Back pain, according to statistics, affects almost every second inhabitant of the planet over the age of 18.They can be caused by various reasons.In 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 at an early stage.
Time to sound the alarm
If you want to successfully deal with a disease such as lumbar osteochondrosis, you should not wait for obvious symptoms to appear immediately.At the first stage you will not feel them.
It is important to understand that people who spend a lot of time sitting or standing in the same position are more susceptible to danger.If, due to circumstances or other reasons, this has been the case with you for many years, perhaps there is a reason to check the condition of your spine, even if there are no symptoms of the disease.
You should not ignore the following "alarm bells", which may indicate that lumbar osteochondrosis has already passed the first stage.
- Lower back pain.At first they appear only under more than usual load, disappear at rest.or after being in an uncomfortable static position for a long time.Over time, such pain constantly bothers me, during long walks.
- Gradually, the pain becomes chronic and can be manifested as pain, tingling (referring to the thigh), acute pain, lumbago, etc.A feeling of heat or cold in the lower back.
- Dynamically developing pain, getting stronger.Part of the leg feels tight or has a "pins and needles" feeling.
- Symptoms such as: constipation, urinary incontinence, numbness between the legs, irregular menstrual cycle (in women).
- Feet get cold for no apparent reason, the skin on the feet peels.
- The spine begins to bend, the back muscles in the lower back are unnaturally tense and it is difficult to fully bend.
- unbearable pain
All these symptoms, especially if they appear together and their probable sequence matches the one described above, cannot be ignored.
Complete the prescribed examination
The doctor you visit will prescribe certain examinations and various tests.This is because it is not so easy to identify this disease.Many laboratory tests are aimed at ruling out other possible diseases (such as diseases of the internal organs) that have the same symptoms.The best way to determine the cause is MRI - magnetic resonance imaging (maybe even with paramagnetic enhancement).But radiography is also used.
Is there an important stage in making an accurate diagnosis?What choices do you now face between different treatments?
Methods of influencing the injured spine
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is currently treated in various ways.But all of them can be divided into two large groups: symptomatic (elimination of pain and other consequences of the disease) and pathogenetic (it is believed that it affects the cause, eliminates or prevents its development).
Treatment with drugs that relieve pain.Such drugs are prescribed only by the attending physician.The treatment is symptomatic, that is, a person who is happy that everything is restored to its previous healthy state, can stop taking care of the back, and meanwhile the disease will develop asymptomatically, until the pain manifests itself in a more severe form.
Muscle relaxants are medications that help relieve muscle spasms as a result of disc destruction, so this treatment is a symptomatic treatment.
Physiotherapy effect.This includes a wide range of methods that affect lumbar osteochondrosis through the skin.This treatment:
- high frequency current;
- laser;
- magnets.
Different extensions of the spine: in water or with equipment.You should be careful when using this method if lumbar osteochondrosis is already in a progressive stage.
The homeosyniatric method is a treatment in which homeo-medicines are injected exactly into the damaged area (or rather, into a certain active point of the body), which helps the body to get rid of toxins.
Hirudotherapy (treatment with puppies).They bring invaluable help, helping many patients to 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.
Lumbar osteochondrosis, provided there is no rash, disc herniation and other contraindications, some trust an experienced chiropractor - a massage therapist who works with the spine.
Special exercises to relieve pain in osteochondrosis.When choosing a set of such activities, it is better to consult a doctor.
Pathogenetic method developed by specialists
In particular, I want to talk about physiological current (VTES) interstitial stimulation.Under the guidance of the professor, a new method of influence was developed, which allows to improve blood circulation inside the spine bone.
It is believed that precisely because of this weakening of the blood flow, the nutrition of the disc deteriorates significantly, which leads to the gradual loss of its properties, the ability to function normally and its final destruction.
The essence of the method is to deliver a physiological current to the affected vertebra, bypassing the skin - a natural insulator.Physiological current is identical to the current generated in our body, multiplied many times.It is fed by a needle - an electrode that is inserted at a certain depth (under the skin) at the site of the pathology, that is, at a certain point on the back.The current strongly stimulates the vessels inside the vertebral bones, thereby improving the nutrition of the discs.
According to the results of studies (needle rheography, polyureography), the blood circulation inside the bones, including the lumbar spine, improves dramatically.The disc is completely restored (osteochondrosis in the early stage).
In later stages, lumbar osteochondrosis causes symptoms such as severe persistent back pain due to disc protrusion or herniation.Interestingly, treatment of VTES allows the re-formation of the dense woven capsule around the hernia, its growth and even reduction in size in a short period of time.
Good tips for prevention
- Knowing that working in a stationary position for long periods of time, especially when sitting at a computer, can help.For example, rest, stretch and walk every hour.Maintain proper posture.Some people are helped by specially manufactured correctors, for example, neodymium magnets.
- Constant lifting of heavy weights also contributes to the development of the disease, so you should know the rules for lifting them correctly.
- Try to avoid hypothermia and back injuries.Watch your weight, strengthen your back muscles with moderate sports, swimming, then you won't need treatment.
- It is quite possible to overcome lumbar osteochondrosis if you start treatment from the early stages or control it.