Are the lumbar vertebrae the same as the spine?

Everyone has lumbar vertebrae and spine in their body. These two bones are very important to us because the lumbar vertebrae can help us bend and walk normally, while the spine mainly supports us. However, sitting for a long time is not good for our spine and lumbar vertebrae, and may cause lumbar spine pain. So are the lumbar vertebrae and spine the same?

Lumbar vertebrae: The vertebral bodies are relatively large; the spinous processes extend horizontally to the back in a plate-like manner, and the gaps between adjacent spinous processes are wide, which can be used for lumbar puncture. The articular surfaces of the articular processes are in the sagittal position. There are five lumbar vertebrae in the human body, and each lumbar vertebra consists of a vertebral body in the front and an accessory in the back. The inner edge of the vertebral lamina is arch-shaped, and the vertebral arch and the posterior edge of the vertebral body form a vertebral foramen. The upper and lower vertebral foramina are connected to form the vertebral canal, through which the spinal cord and nerves pass. The joint between the two vertebral bodies is the intervertebral disc. It consists of two parts: the annulus fibrosus and the nucleus pulposus. The nucleus pulposus is located in the center of the intervertebral disc. It is a water-rich, jelly-like elastic protein. Surrounding the nucleus pulposus is the annulus fibrosus, which connects the two vertebrae together and firmly fixes the nucleus pulposus in the center.

The spine, also known as the vertebral column or backbone, is composed of specially shaped vertebrae and intervertebral discs. It is located in the middle of the back, connected to the skull at the top, the ribs in the middle, and the lower end and hip bones form the pelvis. From top to bottom, there are 7 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, 5 lumbar vertebrae, 1 sacrum (composed of 5 sacral vertebrae) and 1 coccyx (composed of 4 coccygeal vertebrae), totaling 24 independent vertebrae (in adults). A longitudinal spinal canal is formed inside the spine from top to bottom, which contains the spinal cord.

The spine is a bony structure consisting of a vertebral body, two pedicles, two lamina, two transverse processes, four articular processes and one spinous process. It is divided into cervical vertebrae, thoracic vertebrae, lumbar vertebrae, sacral vertebrae, and coccygeal vertebrae.

You can have acupuncture therapy. Acupuncture, massage, scraping, and cupping stimulate acupoints and promote blood circulation. In daily life, be careful not to bend over or sit for long periods of time when working. Stretch your waist and chest regularly, and the bed should not be too soft when sleeping.