What is lumbar osteochondrosis

This article explains in simple terms what lumbar osteochondrosis is - this information will give you an idea of what happens when the discs are destroyed and how to treat it effectively and safely.

According to medical statistics, more than 70% of modern people know what osteochondrosis is.A sedentary lifestyle, a lack of regular physical activity, a diet that contains too many calories and lacks essential trace elements and vitamins – all these and many more factors lead to the onset of deterioration of the spinal discs at a young age.First, there is a dull, inconspicuous pain, and then there is a sharp, persistent pain in the lower back.The person cannot move independently; any movement causes severe pain and discomfort.Innervation to the internal organs of the abdominal cavity and small pelvis is disrupted.

In order to understand what spinal osteochondrosis is, you need to understand its structure and function.Let's start with the second question.Therefore, the spine is the supporting part of the human skeleton.The upper shoulder girdle, lower limbs and chest, and skull are all attached to it.The most important function of the spine is to secure the spinal cord, the central part of the autonomic nervous system, which ensures the performance of the entire human body.

Anatomically, the spine is made up of two structural parts: the vertebral bodies with their arcuate and spinous processes, and the intervertebral discs.The vertebral bodies make up 70 to 75 percent of the spine's height, and the intervertebral discs (depending on the age of the patient) make up 25 to 30 percent.The shape of the intervertebral disc follows the shape of the vertebral bodies and arcuate processes.The discs ensure even distribution of shock-absorbing loads transmitted from the lower limbs and other parts of the body.It also provides protection for the root nerves exiting the spinal cord.

What is lumbar osteochondrosis?It is the degenerative dystrophic destruction of the annulus fibrosus cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs L5-L4, L4-L3, L3-L2, and L2-L1.The lumbar region contains a total of 5 vertebral bodies and 4 intervertebral discs that separate the vertebral bodies.The root nerve emerges through the foraminal opening of the vertebral body and is responsible for innervation of the following parts of the body:

• L1 and L2 – abdominal organs and upper thighs;
• L3 – genitals, knees and bladder;
• L4 – legs, feet and prostate;
• L5 – toes, legs, feet.

Branches from these root nerves form the sciatic nerve, which travels from the lower back through the gluteal region to the popliteal fossa.There, it divides into tibial and fibular branches and further innervates the lower leg and foot.Additionally, the various branches of the lumbar root nerves are part of what is called the cauda equina plexus.

As osteochondrosis progresses, innervation is progressively destroyed.Disease may occur in the internal organs of the abdominal cavity and small pelvis.In severe cases, muscle fiber atrophy of the lower limbs and partial paralysis of the legs may occur.

You can find more information about what osteochondrosis is, its symptoms and treatment in this article.Here are some tips on what to do after such a diagnosis is made and which doctor you should contact for comprehensive and effective treatment.

What is osteochondrosis?What is its cause?

Modern science knows the answer to the question of what osteochondrosis is and its causes, but unfortunately it is difficult to apply this knowledge in practice for effective prevention and treatment, since patients need to do everything they can to fight the disease.

Anatomically and physiologically, the body of the intervertebral disc is composed of almost 80% fluid.It is this situation that makes it possible to effectively distribute the shock-absorbing load over the surfaces of the separated vertebral bodies.But neither the annulus fibrosus nor the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc has its own capillary network.So there is no blood supply here.All intake of liquids and the necessary components dissolved in them occur through diffusional exchange.Only do this if enough physical pressure is placed on the surrounding muscles.If the muscular framework of the back and lower back is not functioning, diffusion of nutrients ceases.

Pathology begins to develop:

• First, the annulus fibrosus simply dehydrates and loses its elasticity;
• Its surface then begins to undergo primary destruction, leading to inflammation (exacerbation of osteochondrosis) and deposition of calcium salts to restore the integrity of the damaged tissue;
• The calcified membrane prevents further diffusion of nutrients, so the annulus fibrosus tissue does not recover spontaneously, even if the surrounding muscles are actively working;
• The next stage is to collect fluid from the nucleus pulposus, which is located inside the annulus fibrosus;
• At this stage, the nucleus pulposus loses mass, shock-absorbing loads are no longer evenly distributed, and the intervertebral disc height decreases;
• During the herniation stage, the intervertebral disc extends beyond the vertebral body and begins to compress the surrounding soft tissue and root nerves, causing persistent pain and stiffness in movement;
• The third stage is when the annulus fibrosus ruptures (squeezes) and part of the nucleus pulposus is released to the outside (disc herniation).

What causes the development of this spinal pathology:

1. Lack of adequate and regular physical activity of the muscles of the back and lower back;
2. Improper organization of sleeping and working spaces, disruption of microcirculation of blood and lymph fluid in the spinal region;
3. The first sign of disruption of metabolic processes in the body is excess weight;
4. Poor posture and spinal curvature, resulting in changes in the distribution of shock-absorbing loads along the spine;
5. Maintain a sedentary lifestyle and a sedentary job;
6. Endocrine diseases, such as diabetes with vascular disease;
7. Back injuries (ligament and tendon sprains, muscle tears, vertebral displacements and subluxations, compression fractures and cracks).

There are other causes, but they are less common and do not pose as obvious a danger as those listed above.

What is lumbar osteochondrosis

In a nutshell, what osteochondrosis is is explained above.Now let’s discuss in detail what lumbar osteochondrosis is and why it is so common.In recent decades, the disease has rapidly affected younger people.If early diagnosis was made in people over 40 years old, now the first signs of degenerative dystrophic changes in the disc appear not only in people aged 20 years, but also in adolescents aged 14-16 years.

Of course, expanding the possibilities for early diagnosis plays a role in this.With the advent of MRI, early cases of the disease are starting to be easier to detect.Therefore, patients used to learn about intervertebral osteochondrosis due to the onset of severe pain.Pathologies can now be detected at an early stage of development during examinations.

The lower back is the most vulnerable part of the spine.This is where the greatest shock-absorbing load occurs when performing any body movement.During pregnancy, significant changes occur here as the vertebral bodies shift, posture changes, and the intervertebral spaces widen.Therefore, a woman's pregnancy is almost always the time when her spine begins to deteriorate.

What is second-degree spinal osteochondrosis?This condition has developed persistent clinical manifestations, forcing patients to seek medical help.Typically, in the second stage of the development of degenerative dystrophic pathology, a decrease in disc height and thinning of the annulus fibrosus tissue are observed.

What is lumbosacral osteochondrosis

What is osteochondrosis in the sacral region? It can only be felt by patients under 25 years old.At this age, complete fusion of the vertebral bodies in the sacrum occurs.Intervertebral disc atrophy.Therefore, clinical signs of inflammation may indicate completely different pathologies.

They more often ask what lumbosacral osteochondrosis is because it affects the intervertebral discs located between the sacrum and lumbar areas.That's the L5-S1 - it takes into account the body's conditioned center of gravity as well as maximum physical and shock-absorbing loads.

It is important to understand what lumbosacral osteochondrosis is and how to effectively treat it.First, all possible pathological causes should be ruled out.Then it is necessary to strengthen the tension of the muscles around the waist.Treatment is best done using manual therapy and therapeutic exercises.

Signs and symptoms of osteochondrosis

Now that you understand what osteochondrosis of the spine is, you will be able to identify and eliminate the underlying causes of pathological changes when its symptoms appear.

Many patients ask what signs of osteochondrosis are seen on X-rays and MRI findings.Therefore, in the photos, the doctor can see cracks on the surface of the annulus, a decrease in the height of the disc, and changes in its shape.These are the main symptoms of osteochondrosis.

Clinical symptoms include:

• lower back pain;
• Pain that spreads along the surface of the thigh, calf, and foot;
• Decreased muscle strength in the lower limbs;
• Change posture and straighten the physiological curve of the waist spine;
• stiffness of movement and limitation of its amplitude;
• Tense waist muscles.

In advanced cases, lower limb numbness, twitching, and low back pain may occur.

What is multilevel osteochondrosis or osteochondrosis in general?

The question of what is multilevel osteochondrosis can be answered simply.These are degenerative dystrophic changes that affect not one but multiple discs.The same is true for common osteochondrosis of the spine.This is a situation in which pathological changes are detected not in one site of the spine but in multiple sites.For example, if a person has only two lumbar discs affected, then this is a multilevel disease.This is a common form if one of the discs in the lumbar spine and lumbosacral area is affected.

What is radicular osteochondrosis (plain language)

Now a brief introduction to what radicular osteochondrosis is and why this condition is harmful to human health.So, speaking in simple terms about what it is - osteochondrosis, it can be noted that it is literally a flattening of the lining between the vertebral bodies.

When the body moves or is in a stationary position, significant pressure is placed on the spine due to the force of gravity.Each vertebra above puts pressure on the vertebra below.The discs that separate them are in a compressed state.If they don't have enough fluid, they lose their ability to resist and get squashed.At the same time, they lose the ability to provide a sufficient height of the intervertebral space so that the radicular nerves extending from the spinal cord are not subject to compression.

If the disc loses its height and shape, the root nerve can become compressed.Osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome occurs.It is accompanied by pronounced neurological manifestations in the form of numbness, paresis, paralysis, decreased muscle strength, the appearance of paresthesia, etc.

Effective treatment of osteochondrosis

Now that we've figured out what osteochondrosis is, we can now talk about effective treatments for the disease.As has already become clear, for complete restoration of the intervertebral discs, it is necessary to restore the impaired diffuse nutrition of the cartilage tissue of the fibrous ring. This can only be done with the help of manual therapy and therapeutic exercises.There are currently no medications that can restore diffuse nutrition to the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral disc.Injections of chondroprotectants without diffuse metabolism are of no use.They do not penetrate cartilage tissue.

For effective treatment, it must:

• Change your lifestyle to be more active through adequate physical activity and a proper diet;
• Avoid strenuous physical activity on your back muscles;
• Perform multiple spinal traction surgeries to restore the physiological height of the intervertebral space;
• Visit an osteopath to restore the elasticity of cartilage tissue and its ability to diffusely exchange with muscle tissue;
• Perform multiple massages to improve tissue permeability and elasticity, and restore microcirculation of blood and lymph;
• Work with a chiropractic specialist to develop a personalized course of therapeutic exercises.

Also includes physical therapy, exercise therapy, laser therapy, and more.Treatment of osteochondrosis should be done under the supervision of a chiropractor or neurologist.