Lumbar Spondylosis: health Condition of Lower Vertebrae

Lumbar Spondylosis is a health complication that requires medical attention and immediate treatment to get relief. This complication is related to the vertebrae of our back which starts paining and delivering complications unless treated or brought back to natural position. In this health complication, the patient suffers from degeneration of intervertebral discs and facet joints. Lumbar means the problems occur in lower bone region. It is very important for the patient to understand what is Lumbar Spondylosis as it will give a lot of knowledge about the causes and symptoms. This way the patient can even stay alert and act accordingly.

Vertebrae Column

Vertebrae is divided into different regions – Cervical (neck area), Thoracic (below neck towards the shoulder wings), lumbar (lower bone region), and Sacral (below the lower bone region or the end of spine).

Lumbar Spondylosis Causes

A range of causes have been noticed in Lumbar Spondylosis. However, this health complication has widely been found among old age people and those who face injury in their lower back region. Also, working people who sit for prolonged periods tend to attract this health disease that bring utter pain in the lower back. If the patient is suffering from this complication at the lower spine then he/she cannot sit for longer duration at one position as the pain increases while the region get more affected due to over pressure on the lumbar vertebrae. In this condition, the patient should not lift heavy weight which could increase the pain.

The tissues present at the back called degeneration tissues create from biological and chemical changes in the body. If the nerves that flow from the spine are pressed due to one or the other reason, then Lumbar Spondylosis can occur. Out of all, the most frequent cause of lumbar spondylosis is the degeneration of the bones and cartilage of the spine naturally, resulting into extreme pain and wear and tear. Over the time, the discs turn dehydrated where water level reduces, leading to weakness and lack of ability to move due to cushions in the spine that bring flexibility to the spine. The constant pain and clash of bone against bone due to smaller cushioning can develop the growth of bone, leading to spondylosis. The growth of bones is called as bone spurs.

Common Causes –

• Natural Aging
• Genetic abnormalities
• Injury or overuse
• Lifestyle choices

Identifying Causes of Lumbar Spondylosis

This disease of spine or lower vertebrae can be identified through different factors. The major is to see how old the person is and whether he/she sit for longer durations. Obesity is the other cause that attracts spondylosis and painful time. It can even be hereditary or due to prior injury that after ages gets worse and painful. With the increase in age, the person becomes weaker and less resistant. The bones also turn weaker and then develop arthritis that stimulate this disease faster.

Lumbar Spondylosis Symptoms

Symptoms are different, but depend on the capability of the patient to resist. Most common symptoms of lumbar spondylosis are weakness and pain at the lower back area. If it is the back pain, it can occur due to improper seating, or sitting for longer duration, heavy exercises, lifting heavy weight, or injury. However, such pain that occurs due to sudden activity lasts longer for few days (weeks). In this case, the pain remains constant and stays for months unless it is treated well. Sometimes, patients face numbness in their lower back area or stiffness after getting up in morning from sleep.

Common Symptoms –

• Headache (especially if it is cervical spondylosis)
• Back or neck pain that can radiate through limbs
• Herniated disc
• Neck pain and stiffness (especially in cervical spondylosis)
• Muscle spasms
• Nerve problems bring pain, tingling or numbness in the arms, legs, or shoulders
• Sciatica

Symptoms that denote serious condition –

• Stroke-like condition
• Abnormal sensations, weakness, numbness at one side of the body
• oss of bladder or bowel control
• Impaired balance and coordination
• Loss of sensation in the arms, legs or shoulders
• Muscle weakness in legs and arms

Treatment

Treatment depends on health condition. Medications and exercises which is very important to get rid of pain and complications can bring a lot of changes. However, sometimes surgery may require if it is a serious cause. First conditions are diagnosed with the help of X-rays or physical tests. To reduce pain, doctors may prescribe pain relievers or other medications. Simple stretching, physical exercises or yoga can provide huge relief while bring flexibility to the spine. Natural treatment like hot water fermentation for back or applying wet pack over the affected area after steaming will be very effective.