The spine, made up of segments, serves as a strong support for the body and ensures its flexibility. With age, the spine changes - intervertebral discs become deformed and undergo destruction. One of the unpleasant diseases that occurs under the influence of loads is protrusion. It is believed that in the age group “over 30”, 8 out of 10 people suffer from this disease.
The occurrence of protrusion is a signal of problems in the musculoskeletal system. As a rule, the disease develops as a consequence of osteochondrosis.
Why does protrusion develop?
Previously, it was believed that age was the main risk factor for the occurrence of protrusion, but it is now noted that the disease can also affect a young body.
The following main factors lead to the development of protrusion:
- Incorrect posture;
- Back injuries;
- Obesity;
- Heavy heredity;
- Underdevelopment of body muscles;
- Metabolism deficiencies;
- Severe infectious diseases;
- High loads on the back (sports can also have negative consequences);
- Physical inactivity.
Causes of the disease
There are many reasons why you will have to find out what it is, diffuse protrusion of the spinal discs. These include the following:
- osteochondrosis;
- spinal column injury;
- osteoporosis;
- poor heredity and genetic predisposition to the disease;
- complications during pregnancy;
- birth injuries;
- congenital pathologies;
- lack of physical activity or excessive amounts of it.
This is not a complete list of reasons why a person may experience such a disease. This also includes alcohol abuse, smoking, poor diet, excess weight, inflammation and infections, and much more.
What does bulging disc mean?
Protrusion is a condition when the intervertebral disc is squeezed into the spinal canal, but the fibrous ring remains intact. This is the initial stage of osteochondrosis, preceding the formation of a hernia.
Protrusion differs from hernia in the degree of damage to the fibrous ring:
- A whole ring with preservation of the structure is a sign of protrusion;
- A torn ring with prolapse of part of the disc indicates a hernia.
The condition of the spine is negatively affected by many factors, including:
- Sedentary work;
- Sitting at a computer for a long time in an uncomfortable position;
- Stress;
- Unbalanced diet;
- Scoliosis.
Over time, the fibrous ring loses its elasticity and cracks. As a result, the protrusion increases and the risk of complete rupture increases.
Dorsal protrusions of intervertebral discs
Dorsal disc bulging - what is it and why is the condition very dangerous for the life and health of the patient? Let's try to explain in detail:
- against the background of dorsal bulging of the disc, the fibrous ring emerges into the cavity of the spinal canal;
- compression begins to appear on the dural membranes;
- they become irritated and inflamed;
- against the background of inflammatory swelling, the structure of the spinal cord suffers;
- the conduction of nerve impulses to brain structures is disrupted;
- muscle weakness, paresis and paralysis occur.
Any dorsal protrusion of intervertebral discs requires urgent treatment for osteochondrosis. If this is not done, rupture of the fibrous ring will inevitably occur. The dorsal type of disc herniation almost always requires emergency surgery to restore the mobility of the human body.
Therefore, you should not think about what it is - bulging of the spinal discs into the lumen of the spinal canal. If you have been diagnosed with dorsal disc herniation, treatment should begin today. Tomorrow may already be too late. This is the most dangerous type of this pathology.
Types of protrusion
Several types of this disease are considered, depending on the direction of the protrusion.
- Circular protrusion
- a flattened disc protrudes evenly in a circle, horizontally, in all directions. Extruded areas reach up to 12 mm. There is a connection with neurological factors. - Diffuse
- characterized by a chronic course. It is dangerous because in the absence of therapeutic measures a person loses his ability to work completely, he is unable to perform any actions related to physical activity, and ultimately becomes disabled. - Central
(median) – when protrusion occurs towards the center. The risk of developing stenosis and compression increases. - Dorsal, or posterior protrusion
- when the disc protrudes towards the spinal canal. A ruptured ring degenerates into a hernia. The diagnosis of “dorsal protrusion” is used as a general one.
The protrusion takes a long time to form and passes through three successive stages.
Against the background of degenerative processes, the structure of the intervertebral disc changes - it becomes flat, cracks, and loses elasticity. There is slight soreness in the back. During the off-season, the patient's condition worsens. You need to see a doctor. If treatment is not carried out, paroxysmal pain appears - a sign of the development of a hernia.
At later stages of the disease, the symptoms described above are supplemented by pain in the legs, tension, and a feeling of numbness or tingling.
There may be pain in the buttocks. In addition, it is noted:
- Radiculitis;
- Skin sensitivity disorder;
- Muscle weakness;
- Difficulty urinating (if the stage is advanced).
Treatment at the Ardenium Clinic
At the Ardenium Medical Center, neurologists with extensive practical experience treat dorsal protrusions.
Doctors are constantly improving their professional level, using a wide range of both traditional and innovative methods for restoring cartilage and bone tissue of the spine when developing treatment regimens. In most cases, we manage to solve the problem without surgery! If you experience pain in the spine, contact the doctors at the Ardenium Clinic. Timely diagnosis makes it possible to identify pathology at an early stage and carry out effective treatment without resorting to radical measures. Make an appointment by phone or on the website, choosing the most convenient time for you to visit the medical center.
Symptoms of the disease
Protrusions can develop in children and adults. Most often this is a slight pain in the lumbar region. Problems make themselves felt in two ways:
- Mechanical effect on nerves;
- Inflammatory irritation.
In advanced cases, acute, paroxysmal pain appears. There may be pain in the legs, a feeling of numbness and tingling, and when lifting the leg, the back hurts in the lumbar region. Possible pain in the buttocks. The following symptoms may be observed:
- Weakness in the legs;
- Skin sensitivity disorders;
- Radiculitis - lumbar or sacral;
- In advanced cases, urination problems may occur.
Diagnostics
It is important to recognize the disease in a timely manner. People often ignore back pain, perceiving it as something inevitable, blaming it all on a hard day. Traditional methods are used for self-treatment. It is important to remember that with an unqualified approach to treatment, success will not be achieved. But if you consult a specialized doctor in a timely manner, the problem can be easily eliminated, avoiding many problems. The correct diagnosis can only be made by a qualified doctor, taking into account the results of a carefully conducted diagnosis.
Typically, diagnosis begins with examining the patient and using manual tests to determine the affected area. If protrusion is suspected, ultrasound, MRI, EMG, etc. are prescribed. X-rays will show the stages of development of the process. Using CT and MRI of the spine, compression of the nerve bundles is determined. An EMG will help determine the extent of the problem.
How to diagnose
Diagnosis is carried out through examination and questioning of the patient, after which the doctor refers the patient to an MRI or CT scan. The first procedure is considered the most informative and safest, since there is no irradiation of the body. Based on the results of the tomography, it will be possible to obtain images of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. Having assessed their condition and position, the neurologist
will be able to diagnose diffuse protrusion of the C5-C6 disc or any other.
Which doctor treats disc protrusion?
Since back pain can come not only from intervertebral discs, it is necessary to be examined by several doctors:
- Neurologist - seen in peripheral clinics;
- Urologist – if spinal diseases are excluded, this specialist will help determine the origin of the pain;
- A vertebrologist is a narrow specialist who specializes in the condition of the spine; appointments are carried out only in specialized medical institutions;
- Orthopedist, cardiologist, rheumatologist, pulmonologist, gastroenterologist - when there is a suspicion that the pain is of a projection nature.
Circular bulging of the intervertebral disc
Circular bulging of discs can be external or internal. Along the outer contour, the protrusion exerts pressure on the soft tissues surrounding the spinal column. External circular protrusion of the intervertebral disc can provoke radicular syndrome, pinched nerve fibers, radiculitis, etc.
Much more dangerous are internal circular bulges of the intervertebral discs, which can put pressure on the structure of the spinal cord. They are often triggered by factors such as sedentary work, a sedentary lifestyle and smoking. The combination of these factors has a negative impact on the internal contour of the intervertebral disc; it undergoes degenerative pathological changes and loses its elasticity.
Treatment of protrusion
Protrusion is a dangerous disease; the treatment process should be carried out under the supervision of experienced specialists. It is necessary to carry out treatment to eliminate back pain, numbness of the limbs, headaches, to be able to actively work and rest.
Treatment is complex and consists of several procedures aimed at:
- Pain relief;
- Restoration of motor functions;
- Getting rid of edema;
- Normalization of sensitivity.
Typically, different drugs are used:
- Anti-inflammatory;
- Muscle relaxants;
- Analgesics.
Effective:
- Massages, if performed by an experienced specialist;
- Physiotherapy (exposure to currents, ultrasound, electrophoresis).
In the absence of positive dynamics, radical methods are used - surgical ones.
Treatment of bulging vertebral discs
Treatment of bulging vertebral discs is possible only with the help of manual therapy in combination with therapeutic exercises. Pharmacological remedies against this disease are completely powerless. By using them you are only wasting your time and wasting your money.
Treatment should always begin with several procedures of traction traction of the spinal column. due to this, pressure is removed from the intervertebral discs, they straighten and the process of tissue regeneration of the fibrous ring starts.
Then the doctor develops an individual course of therapy, which may include:
- massage and osteopathy to increase the elasticity of all soft tissues and enhance the processes of microcirculation of blood and lymphatic fluid in the lesion;
- therapeutic exercises and kinesiotherapy to restore muscle tone and strengthen the spinal frame;
- reflexology – to launch tissue regeneration processes using the hidden reserves of the human body;
- physiotherapy, laser treatment and much more.
If you need a safe and effective course of treatment for bulging discs, make an initial free appointment with a spine specialist at our manual therapy clinic. After the examination, the doctor will prescribe individual treatment.