Osteochondrosis forces the body to keep the muscles of the lumbar region tight, reducing the load on the spine. The patient seeks a more comfortable body position and tries not to change it to relieve discomfort.
Main steps
The disease is progressive, so it has appropriate signs at different stages, the diagnosis of which helps the doctor to prescribe the appropriate treatment. Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis:
- in the first stage there is a pronounced discomfort and inconspicuous pain in the lumbar spine;
- the second stage is accompanied by the destruction of the annulus fibrosus, which leads to the convergence of the vertebrae among themselves;
- this is followed by the formation of an intervertebral hernia and a significant deformation of the spine, accompanied by intense pain;
- the fourth stage of osteochondrosis of the lumbar region leads to the complete disability of patients: the destruction becomes more intense, sharp pains and movement difficulties precede.
The picture of the development and further treatment of osteochondrosis at any stage depends on the localization of the disease in a particular part of the lower back. The goal of the therapy is to relieve pain, eliminate inflammation, and normalize the metabolic processes of the intervertebral disc.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region is a dangerous degenerative disease of the spine that leads to degenerative processes. It is localized in the appropriate area and is characterized by ossification of the cartilage or destruction of the spinal discs. More than 80% of the course is accompanied by pain that radiates into the leg. The painful symptoms are caused by the pinching of the roots of the spinal cord nerves by the overgrown tissue, in medicine it is called lumboischialgia.
Signs in the initial stage
Lumbar osteochondrosis symptoms are accompanied by dull pains that usually go unnoticed. Unpleasant sensations appear in the back or buttocks after moving weights and sudden movements. The initial degradation processes of the intervertebral lumbar region begin.
The spinal column functions without any particular changes, but the suffocating morphological processes of the cartilage tissue continue, accompanied by the following symptoms:
- growth of uncinate processes;
- minimal disc displacement with fibrous capsular tear.
Clinical symptoms - shooting pain after physical exertion and prolonged (frequent) sitting in an uncomfortable position.
Sometimes the first stage is called preclinical, since lumbar osteochondrosis is practically not manifested.
Second stage
Symptoms of this stage include chronic pain that radiates to the pelvic organs, buttocks, or legs. Relapses and remissions are both common. Basically, deterioration is observed after physical exertion.
Third stage
Progressive processes lead to the development of a hernia with all the following consequences:
- neurological symptoms (dizziness, headache, loss of consciousness, tinnitus and loss of consciousness);
- kidney and urinary tract problems (uncontrolled urination);
- cardiovascular problems (arrhythmia).
In the third stage, in addition to drug methods and physiotherapy, the treatment may also include surgery to avoid compression of the spinal cord and the development of unwanted complications.
Fourth stage
The final stage is accompanied by calcification of the damaged disc. The pains will be much weaker, but the deformation of the spine will continue. The body activates the defense mechanism and initiates ossification processes, which leads to a decrease in the epidural space, increased compression of the spinal cord and disruption of the work of all the systems controlled by it. Simply put, cartilage turns into bone and grows. From there, many dangerous symptoms characteristic of the third stage appear, but in a more acute form.
Long-term complex treatment and surgical intervention are required.
How to distinguish the localization of the lesion
Pinching of certain nerve endings and segments has its own manifestations and symptoms of osteochondrosis:
- with damage to the roots of the spine L1, L2 - severe pain, numbness of the inguinal zone and inner thighs. The progression of osteochondrosis of the lower back, accompanied by a hernia, is characterized by lumboischialgia of both lower limbs;
- if it is localized in the L5 lumbar region, shooting pain is characteristic of irradiation of the thumb, reduced sensitivity;
- with numbness on the outer side of the thigh all the way to the leg and shooting pain, the problem is pinching of the S1 nerve root.
Treatment is prescribed after an MRI diagnosis.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region
The localization of the disease has a direct impact on its course and symptoms. Degradation of the lumbar spine can cause myelogenous lameness. The lower part of the spinal cord receives a limited blood supply, which causes weakness in the legs when walking and a frequent urge to urinate. After adequate rest, the symptoms disappear.
Ischemia of neurons of the cauda equina is the main cause of caudogenic intermittent claudication:
- anemia of the peripheral parts of the legs;
- tingling and tingling sensation when walking;
- over time, the symptoms rise from the legs to the groin region of the genitals;
- after rest, the strength of the legs is restored.
Lifting heavy objects in the presence of lumbar osteochondrosis can cause pinching of the Adamkevich artery and complicate the course of the spinal disease. There are paralyzes - from mild to severe, incontinence of waste products, atrophy of muscle tissue, formation of bedsores.
Causes contributing to the development of osteochondrosis
In most cases, it is believed that the development of osteochondrosis progresses gradually as a result of walking on two legs, but other provoking factors play an important role in the development of spinal disease, including: physical inactivity, impaired metabolic processes, excess weight, lifting loads. .
The complex interaction of unfavorable factors, the formation of prolapse (protrusion of the disc) leads to the narrowing of the epidural space and pinching of the nerve roots.
Medical methods of treating the disease
Lumbar osteochondrosis is treated at different stages after an accurate diagnosis of the location, stage and individual characteristics of the patient. The main methods are physiotherapy, reflex effects, drug support aimed at pain relief and stopping inflammation, and medicinal herbs. If the treatment proved to be ineffective or impossible without surgery due to the neglect of the disease, surgical intervention is required.