The spine has more than 20 vertebrae among which we find white discs that are responsible for cushioning the vertebrae and keep them in place. However, with the passage of time, the discs lose their capacity and may even rupture, allowing the gelatinous substance inside them to escape, and irritating the nerves in the area.
Herniated discs are quite frequent and usually appear in an acute and sudden way due to the work we have or the bad habits in our lives.
What are the causes and risk factors?
– Age: as we get older, the discs begin to dry out and weaken, so the intervertebral spaces become smaller and smaller. The average age of onset of a herniated disc is between 30 and 50 years of age.
– Gender: it tends to affect men more than women.
– Carrying weight inappropriately.
– Overweight
– Sedentary lifestyle
– Smoking: smoking decreases the supply of oxygen taken up by red blood cells, which causes degeneration and pronounced aging.
– Genetics.
Symptoms of disc herniation
The most frequent symptoms of disc herniation are numbness, tingling, weakness and shooting pain in the area, localized and/or radiating. It may also affect the back of the leg, from the buttock to the sole of the foot.
In addition, there are other less common signs: loss of strength and urinary incontinence.
Generally the pain is aggravated by sitting or standing for a long period of time, while lying down usually brings some relief.
Complications of herniated discs
The damage to the intervertebral discs once we have a herniated disc does not heal by itself, and can even evolve and become more complicated with the passage of time. For this reason, it is important to see a specialist in order to reach a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Some of the warning signs that we have to pay attention to in order to know if a herniated disc is getting complicated are:
- Radiated” pain: when the pain is not only in the back, but extends to the lower or upper extremities.
- Constant pain in the back.
- Progressive weakness when performing routine activities.
- Saddle anesthesia: progressive loss of sensitivity in some areas of the body.
When a herniated disc remains untreated, the most common complication is irreversible neurological deficit.
How to prevent disc herniation?
Although it is a very frequent pathology, it is possible to prevent it, avoiding the risk factors of this pathology.
- Control body weight: the BMI should be between 18.5 and 24.9. When the patient is overweight, strength is added in the lumbar area and weakens the musculature.
- Healthy nutrition
- Eliminate smoking
- Physical activity or sports: it is advisable to do exercises or stretching to strengthen those areas that load the spine. These muscles are called CORE: lumbar, abdominal, pelvic, gluteal and spinal muscles.
- Correct posture: if we work in an office, it is important to have the screen at eye level, to keep the position of the back as upright as possible and to rest the feet on the floor.
- Efforts or excessive loads: when we have to carry weight, it is advisable to do so by bending the knees and not turning the spine.
Treatment with ozone therapy
Ozone treatment aims to reduce the swelling and volume of the hernia, delay surgery as much as possible and relieve pain by stimulating the production of antioxidant enzymes.
The ozone therapy procedure can be divided into four parts:
1- Physical examination: review of the clinical history and proper diagnosis.
2- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging: confirms the suspicion of a herniated disc.
3- Analytical + oxidative stress: not all patients are susceptible to be treated with ozone, so a basic analytical and oxidative stress test should be performed.
4- Ozone administration: for disc herniation it is usually applied via paravertebral route. Generally, about eight sessions specified in time are usually required.
The advantages of the treatment of herniated disc with ozone therapy are multiple. First of all, it is a procedure that does not require hospitalization, since the injections are performed under local anesthesia. This allows the patient to recover his normal routine within 24 hours of the intervention.
Secondly, this type of technique has very few contraindications and almost no side effects.