Osteochondrosis is considered a common disease of the spine. Above all, due to the specifics of the lifestyle, the lower back suffers, therefore, the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine are more common than others. The pathology is equally dangerous for men and women, regardless of age. Patients with this disease wear a corset, suffer during pregnancy. Diet and exercise become essential.
The disease is highlighted in a special section of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) and refers to deforming dorsopathy (ICD-10 M42-43). Osteochondrosis of the spine is 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 spread to people over 30 years old, then recently there has been a tendency to affect the pathology of the younger generation. Associated with stress and prolonged exposure to the computer, a passive lifestyle.
The lower back always experiences great loads both in motor character and from the load of body weight. Women suffer a lot during pregnancy, people whose life history includes multiple spinal injuries and ignore such a factor as exercise. Also, studying the causes of intervertebral hernia, damage to the sciatic nerve, the main factor can be singled out - long-term osteochondrosis.
Causes and stages of pathology
All causes leading to pathology can be divided into external and internal. The first are associated with various influences of external factors. People who lead a sedentary lifestyle, who have excess body weight, are prone to osteochondrosis. In addition, there are such predisposing factors:
- occupations related to 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 observed with age and with a genetic predisposition, especially if the medical history shows injuries to the spine at a young age.
Pathological disorders of the spine structure accelerate the appearance of osteochondrosis, if not treated, the disease progresses rapidly. The most important conditions are kyphosis, scoliosis. Also, the medical history shows that the most common cause of the disease is spinal cord injury.
The disease has 4 stages of progression. In the first stage, there are no serious disturbances in the nutrition and structure of the spinal discs. Symptoms are mild. They can be easily removed with painkillers. It is possible to cure the disease during this period as soon 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 it is not treated, it quickly progresses to the next stage. The history of the disease considers the corset an effective remedy for the progression of the disease.
The second stage is characterized by prolongations and vivid clinical manifestations. Treatment becomes difficult, deterioration occurs more often. For girls, before pregnancy, it is necessary to cure the disease to avoid complications due to salt deposits and displacement of vertebrae. There may be problems with going to the toilet, then 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 may be surgical treatment. In the future, a person will have to wear a corset and recover for a long time.
Symptoms
The signs of lumbar osteochondrosis begin to appear in the first stage of the disease with the onset of a sharp pain in the lumbar region. Irritation at first passes quickly and does not interfere with the normal function of work capacity. During pregnancy, a woman constantly feels discomfort and muscle tension.
As the disease progresses, exacerbation occurs more often, but can be removed with analgesics. Pain symptoms become prolonged, ache. If the nerve fibers are affected, then the pain radiates to different parts of the body. It can be a leg, buttocks and different areas of the back. Increased pain appears when standing in one position for a long time, sudden movements or lifting weights. A characteristic sign of osteochondrosis may appear - a backache.
In addition to the feeling of pain, the muscular corset suffers. The muscles of the back are constantly in a tense state, painful when pressed. Over time, the irritation does not go away, the patient develops unbearable pain, aggravated even by a slight movement, coughing or sneezing. During pregnancy, weight gain occurs, which worsens the general well-being of a woman and provokes persistent symptoms of osteochondrosis.
In extreme stages, the innervation breaks down and the spinal cord is affected. The muscular corset does not cope with the 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 abnormalities often leads the patient to the operating table.
Treatment
In order to choose the right treatment for osteochondrosis, diagnosis is carried out. The patient's medical history and complaints are studied in detail. Deterioration makes it possible to identify the picture more carefully 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 performed in the same way as wearing a corset.
There are other diagnostic methods. It can be magnetic resonance or computed tomography. An ultrasound examination is done to examine the internal organs, especially if the medical history shows various pathologies.
Treatment in each case is selected individually and should be comprehensive. There are several principles that help cure the disease. These are medicines to relieve pain, a diet to normalize the functioning of internal organs. Also, you can not heat the affected area.
During pregnancy, you should 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 bowel function, special suppositories are used. Also, you can not warm up the muscles of the lower back, if there is an aggravation. The diet is prescribed after consultation with a gynecologist. Charging must be specific and at a specific time.
The treatment is mainly aimed at eliminating the symptoms, restoring the physiological functions of the spine.
For pain, it is necessary to take NSAIDs, antispasmodics, analgesics. The necessary medicine will be prescribed by the doctor. You can relieve severe pain with the help of novocaine blockade.
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 combine medicines and alternative methods of therapy at the same time. Charging should enter the rhythm of life. It is impossible to heat the injured area during the aggravation and at the beginning of the treatment. The diet should be prescribed for a long time.
Effective massage, manual therapy, physiotherapy and daily exercises - this is what will help you get rid of the disease and always stay in shape.