Spondylosis of the lumbar spine

If you are familiar with such expressions as "wooden or cotton feet," these are the first signs of spondylosis of the lumbar spine. This disease causes trauma to the spine, osteochondrosis, constant sedentary work. If you allow strong physical activity, persistent hypothermia of the body, then there is also the opportunity to acquire this disease.

What happens with spondylosis?

Spondylosis first affects the outer fibers of the fibrous ring of the intervertebral disc - it loses its elasticity. As a result, the height of the disc decreases and the bodies of the vertebrae converge. As a result, this leads to deformation of the vertebral bodies in the form of spiny and beak-like bone growths - osteophytes.

Osteophyte growths narrow the spinal canal, which puts pressure on the nerve roots. The narrowing of the spinal canal can lead to various neurologic disorders.

Symptoms of spinal spondylosis of the lumbar

the disease at the beginning of asymptomatic often, but in the future can manifest itself in the form of:

  • limiting the mobility of the back,
  • pain in the lumbar region of the back,
  • back pain intensified at the end of the day, and may interfere with nighttime sleep,
  • palpation of the spinous process is painless,
  • gait disturbance - a manifestation of the disease is a feeling of discomfort in the hips, legs or buttocks. It is described as "a feeling of cotton feet," "stiffness" or "weakness."If the patient sits down, lies down or bends in the lower back, this sign of the disease may decrease.

The danger of this disease is that spondylosis develops over the years, gradually progressing.

Diagnostics spondylosis of the lumbar

This disease can be diagnosed in the district hospital, based on the inspection and complaints of the patient and the results of X-ray examination. Conducting MRI at the initial stage of diagnosis is not necessary. In the future, MRI is still recommended - to exclude intervertebral hernias or protrusions.

disease

Treatment Treatment of lumbar spondylosis should start as early as possible, otherwise the disease may progress to chronic sciatica.

First, patients were administered drugs for treating pain and inflammation, which greatly facilitates the life of a person, but does not cure the disease itself. Also, treatment with a certain group of drugs( traumel, diclofenac, ketonal) is performed.

Its effectiveness in the treatment of spondylosis has been proved by physiotherapy using ultrasound and electrophoresis on the affected area, as well as massage.

Therapeutic gymnastics is one of the most effective methods of treating this disease. It allows you to maintain optimal mobility of the intervertebral discs, helps strengthen the back muscles, improves blood circulation in adjacent tissues.

In some cases, an orthopedic corset is prescribed, which significantly reduces the burden on the spine.

Acupuncture and hirudotherapy are alternative methods of treatment of spondylosis, they relieve swelling of the tissues.

When treating spondylosis of the lumbar spine stretching is contraindicated, an intensive massage, as well as exercises with sharp slopes.