Osteochondrosis (degenerative disc disease) in the lumbar spine or lumbar region is due to discourse changes in the discs, which leads to lower back pain.
Intervertebral discs are hard and fibrous structures that act as ligaments between vertebrae, absorb traces and provide shock absorption of the spine.The discs are elastic, but strong enough to facilitate the movements, such as the slope of the body, forward, back or side.
Despite the name, osteochondrosis is not considered a true disease and symptoms over time, as a rule, they do not get worse.Discs, as well as all body structures, degrade and degeneration of the disk develop in all people, as part of the inveraged process.
A feature of osteochondrosis is a gradual decrease in symptoms as the spine begins to stabilize.Treatment of lumbar spine osteochondrosis is focused on minimizing pain, stabilizing the spine and improving or maintaining mobility.
Symptoms

Most cases of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine should have a slight and constant back pain, which from time to time intensifies for several days or more.
Symptoms can vary, but the most characteristic include:
- Moderate and constant lower back pain.Damaged disc pain is the most common symptom of disc degeneration.The pain can spread to the buttocks, groin and thigh.This pain is usually felt as stupid, and the intensity may vary from light to severe.
- Periodic acute episodes of pain.Back pain can be intensified for several days or weeks and then return to a more moderate level.Pain outbreaks occur as degeneration and decrease as the spine is gradually stabilizing.Pain outbreaks can occur suddenly and manifestations of pain usually lead to a decrease in mobility.
- LOCAL DURITARY.The bottom of the back around the degenerate disc may be touch sensitive.Local pain is caused by inflammation and muscle tension in the disc area damaged by degeneration.
- Leg pain.Neurological symptoms, including numbness, weakness or sharp pain, buttock, hips and / or leg, can be felt if the height of the disc is significantly reduced and the compression conditions of the nerve root appear.Leg pain with lumbar spine osteochondrosis usually does not fall below the knee.
- A feeling of sudden weakness or instability can occur with a significant weakening of the disc and the patient creates that the lower back is incompletely performing its functions.
Furthermore, the pain may intensify or decrease when performing certain movements or certain poses, such as:
- Seat pain.Sitting for long periods usually causes increased pain and lateral stiffness and decreases after emerging or changing position.
- Strengthening pain with slope or rotation.Cheering the spine and slope forward, back or side can cause intense pain on the damaged disc.
- Reducing pain when walking or changing positions.When the spine changes position, pressure on the discs decreases or is redistributed from discs to muscles and joints.Frequent positions, alternating standing and sitting, as well as short walks can help reduce stiffness and minimize pain.
Disk degeneration should not cause symptoms of dysfunction / intestinal bladder, back pain fever, inexplicable and rapid weight loss or intensive abdominal pain.These symptoms indicate more severe conditions and usually require operational treatment methods.
Associated Symptoms
With lumbar spine osteochondrosis, in addition to lower back pain, other symptoms associated with disc degeneration may occur.For example:
- Proteins contained within the disc can cause significant inflammation if they come into contact with surrounding spinal structures, and this inflammation can lead to spasms of the lumbar muscles, as well as radial pain, with radiation in the hips and posterior surface of the lower extremities (also called ishias).
- Lumbar disk degeneration can contribute to the development of lumbar stenosis and / or lumbar osteoarthritis, as well as other conditions in the lower back.
- A degenerate disc can also lead to the appearance of a herniation of the lumbar intervertebral disc.Neurological symptoms with a herniated disc can be acute and intense.
- Symptoms caused by disc degeneration in the lumbar spine may vary widely, depending on the speed or completely the disc, underwent degeneration and how it affects surrounding spinal structures.
- Pain in osteochondrosis is usually caused by the deformation of the muscles that support the spine and inflammation around the structures near the disc.
The causes of lumbar spine osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis occurs due to age wear and disk structure disorders, and the degeneration process can accelerate due to injury, general condition, health and lifestyle and possibly a genetic predisposition to the development of pathological processes in the musculoskeletal system.

Osteochondrosis rarely begins with a serious injury, such as a car accident.It is more likely that the onset of degenerative processes is associated with a low energy disk injury.
The pain of law associated with lumbar osteochondrosis is usually generated by one or more pathological processes:
- Inflammation, disk proteins are irritated by the surrounding nerves - both small nerves in the disc and potentially large nerves that go to the feet (sciatic nerve).
- The abnormal instability of the micro, when the external rings of the disk, called fibrous ring, wear out and cannot effectively absorb the power vectors in the spine, which leads to movements along the vertebral segment.
- For a long period of time, pain caused by lumbar spine osteochondrosis eventually decreases rather than worse.This pain relief occurs because the totally degenerated disc no longer has inflammatory proteins (which can cause pain) and the collapsed disc moves to a stable position, eliminating the pain that causes pain.
Risk factors
Lifestyle factors that affect overall health can affect intervertebral discs.Risk factors for degenerative disk disease (osteochondrosis) include:
- Family history of back pain or musculoskeletal disorders
- Excessive stress on the lower back due to sports or the nature of work
- Prolonged static loads on discs due to prolonged sitting position and/or poor posture
- Lack of disc support due to weak back muscles
- Obesity
- Smoking or any form of nicotine consumption
Disk degeneration is part of body aging, but not all people develop pain or any specific symptoms.Symptoms tend to occur when there is instability, muscle tension and possibly irritation of nerve roots.
Diagnosis
- Medical history includes a detailed study of the patient's symptoms, their intensity and the relationship relationship with the exercise or the position of the body.Information on regular physical activity, sleep habits and previous injuries is also required.
- Physical examination is necessary to examine the range of motion and muscle condition.The presence of painful areas to palpation or physical abnormalities is also determined.In addition, neurological tests are performed to determine neurological deficits.
- The above diagnostic methods are usually sufficient for the diagnosis of osteochondrosis, but a precise diagnosis requires the use of visualization methods.
- CT
- Radiography
- MSCT
- Pat
- RM - This method of diagnosis allows to clarify the degree of degeneration, the presence of fractures, hernias of stenosis discs.Often, a magnetic resonance study is required to prepare for surgical treatment in order to accurately determine the location of the degenerate disc and plan the operation.

Studies have shown that the results of magnetic resonance imaging with moderate or significant disc degeneration are found when the scanning of patients, either with severe and minimal pain or lack of pain.In addition, many painful conditions may not appear in a magnetic resonance imaging.For this reason, the diagnosis cannot be done exclusively based on the results of the visualization, and the diagnosis verification is possible only based on all clinical and instrumental examination methods.
Treatment
Initial methods of treatment of lumbar spine osteochondrosis and pain manifestations usually include the following combinations:
- PaperComplexes Overcomplexes They can reduce inflammation, which contributes to the discomfort, rigidity and irritation of nerve roots.
- Prescribed painkillers.In severe pain, muscle relaxants or narcotic analgesics may be prescribed.These medications are generally used to treat intense, acute pain that is expected to last more than a few days or weeks.These medications can be addictive and cause serious side effects, so they should be used with caution.
- Heat and ice.Heat use in the lumbar region improves blood circulation, which reduces muscle cramps and tension and improves mobility.Ice packages can reduce inflammation and relieve moderate pain.It is useful to use heat before exercise to relax muscles and use ice after physical activity to minimize inflammation.
- Manual therapy. The manipulation of which is carried out by a specialist is a popular method of pain control in low back pain.Practicing doctors, manual therapists, use their hands to influence various areas of the body in order to reduce tension in muscles and joints.It has been found that manipulations are an effective measure for reducing temporary pain and, in some cases, it is as effective as drug therapy.
- Massage.Exposure by massage methods can reduce tension and cramps in the muscles of the lower back, reduce pressure on the spine and relieve pain.In addition, therapeutic massage can improve blood circulation, ensuring the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to tense muscles.
- Epidural steroid injections.The introduction of steroid into space around the spine can reduce the impulses of pain as well as inflammation.Steroid injection can be used in combination with the physiotherapy program to relieve pain during exercise and rehabilitation.As a rule, epidural steroid injection allows you to reduce pain in a period from several weeks to one year.
In many cases, for effective anesthesia, a combination of treatment methods is required.The trial and error process, as a rule, is necessary to choose a treatment that turns out to be the most effective.
Long bed rest is not recommended and, as a rule, immobilization is possible with intense pain for a short time, since lack of physical activity can lead to weakening of muscles and normal support of the spine.
EXERCISE AND ACTIVITY MODIFICATION

To maintain healthy mobility of the spine, exercise is required.An effective exercise program for the lumbar spine should include:
- Exercises to lengthen the muscles of the lower back, hips and pelvis, as well as the dosestring muscles.The seal of these muscles increases the pressure in the lumbar spine and contributes to the development of lower back pain.
- Power exercises on the muscles of the lower back and abdomen allow you to maintain good posture and it is better to keep the spine.The exercise program to strengthen the muscles can include an individual exercise program, dynamic stabilization of the lumbar spine, tai-ch, pilates or others.
- Aerobic exercises with a low load level, which increase the frequency of cardiac contractions, improve blood circulation and provide nutrients and oxygen, which is necessary to restore body tissues.For example, it may be walking, swimming and aerobics.
Exercise programs are usually adapted in each case, depending on the general condition of health, the severity of pain and personal preferences.
In addition, minor adjustments in everyday activity (lifestyle modification) can effectively soften pain.For example, wearing a corset when lifting weights or avoiding cheering when lifting weights may prevent increased pain due to excessive discs on the discs.The use of an ergonomic chair and an orthopedic mattress can also improve posture and reduce the load on the discs.
Surgical treatment
Surgical treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is necessary in cases where conservative treatment for 6 months was ineffective.Surgical treatment for osteochondrosis is always selective, which means that the patient himself decides whether to undergo the operation or not.
It is recommended to take into account all factors before deciding on an osteochondrosis operation, including the duration of the recovery period, pain treatment during recovery and rehabilitation of the spine.
Vertebrae fusions
Standard surgical treatment of lumbar spine osteochondrosis is a melting surgery in which two vertebrae are spent together.The purpose of mergers (spondylodeza) is to reduce pain and eliminate instability in the motor segment of the spine.
All spinal melting operations are as follows:
- The damaged disc is completely removed from the intervertebral space (disco).
- Stabilization is performed using bone and / or tool transplantation (implants, plates, rods and / or screws).
- Then the vertebrae merge, forming a solid and immovable structure.The fight occurs within several months after the procedure, not during the operation itself.
After the operation, using a corset, analgesic taking is prescribed.Exercises are very carefully connected, taking into account the patient's individual characteristics and the degree of tissue regeneration.Complete recovery after merger can take up to one year until the vertebrae are growing together.
Surgical replacement of an artificial disc
Replacing the disc damaged with an artificial implant has been developed in recent years as an alternative to mergers.The disc replacement operation consists of completely removing the damaged disk by degeneration (disco), the restoration of the disk space at natural height and the implementation of the artificial disc.
This procedure is designed to maintain movement in the spine similar to natural movements, reducing the likelihood of increasing pressure in neighboring spinal segments (quite common complication of spinal fusion).
Recovery after disk replacement operation usually lasts up to 6 months.