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 win successfully if you start doing it in the early stages.
It's time to sound the alarm
If you want to successfully treat a disease such as lumbar osteochondrosis, you should not wait for 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 prone to risk.If, due to conditions or other reasons, this has been the case for you 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 "alarm bells", which may indicate that lumbar osteochondrosis has already progressed beyond the first stage.
- Pain in the lower back.At first they appear only under loads that are greater than usual, they disappear at rest.Or after a long stay in an uncomfortable static position.Over time, such pain bothers me constantly, during long walks.
- Gradually, the pain becomes chronic and can manifest as pain, tingling (referred to the thigh), sharp pain, back pain, etc.Feeling hot or cold in the lower back.
- Dynamically developing pain, intensifying.Part of the leg goes numb or there is a "pins and needles" sensation.
- Symptoms such as: constipation, urinary incontinence, numbness between the legs, menstrual disorders (in women).
- Feet get cold for no apparent reason, the skin on the feet peels off.
- The spine begins to bend, the back muscles in the lower back are unnaturally stretched and it is difficult to bend fully.
- 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 examination
The doctor you see will ask for certain tests and various tests.This is due to the fact that detecting this disease is not so easy.Numerous laboratory tests are aimed at excluding possible other diseases (such as diseases of internal organs) that have the same symptoms.The best way to determine the cause is MRI - MRI (possibly even with paramagnetic enhancement).But x-rays are also used.
Is the important stage of accurate diagnosis now behind us?What choices will you now have between the various treatments?
Methods of influencing the affected spine
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is currently treated in several ways.But all these can be divided into two large groups: symptomatic (elimination of pain and other consequences of the disease) and pathogenetic (it is believed to act on the cause, eliminating it or preventing its development).
Treatment with pain-relieving drugs.Such drugs are prescribed only by the attending physician.The treatment is symptomatic, that is, the person, who is happy that everything has been restored to the previous healthy state, can stop caring for 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 drugs that help relieve muscle spasms resulting from disc destruction, so this treatment is a symptomatic treatment.
Physiotherapy results.These include a wide range of methods that affect lumbar osteochondrosis through the skin.This treatment:
- high frequency current;
- laser;
- magnets.
Διάφορες επεκτάσεις σπονδυλικής στήλης: σε νερό ή με υλικό.You should be careful when using this method if lumbar osteochondrosis is already in a progressive stage.
The homeopathic method is a treatment in which homeopathic medicines are administered precisely to the affected area (or rather to a specific active point of the body), which help the body to get rid of toxins.
Hirudotherapy (therapy with leeches).They bring invaluable help, helping many patients 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 trust an experienced chiropractor - a massage therapist who deals with the spine.
Special exercises for pain relief in osteochondrosis.It is best to consult a doctor when choosing a set of such activities for yourself.
Pathogenetic method developed by experts
I would particularly like to dwell on the median normal current stimulation (VTES).Under the guidance of the professor, a new method of influence was developed that allows the improvement of blood circulation within the bone of the vertebra itself.
It is believed that it is precisely because of the weakening of this 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 its eventual destruction.
The essence of the method is to supply a physiological current to the affected vertebra, bypassing the skin - a natural insulator.Normal current is a current identical to that produced in our body, it is amplified many times.It is fed through a needle - an electrode that is inserted at a certain depth (under the skin) at the point of pathology, that is, at a certain point on the back.The current dynamically stimulates the vessels inside the bones of the vertebra, thus improving the nutrition of the discs.
According to the results of studies (needle rheography, polyureography), blood circulation inside the bones, including the lumbar spine, improves dramatically.The disc is fully restored (early stage osteochondrosis).
In later stages, lumbar osteochondrosis causes symptoms such as severe constant back pain due to disc protrusion or herniation.Interestingly, treatment of VTES in the shortest possible time allows the re-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 long hours, especially while sitting in front of a computer, can help.For example, take breaks every hour, stretch and walk.Maintain proper posture.Some people are helped in this by specially made 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.
- You are more likely to overcome lumbar osteochondrosis if you start treatment from the early stages or keep it under control.