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.From 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 overcome it, if you start doing it in the early stages.
It's time to sound the alarm
If you want to successfully deal with a disease such as lumbar osteochondrosis, you should not expect that noticeable symptoms will appear immediately.In the first phase you will not hear them.
It is important to realize that people who spend a lot of time sitting or standing in the same position are more vulnerable to danger.If, due to circumstances or other reasons, this has been your case for many years, perhaps there is 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.
- Lower back pain.Initially they appear only under greater loads than usual, disappearing during rest.Or after a long stay in an uncomfortable static position.As time goes by, this pain constantly bothers me, during long walks.
- Gradually, the pain becomes chronic and can manifest itself as pain, tingling (referring to the thigh), sharp pain, low back pain, etc.Feeling hot or cold in the lower back.
- Dynamically developing pain, intensifying.Part of the leg becomes numb or feels like “pins and needles”.
- 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 muscles in the lower back are unnaturally tight, and it is difficult to bend completely.
- Unbearable pain.
All these symptoms, especially if they appear together and their approximate sequence coincides with the one described above, cannot be ignored.
Complete the prescribed exam
The doctor you visit will order some tests and tests.This is due to the fact that identifying this disease is not so easy.Numerous laboratory tests aim to exclude possible other diseases (such as diseases of the internal organs) that present the same symptoms.The best way to determine the cause is MRI (possibly also with paramagnetic enhancement).But x-ray is also used.
Is the important phase of an accurate diagnosis now behind us?What choices will you now face between the various treatments?
Methods of influencing the affected spine
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is currently treated in various ways.But all of them can be divided into two large groups: symptomatic (eliminates pain and other consequences of the disease) and pathogenetic (it is believed that it acts on the cause, eliminating it or preventing its development).
Treatment with drugs that relieve pain.Such drugs are prescribed only by the attending physician.The treatment is symptomatic, that is, the person, happy that everything has returned to the 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 in a more severe form.
Muscle relaxants are medications that help relieve muscle spasms resulting from disc destruction, so this treatment is 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 spinal 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 homeometic drugs that help the body get rid of toxins are administered right on the affected area (or rather, on a specific active point of the body).
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 relieves inflammation.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, provided that there are no protrusions, herniated discs and other contraindications, some rely on an experienced chiropractor, a masseur who works with the spine.
Special exercises to relieve pain in osteochondrosis.It is better to consult a doctor when choosing a set of such activities for yourself.
Pathogenetic method developed by specialists
I would like to focus in particular on interstitial stimulation with physiological current (VTES).Under the guidance of the professor, a new method of influence was developed that allows you to improve blood circulation inside the bone of the vertebra itself.
It is believed that it is precisely because of the weakening of such blood flow that the nutrition of the disc significantly deteriorates, which leads to a gradual loss of its properties, the ability to function normally and its eventual destruction.
The essence of the method is to provide 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 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, polyrheography), blood circulation inside the bones, including the lumbar spine, improves significantly.The disc is completely restored (early stage osteochondrosis).
In later stages, lumbar osteochondrosis produces symptoms such as constant severe back pain due to disc protrusion or herniation.Interestingly, treating VTES in the shortest possible time allows the reformation of a dense interwoven capsule around the hernia, preventing its growth and even reducing its size.
Good prevention tips
- Knowing that working in a stationary position for long hours, especially while sitting at a computer, can help.For example, take breaks every hour by stretching and walking.Maintain correct posture.Some people are helped in this 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 by doing moderate sports, swimming, then you will not need treatment.
- It is quite possible to overcome lumbar osteochondrosis if you start treatment from the initial stages or keep it under control.