Lumbar spine tumor is a common disease that reduces people's quality of life and is one of the causes of disability.
Pathology is more common in people over the age of 40, is characterized by gradual progression, and therefore requires conservative or adequate surgical treatment.
Development Mechanism
The main mechanism of the development of osteonecrosis is the lack of nutrition of the cartilage tissue of the spinal structure.
This disease includes some disease genetic links:
- Cartilage tissue dystrophy due to lack of nutrition is the main cause of the disease.
- Degeneration (damage and destruction) of the cartilage of the spine (intervertebral disc, joint surface of vertebral processes).
- Inflammatory response with tissue edema, congestion, pain.
- Changes in the proportion of the anatomical structure of the lumbar spine (flattening the discs with a decrease in their height), leading to a decrease in the diameter of the holes between the vertebrae through which the roots of the spinal cord pass.
- compression of the nerve fibers of the spinal root, leading to impaired impulse transmission and subsequent development of corresponding neurological symptoms.
Changes in cartilage composition develop gradually over a long period of time. Timely initiation of preventive and therapeutic measures can slow the progression of the disease.
Reason
Lumbar spine tumor is a pluralistic disease that develops as a result of a number of reasons:
- Genetic predisposition, determines the nutritional characteristics of cartilage tissue at the genetic level.
- Diseases of the organs of the endocrine, digestive, and cardiovascular systems.
- Inflammatory autoimmune diseases that affect the joints of the spine (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatism).
- Metabolic disorder in the human body.
- Systematic heavy work puts stress on your spine, weightlifting.
- Delayed spinal injury, especially in the lumbar spine (the reason for a violation of the proportion of the components of the vertebrae with subsequent stimulation of dystrophy and degenerative development).
- Defect or defect in birth of the spine.
Recognizing the negative effect of cause as possible is based on the following risk factors:
- Increases weight, increases load on the spine.
- Long-term systematic detection of the human body in the upright position.
- Incorrect posture.
- Hypothermia, including locally in the back.
- Systematic exposure to stress, lack of sleep, inadequate work and rest.
Knowledge of the causes and the risk factors will make it possible to take effective precautions.
Symptoms of lumbar necrosis
Possible development of osteonecrosis is indicated by the appearance of the following characteristic symptoms:
- Pain in the lumbar region, initially appearing when the load on the spine is increased. After that, it becomes permanent, has a pulling or painful nature and gradually strengthens.
- Irradiation of pain in the leg on the side that invades the spinal cord root.
- Increases the tone (tension) of the back muscles in the lumbar region.
- Decreases muscle strength in one or both legs.
- Recurring back pain due to local "hypothermia", exertion.
- Violation of the sensitivity of the skin in one or both legs, accompanied by a feeling of numbness, tingling.
- "Cold feet" - the skin becomes cold to the touch due to constriction of the arteries, caused by compression of the autonomic nerve fibers of the spinal roots.
- Violation of perspiration - the skin of the feet becomes dry or vice versa, increased sweating.
- Peeling of the sensitive area is impaired due to a violation of the intrinsic autonomic process.
Osteochondrosis is a chronic disease. Clinical symptoms increase over a long period of time. Stages of improvement (remission) are replaced with exacerbations of the pathology, accompanied by an increase in clinical symptoms. After exposure to a provoking factor (hypothermia, physical and emotional stress, stress), pain can be exacerbated, caused by an inflammatory response and swelling of the soft tissues in the body. spinal root area.
Depending on the common symptoms, there are several clinical forms of the disease:
- Paralysis is a recurrent paroxysmal lower back pain that develops after exposure to a stimulant.
- Migraine - pain that occurs in your lower back and spreads to your buttocks or legs.
- Root inflammation - a pathological process accompanied by compression of one or more roots, while the clinical picture is dominated by neurological symptoms, including violation of skin sensitivity and decreasedmuscle strength.
- Ischemia - compression affects the arteries, while severe motor disorders develop.
Each clinical form of osteonecrosis does not develop individually, they are often combined. As it progressed, the person's condition deteriorated. Severe cartilage damage can lead to disability.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of lumbar necrosis is based on visualizing changes in the vertebra, disc, and soft tissues.
Several research tool methods are specified for this:
- X-rays are a technique that allows you to visualize big changes. It has gained popularity due to its availability.
- Computed tomography is a high resolution, layer-based X-ray that allows you to visualize minimal changes.
- Magnetic resonance imaging - tissue visualization is done due to the resonance effect of the nucleus of organic matter in a magnetic field. It means scanning layer by layer, while the amount of radiation exposed to the patient's body is eliminated.
To determine the nature and severity of possible functional changes in the body, an additional examination is prescribed. It includes blood test, urine test, liver test, kidney test, electrocardiogram. On the basis of analyzing all examination results, the doctor makes conclusions and selects suitable treatment methods.
Treatment of the lumbar spine
Lumbar spinal necrosis treatment therapy is complex and covers several areas:
- General advice and diet.
- Drug treatment.
- Surgical intervention.
The choice of treatment direction is done by a doctor. Based on the results of the clinical examination and further examination, he decides the most optimal treatment method.
General advice and diet
General recommendations should accompany the treatment of lumbar spinal necrosis, regardless of the severity of the pathological process, they include:
- Proper nutrition limits fatty fries, eliminating alcohol from your diet.
- Restricts heavy physical activity, including holding the body in one position for too long.
- Streamline work and rest - every hour should get a little rest (usually 10 minutes is sufficient). If you have to stand a lot or get sedentary at work, you can be a little active.
- Quitting bad habits because nicotine and alcohol accelerate dystrophy and degeneration of cartilage tissue.
- Eliminates the effects of stress, negative emotions, and worsens the course of any medical process in the body.
The implementation of general recommendations helps to prevent the progression of the pathological process, as well as increase the effectiveness of other areas of treatment.
Medicines
Prescribing drugs is taken during the conservative treatment of osteonecrosis.
Drugs of different pharmacological groups are used:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - reduces the severity of the inflammatory response in tissues and pain. Is prescribed to reduce the intensity of severe manifestations of osteonecrosis.
- Muscle relaxants - drugs that reduce the tonicity of striated muscles in the spinal region, thereby reducing tissue tension, compressing the spinal roots.
- Glucocorticosteroid adrenal hormone - reduces inflammatory response.
- Diuretic - reduces the severity of edema in the soft tissues of the area affected by the pathological process of the structure of the spine. Therefore, the manifestations of the pathological process are reduced and the invasion of the spinal roots is reduced.
- Chondroprotectors are agents that protect cartilage tissue from damage and also contribute to partial recovery of cartilage.
- B vitamins - normalizes metabolic processes in nerve tissue, improves functional state of damaged spinal roots after invasion.
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - improves the state of the structures of microchips, an antioxidant effect, which is achieved by binding and neutralizing free radicals ("fragments" of faecesorganic molecules contain an unpaired electron and damage the membrane structure of the cell).
Dosage and duration of drug use are decided by the treating doctor based on research results, as well as the effectiveness of previous therapy.
Surgery
Lumbar spondylolisthesis is indicated in the case of a marked change, as well as in the absence of the desired outcome after conservative treatment. It is aimed at eliminating defects in the altered cartilage tissue, followed by the plastic. In modern medical institutions, surgical intervention is performed using a minimally invasive endoscopic technique. Simultaneously with surgical treatment, drugs are prescribed to help speed up the postoperative wound healing process, as well as to avoid the development of complications. Due to the use of modern minimally invasive techniques, the length of time a patient is in hospital can be significantly reduced.
Precautions
Prevention of the development of osteonecrosis in the lumbar rib includes the implementation of simple recommendations. It is important to limit the load on your spine, give up bad habits, adjust the working and resting regime properly, and ensure adequate sleep. Diet aimed at limiting fried foods, high fat, adequate vitamins, minerals and vegetable fiber. This will help normalize functional state of the digestive system, as well as improve the nutrition of cartilage structures of the musculoskeletal system, slowing down the degenerative process.
The prognosis of living with lumbar spinal necrosis is favorable. The disease is characterized by gradual progression. In the absence of therapeutic measures, the clinical picture of osteonecrosis is accompanied by an increase in symptoms. At the same time, the human condition deteriorates, and the manifestations become permanent. They cause significant discomfort and decrease quality of life. To avoid progression of negative symptoms, you should seek professional medical help promptly.