Osteochondrosis forces the body to keep the muscles of the lumbar region tense, reducing the load on the spine. The patient seeks a more comfortable position and tries not to change it to relieve discomfort.
Main steps
The disease is progressive, so at different stages it has the corresponding signs, the diagnosis of which helps the doctor prescribe the correct treatment. Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis:
- in the first stage, there is pronounced discomfort and unobtrusive pain in the lumbar spine;
- the second stage is accompanied by the destruction of the fibrous ring, which leads to the convergence of the vertebrae with each other;
- this is followed by the formation of an intervertebral hernia and significant deformation of the spine, accompanied by severe pain;
- the fourth stage of osteochondrosis of the lumbar region leads to complete disability of patients: the destruction becomes more intense, precedes sharp pains and difficulty in movement.
At each stage, the picture of the development and further treatment of osteochondrosis depends on the localization of the disease in a particular part of the lower back. Therapy is aimed at relieving pain, eliminating inflammation, normalizing the metabolic processes of the cartilaginous tissue of the spinal discs.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region is a dangerous degenerative disease of the spine, leading to degenerative processes. It is localized in the corresponding area and is characterized by ossification of the cartilage or destruction of the crest discs. More than 80% of the course is accompanied by pain radiating to the leg. Pain symptoms are caused by pinching of the spinal nerve roots by overgrown tissue, in medicine they are called lumboischialgia.
Signs in the initial stage
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis are accompanied by dull pains, which, as a rule, go unnoticed. Unpleasant sensations appear in the back or buttocks after moving weights and sudden movements. The processes of initial degradation of the lumbar intervertebral region begin.
The spinal crest functions without much change, but the morphological processes of cartilaginous tissue drowning continue to progress, accompanied by the following signs:
- increase in uncinate processes;
- minimal disc displacement with rupture of the fibrous capsule.
Clinical symptoms: throbbing pain after physical exertion and prolonged (frequent) sitting in an uncomfortable position.
Sometimes the first stage is called preclinical, since lumbar osteochondrosis may practically not manifest itself.
Second phase
The symptoms of this stage are chronic pain radiating to the pelvic organs, buttocks or legs. Both relapses and remissions are characteristic. Basically, deterioration is observed after physical exertion.
Third stage
Progressive processes lead to the formation of a hernia with all the ensuing consequences:
- neurological symptoms (dizziness, headache, fainting, tinnitus and loss of consciousness);
- problems with the kidneys and the genitourinary system (uncontrolled urination);
- problems with the cardiovascular system (arrhythmia).
In the third stage, treatment, in addition to pharmacological methods and physiotherapy, may 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 become much weaker, but the deformation of the spine continues. The body, activating the defense mechanism, starts the ossification processes, which leads to a decrease in the epidural space, increased compression of the spinal cord and disruption of the work of all systems controlled by it. In simple terms, cartilage turns into bone and grows. From here, a number of dangerous symptoms appear, characteristic of the third stage, but in a more acute form.
Prolonged complex treatment and surgical intervention is required.
How to distinguish where the lesion is located
Pinching of some 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 in the groin area and inner thigh. The progression of osteochondrosis of the lower back, accompanied by a hernia, is characterized by lumboischialgia in both lower extremities;
- when localized in the L5 lumbar region, shooting pain is characteristic with irradiation to the thumb, decreased sensitivity;
- with numbness from the outer thigh down to the lower leg and shooting pain, pinching the S1 nerve root is the problem.
Treatment is prescribed after diagnosis by MRI.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region
The location of the disease has a direct impact on its course and symptoms. Lumbar spine degradation can cause myelogenous lameness. The lower spinal cord has a limited blood supply, which causes leg weakness when walking and frequent need to urinate. After adequate rest, the symptoms disappear.
Ischemia of cauda equina neurons 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;
- strength in the legs is restored after rest.
Lifting heavy objects in the presence of lumbar osteochondrosis can cause pinching of Adamkevich's artery and complicate the course of spinal disease. There is paralysis - from mild to severe, incontinence of waste products, atrophy of muscle tissue, the formation of pressure sores.
Reasons contributing to the development of osteochondrosis
In most cases, it is believed that the development of osteochondrosis gradually progresses due to bipedalism, but additional provoking factors play an important role in the formation of spinal disease, among them: physical inactivity, impaired metabolic processes, excess kilograms, lifting of loads.
The complex interaction of adverse factors, the formation of prolapse (disc protrusion) leads to a narrowing of the epidural space and pinching of the neural roots.
Medical methods of dealing with the disease
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis in several stages is carried out after a thorough diagnosis of the location, stage and individual characteristics of the patient. The main methods are physiotherapy, reflex effects, pharmacological support aimed at reducing pain and stopping inflammation, herbal medicine. If treatment has proved ineffective or impossible without surgery due to neglect of the disease, surgery is required.