MedClinic > Blog > Traumatology > Lordosis of the spine

 

Lordosis is a curvature of the spinal column, in which the spine is convex anteriorly. Physiological bends, which are not pathological, are present in the cervical and lumbar spine and are located at a certain degree (cervical spine – 20-30 degrees, lumbar – 40 degrees). In case of an increase or decrease in these indicators, a diagnosis is made – lordosis. In most cases, this type of spinal curvature is formed in children and adolescents.

Why does curving occur?

Lordosis occurs under the influence of several provoking factors, which include:

  • injury to the spine of a child during childbirth;
  • rickets in childhood;
  • cerebral palsy;
  • dysplasia;
  • anomalies in the structure of the spinal column;
  • flat feet.

In older patients, lordosis develops rather rarely, the following factors lead to this type of spinal curvature:

  • spinal cord injuries;
  • presence of ankylosing spondylitis;
  • development of osteochondrosis;
  • neoplasms of the vertebrae;
  • hernia;
  • radiculitis;
  • increased muscle tone;
  • infectious diseases (bone tuberculosis, gonorrhoea, syphilis);
  • violation of posture.

Lordosis of the spine in women can develop during pregnancy, but in such cases, other factors negatively affect the condition of the spine, and the load on the spinal column during pregnancy only exacerbates the condition.

Types of pathology

There are two main forms of lordosis – congenital and acquired. Depending on the causes of the curvature of the spine, lordosis can be:

  • primary – occurs due to diseases of the spine and muscle corset;
  • secondary – is formed against a background of severe diseases in which mechanisms of upright position are In this case, the curvature of the spine is bodily compensation to ensure the walking process;
  • combined – occurs in the presence of the first two factors.

Depending on the location of the curvature, lordosis has two forms:

  • cervical lordosis;
  • lumbar lordosis.

 

Clinical picture

Lordosis of the lumbar region is manifested in:

  • pain in the lumbar region;
  • “Duck gait”;
  • constant fatigue and fast onset of tiredness;
  • violation of posture;
  • bulging abdomen;
  • pain and numbness in the lower limbs;
  • painful periods in women, problems with potency in men.

Symptoms of the cervical spine lordosis:

  • pain in the neck and shoulder blades;
  • chronic fatigue;
  • violation of posture – head protrudes forward, shoulder blades are lowered;
  • poor

How to treat pathology?

Treatment of lordosis is carried out in a complex. In the early stages of the development of the disease, drug therapy and physiotherapy are prescribed. To stop unpleasant symptoms, traditional medicine methods are used. During treatment, patients must adhere to the correct diet and daily routine.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, vitamin complexes, glucocorticoids are prescribed. Physiotherapy includes electrophoresis, massages, heat treatment, magnet therapy, exercise therapy. Be sure to wear bandages.

Surgical straightening of lordosis is carried out in cases where drug therapy and physiotherapy do not give a positive result. Depending on the complexity of the clinical picture, in the surgical treatment of lordosis, a method of installing metal plates and pins is used to align the spine. In especially severe cases, the installation of mobile implants is used instead of curved vertebrae. This method of surgical correction of lordosis is expensive, but the most effective.