What is sciatica of the lumbosacral spine? Radiculitis is called inflammation of the nerve roots. The disease affects the moving parts of the spinal column - the cervical and lumbar, while the lower back is more susceptible to the appearance of pathology, which is a kind of human payment for evolution and upright posture. Persons older than 30 years are affected.
Causes
The main reason for the appearance of lumbosacral radiculitis is degenerative changes in the bone and cartilage tissue of the spinal column. The intervertebral discs, collapsing, squeeze the spinal nerve roots originating in the spinal cord. Prolonged squeezing and irritation causes severe pain.
In addition, lumbosacral radiculitis can be the result of the following diseases:
- Intervertebral hernia.
- Osteochondrosis - premature degenerative aging of the vertebral discs.
- Spinal injuries.
- Pathology of the development of the spinal column.
- Neoplasms of the spine of any origin. Radiculitis can also occur due to a tumor developing in the immediate vicinity of the nerve root. Growing, it will squeeze the nerve, causing inflammation.
- Infections, inflammations. A factor in the development of the disease can be influenza, STDs, purulent-inflammatory processes, chronic infections.
- Pathologies of the joints of the spine (ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatism, spondylitis, etc.)
- Vascular disease (autoimmune, vasculitis, diabetes, etc.)
Signs
Pain is the main symptom that indicates lumbosacral sciatica. The nature of the pain can vary from aching and pulling to acute and intolerable. Some patients can not take an upright position, the pain syndrome is so strong. The patient is forced to look for a position of the body in which his suffering will be as small as possible, and therefore the body is often in a tense, unnatural position. Often the patient has to be in a bent or half-bent pose for a long time, having to turn in one direction.
Lumbosacral sciatica is easily confused with other diseases. This feature is associated with inflammation of the nerves. For example, a patient may have a leg sore, but in fact these are symptoms of lumbosacral radiculitis. Treatment of the underlying disease will relieve pain in the legs, lower back and other symptoms. The disease is often provoked by hypothermia, stress, physical exertion, an awkward movement or rotation of the body.
What happens to nerves
Lumbosacral radiculitis is an inflammation of the nerve roots that are responsible for the motor functions and sensitivity of the part of the body in which they are located. With nerve damage in the lower back in a patient, the following disorders are observed:
- Weakening of muscles, decrease in their tone. If untreated, atrophy occurs (a decrease in muscle volume).
- Decreased sensitivity. The skin partially loses the ability to respond adequately to external stimuli, temperature, pain, etc.
- In the legs there is a feeling of numbness in the part where the damaged nerve is located. Also, the patient complains of a decrease in temperature of one or both limbs, feels tingling, etc.
Experts note that radiculitis of the lumbosacral region most often shows symptoms on only one side of the body, i.e. only one leg, buttock, right or left side of the lumbar spine is affected. Bilateral inflammation is extremely rare.
Types of disease
Lumbosacral radiculitis (ICD 10 - G54.1) occurs in two forms:
- Acute sciatica occurs against the background of general health after an awkward movement, a sharp turn, weight lifting, intense physical exertion, etc. With a standard course and timely therapy, the disease goes away after three weeks and does not return.
- Chronic pathology is characterized by periods of exacerbations and remissions, accompanies a person all his life. Exacerbation factors can be the most insignificant events - slight hypothermia, nervous stress, infections, physical activity. The treatment is aimed at eliminating pain and inflammation resulting from chronic diseases of the spine, a complication of which is sciatica.
The acute form of the disease is treated quickly enough if the necessary measures are taken in time. If the disease is not treated, then it will go into the chronic stage. The reason for the transition is insufficient blood supply to the intervertebral joints, which causes osteoporosis, and then - sciatica. Also, chronic sciatica, deprived of therapy, can lead the patient to paralysis of the lower extremities.
Diagnostics
Treatment for radiculitis of the lumbosacral region is prescribed after diagnosis. Specialists try to remove the pain syndrome as soon as possible. Most often, the patient manages to reduce or temporarily eliminate pain at home by taking painkillers.
Research is carried out by the following methods:
- Interrogation, visual inspection, palpation.
- A blood test for radiculitis shows an increase in white blood cells, lymphocytes, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate will also increase.
- A urinalysis will reject or confirm a kidney disease that is easily confused with radiculitis.
- X-ray in two projections will allow you to see which disease was the nerve infringement.
- Electromyography makes it possible to determine which nerve was affected.
- Magnetic resonance imaging determines the location of the place, the degree of damage to the nerve, bone and cartilage.
- Computed tomography gives a visual picture of the nature of the pathology (inflammation or infringement).
Since acute pain is the symptom that directly indicates the presence of radiculitis, the rest of the diagnosis is aimed at clarifying the picture of the disease and is carried out to exclude a number of other pathologies (tumors, meningomyelitis, etc.)
First aid
Pain is the first signal from a series of symptoms of lumbosacral radiculitis. Treatment at home begins with first aid.
The emergency care package includes:
- Provide bed rest. It is necessary to carefully and carefully, providing comprehensive assistance, lay the patient on a hard, even surface on his back or side (in the position in which the pain will be less noticeable). Under the legs you can put a pillow, raise the upper body - any changes in posture should be coordinated with the patient.
- Eliminate the pain syndrome. Medications of the group of analgesics are used - Nimesulide, Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Analgin, etc. If possible, an intramuscular injection should be preferred.
- The patient is given injections of B vitamins, they give a sedative.
- Fix the position of the spine with the help of bandages, improvised means (towels, sheets, tissue cuts).
- Symptoms of lumbosacral radiculitis are treated at home with the onset of the first signs. Apply ointments with anti-inflammatory, warming effect, compresses, soothing massage, etc.
Having provided first aid, it is necessary to call a specialist. In no case should you deal with the repositioning of the vertebrae, intensive massages, physical exercises, etc. The doctor, as a first aid to the patient, carries out novocaine blockade. Special adhesives with anesthetics are sometimes used. All further treatment should be prescribed by a specialist.
Therapy
The treatment of sciatica is carried out by neurologists and neuropathologists. The treatment regimen combines a range of medications, physiotherapeutic procedures and alternative treatment methods. The main goal of all appointments is muscle relaxation, the elimination of symptoms of lumbosacral radiculitis.
Drug treatment is implemented as follows:
- Systemic anesthesia. The tablet forms of ibuprofen-based preparations - Diclofenac, Dolobene, Ortofen, etc. In the future, the patient is recommended to use external funds (ointments).
- In the absence of the effect of painkillers, the patient is prescribed novocaine (lidocaine) blockade or combination preparations specially synthesized for the treatment of lumbosacral radiculitis. This group includes Movalis, Milgamma, etc. The composition of the funds includes anti-inflammatory, analgesic ingredients, vitamin complexes to restore the functions of nerve fibers.
- Ointments for external treatment. Common and effective are Finalgon, Fastum Gel, Revmador, Viprosal, Ketonal Cream, etc.
- Muscle relaxants to relieve muscle spasm (Sirdalud, etc.).
Home doctor
Patients who experience the disease often do not sometimes see a doctor for treatment of lumbosacral radiculitis. Home treatment can be effective if you follow the basic principles:
- Bed rest during an exacerbation, with the onset of remission, exercise of the exercise therapy complex is required.
- First aid, elimination of pain.
- Warming compresses - plasters with special impregnation, woolen things, heating pad. A continuous flow of comfortable heat to the affected area of the back should be ensured.
- Drug therapy with tablets aimed at eliminating inflammation (Nimesulide, Diclofenac, Indomethacin, etc.), taking B vitamins (Neurovitan, Milgamma, etc.), external drugs (ointments, creams gels).
- Massage of the back, aimed at relaxing the muscles.
- Pharmaceutical preparations for the restoration of cartilage tissue (Chondroitin, Teraflex, Mucosat, etc.)
- Using a wide range of traditional methods of therapy.
Treatment for radiculitis of the lumbosacral region is systemic and continues until the functions are fully restored and the symptoms are eliminated. Home treatment, benefiting, cannot guarantee complete success and final recovery. To be sure of the correctness of their actions, you must contact the clinic to monitor the condition after treatment. It may require the use of additional funds, physiotherapy, or maybe the attack was caused by a completely different disease.
Folk methods
Many people know the symptoms of lumbosacral radiculitis. Treatment with medicines gives the best results when reinforced with methods of herbal medicine, alternative medicine.
Some recipes for home use:
- Mustard plasters. They put on the lower back and insulate the back, the duration is 5-20 minutes (depending on the degree of burning and personal tolerance). After removing mustard plasters, warming is maintained for 1-2 hours, prolonging the warming effect.
- Rubbing. Solutions are prepared from diluted vinegar and oils (fir, pine, menthol, etc.). It is useful to rub natural honey.
- Compresses From black radish - infiltrate the root juice with the juice of the root vegetable and apply it to the place of pain concentration for the whole night. From mashed potatoes - grind warm potatoes, boiled in their skins, with 1 tsp. baking soda. The mixture is applied to the site of inflammation, wrapped, kept all night.
- Therapeutic baths. Turpentine - 30 g of baby soap, 70 mg of pharmacy aspirin, 0.5 liters of boiling water. Add the resulting composition to turpentine. Calculation of the norm of turpentine - 20 mg per 1 liter of water. The emulsion is added to a warm bath, the patient is recommended to stay in the water for no more than 10 minutes. Coniferous extract baths are also useful.
- Horse chestnut. Grind dry fruits, mix with camphor oil. The mixture is applied to a thin slice of brown bread, attached to the lower back, insulated.
Alternative methods effectively eliminate the symptoms of lumbosacral radiculitis. Treatment at home with proven methods allows the patient to control the healing process, achieving success in a short time. Before turning to herbal remedies, it is necessary to discuss prescriptions with your doctor.
Physiotherapy
After removing an acute attack of lumbosacral radiculitis, physiotherapy is additionally prescribed to consolidate the effect.
Patients are advised to:
- Ultraviolet irradiation of the lower body in the area of passage of the inflamed nerve.
- Electrophoresis with drugs or mud of natural origin.
- Ultrasound treatment In the acute stage, lumbosacral radiculitis responds well to pulsed ultrasound therapy with the participation of analgesics applied to the skin. Infectious sciatica is treated with a combination of ultrasound with baths (hydrogen sulfide, sodium chloride).
- Dynamic currents with the installation of electrodes along the length of the inflamed nerve.
- Traction on an inclined plane is indicated for radiculitis provoked by osteochondrosis.
Surgery
Surgery is an extreme measure used to eliminate lumbosacral radiculitis. Surgical treatment is used for such indications:
- The pain does not disappear, any therapeutic measures do not bring results for 4 months.
- Neurological symptoms are pronounced.
- During radiological diagnostics, degenerative changes of an irreversible nature in the intervertebral discs are traced.
- Puncture shows changes in cerebrospinal fluid.
- Obvious violations of movement, functions of the pelvic organs.
Exercises for lumbosacral radiculitis
Physiotherapy exercises are prescribed to the patient upon the onset of remission. In the acute stage, motor activity is limited.
Basic principles of gymnastics:
- At the beginning and end of classes, spinal stretching exercises are performed.
- The complex includes movements for muscle relaxation.
- Respiratory complex.
- Prior to significantly strengthening the back muscles, most of the physical exercise is done on the back.
Excellent results in the rehabilitation of the disease are given by regular exercises in qigong gymnastics. The initial complex contains 10 exercises that harmonize the body systems and consistently act on each department of the spinal column. For practice, you need to contact an experienced trainer.
Prevention
One of the best sports for patients with lumbosacral radiculitis is swimming. They begin classes in a period of persistent remission. Useful exercises in the pool to prevent all diseases of the back. It is necessary to monitor the temperature of the water - it should be at least 19 degrees Celsius. In addition to swimming, any kind of sports is useful, where the possibility of active movement, stretching, and alignment of the back is assumed: hatha yoga, athletic and Nordic walking, specially designed sets of exercises.
With a disease of radiculitis, heating is indicated, and the best place for such events is a bath or sauna. In this case, it is useful to carry out a light massage using brooms with the use of essential oils. In the acute stage, visiting a wellness bath is recommended daily. It is recommended that patients lead a healthy lifestyle, protect the nervous system, and give preference to a low-calorie diet in nutrition.