What is osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine

The article explains what osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is in simple terms.This information will allow you to understand what happens when the intervertebral discs are destroyed and how to carry out effective and safe treatment.

According to medical statistics, more than 70% of the modern population knows what osteochondrosis is.A sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular physical activity, excessive calorie intake in the diet with a deficiency of essential microelements and vitamins - all this and much more leads to the fact that the intervertebral discs begin to deteriorate at a young age.First, a dull, inconspicuous pain appears, then sharp, persistent pain in the lumbar region.A person cannot move independently;any movement causes intense pain and discomfort.The innervation of the internal organs of the abdominal cavity and small pelvis is disrupted.

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

Anatomically, the spine consists of two structural parts: the vertebral bodies with the arcuate and spinous processes and the intervertebral discs.The vertebral bodies make up 70-75% of the height of the spine, and the intervertebral discs (depending on the patient's age) – 25-30%.The shape of the intervertebral disc follows the shape of the vertebral body and arcuate processes.The disc ensures uniform distribution of the shock absorption load transmitted by the lower limbs and other parts of the body.It also protects the radicular nerves exiting the spinal cord.

What is lumbar osteochondrosis?This is a dystrophic degenerative destruction of the cartilaginous tissue of the fibrous ring of the intervertebral discs L5-L4, L4-L3, L3-L2, L2-L1.In total, the lumbar region contains five vertebral bodies and 4 intervertebral discs that separate them.Through the foraminal openings of the vertebral bodies, radicular nerves leave, responsible for the innervation of the following parts of the body:

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

The branches of these radicular nerves form the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back to the popliteal fossa through the gluteal region.There it divides into tibial and fibular branches and further innervates the lower leg and the foot.Additionally, the individual branches of the radicular nerves of the lumbar spine are part of a nerve plexus called the cauda equina.

With the development of osteochondrosis, a progressive disruption of innervation occurs.Diseases of the internal organs of the abdominal cavity and small pelvis may develop.In severe cases, atrophy of muscle fibers of the lower limbs, partial paresis of the legs, etc. may occur.

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

What is osteochondrosis and what are its causes?

Modern science knows the answers to questions about what osteochondrosis is and what its causes are, but unfortunately, it is difficult to apply this knowledge in practice for effective prevention and treatment, since the patient will have to make every effort to fight the disease.

Anatomically and physiologically, the body of the intervertebral disc is made up of almost 80% fluid.It is this circumstance that makes it possible to effectively distribute the damping load over the surface of the separate vertebral bodies.But neither the annulus fibrosus nor the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc have their own capillary network.So there is no blood supply here.All supplies of liquid and the necessary components dissolved in it take place by diffuse exchange.It is only performed if adequate physical stress is applied to the surrounding muscles.If the muscular structure of the back and lower back does not work, then diffuse nutrition stops.

The pathology begins to develop:

• first, the annulus fibrosus simply dehydrates and loses its elasticity;
• then its surface begins to undergo primary destruction, leading to inflammation (exacerbation of osteochondrosis) and the deposition of calcium salts in order to restore the integrity of damaged tissues;
• the film of calcifications prevents subsequent diffuse nutrition.Therefore, even with active work of the surrounding muscles, spontaneous restoration of the annulus fibrosus tissue does not occur;
• the next step is the collection of fluid from the nucleus pulposus located inside the annulus fibrosus;
• at this stage, the nucleus pulposus loses its mass, ceases to evenly distribute the shock absorption load and the height of the intervertebral disc decreases;
• at the stage of protrusion, the intervertebral disc extends beyond the vertebral bodies and begins to exert pressure on the surrounding soft tissues and radicular nerves, which causes constant pain and stiffness of movement;
• the third stage is the rupture of the annulus fibrosus (extrusion) and the release of part of the nucleus pulposus to the outside (disc herniation).

What reasons can provoke the development of this spinal pathology:

1. lack of adequate and regular physical activity on the muscular structure of the back and lower back;
2. poor organization of sleeping and working spaces when they are located in which the microcirculation of blood and lymphatic fluid in the spinal column is disrupted;
3. disruption of metabolic processes in the body, the first sign of which is excess weight;
4. poor posture and curvature of the spine, leading to a change in the distribution of the shock absorption load along the spine;
5. maintain a sedentary lifestyle and sedentary work;
6. endocrine diseases, for example diabetes mellitus accompanied by angiopathy;
7. back injuries (sprains of ligaments and tendons, muscle tears, displacements and subluxations of vertebral bodies, fractures and compression cracks).

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

What is lumbar osteochondrosis

In general terms, what the disease osteochondrosis is is explained above.Now let's dwell a little on the question of what lumbar osteochondrosis is and why it is so common.In recent decades, the disease has rapidly rejuvenated.If previously it was diagnosed in people who had crossed the threshold of 40 years, then the first signs of degenerative dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs are now found not only in people aged 20, but also in adolescents aged 14-16.

Of course, expanding opportunities for early diagnosis plays a certain role in this.With the advent of MRI scans, early cases of the disease began to be detected more often.Therefore, patients were accustomed to learning about intervertebral osteochondrosis due to the appearance of severe pain.And now, during examinations, it is possible to detect pathology at an early stage of development.

The lower back is the most vulnerable place in the spine.This is where the maximum shock absorption load occurs when performing body movements.During pregnancy, significant changes occur here with displacement of the vertebral bodies, changes in posture and expansion of the intervertebral spaces.Therefore, pregnancy for a woman almost always becomes the period when the spine begins to deteriorate.

What is 2nd degree vertebral osteochondrosis?This is a condition in which persistent clinical manifestations already appear and the patient is obliged to consult a doctor.As a rule, at the second stage of development of degenerative dystrophic pathology, a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc and thinning of the fibrous ring tissue is observed.

What is osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region 

What is osteochondrosis of the sacral region can only be felt by patients under 25 years old.At this age, complete fusion of the vertebral bodies of the sacral column occurs.Atrophy of the intervertebral discs.Therefore, clinical signs of inflammation can indicate completely different pathologies.

Much more often they ask the question of what lumbosacral osteochondrosis is, since it affects the intervertebral disc located between the sacral and lumbar regions.This is L5-S1 - it represents the conditional center of gravity of the human body and the maximum physical and shock absorption load.

It is important to understand what osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region is and how it can be treated effectively.First of all, all possible causes of pathology must be excluded.Then you need to strengthen the tone of the muscles surrounding your lower back.Treatment is best carried out using manual therapy and therapeutic exercises.

Signs and symptoms of osteochondrosis

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

Many patients ask what are the signs of osteochondrosis on x-rays and in the results of an MRI examination.So, in the images, the doctor can see cracks on the surface of the annulus fibrosus, a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc and a change in its shape.These are the main signs of osteochondrosis.

Clinical symptoms include: 

• pain in the lumbar region;
• spread of pain to the surface of the thigh, leg and foot;
• decreased muscle strength in the lower limbs;
• change of posture with straightening of the physiological curve of the spine at the lumbar level;
• stiffness of movements and limitation of their amplitude;
• muscle tension in the lumbar region.

In advanced cases, numbness of the lower limbs, convulsions, lumbago, etc. may occur.may appear.

What is polysegmental or common osteochondrosis?

The question of what polysegmental osteochondrosis is can be answered briefly.These are degenerative dystrophic changes that affect not one, but several intervertebral discs.The same can be said about what is common osteochondrosis of the spine.This is a condition in which pathological changes are detected not in one, but in several parts of the spine.For example, if a person only has two lumbar discs affected, then this is a polysegmental form of the disease.If a disc is affected in the lumbar and lumbosacral regions, this is a common form.

What is radicular osteochondrosis (in simple language)

And now a few words about what radicular osteochondrosis is and why this disease is dangerous for human health.So, speaking in simple terms about what it is - osteochondrosis, we can note that it is literally a flattening of the mucosa between the vertebral bodies.

During movement or in a static position of the body, under the action of gravity, colossal pressure is observed on the spine.Each overlying vertebra exerts pressure on the lower vertebra.The intervertebral discs that separate them are compressed.If they don't have enough fluid, they lose their resistance and risk flattening.At the same time, they lose the ability to provide sufficient height to the intervertebral space so that the radicular nerves extending from the spinal cord are not subjected to compression.

If the disc has lost its height and shape, the radicular nerve is pinched.Osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome appears.It is accompanied by pronounced neurological manifestations in the form of numbness, paresis, paralysis, decrease in muscle strength, the appearance of paresthesias, etc.

Effective treatment of osteochondrosis

We figured out what osteochondrosis is, now we can talk about effective treatment of 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 cartilaginous tissue of the fibrous ring.This can only be done with the help of manual therapies and therapeutic exercises.There are no pharmacological drugs capable of restoring diffuse nutrition of the cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral discs.And injecting chondroprotectors in the absence of diffuse metabolism is useless.They do not penetrate cartilage tissue.

For effective treatment you must:

• change your lifestyle, make it more active with sufficient physical activity and a suitable diet;
• avoid any extreme physical activity on the back muscles;
• perform several spinal traction procedures in order to restore the physiological height of the intervertebral spaces;
• consult an osteopath to restore the elasticity of cartilaginous tissue and its ability to diffuse exchanges with muscle tissue;
• perform several massage sessions to improve permeability, tissue elasticity, restore microcirculation of blood and lymphatic fluid;
• develop an individual program of therapeutic exercises with a vertebrologist.

Physiotherapy, physical therapy, laser therapy and much more are also indicated.Treatment of osteochondrosis should be carried out under the supervision of a vertebrologist or neurologist.