating VTES in the shortest possible time allows the new formation of a dense woven capsule around the hernia, preventing its growth and even reducing its size.
Good tips for prevention.
- Knowing that working in a stationary position for many hours, especially while sitting at a computer, can be helpful.For example, take breaks every hour, stretch and walk.Maintain correct posture.Some people are helped with this by specially made correctors, for example, with neodymium magnets.
- Constant lifting of heavy weights also contributes to the development of the disease, so it is necessary to know the rules on how to lift them correctly.
- Try to avoid hypothermia and back injuries.Watch your weight, strengthen your back muscles by doing moderate sports, swimming, then you won't need treatment.
- It is quite possible to overcome lumbar osteochondrosis if treatment is started from the early stages or kept under control.