Consequences of a hernia in the lumbar region and complications after surgery

Intervertebral hernia of the lumbar spine does not appear in children and people leading an active and healthy lifestyle. This disease is the result of physical inactivity, aging of the joints and muscles. The most dangerous consequences of intervertebral hernia of the lumbar spine occur in the absence of treatment, lack of understanding of the importance of preventive measures that should become part of every day.

Complications arise not only through the fault of the patient, the most dangerous consequences are expected if the surgeon makes a mistake in the process of removing the hernia. This disease will not always be an indication for surgery, but it can at any time cause a serious condition, up to disability.

How does a hernia appear in the lumbar region

A herniated disc is a rupture of the annulus fibrosus and the protrusion of the nucleus pulposus beyond its limits. This process begins with a crack, which increases against the background of insufficient tissue nutrition.

Under the influence of a high load, the damaged disk does not withstand, the ring breaks.

When the nucleus pulposus is damaged, it can drain into the formed crack, squeezing the spinal cord. This will be the first and main reason for the appearance of dangerous conditions. It is also assumed that such a violation leads to a chemical effect of the nucleus pulposus on the nerve roots, which provokes neurological problems. The combination of these two factors manifests itself in the form of numbness, pain and weakness.

Clinic of a hernia of the lumbar spine:

• pain is the main and constant symptom of a hernia, it worries not only during physical work, but also at rest, the back constantly aches;
• irradiation of pain in one leg - combined with numbness of the skin, a feeling of crawling, tingling in the buttocks and thighs;
• cauda equina syndrome - discomfort in the groin and on the inside of the thigh;
• muscle weakness, loss of reflexes;
• urinary incontinence, constipation.

To confirm the diagnosis and start treatment as soon as possible, you need to undergo studies - MRI or CT, myelogram, spinal puncture. To determine whether surgery is needed, discography will help - the study of intervertebral discs using a contrast agent.

Dangerous Consequences

Consequences of a vertebral hernia before surgery:

• irreversible damage to the nerves that control the bladder and intestines - this leads to urinary incontinence, spontaneous bowel movements;
• chronic pain - this affects the quality of life, affects the psycho-emotional state, entails neurological disorders, the patient loses sleep, is forced to constantly take painkillers that affect the state of the liver, kidneys and stomach, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and hepatobiliary system join;
• atrophy of the muscles of the back and legs - a person loses the ability to perform light work, walk and stand hard, any movement is difficult;
• frequent lumbago, pain in the buttocks.

At the initial stage of the pathology of the lumbar spine, the patient is disturbed by moderate symptoms. Then there is lumbodynia, pain in the lumbar region, then lumboischialgia - with irradiation to the leg. Unpleasant sensations are aggravated by maintaining one posture for a long time, which happens while working at a computer and driving a car.

Symptoms increase as the disease progresses:

• head tilts are accompanied by pain in the affected spine;
• it is impossible to lift the leg straight, which is hindered by severe pain;
• pressure on the lumbar region gives pain to neighboring areas.

Increased pain can cause any sudden movement and action, especially sneezing, bending over, jumping, driving a car on rough roads.

When the radicular syndrome (compression of the nerves) joins, this is complemented by muscle spasm, which leads to such consequences as a change in gait, stoop, distortion of the body, staggering when walking.

What is dangerous hernia of the lumbar spine with radicular syndrome:

• muscle weakness below the damaged disc - it is difficult to do the same type of work, monotonous movements lead to a feeling of strong pressure in the lumbar region and coccyx, the patient tries to squat more often, which brings temporary relief;
• violation of muscle tone - the muscles weaken so much that the patient cannot perform any physical work;
• muscle atrophy - legs and buttocks decrease in volume, asymmetry is noticeable;
• decrease or increase in sensitivity - these disorders are manifested in the form of frequent numbness of the leg, tingling, burning, tremor, sudden pain;
• paralysis - the pathology progresses and ends with disability.

Postoperative complications

After removal of the intervertebral hernia, the following consequences are possible:

• infection - infection occurs during or after surgery, antibacterial drugs are used for treatment, repeated surgical intervention may be required;
• recurrence - a hernia occurs again in 7-10% of patients after surgery, the main reasons for this will be surgeon errors and an early return to stress;
• osteochondrosis - this disease often precedes a hernia, but may also appear after, which is associated with a disc injury during surgery and malnutrition in it.

Prevention

An individual recovery program after surgery will help prevent the consequences. Ideally, the patient should be in a rehabilitation center, where the state of health is constantly monitored by doctors of various specializations, which allows timely identification and elimination of undesirable factors.

Postoperative recovery includes the following activities:

1. Physiotherapeutic procedures - electrical stimulation, laser and ultrasound therapy, mud baths, "heat" and "cold" treatments.
2. Exercise therapy is a set of exercises to strengthen the back muscles.
3. Bandage - regular wearing of a supporting corset after surgery.
4. Diet - restoring the balance of vitamins and trace elements, restoring strength and health to the body through proper nutrition.

After the operation, it is useful to start the load with a light warm-up, stretching exercises and muscle relaxation. It is not necessary to immediately lift weights and squat with a barbell, but this is not excluded in a few months. Doctors specializing in sports traumatology practice restoring the previous physical fitness and even with an increase in load, which, with the right approach, ends in success.

If, on the contrary, you take care of your back, for fear of accidentally injuring it, you can come to a second disease and already with more serious consequences. Some doctors believe that hypodynamia after a hernia is more dangerous than sports.

Wearing a bandage after the operation is of key importance. The presence of a hernia indicates muscle weakness or an injury, which is not combined with the possibility of evenly distributing the load on different parts of the back without additional devices. But it is even more important for the prevention of complications that will require surgery.

You will have to gradually wean yourself from the bandage, take it off at night and leave it only during the exercises. When the pain syndrome passes, it must be completely abandoned in order not to get the opposite effect - muscle atrophy.

The importance of the bandage

With a hernia of the lumbar region, it is important for the patient to observe a gentle load on the back, to exclude sharp turns and accidental injuries. For this purpose, a special supporting bandage is used, which can be selected for the pathology of any department. Therapeutic corset is needed for temporary fixation of the sore back, reducing the load on the damaged disc and preventing compression of the nerve roots.

A bandage is selected together with a doctor, because an inappropriate model may be ineffective and even harm.

The corset can be soft, medium hard and hard. The first is used for prophylactic purposes, when it is necessary to unload a certain section of the spine for a while after heavy physical exertion or in case of muscle injury.

Hard and medium hardness is indicated for hernia of the lumbar and thoracic spine in order to immobilize, relax and reduce the load.

Kinds

By appointment, medical corsets for the back are corrective and fixative. In the first case, the bandage will support the spine in the correct position, which is important for correcting posture. A fixing corset is prescribed to eliminate pain in case of a hernia and other pathologies, when the diseased part of the back needs to be immobilized for a while and fixed in an anatomically correct position.

A bandage for a herniated disc in the lumbar region should not be a permanent measure. Wearing it for a long time negatively affects the health of the vertebrae, muscle atrophy begins and the spine loses its natural muscular corset.

Benefit

The bandage can prevent the consequences of a hernia in the lower back due to a number of functions:

• reducing the load on the damaged department;
• temporary anesthesia and spasm relief;
• prevention of nerve root compression;
• muscle relaxation, even load distribution;
• prevention of sudden movements that can become a factor in complications;
• maintenance of the spine during the rehabilitation period after surgery.

The main task of the bandage is to fix the lumbar, thoracic or cervical spine. Some types of corsets have a warming effect, which leads to a decrease in soreness. There are models with a massage effect, they help improve metabolism and accelerate blood flow to the affected disc.

Choice and wearing rules

An important quality criterion is the material. It should be hypoallergenic and gyroscopic, that is, it should not cause an allergic reaction and absorb moisture well.

A bandage with magnetic inserts will help reduce pain after surgery. Elastic is useful for compression, because it increases the space between the vertebrae, and a corset with paraffin stimulates blood flow, strengthens muscles and ligaments.

How to wear a bandage to prevent the consequences of a herniated disc:

• you need to wear it for several hours a day, during physical work;
• it will be useful during the period of severe pain syndrome;
• a corset cannot be worn at night, as well as left for the whole day (with the exception of postoperative);
• it is important to tighten the belt correctly so that it does not squeeze and is not relaxed;
• corsets made at home cannot replace factory corsets and will not be of any use.

Prevention of complications of a herniated disc cannot be limited to a belt alone. When this pathology is diagnosed, it is necessary to undergo complex therapy, and the corset will be part of it. The bandage is also indispensable in the case of diseases preceding hernia - protrusion and osteochondrosis. A correctly selected model will be an important step in the prevention of consequences before and after surgery.