Back pain, according to statistics, concerns 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 cope with a disease such as lumbar osteochondrosis, you should not wait for visible symptoms to appear immediately.In 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 risk.If, due to circumstances or other reasons, this has happened to you for many years, there is probably a reason to check the condition of the spine, even if the symptoms of the disease are not obvious.
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, disappearing during 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 appear as pain, tingling (referring to the thigh), acute pain, lumbago, etc.Feeling of heat or cold in the lower back.
- Pain in dynamic development, intensifying.Part of the leg goes numb, or has a "pins and needles" feeling.
- Symptoms such as: constipation, urinary incontinence, numbness between the legs, menstrual irregularities (in women).
- The 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 tense, and it is difficult to bend fully.
- Excruciating 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 visit will order several different examinations and tests.This is due to the fact that identifying this disease is not so easy.Numerous laboratory tests are intended to rule out other possible diseases (such as diseases of internal organs) that have the same symptoms.The best way to determine the cause is MRI - magnetic resonance (maybe even with paramagnetic enhancement).But radiography is also used.
Is the important phase of establishing an accurate diagnosis now behind us?What choices will you now face between different treatments?
Methods to influence the affected spine
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is currently treated in different ways.But all of them can be divided into two large groups: symptomatic (eliminates pain and other consequences of the disease) and pathogenic (it is believed to act on the cause, eliminating it or preventing its development).
Treatment with medications that relieve pain.Such drugs are prescribed only by the attending physician.The treatment is symptomatic, that is, the person satisfied that everything has returned to the previous healthy state, can stop caring for the back, and meanwhile the disease will progress without symptoms until the pain appears 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 effects.These include a wide range of methods affecting 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 homeosiniatric method is a treatment in which homeo medicines are administered precisely to the affected area (or rather, to a certain active point of the body), which help the body get rid of toxins.
Hirudotherapy (treatment 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, disc herniations and other contraindications, some trust an experienced chiropractor - a massage therapist who works with the spine.
Special exercises to relieve pain in osteochondrosis.It is best to consult a doctor when choosing a set of such activities for yourself.
Pathogenetic method developed by specialists
In particular, I would like to dwell on physiological current interstitial stimulation (VTES).Under the guidance of the professor, a new impact method was developed that allows improving blood circulation within the bone of the vertebra itself.
It is believed that it is precisely because of the weakening of such blood flow that the nutrition of the disc deteriorates significantly, which leads to a gradual loss of its properties, the ability to function normally and its final destruction.
The essence of the method is to send a physiological current to the affected vertebra, bypassing the skin - a natural insulator.Physiological current is a current identical to that produced in our body, amplified many times.It is fed through a needle - an electrode 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 bones of the vertebra, thus improving the nutrition of the discs.
According to the results of studies (needle rheography, polyrheography), blood circulation inside the bones, including the spine, improves dramatically.The disc is completely restored (osteochondrosis at an early stage).
In later stages, lumbar osteochondrosis produces symptoms such as persistent severe back pain due to disc protrusion or herniation.It is interesting that the treatment of VTES in the shortest possible time allows the re-formation of a densely 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 when sitting in front of a computer, can help.For example, take breaks every hour, lying down and walking.Keep the right posture.Some people are helped with this by specially made rectifiers, for example, with neodymium magnets.
- Constant lifting of heavy weights also contributes to the development of the disease, so you should 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.
- It is quite possible to overcome lumbar osteochondrosis if you start treatment in the early stages or keep it under control.