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Protrusion of the vertebral disc is the extension (displacement) of the disc located between the vertebrae beyond them. Disc protrusion precedes the formation of an intervertebral hernia.
Most often, protrusion of the disc l5 s1 and l4 l5 occurs, which is explained by the constant involvement of these areas in high loads. Accordingly, intervertebral hernias are also most often diagnosed within these vertebrae.
Stages of formation of protrusion of the intervertebral disc
It is customary to distinguish three stages of the formation of protrusion of the intervertebral disc:
At the initial stage, changes in the very design of the disc occur due to the formation of small cracks in the annulus fibrosus. In this case, it can collapse into 2/3 parts. At this time, a person begins to experience bouts of pain, which is acute in nature. They are located in the lumbar region.
The second stage is characterized by the appearance of a protrusion of the disc, which reaches a size of 3 mm. Symptoms of the ongoing pathological process make themselves felt stronger. In this case, the place of localization of pain changes somewhat. She begins to give in areas that are located next to the damaged disk. Despite the progression of the disease, a person has every chance to get rid of the existing problem and cure the protrusion without surgery. Medical correction and complexes of physiotherapy exercises will come to the aid of the patient.
If there is no treatment, the disc continues to protrude more and more. At any time, a rupture of the fibrous ring can occur, which will lead to the formation of an intervertebral hernia. At this time, a person experiences severe pain, some neurological disorders may appear. Until the formation of a hernia, they will be weakly expressed, for example, a person will experience a feeling of numbness of the limb on the side where the protrusion is located.
In some cases, the pain syndrome may be absent altogether. Sometimes pain occurs only after a hernia has formed in a person or even after the first complications.
Reasons for the formation of disc protrusion
Disk protrusion l5 s1, l4 l5, as well as protrusion of other intervertebral discs develops due to a disease such as osteochondrosis. This is a pathology of a chronic course, which has a significant impact on the human spine. Discs gradually lose moisture, suffer from malnutrition, amino acids and important trace elements are washed out of them. As a result, the disc becomes less elastic, flattens and a certain part of it begins to protrude. In the future, this threatens to rupture the fibrous ring, the formation of a hernia and the development of serious health problems.
Back pain is the result of pinched nerve endings, which are pinched by a protruding disc. In addition, the protrusion contributes to the formation of edema and inflammation in the affected area. This, in turn, leads to the fact that the pain radiates to the leg and buttock.
In addition to osteochondrosis, osteoporosis, as well as lordosis, kyphosis, scoliosis, and various injuries of the spinal column can become the cause of disc protrusion.
Thus, we can distinguish the following set of factors that influence the formation of disc protrusion:
Disruptions in metabolic processes.
Hereditary predisposition.
Past injuries and infectious diseases.
Excessive load on the spinal column.
Weak back and body muscles.
The age of the person.
Diseases of the spinal column.
Sharp turns of the body, lifting weights, etc.
How is a protrusion different from a herniated disc?
With protrusion of the intervertebral disc, the fibrous ring retains its integrity, and the nucleus pulposus does not go beyond it. A hernia is characterized by a rupture of the fibrous ring with the release of the nucleus pulposus.
Degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine lead to the formation of disc protrusion l5 s1 and l4 l5, as well as the formation of protrusions of other localizations. The disk becomes incapable of normal depreciation, loses its former flexibility. Its tissues dry out, and cracks form on the fibrous ring. The distance between the vertebrae gradually decreases, the pressure on the disc increases, and it begins to bulge. The stronger it comes out of the vertebrae, the more pressure the nerve roots experience. Their compression is observed in the last stages of the development of the disease. As for the hernia, compression of the nerve roots is present initially, and the pain will be much stronger than with protrusion.
Quite often, people of such professions as drivers, writers, accountants, sellers suffer from disc protrusion. Although the development of the disease is possible due to spinal injuries, which athletes often receive.
Symptoms of disk protrusion l5 s1 and l4 l5
Since due to the resulting protrusion, the nerve roots of the spine are pinched, this leads to pain. Therefore, this pathology is characterized by pain syndrome.
The pain will radiate to the leg or arm, to the back of the head or to the intercostal spaces – it all depends on where exactly the protrusion has formed. In addition, the muscles of the limbs suffer, their normal sensitivity is lost. Often the sciatic nerves are involved in the pathological process, since it is they who are next to the damaged discs l5 s1 and l4 l5.
Common symptoms of protrusion are:
Finger numbness, arm pain, shoulder pain;
Jumps in blood pressure;
Headaches, dizziness.
Since these symptoms are characteristic of many other diseases, most people simply do not pay attention to them. Moreover, they do not even correlate them with such pathology of the spine as protrusion. As a result, a person can be treated for a variety of diseases for many years, and the true cause of such symptoms is not clear. In the meantime, the protrusion will progress and develop into an intervertebral hernia with all the accompanying complications.
Very often, a person begins to experience the first pains in the spine at a young age, after he has spent a long time in an uncomfortable position, or has experienced strong loads. The disease can manifest itself when the tilt is incorrectly performed, especially when this tilt was accompanied by weight lifting. After 24 hours, weakness, pain and a feeling of numbness will appear in the lower extremities.
As for the protrusion of the disc l5 s1 and l4 l5, then it is characterized by pain in the lumbar region with irradiation to the leg and gluteal muscle. Although disc protrusion is a common condition, it is completely treatable.
Treatment of disc protrusion l5 s1 and l4 l5
If the protrusion of the disc is not treated, then the disease will progress rapidly and turn into an intervertebral hernia. Protrusion most often does not require surgical intervention, but it is not always possible to get rid of a hernia without the help of a surgeon. Therefore, it is so important when the first symptoms of pathology appear to seek help from a specialist, and not engage in self-treatment. Moreover, such methods often bring irreparable harm to health.
Treatment of disc protrusion should be aimed not only at eliminating the symptoms, but also at eliminating the causes that provoked its occurrence. That is, it is important to stop degenerative-dystrophic changes occurring in the intervertebral disc. They, in turn, can manifest due to a violation of the blood supply to the disk, due to a failure of metabolic processes in the body, due to frequent weight lifting, etc. Disk nutrition is possible due to a large body weight, due to muscle spasm, etc. d.
Conservative therapy is aimed at eliminating pain, and for this it is necessary to relieve spasms from the muscles. It is possible to undergo physiotherapy procedures, visit a chiropractor and masseur. Sometimes medication is indicated. However, getting rid of pain does not mean getting rid of the disease itself.
Treatment of disc protrusion is based on physiotherapy exercises and physiotherapy. These methods allow you to strengthen the muscular frame of the back and “set” the existing protrusion into place. Thus, it will be possible not only to stop the progression of the disease, but also to recover from it. Only a doctor can prescribe adequate treatment. Independent attempts to get rid of protrusion can cause irreparable harm to health.