Back pain can have various origins. However, in most cases, its cause is a disappointing diagnosis - osteochondrosis of the lumbar, thoracic or cervical spine. Should we consider osteochondrosis as a verdict? Is it possible to return your back to its former lightness? Is surgery a necessary measure?
The answers to the above questions are known with certainty to osteopathic physicians. But first things first.
Rapidly rejuvenating disease
Osteochondrosis is a type of pathology of the spine, its essence lies in dystrophic-degenerative changes in the articular-cartilaginous tissue.
It affects the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions, causing pain and limiting the dynamic activity of its victim.
More recently, the above disease was believed to be an age-related inevitability. However, current statistical information suggests that among our contemporaries suffering from osteochondrosis, there are an increasing number of very young people who have recently crossed or are approaching the age line of thirty.
At the same time, medical research confirms the fact that this disease can, if not cured without a trace, prevent or slow its progress.
Stages of development of lumbar osteochondrosis.
Osteochondrosis progresses gradually. In the initial stages, your symptoms are mild. Therefore, during this period, the disease is rarely diagnosed.
- The first stage is marked by the displacement of the nucleus of the intervertebral discs. In this case, compression of the neuronal endings of the annulus fibrosus occurs. Pain can manifest as low back pain or pain.
- In the second stage, the fibrous fibers of the disc begin to break down. As a result, the vertebrae lose stability, acquire unhealthy mobility, and spinal dysfunction is observed. There is a constant tension in the muscles located very close to him.
This leads to an almost endless feeling of back fatigue.
- Sooner or later, the fibrous fibers break, releasing the nucleus of themselves - a hernia forms that compresses the nerves.
Now there are complaints of severe back pain, which restricts his motor function.
- With the further progression of the disease, there is a deceptive relief. The pain subsides, but the motor function of the vertebrae remains limited.
- The last and most serious degree of osteochondrosis is characterized by the proliferation of bone tissue.
Causes of lumbar osteochondrosis.
There are no details to determine the root causes of the disease. Lumbar spine osteochondrosis is believed to be caused by a combination of several adverse factors related to lifestyle and habits:
- physical inactivity - lack of physical activity, sedentary work, lack of walking and exercise lead to weakening of the back muscles that support the spine;
- endocrinological and metabolic diseases involve interruptions in the saturation of the spinal area with nutrients;
- previously acquired problems associated with the musculoskeletal system (scoliosis, flat feet, etc. );
- abuse of physical activity - at risk are professional athletes, loaders, etc. ;
- poor nutrition;
- over weight;
- lack of sleep;
- stress.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis.
The first and main symptomatology that draws the attention of the patient is pain. The intensity of pain directly depends on the stage of osteochondrosis, the degree of cartilage and disc destruction. In addition, the characteristics of the pain are determined by the presence and level of development of the hernia or bulge. The pain is usually painful and increases sharply with quick and careless movements, bends, and turns. It tends to intensify with prolonged stay in one position, most of the time sitting.
The rest of the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine are described below:
- feeling of weakness, fatigue in the lower extremities;
- lack of reflex manifestations in the tendon area;
- curvature of the spine in the lumbar region; osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is often a consequence of scoliosis (tilt to the left or right), lordosis (tilt forward) or kyphosis (pathological smoothing of the curves);
- numbness in the legs, lack of control over stool and urination (if during the progression of osteochondrosis, the neurons of the spinal cord are compressed);
- decreased temperature in the lower body;
- dryness and pale skin in the lumbar region;
- excessive sweating
In addition to physiological symptoms, psychological symptoms of the disease often appear. The patient feels "exhausted", irritability and withdrawal appear. Sleep disorders tend to manifest as insomnia and excessive sleepiness.
Possible complications
A frivolous attitude to the problems of osteochondrosis will not lead anyone to good. This insidious enemy of your health brings with it a series of complications that have a very negative impact on your quality of life, your ability to perform daily activities and meet a wide variety of needs.
The most common consequences derived from osteochondrosis:
- sciatica: inflammation of the sciatic nerve caused by its pinching in the sacro-lumbar region;
- hernial formations;
- osteophytosis - pathological growth of bone tissue;
- spondyloarthrosis - destructive changes in the facet joints;
- stenosis - narrowing of the spinal canal, leading to dysfunction of the spinal cord;
- lameness and impaired gait as a result of iliac bone thinning;
- paresis of the legs, that is, a decrease in muscle activity.
What doctor treats lumbar osteochondrosis?
Beginning to feel discomfort from obsessive pain sensations in the lower back, a person wonders which specialist to turn to for help. What type of doctor diagnoses and treats lumbar, thoracic and cervical osteochondrosis? From the point of view of classical medicine, there are several answers in this case.
The orthopedic doctor deals with the treatment of the musculoskeletal system. At the same time, with osteochondrosis, the nervous system suffers, since many of its elements are located very close to the spine. Consequently, it will be helpful for the patient to be examined by a neurologist.
There is also a specialist as little known as the vertebrologist. The above-mentioned doctor is closely involved in the treatment of the spine, so it is he who is supposed to master the diagnostic skills and methods of treating osteochondrosis. Unfortunately, not all clinics, especially state ones, have this specialist on their staff.
Since we are talking about doctors who do not meet at the clinic near the house, you cannot help but pay special attention to a doctor who practices in the field of osteopathy. This unique therapeutic area specializes in identifying hidden causal relationships between organs and structures of the human body. Therefore, very often the osteomedician is able to treat those ailments over which others are powerless. Most often, the specified doctor addresses precisely the problems of the musculoskeletal system.
Diagnostics
Therefore, after obtaining medical advice, the subject is sent for diagnostic procedures using the following methods.
The X-ray examination provides information on the condition of the bones, joints, intervertebral discs, as well as the ability to detect hernial bulges and bulges. The CT scan, in addition to information about the condition of the disc, shows if there is damage to the spinal cord. Finally, magnetic resonance imaging as the most accurate research method gives an almost complete picture of the disease, it is adequate to clarify the diagnosis and its details.
There are also a number of diagnostic tests that do not require the operation of technically sophisticated equipment. Most of the time they are used in practice by osteotherapists.
Among them are:
- various passive and active controls;
- fascial tension test (slight tension of the tissue in different directions);
- check stretching;
- axial load tests;
- analysis of the craniosacral rhythm.
The latter, according to the knowledge that osteoscience entails, coincides with the rhythm of the pulsation of the cerebrospinal fluid and indicates various dysfunctions within.
With the aforementioned diagnoses, the osteopathic therapist identifies the weakest points of the spine, determines the change in the position and size of the internal organs, probes the muscular overexertion and the level of wear of the intervertebral discs.
Treatment
Medicine in all possible ways seeks to stop the progress of lumbar osteochondrosis, relieve pain and return to your previous motor activity. At the same time, the treatment simply has to be comprehensive. The patient must establish a lifestyle, control nutrition, physical fitness, muscle tone, avoid stressful situations and lack of sleep.
The selection of a good place to sleep plays an important role: an orthopedic mattress of sufficient rigidity.
Doctors should expect therapy aimed at providing anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects on the damaged area. It is required to stimulate blood flow and restore the sensation of the lower body if the disease has resulted in its partial or total loss.
If osteochondrosis does not currently have a stage of exacerbation, the doctor prescribes physiotherapy exercises (exercise therapy) and a course of massage.
In addition, bathing procedures are highly recommended for victims of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. In the conditions of a bath or sauna, tense muscle fibers are heated and relaxed, the movement of blood through the vessels is stimulated, metabolic and regenerative processes are triggered.
Medicines
As part of the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, the doctor prescribes various drugs to the client.
They are available in the form of ointments, tablets, and injections.
Among them are anti-inflammatory drugs of non-steroidal origin, analgesics and corticosteroids, chondroprotectors (prevent the destruction of cartilage), muscle relaxants (relieve muscle spasms), as well as vitamins, minerals and other biologically active additives.
Drug treatment is designed to relieve pain and fight inflammation. Please note that most of the above medications have a certain list of side effects and cannot be used without the appointment of a healthcare professional.
An alternative to the prescribed medications is homeopathy.
Many believe that their products only have a placebo effect, but this is fundamentally incorrect. Modern homeopathic remedies are a unique combination of the successful work of talented scientists and the wisdom of nature.
Homeopathic formulations contain vitamins and trace elements that are necessary not only for the treatment of pathology, but also for the normal functioning of the body in the future. They stimulate internal structures and organs, which helps their recovery. Against the background of such treatment, the symptoms of other ailments also disappear.
Physiotherapy
What other doctor will you have to contact with osteochondrosis?
As part of the complex treatment, the patient receives a referral to the physiotherapist's office. Physical therapy is designed to stop or at least slow down the destructive processes in the area of the intervertebral discs.
In its framework, the following procedures are carried out:
- phonophoresis;
- lasertophoresis;
- darsonvalization;
- amplitude pulse treatment;
- diadynamic current treatment;
- exposure to magnetic resonance imaging.
Surgery
No matter how complex the principle of getting rid of the pathology in question, its result is far from always successful. Surgery is the cardinal solution. In the simplest case, its essence lies in the removal of a section of cartilage that has gone out of the normal range. But in some cases, treatment requires replacing the intervertebral disc with an artificial graft.
One of the indications for surgery is the lack of positive dynamics for several months. Of course, such an indication must be accompanied by the results of diagnostic studies that determine the cause of the development of the disease in the form of specifying the location of degenerated discs.
During discectomy, and this is the name of the operation to eliminate the causes of lumbar osteochondrosis, degenerated structures are removed. In the case of large-scale excision, a graft must be inserted into the spine, which is attached to your own bones using metal plates. When it takes root and the bones grow together, this part of the operated patient's lumbosacral region will remain immobile for the rest of his life.
According to a different technique, a modern elastic disc prosthesis is implanted in the spine, which is almost completely identical from the point of view of biological mechanics to real cartilage and allows it to maintain mobility in the lumbar region.
However, the prosthesis described above is very expensive. And the prospect of having a foreign body inside is unlikely to please anyone until the end of their days. Many, fearing such prospects, postpone the operation, aggravating their well-being. However, there is a great way to avoid surgery for a large number of people with osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.
Osteopathy
When neither medication nor exercise therapy help, and a neurologist and an impotence orthopedist raise their hands, nodding toward the operating table, even the most ardent followers of classical medicine begin to wonder if it is worth seeking. the help of another doctor. And someone who already had the first signs of the disease weighed all the pros and cons, analyzed the positive reviews from friends and from the Internet and went to see an osteopractor.
The main tasks of an osteopath treating lumbar osteochondrosis is to return the spine to its normal position, relieve pain, and stop destructive processes.
With treatment using osteopathic techniques, significant success can be expected in the shortest possible time: the osteopath can relieve the pain of a patient with osteochondrosis already during the first session.
However, for complete healing of the lower back, a full course of treatment must be completed. Its duration is determined individually and depends on the characteristics of the patient and the severity of the injury.
Before starting treatment, the specialist assesses the details of the situation, accompanying symptoms and complications, age, etc.
The uniqueness of osteomedicine as a way to get rid of lumbar, cervical and thoracic osteochondrotic lesions lies in the fact that such treatment can do without expensive medications that are difficult for the client to perceive. Although its use is not strictly excluded.
This aspect is relevant, first of all, for people who suffer from allergies, liver ailments, etc.
Osteotherapy heals the entire interior of the human body, replaces joints, bones and organs. Metabolic processes, the functioning of all parts of the body are normalized. The general well-being of the osteomedicine ward is improving rapidly. An osteopathic specialist can also help with a muscle spasm, pinch, or overexertion. It is a frequent companion of the aforementioned pain and can aggravate it. An osteotherapist is able to treat not only the pain that has affected the lumbar region, but also its other types, of various locations and etiology.
The aforementioned physician relieves pain from his ward using a variety of techniques. These include structural, craniosacral, manual, and reflexology. The kinesio taping method shows excellent results: the application of special elastic adhesive tapes to the damaged areas. Using kinesio tapes, the doctor not only relieves pain, but also helps healing.
Although osteopathy treats many ailments, it has a (very small) list of contraindications:
- feverish conditions, high temperature;
- blood clots;
- benign and malignant neoplasms;
- serious infections;
- epileptic attacks.
Osteoplasia is also an excellent preventive measure. Its general healing and restorative effect on the body is priceless. In addition, the preventive sessions allow you to deal with many problems that are rooted. The disease tends not to manifest itself and not cause discomfort for a long time, without yielding to the diagnosis. By thoroughly monitoring your own health and regularly visiting the Osteopathy Center, you will save yourself from a number of difficulties that await you on the road of life.