How does chondrosis of the lumbar spine manifest itself? Symptoms, treatment, signs of the disease will be discussed below. You will also learn how this disease is diagnosed, why it develops at all.
Basic information
How to treat lumbar chondrosis, and what is this disease? You will receive answers to these questions in the materials of this article.
Chondrosis is a disease that is associated with degenerative-dystrophic destruction of cartilage tissue in the intervertebral discs located in various parts of the spine. This disease is the initial stage of osteochondrosis. The latter develops if destructive processes spread and pass to nearby bones and tissues.
So what is chondrosis of the lumbar spine (symptoms, treatment are presented below)? The main difference between this disease and osteochondrosis is that such a pathology develops, but does not go beyond the cartilaginous tissues of the joints.
Features of the disease
What to doif you develop chondrosis of the lumbar spine? Symptoms, treatment of this disease should be identified and determined only by an experienced doctor. At the first sign of illness, you should immediately contact a specialist. This is due to the fact that with untimely treatment, dystrophic pathology can lead to thinning of the cartilaginous discs and, as a result, to the subsequent transformation of the hyaline structure into a fibrous one.
It should also be noted that the gradual development of the disease in question causes the formation of fibrous-type tissues, as well as ossification and calcification of the cartilaginous layers that are adjacent to the vertebrae. As a result of such a pathological process, a rather serious damage to the intervertebral discs can occur.
Causes of disease
Why does this disease occur? What are its reasons? Chondrosis of the lumbar spine (symptoms, treatment of the disease are known to few) develops due to:
- overweight, obese;
- age characteristics (more often in people over 53);
- frequent and severe psychological stress;
- abnormal posture;
- heavy lifting, especially with weak muscles;
- hypothermia of the lower back or the whole body;
- hard work with dynamic and static overloads;
- abnormal diet and diet;
- hypotension;
- uneven muscle load from different sides;
- often in an uncomfortable position;
- diseases,leading to abnormal nutrition of the vertebral discs;
- congenital or acquired pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
Clinic
How does chondrosis of the lumbar spine begin? Symptoms (treatment of the disease should be determined only by a doctor) of this disease do not bother patients immediately. The development of chondrosis begins with a decrease in the turgor of the fibrous ring and the nucleus pulposus, which subsequently leads to a protrusion of the disc forward and a change in its shape (makes it slightly oblique). Such a pathological process is determined only by X-ray.
According to experts, discs that have lost turgor are subject to overload, which leads to microtrauma, as well as accelerated nuclear atrophy. Thus, dense and loose fibrous tissues grow and gradually form a flattening of the cartilage. In this case, the height of the disk is significantly reduced. There is also a displacement of the vertebrae. The load on them increases, which leads to the gradual formation of arthrosis.
In the process of all dystrophic changes, a person begins to feel a strong pain syndrome in the lower back.
Chondrosis of the lumbar spine: symptoms
Treatment, diagnosis of the disease in question is carried out only by experienced specialists. After all, incorrect and untimely therapy of this disease can aggravate the already difficult situation of the patient.
So how does chondrosis of the lumbar spine manifest itself? Symptoms (treatment of the disease is described below) of this disease depend on the stage of its development. Experts say that they can manifest themselves with varying degrees of severity.
At the very beginning of the disease, its symptoms appear only after a significant load (physical). At the same time, a person feels pain in the lower back, which can go to the legs, buttocks and sacral region.
The transition of the disease to other stages almost always leads to the development of more pronounced sensations. As a rule, they are noted in the process of walking up the stairs, with a long stay in an uncomfortable position, sneezing, severe coughing, and so on.
Also, a person feels problems with the lower back in the morning, after getting out of bed. To bring their condition back to normal, patients need a little warm-up.
Other signs
How else is chondrosis of the lumbar spine manifested? Symptoms (treatment, signs of the disease are described in this article) in the form of pain occur when you try to bend or straighten the body. The patient also has numbness in the lower extremities.
At stages 3 and 4, the patient shows more serious signs. These include disorders in the work of the genitourinary organs, protrusion, pathology of the vessels of the legs, hernia, abnormal bowel function.
The acute type of this disease is usually triggered by hypothermia or heavy lifting. At the same time, it is manifested by severe pain, which radiates to the buttock and sacral region. Such sensations are intensified in the process of rapidwalking or standing for a long time.
As for a chronic disease, it is characterized by prolonged aching pain in the lower back, which becomes more intense with bending over and physical activity.
How is it diagnosed?
Chondrosis is diagnosed quite easily. First, doctors interview and examine the patient, and then refer him to general tests. Also, the patient is assigned an MRI and an x-ray of the lumbar region. These research methods are quite enough to reveal dystrophic changes.
Chondrosis of the lumbar spine: symptoms, treatment
The medicine for the disease in question should only be prescribed by a doctor after a correct diagnosis has been made.
As mentioned above, with chondrosis, a person experiences quite severe lumbar pain. At the same time, they can give to the lower limbs and the pelvis. Therefore, first of all, the patient should be provided with complete rest (including bed rest).
To reduce pain, the patient is prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and potent analgesics, which are administered intramuscularly. Also, the patient may be recommended an ointment with a warming and analgesic effect. These creams include Ketonal, Indomethacin, Nurofen, Voltaren and Fastum. The main purpose of these ointments is to transfer the attack to the stage of remission. During this period, all treatment of the disease is aimed at normalizing blood supply and metabolism, suppressing pain,strengthening muscle and repairing damaged tissues. This may require the following techniques:
- Drug treatment (taking painkillers, using ointments, as well as NSAIDs, vitamin complexes, sedatives and antispasmodics).
- Physiotherapy, including electrophoresis, electromagnetic methods, laser therapy, vibration, magnetic wave methods, ultraviolet exposure.
- Healing massage.
- Manual methods, including spinal stretching, relaxation massage, visceral therapy.
- Therapeutic exercise.
