Dorsopathy of the lumbar spine - what is it? Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

What is dorsopathy? Many are frightened of this word, taking it for some dangerous disease. In fact, this is a fairly common pathology, which has recently been diagnosed very often. In this article we will talk more about it.

general information

By dorsopathy is understood a whole group of connective tissue diseases and the musculoskeletal system of man, the main symptom of which is the recurring pain in the limbs and throughout the body. The most common form of this pathology is dorsopathy of the lumbar spine. The primary clinical sign is strong, but short-term pain in the back.

It is important to note that dorsopathy is not an independent disease, but rather a consequence of other ailments associated with the back. This pathological condition, as a rule, affects not only the spine itself, but also ligaments, muscles, nerves, vessels that are in this area.

Main reasons

The lumbar region often suffers from excessive loads. As a consequence, this zone prematurely "wears out," and as a result, there are numerous diseases, including so-called intervertebral hernias.

The main consequence of dorsopathy is the dysfunction of certain systems of internal organs. If earlier only such elderly patients complained about this kind of pathology, today the problem is increasingly diagnosed in the younger generation.

Dorsopathy of the lumbar spine mainly occurs for the following reasons:

• Hereditary predisposition. Metabolism, physique, immunity - all these factors play a direct role in the formation of pathology.
• Excessive / insufficient load on back area. If there is too much physical activity, there is a risk of injury. On the other hand, with hypodynamia, the body loses its habitual tone, which is also a prerequisite for the onset of pathology.
• Overweight and malnutrition. Excess weight plays the role of an additional burden on the spine, so it is much faster "wear out". As for malnutrition, in this case, the body is deficient in some vitamins and trace elements. This also affects the composition of the bones.
• Mechanical injuries and incorrect posture. The previous damage (for example, athletes) with age can again remind themselves. Incorrect posture contributes to an uneven load on the spine, which is often the direct basis to diagnose "dorsopathy of the lumbar region."
• Catarrhal diseases, as a rule, negatively affect the immune defense of the body.

How does the pathology manifest itself?

• Dull pain in the lumbar region, which only increases with walking.
• Frequent cramps in the lower leg.
• Cutting pain and discomfort with sudden movements.
• Lame, explained by a person's reluctance to load his leg.
• Pain in the buttocks, which does not go away even after taking medication.

Development

Dorsopathy of the lumbar spine at the initial stage is characterized by deformation of the cartilaginous tissue. As a rule, the patient does not complain about any painful feelings and, accordingly, does not seek help from a doctor. When bone tissue connects to this process, the vertebrae shift noticeably and begin to compress the intervertebral disc, which affects the nerve endings. At this stage, the patient is already experiencing discomfort and even pain.

Further displacement is often irreversible and possible with any sudden movement or excessive strain on the back. From such a strong displacement of the vertebrae , the so-called fibrous membrane of the disc is most often destroyed. The pain in this case becomes intolerable.

This is how the dorsopathy of the lumbar spine develops in sequence. Symptoms, it is important to note, are manifested from problems not only directly with the musculoskeletal apparatus, but also with some internal organs.

Classification

Today the complex of degenerative changes in this area is usually called the term "dorsopathy of the lumbar spine". ICD 10 (international classification of diseases X revision) conditionally allocates, depending on the nature of the changes, several groups of pathologies:

• Deforming osteopathy (curvature and a slight displacement of the vertebrae).
• Spondylopathy (damage to the vertebrae due to tumors, mechanical injuries or other diseases).
• Discogenic group (displacement of vertebral discs, formation of protrusion and hernia). One of the most common manifestations is dorsopathy of the lumbar spine with radicular syndrome.

Diagnostics

When there are primary symptoms it is recommended to seek medical help from a doctor. On consultation the expert collects the detailed anamnesis, during which it is specified:

• Localization of pain;
• Early injuries and spinal injuries, including tumors;
• Dependence of pain on body position;
• emotional condition.

In this case, the main purpose of diagnosis is to detect infectious processes in the lumbar region, neoplasms or somatic diseases. With a neurologic examination, a specialist checks the presence of paralysis, loss of reflexes, a sensitivity disorder.

Then, an additional examination is scheduled to finalize the diagnosis. It implies a spine radiography in several projections, MRI, biochemical blood test.

Based on the results of all the tests described above, the doctor can confirm the presence of such a pathology as dorsopathy of the lumbar spine.

What should be the treatment?

The therapy in this case is complex. It is aimed at arresting the pain syndrome, preventing the formation of dystrophic processes in the spine itself, preventing possible relapses.

Note that only a qualified approach allows you to overcome such ailment as dorsopathy of the lumbar spine. Treatment for each individual patient is selected individually, depending on the stage of development of the problem, the degree of manifestation of the pain syndrome and some other factors.

This pathology, according to experts, has two phases (acute and chronic). Treatment in each case is somewhat different. So, in an acute period, all therapeutic measures should be aimed at reducing the pain syndrome. The patient, as a rule, is recommended complete rest and medical treatment. If you can not be without pain in the horizontal position, you can use a special corset that helps fix the position of the spine by means of special orthoses.

In the case of intense pain, novocain blockades, opioid analgesics ("Tramadol"), along with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are prescribed. With enough strong muscle spasms, muscle relaxants are recommended (for example, "Midokalm"). For pain of low intensity, non-opioid analgesics and special warming ointments are prescribed (Espol, Fastum-gel, Efkamon).

In the remission phase, drug treatment involves:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Nimesulide, Cefekon, Diklovit).
• The use of chondroprotectors to improve metabolic reactions in damaged cartilage ("Chondroxide").
• Vascular preparations for improving blood supply, vitamins of group B, biogenic stimulators.
• Soothing means.

It is important to note that even long-term use of all of the above drugs is not always effective in such a pathology as dorsopathy of the lumbar spine.

Treatment without medication

• Physiotherapy (ultraviolet irradiation, electrophoresis, Bernard currents). These procedures are designed to remove the existing swelling of tissues, reduce pain, improve blood circulation.
• Manual therapy. A qualified person skilled in the art can quickly eliminate the block in the structure of the spine on the basis of X-rays and visual inspection before each session. It is important to note that this method is characterized by numerous contraindications (inflammatory processes in the body, tumors, trauma, osteoporosis).
• Massage.
• Traction treatment. This method implies a gradual extension of the spine, which allows you to increase the distance between the vertebrae, stretch the tissue, reduce the compression of the nerve root.

Possible complications

In addition to the above deformations of the spine and intervertebral hernias, it is necessary to mention the diseases that develop due to the constant squeezing of the majority of nerve endings with intervertebral discs.

Dorsopathy of the lumbar region provokes not only painful sensations, but also the dysfunction of some systems of internal organs. Very often, small pelvic organs can be affected. For example, the patient appears involuntary urination and a number of other related problems.

The role of curative physical education

Special exercises for muscle corset not only allow you to get rid of pain and discomfort, but also act as a preventative of relapses.

Such a therapeutic complex should be oriented to the constant development of the weakened muscles of the patient, therefore it is selected exclusively by a qualified specialist with knowledge in this field.

It is not recommended to try to study independently on video lessons, as in this case the risk of injury is several times increased.

Well-proven means of traditional medicine to combat this pathology. A variety of lotions, rubbing and compresses using natural ingredients help to ease pain and cope with swelling. It is important to note that the recipes of folk medicine are best used together with traditional therapy and under constant monitoring by the doctor.

Conclusion

In this article, we described in detail why dorsopathy of the lumbar spine arises, what it is and what are the main ways of treating this pathology. We hope that all the information provided will be really useful for you.