The most common type of spinal pathology is lumbar osteochondrosis.The age group with the greatest incidence of lumbar osteochondrosis is after the age of 30.The disease is caused by the degeneration of cartilage tissue in the spine and intervertebral discs.The disease is characterized by severe pain in the lumbar region.
How does lumbar osteochondrosis occur?
Because most of the body is supported by the pelvic bones, lumbar osteochondrosis is the most common of all types of osteochondrosis.The spine is made up of primarily cancellous bone tissue and intervertebral discs that connect the vertebral areas.They are composed of cartilaginous tissue with a semi-liquid core inside.The function of the intervertebral discs is to act as a hinge, allowing the spine to be flexible and bend in different directions.Osteochondrosis affects the circulatory system, and when the circulatory system is damaged, the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs loses its strength.The process of tissue degeneration begins, the cartilage dries out, becomes brittle, begins to sag and protrude from the spine, and is unable to bear the constant load of body weight.The affected portion of the spine gradually begins to fold and puts pressure on nearby nerves, causing severe pain that radiates down the leg.This condition is called lumbar pain.If left untreated, patients can face serious consequences, including paralysis of the lower body.
Why is lumbar osteochondrosis dangerous?
Lumbar osteochondrosis develops initially as a herniation, when the intervertebral disc begins to exceed its limits and act as a root between the vertebral segments.In addition, as the disease progresses, the integrity of the annulus fibrosus is destroyed, and a gel-like core flows out of it. This condition is called an intervertebral hernia.In the process of stimulating and squeezing the spinal nerves, the nerves become inflamed, causing severe pain, that is, lumbar osteochondrosis eventually progresses to radiculitis.Without treatment for lumbar osteochondrosis, another possible consequence is sciatica.Sciatica is inflammation of the sciatic nerve.In this condition, patients experience severe pain in the lower back that manifests as pain in the legs and may be accompanied by muscle numbness.Due to severe pain, people try to avoid putting pressure on the painful side, causing the spine to curve, which further increases blood circulation to the discs, triggering further destructive processes.Another possible consequence of lumbar osteochondrosis is acquired compressive myelopathy, in which the spinal canal narrows due to disc growth, impairing blood circulation.Due to acquired instability of the spine, the spine begins to sag from the sacral area, affecting adjacent organs.Women may suffer from uterine and ovarian problems, while men may suffer from impaired sexual performance.Finally, the most dangerous consequence of lumbar osteochondrosis is the acquisition of cauda equina syndrome.In its advanced stages, the disease affects all the nerves from the first to last vertebrae, causing complete or partial paralysis of the legs and hips.
Causes of lumbar osteochondrosis
The most common causes of this disease include the following:
- low intensity physical activity;
- Thyroid, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal diseases;
- High physical activity, lifting weights;
- Spondylosis, especially rheumatoid arthritis
- Spinal hypoplasia;
- flatfoot;
- Spinal injuries, especially to the lumbar spine and cruciate ligament area;
- Metabolism is incorrect;
- Degeneration of the spine associated with age-related changes.
Risk groups for lumbar osteochondrosis include the following groups:
- Curvature of the spine;
- suffer from obesity and metabolic disorders;
- Staying in a bent position for long periods of time;
- There is a genetic predisposition;
- Being in an environment of increased stress;
- Have sleep disorders and get little rest;
- Make the body hypothermic;
- They are representatives of professions such as loaders, construction workers, drivers, etc., and also have specialized knowledge related to constantly sitting in front of a computer.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis
In addition to pain (especially when under a lot of pressure), patients with lumbar osteochondrosis may experience other symptoms, including:
- Dull pain moving from the source of inflammation to the legs;
- Pain worsened when lifting heavy objects, changing body position, coughing, or sneezing;
- When you maintain one posture for a long time, blood will accumulate in the affected area, and severe pain will occur as long as you change your posture slightly.
- Persistent tension in the back muscles;
- Low body temperature will cause low back pain;
- numbness in the thighs, gluteal muscles, calves, and feet;
- Tingling in the legs;
- Arterial spasm to pulselessness;
- Sweat gland pathology;
- The skin in the painful area dries out and loses sensitivity.
Description and causes of disease
Lumbar osteochondrosis occurs for many reasons, one of the main reasons being uneven loading of the spine.The disease is characterized by dystrophic lesions of the cartilaginous components of this part of the spine, accompanied by changes in the intervertebral disc structure.Experts believe that the predisposing factors include the following:
- Chronic physical inactivity and poor posture;
- hormonal imbalance;
- Congenital problems, such as bent legs and stunted development;
- The lumbar area is subject to significant loads due to heavy lifting, especially loaders and athletes;
- incorrect posture;
- Injuried;
- genetics;
- Malnutrition.