The most common symptom of lumbar disc herniation is lower back pain, with approximately 90% of people suffering from lumbar disc herniation experiencing varying degrees of lower back pain. However, one thing to note is that lower back pain does not necessarily equate to lumbar disc herniation. Below are some knowledge about lumbar disc herniation.
What are the causes of lumbar disc herniation?
Many people believe that lumbar disc herniation is related to long-term heavy physical labor or lumbar sprains, but this understanding is not entirely correct. The occurrence of symptoms of lumbar disc herniation is related to degenerative changes in the spine, which means that aging of the body can lead to the occurrence of this disease. Moreover, the occurrence of lumbar disc herniation is also related to the patient's own physical fitness. Relevant studies have found that factors such as smoking and obesity are also likely to cause the symptoms of lumbar disc herniation.
What are the clinical manifestations of lumbar disc herniation?
The typical manifestations of lumbar disc herniation are lower back pain and radiating pain in the lower limbs. The causes of back pain are quite complex, as there is only a 15% chance that it is caused by lumbar disc herniation, and back pain cannot be equated with lumbar disc herniation. In addition, there is another comparison in lumbar disc herniation. The prominent symptom is the occurrence of lower limb pain. Usually, 2/3 of patients will experience lower limb pain, which is a root radiating pain that radiates down from the waist along the nerves to the thighs and calves. There may also be numbness in the small feet, mainly due to prolonged nerve compression, leading to nerve damage.
3. Conservative treatment methods for lumbar disc herniation
For lumbar disc herniation, over 90% of symptoms only require conservative treatment. Educate patients on the basic knowledge of lumbar disc herniation. Patients need to quit smoking and rest in bed for a short period of time to relieve symptoms. They should avoid bad posture or external stimuli in their daily lives and work. They should engage in full body exercise and aerobic exercise to the best of their ability, and receive auxiliary medication for treatment, such as taking anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. At the same time, manual massage and acupuncture and moxibustion can also achieve a certain effect, but the treatment time cannot be too long, usually 12 weeks. In clinical practice, if conservative treatment for six weeks is ineffective and symptoms do not improve, the patient's bowel movements may be affected after onset, and numbness may occur around the anus, indicating damage to the cauda equina nerve and requiring surgery as soon as possible.
How to avoid lumbar disc herniation?
To avoid lumbar disc herniation, it is necessary to use the waist reasonably. Through relevant research, it has been found that when the human body is in a supine position, the stress on the lumbar intervertebral disc is the smallest, and when sitting, it is at least six times that of a supine position. Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to avoid prolonged sitting. When the human body sends out a warning signal, that is, when there is soreness in the waist, it is necessary to get up and move around to give the waist a rest. If people do not pay attention to this signal, long-term lumbar soreness can easily lead to aging of the lumbar intervertebral disc and further structural changes. At the same time, everyone needs to actively engage in aerobic exercise and whole-body exercise in their daily lives, which can improve the function of the lumbar intervertebral disc.
In summary, as people age, various parts of the body gradually age and decline. If lumbar disc herniation is found during physical examination, there is no need to be too nervous, because occasional back pain and soreness may not necessarily be related to lumbar disc herniation. But we all need to use our waist healthily and reasonably in our daily lives, to avoid excessive use of the waist and prevent the occurrence of lumbar disc herniation, and to ensure our physical health.