Despite the spread of thought, spinal osteochondrosis is not considered part of the aging process. Elastic discs between the vertebrae are responsible for bending and lengthening the spine, like shock absorbers. Over time, they are consumed and no longer offer the full range of motion. With age, daily stress on the spine and accidental injuries, including minor ones, can damage the discs in the back and lead to osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.
Who is affected by this lumbar disease?
In most cases, the first symptoms of lumbar spine osteochondrosis occur between the ages of 11-12. The disease manifests itself clearly at the age of sixteen, but the most severe course and frequent complications occur between the ages of 15 and 20 years.
Children under 15 rarely have severe forms of osteochondrosis, which in some way is related to the excellent condition of their musculoskeletal system in general, and the spine in particular. In addition, the disease takes time to develop, and takes an average of five years.
Fortunately, these diseases are much easier to treat in children than in adults.
Symptoms
Reflex Syndrome
- Cervicalgia- different manifestations of neck pain (pulling, tingling, shooting), feeling of "crawling" in the muscles of the cervix, as well as decreased mobility and flexibilityneck.
- Lumbagois a sharp, sharp pain in the lumbar region, which may be accompanied by numbness or swelling. Instead of the word "lumbago" the words "lumbodynia" or "lumboischialgia" may be used.
- Thoracalgia- pain of a different nature in the chest, shoulders and ribs, which are constantly present or occur during body movements.
Compression syndromes
The occurrence of pain syndrome in osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is due to:
- Suppression of root structures (radiculopathy).
- Spinal cord compression (myelopathy).
- Spinal cord injury due to impaired blood supply.
- Narrowing (stenosis) of arteries and veins (vascular compression myelosemia).
Methods for detecting the disease
Differential Diagnosis
Not every disorder can be diagnosed with a simple lab test. Many conditions cause similar symptoms. For example, many infections cause fever, headaches, and fatigue.
Many mental disorders are caused by:
- sadness;
- concern;
- sleep problems.
Differential diagnosis identifies potential disorders that cause symptoms. Typically, this diagnosis is based on several tests. These tests may rule out conditions and / or determine if you need additional testing.
Differential diagnosis is used to diagnose physical or mental health problems that cause similar symptoms.
Differential diagnosis is also commonly used in the field of psychiatry / psychology, where two different diagnoses can be made to a patient who has symptoms of several diseases. For example, a patient diagnosed with bipolar disorder may also be differentially diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, given the similarity of the symptoms of the two conditions.Who is diagnosed most often?
If earlier the disease was diagnosed in sick people after 45 years, today about 27% of adolescents suffer from osteochondrosis of one degree or another.
Such a large spread of the disease is understandable - children began to spend a lot of time in a sitting position, including due to the computer and the Internet. Is it badTime will tell, but the fact remains - the pay for a sedentary lifestyle is high and osteochondrosis is far from the worst disease that can happen with such a lifestyle, but it is the most common (after overweight).
How to define a disease and its extent?
First
In a normal state, the intervertebral discs are constantly regenerating, but it happens that the process slows down and a disease such as grade 1 osteochondrosis appears /
There are many reasons for this:
- thick;
- metabolic disorders;
- immunocompromise and so on.
Unfortunately, the pain instability of a certain degree of illness is influenced by the fact that many people neglect diagnosis and treatment, and try to cure the pain themselves. To do this, use different oils and tinctures. But this is the biggest mistake.
First-degree lumbar spine osteochondrosis can be cured very easily by contacting a good specialist and performing a number of simple operations.Grade 1 osteochondrosis is a seal of the intervertebral cartilage in the lumbar spine. The main symptom at this stage is slight pain when turning or bending. Sometimes the symptoms are more acute and short-lived due to sudden movements or a significant strain.
Second
A pronounced symptom of the disease is soreness in the lumbar region, which increases with each movement. The pain may radiate higher up in the back.
With osteochondrosis, the pain can radiate to the lower extremities.
The second stage of osteochondrosis is characterized by a pain so strong that it appears even during coughing.
Additional symptoms associated with suppressed nerve endings:
- Sensitivity in the lower limbs varies. The main signs are: pain, numbness of the legs, high or very low level of skin sensitivity of the lower extremities.
- Limited mobility. A person suffering from osteochondrosis (grade 2) notices that as the disease progresses, it becomes very difficult to move.
- Increased fatigue and constant drowsiness. The patient has chronic fatigue, accompanied by irritability. This symptom is explained by the pain syndrome that constantly bothers the person.
- Problem urination and pain in the kidney area.
Third
By the time the patient reaches Stage 3, his behavior has changed significantly. In more advanced cases, bone deformity occurs. At this stage of lumbar spine osteochondrosis, there is also a marked deterioration of the patient's general physical and / or mental condition and a profound loss of energy.
The third stage is characterized by the appearance of narrowing of the intervertebral pit against the background of previous changes. Herniated intervertebral discs form, neck vessels and muscles are damaged. The patient has dizziness, pain in the back of the head.
The fourth
The final stage occurs when the intervertebral disc degenerates and the disc space is destroyed. At this stage, the thinning of the disc reaches its maximum, or, even worse, disappears completely. Postural imbalance is acute and movement and flexibility are extremely limited.
Stage 4 osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is often characterized by severe pain and a higher degree of physical and / or mental deterioration. There is also a permanent loss of growth and energy levels. Phase 4 is usually considered irreversible.Doctor consultation
Which doctor should I contact?
When independent treatment methods cease to bring an analgesic effect, the patient begins to ask the question: which doctor treats osteochondrosis? The first person you can contact to treat lumbar spine osteochondria is your local therapist. But in this situation, he plays the role of a dispatcher, as he will not be able to prescribe a full treatment - this is not his specialization.
Most likely, he will refer you to a neurologist. It is this specialist who will carry out the necessary research and help build a treatment program. The therapist can also refer you to a vertebrologist. This doctor deals directly with spinal diseases.
Scales and tests
Quality of Life Assessment
Such a generalized feature as quality of life is particularly important for a group of patients with comorbid conditions, as they may affect the effectiveness of treatment. This is especially important for comparing the results of several studies, economic analyzes and understanding the problem as a whole.
Methods for assessing quality of life include:
- Oswestry Quality of Life Questionnaire.
- Roland-Morris questionnaire.
- Stratford scale.
- Back Pain Rate in Quebec - A questionnaire on how back pain affects your daily life).
Degrees of Pain
Pain is an unpleasant sensation and emotional experience associated with tissue damage. Its purpose is to allow the body to respond and prevent further tissue damage.
Methods for assessing pain syndrome include:
- Corf Chronic Pain Assessment Scale.
- McGill Pain Questionnaire.
- Degree of Verbal Pain.
Evaluation of treatment outcome
- McNab Subjective Evaluation Scale.
- Patient satisfaction rate.
- Rate of functional and economic results Prolo.
- Lumbosacral Outcome Scale.
- Nurik scale.
Hardware testing
X-rays
X-rays provide detailed bone structures in the spine and are used to rule out back pain resulting from:
- Spondylolisthesis.
- Tumors.
- Cracking.
Calcium in the bone blocks the penetration of X-rays, and the bone image is perceived as a shadow in the film. X-rays provide excellent visibility of all details because bones are mainly composed of calcium. However, discs and nerve roots do not contain calcium, so X-rays do not capture images of these structures. X-rays, therefore, cannot be used to diagnose a lumbar disc herniation or other causes of a stuck nerve.
X-rays should not be taken by pregnant women.
Complications and possible consequences
Complications and possible consequences of lumbar spine osteochondrosis include:
- Radiculopathy is a condition characterized by a disease of the nerve roots.
- Muscle weakness - Common symptoms include fever, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, paresthesia, weight loss, and changes in consciousness.
- Neurogenic bladder - problems with the nerves that control the bladder and urination
- Damage to the lower motor neurons.
- Raynaud's phenomenon is a condition in which spasms occur, narrowing of the capillaries of the toes and feet.
- Pain in the neck, back, legs.
Treatment
Treatment may vary depending on the severity of your symptoms and how much they limit your daily activities.
Here are some of the treatments your doctor may prescribe based on your level of pain:
- Non-surgical treatment- not all patients with osteochondrosis require surgery. For mild to moderate pain, more conservative treatments.
- Spondilodeza- surgical intervention in the treatment of osteochondrosis.
Prevention
Prevention of lumbar segment osteochondrosis is the elimination of risk factors leading to this disease. Elimination of factors is the main preventive measure.
Physical activity is normalized, the back muscles are strengthened, the maximum load on the lower back is prevented, the development of diseases leading to low back pain is prevented, all this is a prophylaxis to prevent the symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis.
Moderate exercise, lifestyle changes, and good nutrition can help prevent painful and disabling symptoms.
If you notice symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, do not squeeze and consult a doctor immediately. A disease detected in time is easier to treat and persists without consequences.