Lumbosacral sciatica is one of the most common pathologies of the spine in persons aged 30 to 50 years.
The disease is associated with entrapment of the nerve roots located in the spinal column. The main cause of sciatica is osteochondrosis, but trauma, pathology of internal organs, tumors of the spinal cord, inflammation of the soft tissues of the lumbar spine, and intervertebral hernias can also contribute to the onset of the disease .
In order for the treatment of lumbosacral radiculitis to be effective, it is first necessary to find out the main cause of the development of this disease.
Signs of the disease
Lumbosacral sciatica is a chronic pathology with periods of exacerbations of different duration and manifestations. The main complaint from patients with this diagnosis is pain syndrome, which is explained by compression of the nerve roots.
With radiculitis, pain has its own characteristics, which help to correctly assume the diagnosis already in the process of examining the patient by the doctor. The severity of pain depends on the stage of sciatica.
Pain in most patients is concentrated in the lower back with the transition to the buttocks. Pain can also radiate down the leg, affecting the thigh, lower leg, and the entire foot. Acute pain can be aggravated by movement, change of position of the body, when tilting the head, or when raising a straightened leg from a prone position.
The intensity of the pain forces the person to take a forced, discomfortable posture. An exacerbation of sciatica can last from several hours to two to three weeks.
Treatment for lumbosacral radiculitis
Treatment of a patient with sciatica begins with diagnosis. It is important to identify the root cause of the disease, for the elimination of which a course of specially selected treatment is required.
Therapy of radiculitis itself is carried out with the aim of:
- Pain relief.
- Improvement of blood circulation in the affected area.
- Restoration of normal metabolic processes in the compressed nerve root.
The main treatment is conservative. It includes the use of medicines for radiculitis, physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises, various manual therapy techniques, and the use of folk recipes.
In case of acute pain, the patient is shown bed rest, it helps to relieve the uncomfortable sensations of heat. Many doctors advise combining the use of medications with physiotherapy. Electrophoresis, magnetotherapy can reduce edema and improve nutrition and blood supply to the affected area of the spine.
With sciatica, it is effective to use traction; for this, the patient is recommended to lie on an inclined plane for 10 minutes at least three times a day for two weeks. Traction helps release pinched nerve roots and thus relieves pain.
If it is established that infectious processes in the body are the cause of radiculitis of the lumbar region , then antibiotics should be connected to drug therapy.
The lack of effect from conservative therapy of radiculitis for 4 months is an indication for the appointment of a surgical operation. An emergency operation is performed if the patient develops severe weakness in the legs and loses control over bowel movements and urination.
Gymnastic exercises
The therapeutic complex of physical exercises for radiculitis refers to the methods of non-drug treatment. Exercises correctly selected for the patient help:
- Strengthen the muscle corset.
- Reduces pressure on nerve roots.
- Correct normal posture.
- Increase the space between adjacent vertebrae.
- Improves blood circulation and metabolic processes.
Gymnastic exercises should be done daily, the load on the spine should be moderate and constant. A set of classes is the main way to prevent the next exacerbation of radiculitis.
It is necessary to start physical exercises only after the relief of painful sensations, and the load should be increased gradually. Increased pain is the reason for the temporary cessation of classes.
The simplest exercises for lumbosacral radiculitis include:
- A set of exercises performed from a lying position. This is the implementation of turns of the torso in different directions, pulling the knees to the chest, raising and lowering the pelvis.
- A complex performed from a standing position on all fours. It includes bending and deflection back, alternately lifting the arms and legs.
The effectiveness of gymnastic exercises used for radiculitis largely depends on how much the set of exercises is correctly selected for the patient. Therefore, it is always advisable to select physiotherapy exercises together with the attending physician.
Positive changes in the course of the disease are also observed if the sick person begins to constantly engage in swimming. Exercising in the water relaxes the muscles and helps to stretch the spine, which in turn reduces the compression of blood vessels and nerves.
Massage
With lumbosacral radiculitis, massage is recommended to start as early as possible, after pronounced signs of exacerbation of the disease have been arrested.
Various massage techniques help increase blood flow, relax tense muscles and release natural endorphins, considered pain relievers.
The greatest therapeutic effect is achieved by a combination of general, point, vacuum and honey types of massage techniques.
With sciatica, it is necessary that the massage is performed by a specially trained health worker. It is also recommended to carry out a course of massage as a preventive measure aimed at preventing the development of another exacerbation.
Folk remedies
The combination of medication, physiotherapy, physical education, massage and traditional methods of treatment for sciatica is considered the best way to treat the disease.
Self-prepared compresses, medicated ointments and various home thermal treatments can be classified as physiotherapy methods. The use of such folk methods allows you to improve metabolic processes, helps relieve tension from muscles, and eliminates tissue swelling caused by an inflammatory reaction.
The most popular traditional medicine methods used for radiculitis include:
- Warming tincture. It is prepared from one bottle of triple cologne, five pieces of hot pepper and a bottle of pharmaceutical iodine. All these components are mixed and left for a day to infuse. After this time, you need to rub the lower back with tincture and close it on top with a warm scarf or shawl.
- Patients with sciatica are shown taking baths with the addition of horseradish, mustard powder, broth of sage, meadowsweet. These agents have anti-inflammatory properties and are good for improving blood circulation.
- With exacerbations of sciatica that occur after hypothermia, it is recommended to use the anti-inflammatory collection inside. It is necessary to mix in equal proportions oregano herb, leaves from coltsfoot, willow bark. The broth is prepared from a spoonful of a mixture of these herbs and two glasses of boiling water, the mixture is heated on the stove for 10 minutes. The broth is drunk hot in the volume of one glass at night.
The bath procedure has a good physiotherapeutic property. Warming up the body reduces pain and relieves compression of the nerve roots.
When using folk remedies, do not forget about the use of medicines, since the relief of all symptoms of radiculitis depends only on a combination of methods of traditional and alternative medicine.
How to cure sciatica of the lower back with medicines
Medicinal treatment of lumbosacral radiculitis involves the simultaneous use of medications with systemic and local effects on the body. This approach to treatment allows you to quickly achieve the desired therapeutic effect and helps to select the minimum dose of drugs.
In the treatment of sciatica, they use:
- Drugs from the NSAID group . These drugs have anti-inflammatory, decongestant and analgesic effects on the body. NSAIDs should only be prescribed by a doctor, as many of these drugs have rather serious side effects.
- Muscle relaxants are used to relieve muscle spasms.
- Analgesics are used to relieve pain.
- The complex therapy of sciatica may include the use of sedatives, hypnotics and antidepressants. The drugs of these groups eliminate nervous tension and improve the general well-being of the patient.
In addition to the main drug treatment, the doctor selects drugs based on the cause of the disease.
Injections
Injection drugs for lumbosacral radiculitis are used when it is necessary to quickly achieve a positive result of therapy. Injections are prescribed:
- NSAIDs. The doctor may prescribe injections of Diclofenac, Dicloran , Movalis .
- Complexes of vitamins to improve the course of metabolic processes. Prescribed drugs Milgamma , Trigamma , Neurobion .
- Adhesiolysis is a complex injection product containing hormones, local anesthetics, vitamins from group B. This solution is placed in the epidural space.
- Novocaine blockade is used when the use of analgesics does not help to eliminate severe pain.
Injection agents must be selected by a doctor, in many respects the effect of their use depends on the correct dosage.
Pills
Tablets for lumbosacral radiculitis are prescribed for a mild form of pathology, after using injectables or simultaneously with them.
Apply:
- Analgesics and antispasmodics in tablets. It can be Analgin, Baralgin, Spazgan .
- NSAIDs – Ibuprofen, Nimesulide , Ketorol .
- Muscle relaxants – Baclofen , Tizanidine.
- Pentoxifilene , a drug to improve circulation, may be given .
In addition to pills and injections for the treatment of radiculitis, it is imperative to use ointments. The use of external agents helps to reduce back pain, inflammation and swelling.
The effectiveness of eliminating pain and preventing another exacerbation in lumbosacral radiculitis largely depends on how correctly the therapy regimen is selected.
Only a qualified doctor can correctly combine all medications, choose their dosage and prescribe additional methods of treatment. And therefore, with radiculitis, it is imperative to contact a medical institution and this must be done as early as possible.