Osteochondrosis is a disease in which degenerative processes occur in the tissues of the spine.Damage to intervertebral discs, articular surfaces adjacent to them, vertebral bodies and ligaments develops.As a rule, initially with osteochondrosis, pathological changes occur in the bones and ligaments.Moreover, a person understands the onset of the disease only when he begins to suffer from the complications of this condition - back pain, impaired sensitivity, muscle atrophy, dysfunction of internal organs.
This disease is 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 old.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 stage of disease progression, the process of dehydration of the nucleus pulposus begins.As a result, the height of the disc drop decreases and cracks are created in the annulus fibrosus.However, pathological changes do not occur outside the intervertebral disc.
In the second stage, a convergence of two adjacent vertebrae is observed as a result of a decrease in the height of the disc, the point of attachment of muscles and ligaments.Due to the sagging of the ligaments and muscles, excessive mobility of the vertebrae appears, which provokes the development of instability of the vertebral movement segment.During this period, the vertebrae can slip or shift, resulting in spondylolisthesis.
The third stage of the development of osteochondrosis is characterized by pronounced morphological changes in the intervertebral discs.The formation of prolapses and protrusion of discs occurs, subluxations develop in 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 excessive movement 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.Osteophytes can damage the nerve root.Fibrous changes gradually occur in the discs and intervertebral 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 that contribute to the development of osteochondrosis.Such reasons include mechanical injuries of the spine, disturbances in the metabolic processes of the body and a predisposition to a disease that is hereditary in nature.But it is difficult to determine a clear cause for the development of the disease due to the prevalence of the disease.It often occurs in the young and the elderly;to the physically strong and to 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 crackling and crackling in the joints.In fact, the disease develops as a result of tissue malnutrition.As a result, their structure is gradually degenerating.Bone and cartilage tissues are constantly undergoing a renewal process.If a person has adequate regular physical activity, the tissue becomes more elastic.But for people who lead a mostly sedentary lifestyle, this fabric is less durable.
In addition, the cause of the development of osteochondrosis can be excess weight, poor posture, negative environmental conditions, peculiarities of the 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 the spinal discs of adults, so the discs receive oxygen and all the necessary nutrients from the neighboring tissues.Therefore, for the normal nutrition of the spinal discs, the blood circulation in the surrounding tissues must be constantly activated.This process can be accelerated by ensuring active muscle work.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
Manifestations of the disease can be different and directly depend on the stage of development in which the disease is located.The most pronounced symptoms of the disease appear when the pathological process spreads to the back of the fibrous ring and the posterior longitudinal ligament.In the process of activating the pathological process, the patient develops reflex and compressive neurological syndromes.
Osteochondrosis can appear in different parts of the body, so the symptoms of the disease are very wide.A patient with osteochondrosis may experience pain in the limbs or numbness, sometimes pain in the chest area, dysfunction of the genitals and headaches.At the same time, the 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 the manifestations of heart disease: angina pectoris, myocardial infarction.That is why sometimes the wrong treatment is practiced, which leads to the further progression of osteochondrosis.Therefore, if you suspect the development of this disease, 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 appears periodically, not constantly.It may disappear for a while.But for any person, the appearance of pain should be a very alarming symptom and a 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.
Another 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 such 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 treatment methods.Contacting a specialist in the early stages of the disease will ensure more effective treatment.
So, more often, patients diagnosed with osteochondrosis complain of a feeling of discomfort in the spine in different places, pain of different intensity and nature.They have a higher level of fatigue, which appears both during physical and mental work.Sensation can be impaired in different areas of the body, more often in the limbs.Patients may also notice coldness in their arms and legs.Dizziness and headache are often manifestations of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.Visual acuity can also decrease significantly.
If a patient has osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, then in this case a number of 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 a woman develops osteochondrosis of the sacral spine, this can complicate the process of conception, as well as pregnancy.In addition to these symptoms, other manifestations are possible with osteochondrosis: muscle spasms, difficulty moving, shooting pains, etc.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
The most important point in the process of diagnosing osteochondrosis is collecting an anamnesis, and the most important point in this process is interviewing the patient, who must describe all complaints to the doctor in detail.If some symptoms of the disease are characteristic manifestations of osteochondrosis, then there are also many signs that are important to distinguish from the manifestations of other diseases.The dysfunctions of many organs that manifest in osteochondrosis are often similar to the symptoms of gastritis, angina pectoris and gastric ulcer.That is why every symptom of osteochondrosis is subject to detailed study and analysis.
During the diagnosis, the doctor takes into account the age of the patient and the development of symptoms.To clarify the diagnosis, additional research methods are used.X-ray examination is most often practiced in this case. To determine the patient's condition, a survey radiograph of the spine is performed.If there are more specific complaints, target radiography is practiced, directed to the site of the lesion.
Myelography is considered a relatively complex diagnostic method.This examination involves injecting a contrast fluid into the spinal canal.In this case, there is a risk of damage to the spinal cord, 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, so they are mainly practiced when it is necessary to carry out a differential diagnosis, as well as to determine the presence of a tumor of the spine.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
For the treatment of spinal osteochondrosis to be effective, it is necessary to ensure 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 the treatment in such a way as to ensure the elimination of the symptoms that bother the patient, as well as the cause that causes the pathology of the spine.Relieve pain through the use of physiotherapy methods and medications.Special exercises are also practiced for osteochondrosis of the spine.
One of the main methods of treatment of spinal osteochondrosis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system is the use of physical therapy.For this, 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 is improved, and the load on the back is reduced.
The physiotherapy method includes the impact on the body of various physical factors.With the help of low-frequency current, magnetic field, laser, pain is effectively relieved, inflammation is reduced, and parallel treatment with drugs is more effective.With the help of massage you can relieve muscle tension and pain and activate blood circulation.Manual therapy makes it possible to relieve acute and persistent chronic pain in the joints and spine, increase the 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 performed on special equipment.In this process, the intervertebral space increases and the shape of the spine is restored.Drug treatment is mainly practiced during the period of irritation.
But in most cases, even effective treatment can slow the progression of the disease and prevent its worsening.It is possible to fully recover only in the initial stage of osteochondrosis.It is important to keep in mind that the duration of treatment depends on how advanced the disease is, the methods of therapy, as well as how carefully the patient follows all prescriptions and recommendations of the doctor.Typically, the period of active treatment lasts from one to three months.After the operation, a 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 the manifestations of osteochondrosis should try not to overload the spine and minimize the pressure on the intervertebral discs.It is advisable to always try to keep your back straight and avoid spinal injuries.A comfortable bed for night sleep is important: you should choose an individual orthopedic mattress.You should not lift weights that weigh 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.In addition, people who complain of back pain should do exercises every day to strengthen their core muscles.It is recommended to swim whenever possible.