Osteochondrosis is considered a common disease of the spine. Most often, due to lifestyle characteristics, the lower back suffers, so the symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis are more frequent than others. Pathological, regardless of age, is equally dangerous for both men and women. Patients with the disease wear corsets, suffer during pregnancy. Diet and exercise become important.
The disease is highlighted in a separate section of the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and refers to deforming dorsopathy (ICD-10 M42-43). A code is allocated for osteochondrosis of the spine - M42 according to ICD-10. There are options for ICD-10:
- Juvenile osteochondrosis - M42 according to ICD-10. 0.
- Osteochondrosis in adults - M42 according to ICD-10. 1.
- Unspecified forms - M42 according to ICD-10. 9.
If earlier the disease spread to people over 30 years old, recently there is a tendency to affect the pathology of the younger generation. Stress and prolonged exposure to the computer are associated with a passive lifestyle.
The lower back always experiences large loads both in motor nature and from the load of body weight. Women suffer a lot during pregnancy, the life history includes multiple injuries of the lumbar spine and ignores such a factor as exercise. Also, by studying the causes of intervertebral hernia, disruption of the sciatic nerve, one can distinguish the main factor - long-term osteochondrosis.
Causes and stages of pathology
All causes of pathology can be divided into external and internal. First, it is associated with various influences of external factors. People who lead a sedentary lifestyle and are overweight are prone to osteochondrosis. In addition, there are such predisposing factors:
- occupations associated with long periods of sitting;
- hypothermia;
- weakening of the body's defenses associated with stress, overwork.
Internal causes are based on genetic predisposition and various diseases. Endocrine diseases disrupt the regeneration of bone and muscle tissue and their nutrition. This condition can be observed with age and genetic predisposition, especially if the medical history shows spinal injuries at a young age.
Pathological disorders in the structure of the spine accelerate the occurrence of osteochondrosis, if not treated, the disease progresses rapidly. The most important conditions are kyphosis, scoliosis. Also, the medical history shows that the most common cause of the disease is a spinal cord injury.
The disease has 4 stages of development. In the first stage, there are no serious disturbances in the nutrition and structure of the spinal discs. Symptoms are mild. They can be easily removed with painkillers. During this period, it is possible to cure the disease as soon as possible, the main thing is not to warm up, do not strain your back. Diet and rehabilitation help a lot.
Often, osteochondrosis begins to appear during pregnancy, if not treated, it quickly progresses to the next stage. The history of the disease considers the corset to be an effective tool for the development of the disease.
The second stage is characterized by protrusions and bright clinical manifestations. Treatment becomes more difficult, exacerbations occur more often. For girls, before pregnancy, it is necessary to treat the disease to prevent complications due to salt deposits and displacement of vertebrae. There may be problems with going to the toilet, then special candles will help. Corset, diet, daily exercise, and ERT may also be effective.
The third and fourth stages are dangerous with the appearance of intervertebral hernias, complications and disorders in the work of internal organs. Only diet and massage will not help. Sometimes the only way out in the fight against the disease may be surgical treatment. In the future, a person will have to wear a corset for a long time and recover.
Symptoms
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis begin to manifest themselves in the first stage of the disease with the onset of acute pain in the lumbar region. Aggravation passes quickly at first and does not interfere with the normal functioning of work capacity. During pregnancy, a woman constantly feels discomfort and muscle tension.
With the development of the disease, exacerbations occur more often, but can be eliminated with analgesics. Pain symptoms are long, painful. If the nerve fibers are affected, the pain spreads to different parts of the body. It can be different areas of the legs, hips and back. Increased pain occurs when staying in one position for a long time, sudden movements or lifting weights. A characteristic symptom of osteochondrosis may appear - back pain.
In addition to the feeling of pain, the muscle corset also suffers. The back muscles are constantly tense and painful when pressed. Over time, the exacerbation does not go away, the patient experiences unbearable pain, which is aggravated by even a slight movement, coughing or sneezing. During pregnancy, weight gain occurs, which worsens the general well-being of a woman and provokes permanent symptoms of osteochondrosis.
In extreme stages, the innervation is disturbed and the spinal cord is affected. The muscle corset does not cope with protection, the vertebra is destroyed, intervertebral tears are formed. There are malfunctions in the intestines, stomach, genitourinary system. Men have problems with potency. Constant pain and symptoms of intoxication worsen a person's well-being. Such abnormalities in the patient's history often lead the patient to the operating table.
Treatment
Diagnosis is made to choose the right treatment for osteochondrosis. The patient's medical history and complaints are studied in detail. Sharpening allows you to identify the image more carefully using diagnostic methods. The patient's medical history is updated with new symptoms. An X-ray is prescribed to examine the spine. X-rays during pregnancy cannot be carried out like wearing a corset.
There are other diagnostic methods. This can be magnetic resonance or computed tomography. An ultrasound examination is performed to examine the internal organs, especially if the medical history shows various pathologies.
In each case, the treatment is selected individually and should be comprehensive. There are certain principles that help to treat the disease. These are drugs to relieve pain, a diet to normalize the work of internal organs. Also, you can not heat the affected area.
During pregnancy, you should first of all worry about the health of the fetus. With the course of running, in addition to the main course of therapy, it is necessary to wear a corset. Special suppositories are used in case of bowel dysfunction. Also, if there is an exacerbation, you can not warm up the muscles of the lower back. The diet is prescribed after consultation with a gynecologist. Filling must be specific and at a specific time.
The treatment is mainly aimed at eliminating the symptoms and restoring the physiological functions of the spine.
It is necessary to take NSAIDs, antispasmodics, analgesics for pain. The necessary means will be prescribed by the doctor. With the help of novocaine blockade, you can relieve severe pain.
The diet excludes foods that are harmful and difficult for the liver and kidneys. Do not abuse alcohol or smoking. To treat the disease, you can combine drugs and alternative therapy methods at the same time. Filling should enter the rhythm of life. It is impossible to heat the injured area during exacerbation and at the beginning of treatment. The diet should be prescribed for a long time.
Effective massage, manual therapy, physiotherapy and daily exercise - this will help you get rid of the disease and always stay in shape.