ICD-10 code – Osteochondrosis of the spine (M42)
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is a degenerative-dystrophic lesion of the spine.This disease of the lumbosacral spine is one of the most common in modern medicine.In both women and men, the disease can cause temporary loss of ability to work, as well as disability.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine has a chronic course, with a period of exacerbation.
Sources of the disease
Medicine does not name clear reasons that can cause this disease in both women and men.We can therefore conclude that the disease is multifactorial.The most popular theory of the development of the disease is a systematic process of tension in the muscular system, non-physiological muscle tension, as a result of which the vertebral segments are overloaded and their blood circulation worsens.The result is degeneration of the intervertebral discs, leading to osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.
The following reasons for the development of the disease in women and men are no less common:
- The reasons lie in endocrine and metabolic disorders.
- The reasons are hereditary predisposition to the disease.
- Causes that derive from microtraumas and autoimmune disorders.
- Causes associated with pathological processes of internal organs.
People who have suffered a back injury or who lead a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to develop osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.
Symptoms of the disease
Medicine will highlight the following symptoms, which appear at different degrees of the disease in both women and men:
- 1st degree.You can notice the manifestation of pain, caused by irritation of the nerve endings.You feel local, sharp or dull symptoms of pain in the lumbar spine.Often the pain occurs in another place and is called a reflex.You may also notice the following symptoms: reduced blood circulation in the limbs and ligaments, as well as internal organs.Due to reduced blood circulation, pain symptoms appear in the area where the ligaments attach to the bone.Compactions are also noted in this area.Symptoms of pain occur in the lumbosacral segment, radiating to the lower extremities.The functioning of the urinary system may be compromised.
- 2nd degree.You may notice symptoms of discomfort in the lumbar spine and constant muscle fatigue.
- 3rd degree.Symptoms associated with radicular syndrome occur.Such symptoms caused by radicular syndrome consist of reduced sensitivity in the affected area.Symptoms associated with radicular syndrome do not appear immediately.At the beginning the symptoms are expressed with increased sensitivity, burning, tingling.Subsequently, a feeling of numbness occurs, up to complete loss of sensitivity.Symptoms associated with radicular syndrome cause dysfunction of the motor system, including paralysis and atrophy.Additionally, symptoms associated with radicular syndrome include localized pain along the length of the legs.In addition to the signs of radicular syndrome, there is a violation of sensitivity and motor functioning of the lower extremities.
- 4th degree.Pain symptoms with radicular syndrome are less pronounced.At the same time, the range of motion of the spine is limited.
Basic treatment
The doctor makes a diagnosis based on the performed diagnostics.MRI, ECG, ultrasound and other studies will help establish the correct diagnosis.It is also necessary to perform an x-ray examination.
How to treat lumbar osteochondrosis in women and men?Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine requires complex treatment that lasts a long time.As a rule, such treatment works in advanced stages of the disease, when multiple intervertebral protrusions or hernias are present.
Treatment must be selected and carried out strictly individually in each specific case.
Treatment of muscle spasms should be carried out with the help of drugs - muscle relaxants.
Medicine establishes that treatment with muscle relaxants, along with the use of NSAIDs, physical therapy and massage sessions, contributes to faster recovery.
Blockade as a treatment
Blockade of osteochondrosis consists of injections of drugs that are injected into the affected area.Treatment with a method such as blocking will help relieve the pain immediately.The block consists of local anesthetic drugs.
Treatment in this way, such as novocaine blockade, is the most popular in modern medicine.To relieve pain, the blockade is done once every three days.It can also be noted that blocking osteochondrosis is the safest method of treatment.
The block generally does not cause side effects, because the effect of the drug is local.Treatment with a method such as blockade can be carried out unlimitedly, with each exacerbation of the disease.
Also, to relieve pain, the block is used to eliminate inflammation, swelling and improve metabolism.To prolong the therapeutic effect, a method such as blockade must include several drugs at once (novocaine and corticosteroids).The block must be performed by an experienced doctor.
Proper nutrition is the key to health
In the case of osteochondrosis, as with any other disease, nutrition should be balanced, low-calorie, rich in various vitamins and minerals.
The diet of both women and men should be rich in collagen, which acts as chondroprotectors.
Jellied fish and jellied meat are saturated with this component.If you include jellied meat in your diet, you can significantly improve the condition of your connective tissue.In addition, nutrition should include a sufficient amount of fluid consumed to maintain the condition of the tissues in the intervertebral discs.
There are several dietary foods for people with osteochondrosis.Which one is suitable for each specific case will be determined by the attending physician.
Circle as a means of prevention
Such a tool as a hoop has been known since the times of our parents.The hoop is used both to improve well-being and to maintain the figure.You can spin the circle both at home and in the gym.The most important advantage is the availability of gymnastics and its simplicity.
But treatment with a method such as a circle has its drawbacks.Before spinning a hoop, you should consult a doctor.If there is a lumbar hernia, it is forbidden to turn the circle.If a diagnosis of thoracic spine is established, preventive exercises can be performed.
If you spin a healthy person with osteochondrosis in a circle, you can improve the functioning of the back muscles.The hoop also promotes the active functioning of the spinal region, which is an excellent preventive measure.
Summing up, it is worth noting that if you twist a hoop with osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, the entire load falls on the affected area.The hoop can relieve the pain, but after a while it will return again and with greater force.
Hirudotherapy as a method of treating osteochondrosis
It is possible and possible to cure the disease with hirudotherapy!Leeches have a healing effect on the human body.Thanks to the action of the leech, painful manifestations are reduced, the therapeutic effect of the drugs taken and physical exercise is enhanced and the patient's recovery process is accelerated.
Treatment with a leech is based on the beneficial effects of the enzyme it produces.This enzyme is secreted with the help of leech saliva.
During the treatment process, the doctor applies a leech to the affected area.The leech bites the top layer of the skin, releasing saliva into it, which can heal blood clots, prevent blood clotting, and speed up the biochemical process.In addition, the action of the leech is aimed at strengthening the walls of blood vessels and their expansion.
Medical leeches are completely sterile.To cure a disease with a leech, it is necessary to follow a sequence of actions: the duration of the first two sessions of treatment with a leech lasts no more than thirty minutes.The third session involves keeping the leech on the body for an hour.The wound after the leech is not treated with anything, and after removing the leech, the patient should not be put on his back.This is necessary to prevent bleeding.
Osteochondrosis can be cured in both women and men with ten procedures, between which it is necessary to take a five-day break.
And the most important rule: a timely consultation with a doctor will help avoid negative consequences.