Protrusion is a serious disease that can significantly impair the quality of life. It can develop in different parts of the spinal column. But most often, protrusion is diagnosed in the lumbar region. In this case, it is required to undergo a course of treatment, which will be prescribed by an experienced specialist. Self-medication will only exacerbate the problem. This can lead to disability. Therefore, if certain symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor. How to treat lumbar protrusion will be reviewed below.
Description of pathology
A person who has faced the problem of back pain is interested in which doctor treats protrusion of the lumbar spine, why such a disease has developed and what therapy will be most effective. It should be noted that protrusion is a type of dystrophic disorders inareas of the intervertebral discs. This is an early stage in the development of a hernia. Treatment of the disease is not a complicated process. Very rarely there is a need for surgical intervention. But pathology cannot be launched, since the consequences for the spine and he alth in general will be sad.
It is often necessary to combine the treatment of osteochondrosis and protrusion of the lumbar spine. These diseases are related, since one of the causes of the presented pathology is trauma. With osteochondrosis, bone tissue is slowly destroyed. As a result, protrusion appears first, and then a herniated disc.
Pathology can develop in any part of the spinal column. But in the lumbar region, pathology is diagnosed more often. With protrusion, the disc protrudes slightly at first. Then, as the pathology develops, it is aggravated by a breakthrough of the fibrous membrane of the disc. As a result, the nucleus pulposus comes out. This condition is already called a hernia.
You need to understand that the function of the intervertebral disc is depreciation, so it consists of connective cartilage tissue, as well as glycoprotein. They separate the vertebrae from each other and ensure their movement at all levels of the spinal column. The discs provide enough space for the nerves in the spinal cord, which exit the spinal canal and are responsible for the innervation of the limbs.
The gel-like core of the disk is enclosed in several different shells. The ring is the outer part of the disk. Protrusion during developmentgoes through several stages. The fibrous ring weakens when damaged, the nucleus pulposus begins to press on it. This leads to the development of protrusion. Over time, this leads to irritation or compression of the nerve endings, which leads to back pain and a host of other unpleasant symptoms.
Varieties
There are different types of protrusion. Depending on its type and stage of the disease, the doctor prescribes treatment. It is imperative to contact a specialist. Which doctor treats protrusion of the lumbar spine? You need to see a neurologist. He diagnoses and prescribes a set of therapeutic procedures. After that, other specialists are involved in the treatment process. This, for example, can be exercise therapy doctors, physiotherapists, chiropractors, etc.
A neurologist prescribes a treatment regimen after a comprehensive diagnosis. There are several main varieties of the presented pathology. They differ in the direction of disc protrusion:
- Circular. A flattened intervertebral disc protrudes evenly in all directions simultaneously in a horizontal plane. The dimensions of the extruded sections reach from 3 mm. Treatment of protrusion of the lumbar spine in this case is carried out in a complex manner. In some cases, the size of the extruded area reaches 12 mm.
- Dorsal. The disc protrudes towards the spinal canal. Treatment of dorsal protrusion of the lumbar spine is carried out in accordance with the type of pathology. It's commonthe name of the group of pathologies, which includes circular, paramedian and median protrusions.
- Central. The protrusion occurs towards the center of the ponytail.
- Diffuse. Has a chronic course. If this pathology is not treated in a timely manner, a person can become disabled, lose their ability to work and engage in any type of activity associated with physical activity.
The choice of treatment method is related to the type of disease. It is impossible to independently determine which variety the pathology belongs to, which methods of exposure will be effective. With the wrong therapy, you can harm yourself, aggravating the disease.
Causes for the development of pathology
There are several factors that can cause a hernia and protrusion of the lumbar. How to treat a disease depends largely on the cause that caused the disease. Most often, the development of protrusion is associated with the following factors:
- The annulus was previously weakened.
- Pressure on the disc increased suddenly, resulting in rupture of the annulus tissue.
All causes of disk damage can be divided into three large groups:
- Permanent microtrauma. If constant trauma occurs over a long period of time, this leads to damage to the intervertebral disc. One of the possible reasons that lead to such an impact is incorrect posture. Because of this, the spine is subjected to stress. Stoop, inclined position of the body are not physiologically correct. Because of this, the annulusweakens due to overstretching. Because of this, the integrity of the disk is violated. The core is shifting. Because of this, the nerves and joints of the spine are subjected to increased pressure.
- Sudden load. It occurs in a traumatic situation, for example, after a fall, impact. During a collision, an accident is affected by a sudden load. At the same time, the body tries to resist it. Because of this, the disc ruptures or stretches its tissues. Because of this, the intervertebral disc is injured. If you need to lift some weight, you should adopt a biomechanically correct body position. It is unacceptable to lean forward at this moment. Because of this, the back is stretched. This can also cause sudden disc injury.
- Genetic predisposition. Diseases of the spine can be caused by hereditary factors. The risk group includes people who have a large amount of elastin in the connective tissue. However, such causes of protrusion are rare. Much more often, external factors influence the development of pathology.
Considering how to treat protrusions of the lumbosacral region, it should be noted that, first of all, you need to get rid of the root cause of the development of pathology. Frequent factors leading to such disorders are obesity (especially in the abdomen), poor physical fitness, and weak limbs. Also, protrusion often occurs due to work associated with being in a stooped position (sitting, standing) or with high physical exertion.
Symptoms
How to treat protrusion of the lumbar spine? Needconduct a comprehensive diagnosis. Seek medical attention if certain symptoms appear. If human activity is associated with adverse factors, it is periodically worthwhile to conduct diagnostics to detect protrusion in the early stages.
The disease can develop asymptomatically for a long time. Only when the nerve endings are affected will the first symptoms appear. Due to their infringement, inflammation of the protrusion of the lumbar region may occur. Treatment should be aimed at eliminating this negative manifestation.
Often, painful sensations increase gradually. At first, there is very little discomfort. The person can ignore it. But in just a few days, the pain will become more pronounced. They can no longer be ignored. The characteristic symptoms of protrusion are:
- pain in the lumbar region of the spine;
- stiffness of movement in this part of the spinal column;
- numbness in the lower extremities, especially in the fingers and feet;
- feeling of weakness in the muscles of the legs;
- sometimes there is a violation in the urinary system;
- mobility and elasticity of the leg muscles are reduced.
Most of the symptoms are neurological in nature, as there is an infringement of the roots of the spinal cord. This is only a small part of the symptoms that are characteristic of protrusion. They can be different, and in different patients the manifestations are not the same. The severity of pain depends on the degreebulging disc.
Without proper treatment, the pain will only get worse. Therefore, if even slight pain occurs in the region of the spinal column, it is necessary to undergo a complex of diagnostic procedures. Modern techniques allow you to accurately determine the cause of unpleasant symptoms, as well as determine the type of protrusion, comorbidities.
Diagnosis and treatment approaches
How to treat protrusion of the discs of the lumbar spine? To prescribe a treatment regimen, a neurologist must know all the nuances of the course of the disease. Otherwise, the therapy will not be effective enough.
One of the main methods of diagnosing the presented pathology today is magnetic resonance or computed tomography. The examination is carried out by a doctor, but this is not enough for a correct diagnosis. Modern equipment allows to detect the disease at an early stage of development. In this case, the treatment of protrusion of the lumbar vertebrae will be not only effective, but also quite fast.
The most informative diagnostic method is MRI. When using radiography, it is difficult to detect violations in the area of intervertebral discs. CT scan is prescribed if the patient has certain contraindications to the MRI procedure. With the help of x-rays, signs of pathological complications can be detected. This, for example, may be osteochondrosis. This disease often accompanies protrusion.
Using radiography, you can diagnose Schmorl's hernia, see osteophytes and secondary narrowing of the spinal canal.
Ifthe patient has no contraindications for MRI, it is better to start the diagnosis with him. This is a safe technique, on the basis of which the doctor will be able to make an accurate, correct diagnosis. The procedure is performed on a high-field machine.
In the vast majority of cases, patients are prescribed conservative treatment. Its main goals are to reduce the intensity of pain, eliminate the inflammatory process, strengthen the muscle corset, and prevent spasm of the muscles of the spine. An integrated approach allows you to restore its functions.
Together with drug treatment, the doctor will definitely prescribe non-drug therapy. When the pain syndrome is stopped, massage, exercise therapy is prescribed.
Surgical intervention for protrusion is extremely rare. This is possible only with the transformation of this pathology into a hernia. Only if the protrusion has caused a serious damage to the spinal nerves, in which their work is disrupted, surgical intervention is indicated.
Therapy
So, we treat protrusions of the lumbar discs. The doctor to whom the patient should apply will prescribe a set of procedures in accordance with the stage and form of the disease, and will take into account the accompanying factors. The main treatment in this case is manual therapy. But it is worth remembering that it is not prescribed in the acute stage of the disease.
In combination with this technique, the patient is shown the use of medications. They relieve pain, inflammation and affect the tissues of the spinal column. If the damage is minor, you can do without medication. In this case, the doctor will prescribecourse of manual therapy. Treatment of protrusion of the lumbar spine in this case also involves wearing a special corset.
In the acute period of the development of the disease, the patient is shown bed rest. In this case, analgesics and corticosteroids are prescribed. Fixing the vertebrae in one position will help reduce pain. So there will be no irritation of the receptors. The load on the spine in the acute period should be minimized. Manual therapy at this time is contraindicated. The acute period lasts 1-5 days.
Drugs for the treatment of lumbar protrusion can significantly reduce the intensity of pain.
During the period when pain can be stopped, the patient is prescribed a set of procedures aimed at strengthening the back muscles, restoring functionality in the affected area. For this, special therapeutic exercises are prescribed. You must follow all the recommendations of the doctor. Do not lift heavy objects or sit or stand for long periods.
Proper physical exercises that the patient will perform will help prevent the development of a relapse. An appropriate diet may also be prescribed. The patient will have to reconsider his lifestyle. All negative factors must be eliminated.
Reviews of doctors about drugs
Considering reviews on how to treat protrusion of the lumbar spine, it is worth noting that in most cases, doctors prescribe drugs based on diclofenac to reduce back pain. He takes offinflammation and relieve pain. You can not take the drug uncontrollably. The doctor prescribes the dosage and frequency of taking this drug.
Considering the methods of how to treat protrusion of the discs of the lumbar spine, it is worth saying that diclofenac-based products have a minimum number of contraindications and side effects. Therefore, such drugs are prescribed to patients of different ages. Diclofenac also has antipyretic properties. At the same time, it does not suppress the biological synthesis of cartilage tissue. This is extremely important during the treatment of protrusion.
Doctors say that after taking the pills and the blockade based on diclofenac, patients showed a noticeable improvement in well-being. The swelling and edema were gone. Means based on diclofenac are produced in the following forms:
- Pills. They are coated and dissolve, getting into the intestines. It is allowed to use for children whose weight has reached 25 kg.
- Prolonged action tablets. Used in courses of long-term therapy.
- Suppositories. These are suppositories that are used rectally for bedridden patients.
- Injections. If the pills do not help, you can relieve very strong pain in this way. Injections are made within 2-3 days no more. Then they switch to pills.
Other drugs
Considering how to treat protrusion of the lumbar spine, it should be noted a number of otherdrugs that doctors often prescribe to patients. The list of such funds includes:
- Vitamins of group B. They restore the function of damaged nerve endings. Among the vitamin complexes of this type, Neuromultivit, Milgamma are most often chosen.
- Analgesics. Appointed if the pain is severe. The drugs of this group also allow you to relax the patient's muscles, reduce the temperature.
- Anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs. They improve the condition of the disc tissue. This, for example, can be drugs "Ketanov", "Movalis", "Nise", "Ibuprofen", "Nimesil", "Ortofen".
- Muscle relaxants to relax tight muscles. This, for example, "Baclofen", "Tizanidin".
- Drugs that relieve swelling, reduce the load on damaged tissues. These may be diuretics that relieve swelling.
Studying how to treat lumbar protrusion, it is worth noting that medication alone is not enough. Other methods of influencing the patient's body are also used.
Physiotherapy
How to treat lumbar protrusion? In addition to medicines, methods of manual therapy and physiotherapy are necessarily prescribed. Moreover, the procedures recommended by the doctor can be very different. But this is an obligatory element of the complex treatment of protrusion. Physiotherapy may include the following options for influencing the body:
- Shock wave therapy. During the procedure, the doctor immediately sees the effect of the procedure, which allows you to adjust it if necessary. The purpose of using this technique for protrusionis the removal of compression from the nerve endings. At the same time, the back muscles are strengthened, posture improves. Shock wave therapy allows you to quickly recover after surgery, tone your muscles.
- Laser therapy. This technique has a positive effect on metabolism, eliminates inflammation, and has an analgesic effect. Tissues receive more nutrients. It also strengthens the immune system.
- Magnetotherapy. Improves the work of internal organs, allows you to properly distribute the available resources. During the procedures, blood circulation and metabolic processes are accelerated. Soreness, inflammation are reduced, a healing effect is produced.
- Acupuncture. This method is still controversial in medical circles. Some doctors claim that acupuncture is effective, while others consider the technique useless. This technique has an analgesic effect.
There are other approaches to treat lumbar protrusion.
Therapeutic gymnastics
One of the mandatory methods of non-drug type treatment is therapeutic exercises. Exercise therapy allows not only to defeat the disease, but also to prevent its development in the future. It is also a preventive procedure.
Therapeutic exercises are prescribed by the attending physician. Exercises can be performed both at home and under the supervision of a he althcare professional. These are simple movements that must be performed correctly. Sudden movements and heavy lifting are prohibited. All actions are performedsmoothly.
Depending on the course of the disease, the doctor will prescribe a set of exercises. They can be aimed at stretching the spine, alleviating the patient's condition as a whole, and reducing the disc. Exercise has a directional effect. They should be concentrated in the problem area of the spinal column. This will speed up blood microcirculation here, improve cell nutrition. This will accelerate tissue regeneration processes.
In the course of therapeutic exercises, a person's metabolic processes are normalized, which has a positive effect on overall well-being. The muscles of the back are strengthened, creating a strong corset to support the spine in the correct position.
During the procedures, the load increases gradually. The duration of the lesson should also increase. Often, you first need to perform exercises under the supervision of an exercise therapy specialist. Then gymnastics can be performed at home.
