Therapy of the chronic lumbar spine syndrome

• 2. Massage techniques
• 3. Electricity applications
• 4. Back-friendly everyday behavior
• 5. Improvement of the environment

1. Heat application

Therapy of the chronic Lumbar spine syndrome with different heat media (Thermotherapy) serves the Muscle relaxation as well as the circulation and thus the improvement of the metabolism.

Warmth causes a beneficial increase in blood flow in the treated soft tissue with a limited penetration depth of approx. 3 cm. An increased metabolic activity leads to the fact that "waste products" are transported away and tense tissue is loosened, whereby a pain relief is achieved. There is no strong depth effect on the intervertebral disc itself, the penetration depth is too shallow for that.
Heat applications in therapy for chronic lumbar spine syndrome come in various forms. A very successful example of this is the hot roll. A towel rolled according to a special pattern is used for this. Hot water is poured into this role. Then the painful areas of the body are dabbed with this towel. Most patients find application with moist heat to be more pleasant and also has a calming effect on their general well-being. Nothing stands in the way of daily use of heat therapy, unless there are skin irritations or circulatory problems (especially a drop in blood pressure), which is seldom the case. The optimal duration of a single application is between about 20-40 minutes.
Packs with natural moor or fango packs are also advisable for chronic lumbar spine syndrome. Fango packs are almost only given in special spa facilities, as the time required is quite large. Fango is used several times, which is why very high heating is required for hygienic reasons. Natural moor packs, on the other hand, are disposable products that are placed on the skin and brought to the desired temperature with special heat pads. Both procedures cannot be used for self-application in the lumbar spine syndrome, as the equipment required is very high.

An old home remedy recipe, namely heat therapy with the help of jacket potatoes, is also very suitable for use in the lumbar spine syndrome at home. After boiling, these are chopped up and placed in a cotton cloth, which is then placed on the painful areas. The starch contained in the potatoes is supposed to help the body to remove "waste products" from the muscles and to activate the body's own healing processes.

Find out all about the topic here: Heat therapy.

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Who am I?
My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
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The spine is difficult to treat. On the one hand it is exposed to high mechanical loads, on the other hand it has great mobility.

The treatment of the spine (e.g. herniated disc, facet syndrome, foramen stenosis, etc.) therefore requires a lot of experience.
I focus on a wide variety of diseases of the spine.
The aim of any treatment is treatment without surgery.

Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

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2. Massage techniques

Unlike, for example, an acute one disc prolapse, is with the degenerative spinal diseases the massage therapy absolutely appropriate. Besides the classic massage The underwater massage is particularly suitable, which is no longer offered in many physiotherapy practices, as the costs and material expenditure are too great and are not paid for by the health insurance companies to the extent necessary. However, some massage practices and clinics with their own physical therapy departments still have the necessary equipment for underwater massage.

In the Underwater massage in the lumbar spine syndrome (UWM) the patient lies in a large tub, the pressure of the massage is administered by the treating therapist with the help of a water hose. With circular movements the Back muscles systematically massaged.
The hedgehog ball massage is suitable as a self-therapy, here you roll a knobbed ball over the painful muscles. Ideally, of course, this would be done by a second person, as many places in the back area are very difficult or even impossible for you to reach.
Like every massage therapy, the intensity of this application is very individual and is primarily based on your own sense of wellbeing.

3. Electricity applications

Direct current increases the ability to react and function in motor nerves.
In the Iontophoresis Galvanic direct current is used to introduce drugs through the skin. Depending on the drug introduced, the effect is pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory and / or stimulating the blood circulation.
Diadynamic stimulation currents with direct current and impulse current components have a blood circulation and good pain reliever effect.

Low-frequency ultra-stimulus current has a strong pain-relieving effect and increases blood circulation. The pain relief usually occurs during the treatment of the lumbar spine syndrome. The is particularly recommended Interference current therapy. Two medium-frequency currents are conducted through the skin and into the body. In the depths of the muscles and in the area of ​​the intervertebral disc, low-frequency currents arise, which lead to a good pain-relieving effect.
The effect of the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is based on the therapy principle that on the one hand pain-sensitive cells are blocked by low-frequency impulse and direct currents and on the other hand there is a pain-relieving effect via nerve cells in the spinal cord. Overall, the TENS effect varies considerably from patient to patient. One advantage of the TENS device, however, is that it is available on prescription for self-treatment at home. It is used several times a day for one to several hours.

4. Back-friendly everyday behavior

Since most spinal diseases are degenerative and require causal therapy (cure) is usually not possible, the prophylactic measures to avoid worsening of the findings or to avoid recurring complaints are of particular importance.

That is why in patients with one Lumbar spine syndrome to observe back-friendly everyday behavior. It is known from studies that when a load is lifted from the back, very high forces act on the intervertebral discs of the lumbar spine. In the case of a muscular or previously damaged back, this can lead to an acute lumbar spine syndrome ("Lumbago“).

Learning and internalizing the rules of Back school and the consistent implementation in everyday life is essential. We are also aware that everyday working life may requires physical exertion that seems unavoidable. But even small changes in behavior can have a major back-friendly effect. For example, the conscious use of the Abdominal press (Abdominal muscles) when lifting heavily, the strain on the spine by a good deal.

5. Improvement of the environment

Many back problems, including the lumbar spine syndrome, can be alleviated with a few simple changes in the private and professional environment. So should the Workplace and the movement behavior is checked for "back friendliness". An ergonomically shaped, height-adjustable desk chair should be a matter of course for back pain patients who mainly sit down. Height-adjustable desks are also being used more and more frequently. Working at the desk is easier on the back thanks to changing working heights and the option of standing up. In general, a frequent change of position is something that you can use to relieve your back. Sitting upright, which is often taught, is not as good as many believe if one takes this position for a long time. Pressure measurements have shown that the straight forced posture puts a great deal of strain on the intervertebral discs of the lumbar spine.

Targeted exercises can also be incorporated into everyday work, which can be carried out at the workplace without the need for equipment or space. With a well thought-out mixture of strengthening and relaxation exercises, you can quickly, e.g. 10 minutes of lunch break; achieve a significant improvement in symptoms.

One aid that is absolutely recommended for domestic use is the large one Exercise ball, also called a sitting ball. These balls are available in several sizes. Adults should usually choose a ball about 65 cm in diameter. Just sitting on this device offers a good training effect because the ball does encourages dynamic sitting. The muscles on this ball are constantly activated in order to compensate for the smallest changes in posture, as it is not possible to sit still and rigid on this device. As a result, sitting on the ball trains the entire core muscles. Furthermore, the exercise ball offers a variety of relaxation and training opportunities, which we will go into in more detail elsewhere.