Osteochondrosis is a disease in which degenerative processes occur in the tissues of the spine.Damage occurs to intervertebral discs, articular surfaces adjacent to them, vertebral bodies and ligaments.As a rule, initially with osteochondrosis, pathological changes occur in bones and ligaments.Furthermore, the person only notices the onset of the disease when they begin to suffer the complications of this condition - back pain, decreased sensitivity, muscle atrophy, dysfunction of internal organs.
This disease is very widespread among modern people: according to various sources, up to 90% of the world's population suffers from osteochondrosis.The disease mainly affects people over 30 years of age.Today, lumbar osteochondrosis is detected more often (in about half of cases).
Stages of osteochondrosis
The disease develops in humans in stages.In the first phase of disease progression, the process of dehydration of the nucleus pulposus begins.As a result, the height of disc decline decreases and fissures form in the fibrous ring.However, pathological changes do not occur outside the intervertebral disc.
In the second stage, a convergence of two adjacent vertebrae is observed due to the decrease in the height of the disc, the point of attachment of the muscles and ligaments.Due to the laxity of ligaments and muscles, excessive mobility of the vertebrae appears, which causes the development of instability of the vertebral mobile segment.During this period, the vertebrae may slip or shift, resulting in spondylolisthesis.
The third stage of development of osteochondrosis is characterized by pronounced morphological changes in the intervertebral discs.The formation of prolapses and protrusions of discs occurs, subluxations develop in the intervertebral joints and non-vertebral joints.
When the fourth stage occurs, adaptive changes are observed in the affected vertebrae.In this case, the human body adapts to the excess mobility of the vertebrae, overcoming it.As a result of immobilization of the spine, osteophytes appear - marginal bone growths on the adjacent surfaces of the vertebral bodies.The osteophyte can damage the nerve root.Fibrous changes gradually occur in intervertebral discs and joints.As a result, a kind of armor is formed in the vertebral-motor segment and the manifestations gradually disappear.
Causes of osteochondrosis
Experts make different assumptions about the reasons contributing to the development of osteochondrosis.These reasons include mechanical injuries to the spine, disturbances in metabolic processes in the body and a predisposition to a disease of a hereditary nature.But it is difficult to determine a clear cause for the development of the disease due to the prevalence of the disease.It frequently occurs in young and old people;in the physically strong and in the less trained.
Sometimes you can hear the opinion that the symptoms of osteochondrosis arise due to the deposition of salts in the human spine.Patients often talk about salt deposits if they hear creaking and popping in the joints.In fact, the disease develops as a result of tissue malnutrition.As a result, its structure is gradually degenerating.Bone and cartilaginous tissues are in a constant process of renewal.If a person practices regular and adequate physical activity, the tissue becomes more elastic.But for people who lead a sedentary lifestyle, this fabric is less durable.
Also, the cause of the development of osteochondrosis can be excess weight, poor posture, negative environmental conditions, peculiarities of body position during work, unevenly developed musculoskeletal system, pregnancy, stress, hypothermia, infections.
Thus, the range of factors that provoke the development of the disease is very wide.An important role in this process is played by the characteristics of blood flow and nutrition of cartilage and bone tissue.There are no blood vessels in adult spinal discs, so the discs receive oxygen and all the necessary nutrients from neighboring tissues.Therefore, for normal nutrition of the spinal discs, blood circulation in the surrounding tissues must be constantly activated.This process can be accelerated by ensuring active muscle work.
Osteochondrosis symptoms
The manifestations of the disease can be varied and directly depend on the stage of development of the disease.The most pronounced symptoms of the disease appear when the pathological process spreads to the posterior part of the fibrous ring and the posterior longitudinal ligament.In the process of activating the pathological process, the patient develops reflex and compression neurological syndromes.
Osteochondrosis can manifest itself in various parts of the body, which is why the symptoms of the disease are very broad.A patient with osteochondrosis may experience pain in the limbs or numbness, sometimes pain in the chest area, dysfunction of the genitals and headache.At the same time, a person does not even realize that the cause of such manifestations is osteochondrosis.
If a patient develops osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the symptoms may resemble manifestations of heart disease: angina pectoris, myocardial infarction.That is why erroneous treatment is sometimes practiced, which leads to further progression of osteochondrosis.Therefore, if the development of this disease is suspected, a person should immediately consult a doctor and undergo the necessary tests.
Osteochondrosis is mainly manifested by pain and a strong feeling of discomfort in the back.In some cases, the pain occurs periodically, not constantly.It may disappear for a while.But for every person, the occurrence of pain should be a very alarming symptom and cause for concern.It is important to think and determine what exactly caused the pain.For example, it can be intense physical activity, lifting weights.
The next symptom indicative of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is numbness in the arms and legs, as well as pain in them.Similar symptoms are characteristic of other types of osteochondrosis.Most often, the pain develops in the left leg or arm, sometimes radiating to the heart under the ribs.If these symptoms appear, you should not immediately rush to take medications for the heart or other diseases, but you should listen carefully and evaluate the nature of the pain, its changes depending on what exactly the person is doing at the moment.All your observations must be told in detail to the doctor, after which the patient is prescribed massage, gymnastics and other methods of treatment.Contacting a specialist in the early stages of the disease will ensure more effective treatment.
Thus, most often, patients diagnosed with osteochondrosis complain of a feeling of discomfort in the spine in different places, pain of varying intensity and nature.They present a higher level of tiredness, which manifests itself both during physical and mental work.Sensation can be impaired in different areas of the body, most often in the limbs.Patients may also notice coldness in their arms and legs.Dizziness and headaches are often manifestations of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.Visual acuity may also noticeably decrease.
If a patient has osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, in this case various disorders of the human reproductive system may appear.After treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region, men often notice an improvement in potency.At the same time, if osteochondrosis of the sacral spine develops in a woman, this can complicate the conception process, as well as pregnancy.In addition to these symptoms, other manifestations are possible in osteochondrosis: muscle spasms, difficulty moving, sharp pains, etc.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
The most important point in the process of diagnosing osteochondrosis is collecting anamnesis, and the most important point in this process is interviewing the patient, who must describe all complaints in detail to the doctor.If some symptoms of the disease are characteristic manifestations of osteochondrosis, there are also many signs that are important to differentiate from the manifestations of other diseases.Dysfunctions of many organs that manifest themselves in osteochondrosis are often similar to the symptoms of gastritis, angina pectoris and gastric ulcers.That is why each symptom of osteochondrosis is subjected to detailed study and analysis.
During diagnosis, the doctor takes into account the patient's age and the development of symptoms.To clarify the diagnosis, additional research methods are used.Most often in this case, X-ray examination is practiced.To determine the patient's condition, an x-ray of the spine is performed.If there are more specific complaints, a targeted x-ray is performed, aimed at the site of the injury.
Myelography is considered a relatively complex diagnostic method.This test involves injecting a contrast fluid into the spinal canal.In this case, there is a risk of spinal cord injury, as well as an allergic reaction.But at the same time, this method is considered informative if it is necessary to determine the presence of a spinal hernia.
In addition, the use of computed tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance is practiced.However, they are relatively expensive, which is why they are practiced mainly when it is necessary to make differential diagnoses, as well as determine the presence of a spinal tumor.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
In order for the treatment of spinal osteochondrosis to be effective, it is necessary to provide not only an accurate diagnosis, but also an integrated approach to the problem.The doctor, as a rule, prescribes treatment methods depending on which part of the spine is affected.The main methods of therapy for the cervical spine, as well as the thoracic and lumbar spine are massage, manual therapy, acupuncture, electrical stimulation, therapeutic exercises, vacuum therapy, traction and other methods.Parallel treatment with folk remedies can also be practiced.
The doctor prescribes treatment to ensure the elimination of the symptoms that bother the patient, as well as the cause of the spinal pathology.Relieve pain through the use of physical therapy methods and medications.Special exercises are also practiced for spinal osteochondrosis.
One of the main methods of treating spinal osteochondrosis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system is the use of physiotherapy.For this purpose, special rehabilitation equipment is used.By regularly performing exercises individually selected by a specialist, you can improve blood circulation and activate metabolism.As a result, the nutrition of the intervertebral discs improves and the load on the spine decreases.
The physiotherapy method involves the impact on the body of various physical factors.With the help of low-frequency current, magnetic field and laser, pain is effectively relieved, inflammation is reduced, and parallel drug treatment is more effective.With the help of massage you can relieve muscle tension and pain and activate blood circulation.Manual therapy allows you to relieve acute and persistent chronic pain in the joints and spine, increase range of motion, and also has a general positive effect on the body.The spinal traction procedure is used to relieve severe pain.It is carried out on special equipment.In the process, the intervertebral space increases and the shape of the spine is restored.Drug treatment is practiced mainly during the period of exacerbation.
But in most cases, even effective treatment can only slow the progression of the disease and prevent exacerbation.Complete cure is only possible at the initial stage of osteochondrosis.It is important to take into account that the duration of treatment depends on the advanced stage of the disease, the methods of therapy, as well as how carefully the patient follows all the doctor's prescriptions and recommendations.Typically, the active treatment period lasts one to three months.After the operation, the person recovers for about a year.If conservative therapy does not bring the expected results and there are special indications, the doctor prescribes surgical treatment.
Prevention of osteochondrosis
People who already suffer from manifestations of osteochondrosis should try not to overload the spine and minimize pressure on the intervertebral discs.It is advisable to always try to keep your back straight and avoid spinal injuries.A comfortable bed for a night's sleep is important: you need to choose an individual orthopedic mattress.You should not lift weights weighing more than 10 kg and, to lift an object, you must first sit down, pick up the object and then stand up with it.Women should not wear shoes with very high heels.Additionally, people who complain of back pain should exercise every day to strengthen their core muscles.Swimming is recommended whenever possible.