Osteochondrosis is considered a common disease of the spine. Most of all, due to the specifics of the lifestyle, the lower back suffers, so the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine are more common than others. Pathology is equally dangerous for both men and women, regardless of age. Patients with the 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 of the 10th revision (ICD-10) and refers to deforming dorsopathy (ICD-10 M42-43). Osteochondrosis of the spine received the 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, recently there is 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 heavy loads, both in terms of motor and body weight. Women suffer a lot during pregnancy, people whose life history includes numerous injuries of the lumbar spine and ignore a factor such as exercise. Also, studying the causes of intervertebral hernia, injury to the sciatic nerve, the main factor can be singled out - long-term osteochondrosis.
Causes and stages of pathology
All causes that lead to pathology can be divided into external and internal. The first are related to various influences of external factors. People who lead a sedentary lifestyle, who are overweight, are prone to osteochondrosis. In addition, there are such predisposing factors:
- professions associated with long periods of sitting;
- hypothermia;
- weakening of the body's defenses associated with stress, excessive work.
Internal causes are based on genetic predisposition and various diseases. In endocrine diseases, the restoration of bone and muscle tissue and their nutrition is disturbed. This condition can be observed with age and with a genetic predisposition, especially if the history indicates spinal injuries at a young age.
Pathological disorders of the spine structure accelerate the onset of osteochondrosis, if not treated, the disease progresses rapidly. The most significant conditions are kyphosis, scoliosis. Also, medical history indicates that the most common cause of illness is spinal injury.
The disease has 4 stages of progression. In the first stage, there are no serious disturbances in nutrition and the structure of the spinal discs. The symptoms are mild. They can be easily removed with painkillers. It is possible to cure the disease in this period as quickly as possible, the main thing is not to heat 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 that the corset is an effective remedy for the progression of the disease.
The second stage is characterized by bumps and vivid clinical manifestations. Treatment becomes difficult, exacerbations occur more often. For girls, before pregnancy, it is necessary to cure the disease in order to avoid complications due to salt deposits and displacement of the vertebrae. There may be problems with going to the toilet, then special candles will help. Corset, diet, daily exercise, and ERT may also be effective.
The third and fourth stages are dangerous due to the appearance of intervertebral hernias, complications and disorders in the work of internal organs. Only diet and massage will not help. Sometimes the only way out in the fight against the disease can be surgical treatment. In the future, the person will have to wear a corset and recover for a long time.
Symptoms
Signs of lumbar osteochondrosis begin to appear in the first stage of the disease with the appearance of sharp pain in the lumbar region. Exacerbation initially passes quickly and does not interfere with the normal function of working capacity. During pregnancy, a woman constantly feels discomfort and muscle tension.
With the progression of the disease, it gets worse more often, but it can be removed with analgesics. Pain symptoms become prolonged, painful. If the nerve fibers are affected, then the pain radiates to different parts of the body. It can be the leg, the buttocks and different areas of the back. Increased pain occurs when you stay in one position for a long time, make sudden movements or lift weights. A characteristic sign of osteochondrosis may appear - back pain.
In addition to the feeling of pain, the muscle corset also suffers. The back muscles are constantly tense, painful when pressed. Over time, the exacerbation does not go away, the patient develops intolerable pain, which worsens even with light movement, coughing or sneezing. During pregnancy, there is an increase in body weight, which worsens the general condition of the woman and causes constant symptoms of osteochondrosis.
In extreme stages, innervation is disrupted and the spinal cord is affected. The muscle corset is not worn with 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. A patient's medical history with such abnormalities often leads the patient to the operating table.
Treatment
To choose the right treatment for osteochondrosis, diagnostics is carried out. The patient's medical history and complaints are studied in detail. Exacerbation allows for more careful image identification 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 done 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 performed to examine the internal organs, especially if the medical history indicates various pathologies.
Treatment in each case is selected individually and should be comprehensive. There are certain principles that help in the treatment of diseases. These are medicines to relieve pain, a diet to normalize the work of internal organs. Also, you cannot heat the affected area.
During pregnancy, you must first take care of the health of the fetus. Along with the running course, in addition to the main course of therapy, it is necessary to wear a corset. In case of disturbed bowel function, special suppositories are used. Also, you can't warm up your lower back muscles if they get worse. The diet is prescribed after consultation with the gynecologist. Charging should be special and at a certain time.
Treatment is mainly aimed at eliminating 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. Severe pain can be alleviated 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 drugs 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 an exacerbation and at the beginning of 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.