I am often asked by patients with lumbar disc herniation in the clinic what is going on with this disease. How should I treat it? What should I pay attention to in my life? Which movements can and cannot be done? What exercises should be done to help the recovery of the disease? Here we will talk about the relevant issues. Yao Qiang, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shangluo City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine What is lumbar disc herniation? Lumbar disc herniation is a disease caused by degenerative changes in the lumbar intervertebral disc, partial or complete rupture of the lumbar intervertebral disc fibrous ring, together with the nucleus pulposus protruding or bulging to the rear (mostly between the 4th and 5th lumbar vertebrae), stimulating or compressing the nerve root or cauda equina nerve, resulting in lumbar pain with lower limb radiating pain, abnormal sensation and decreased muscle strength. According to Chinese medicine, pain and numbness, weakness and weakness of the lower back and legs belong to the category of “paralysis” and “impotence” in Chinese medicine, which are mostly caused by external evil, fall and flash, or liver and kidney deficiency and lack of qi and blood. What are the characteristics of lumbar disc herniation? A prevalent population: 1, mostly occurring between 30 and 50 years of age, the proportion of the disease occurring in young adults is greater. 2, mostly seen in men, because men are more physically active, the lumbar range of motion is larger, more obvious force. 3, too obese or too thin people are prone to lumbar disc herniation, because the burden of the obese lumbar spine, the thin muscle is not developed, the stability of the lumbar vertebrae is poor, can not be good for life, work and labor. 4, from the nature of the work, the lumbar force more workers, athletes, professional drivers, ticket takers and long hours of ambulatory work office workers and work to stand in the main sales clerk and other groups are more common. 5, from the living and working environment, for a long time in a humid or cold place, often due to cold and damp internal invasion of the meridians, and induced lumbar disc herniation. Main symptoms: The main symptoms are lumbar pain and lower limb pain, numbness, soreness, weakness or abnormal sensation, and even abnormal urinary and faecal function and sexual function. Low back pain is mostly seen in the lower back and lumbosacral region, and most of the activities of the lumbar spine are restricted. Pain and numbness in the lower extremities can be seen on one or both sides, and symptoms can occur in the buttocks, the back and outside of the legs, and the dorsal and lateral parts of the feet depending on the location of the lesion and the degree of disc herniation. Patients also often experience pain or increased pain in the lower extremities due to coughing, sneezing, and straining to defecate, and the pain can be aggravated by excessive walking. If these conditions occur, it is time to see a doctor at a hospital orthopedic department. How should lumbar disc herniation be treated? 1. In the acute stage, you should lie flat on a hard bed to minimize the force and activities of the lumbar spine and reduce the stimulation of the nerve roots, so as to avoid further development of the disease. 2, need to go to the hospital to find a doctor to take x-ray film, if necessary, CT or MRI examination, in order to clarify the diagnosis, so as to guide further treatment. In some cases, it is not possible to do pushing to trigger the waist, otherwise it may aggravate the injury or even paraplegia; some conditions require early surgery to release the compression, otherwise lower limb paralysis will occur, so do not be careless. 3, it is recommended to go to the hospital by the doctor, do not let acquaintances or half bottle of vinegar “doctor” to massage. 4, treatment measures are: 1, Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment: internal use of tonics (based on Huangqi Gui Zhi Wuwu Tang with changes) combined with external use of Chinese medicine (our department applied self-developed agreement formula “Tongluo pain relief formula” lumbosacral hot compress + microwave therapy, the effect on the acute pain is very good); 2, massage and tui-na (lumbar inclined plate, etc.); 3 acupuncture; 4 Needle knife release (painful points can be locally closed); 5 traction (our department uses bedside traction, three-dimensional traction, SDS spinal non-surgical decompression system treatment); 6 physical therapy (lumbosacral microwave therapy); 7 oral anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs (in the acute stage can be applied to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain medication); 8 closed treatment; 9 infusion, if necessary, anti-inflammatory water and swelling, blood circulation and blood stasis drugs; 10 surgery, including minimally invasive incision and suction, laser vaporization, decompression of the spinal canal. Laser vaporization, spinal canal decompression, disc nucleus pulposus removal, and internal fixation if necessary, etc. The doctor will choose different surgical treatment methods according to the degree of lesion. What should patients with lumbar disc herniation pay attention to? 1.Avoid excessive bending and twisting of the lumbar spine, and do not work in a sitting position for a long time. 2.Avoid holding heavy objects on the back to reduce the force on the lumbar spine. 3, the acute period of the patient less activity, down to the toilet can wear special medical lumbar circumference, strengthen the stability of the lumbar spine. 4, the acute period and treatment period should lie flat on a hard bed. 5.Tui na massage should go to regular hospital orthopedic department and massage department. 6, pay attention to the lumbar and lower extremities to keep warm, do not greedy cool, otherwise it will induce or aggravate the symptoms. Methods of functional exercise 1.In the acute period, it is advisable to maintain a relaxed, pain-free or less painful posture to stabilize the condition. 2.During the recovery and stabilization period, functional exercise. Through scientific and reasonable functional exercise, the strength of the lumbar muscles can be enhanced, strengthening the stability of the lumbar spine and reducing the possibility of recurrence of the disease. The main methods of lumbar spine exercise are: hook foot leg lift: toe hook back, lower limb up for about 5 seconds, and then slowly put down, do 10 times as a group. Then do the other side, alternating between the two lower limbs. Five-point support: head and both elbows and feet support the bed, the spine and hips lift off the bed, maintain 10 seconds slowly put flat, repeatedly, 10 times as a group. Swallow fly: prone on the bed, abdomen on the bed, tilt back the head and neck, arms after stretching up, double lower limbs up lifting off the bed, in the shape of swallow fly, maintain 5-10 seconds, repeatedly, 10 times for a group. The above three methods in turn, can be exercised several times a day, to not feel discomfort as degree.