Osteochondrosis

Most cases of unpleasant pain in the lower back and spine are associated with a disease such as osteochondrosis. It affects about 40% of men and women aged 30-40 years and about 90% of the elderly. Therefore, the earlier the disease is diagnosed, the more thoroughly the patient is examined, the greater the chance of stopping the progression of osteochondrosis and maintaining activity at an older age.

Definition of the disease, the cause of the disease

So what is osteochondrosis, where does it develop, what structures does it affect, what is the treatment method? The disease affects the spine and tissues between the vertebrae and is expressed by a violation of their shape, density, elasticity and sometimes even their integrity. As a result, the distance between the vertebrae is reduced, the spine gradually loses its stability, pinching the nerves, a hernia formation may develop, which is accompanied by back pain and discomfort during movement.

If we briefly describe the essence of osteochondrosis, then it is a gradual friction of the tissues of the intervertebral discs (cartilage), which leads to instability of the spine. If left untreated, ligaments and joints develop, osteophytes appear, posture is disturbed, and movements are accompanied by pain.

Causes of osteochondrosis of the spine:

• an inactive lifestyle with a deficit in muscle load.
• spinal cord injury
• systemic intense stress on the spine.
• heredity;
• overweight;
• hypothermia
• hormonal and autoimmune diseases.
• toxic poisoning
• congenital connective tissue insufficiency.
• psychosomatic reasons (anxiety, depression, etc. ).

Symptoms of osteochondrosis

The disease is characterized by periods of remission and worsening with varying degrees of severity of symptoms. The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the spine, characteristic of the main types of the disease, lumbar, cervical and thoracic:

• pain located in a specific area of the spine.
• pain syndrome of the reflected type associated with damage to nearby musculoskeletal tissues.
• myelopathy and rhizopathy resulting from compression of the nerve endings of the spinal cord and blood vessels.

Depending on which part of the spine is affected by the disease, the list of symptoms of osteochondrosis can vary. That is: patients experience tingling in the muscles, numbness in the limbs, other sensory disturbances, decreased strength in the arms and legs, headaches and heart pain, back pain.

The pathogenesis of osteochondrosis

Before the elastic fibrous nucleus of the intervertebral disc begins to lose its elasticity and deform, a series of processes involving osteochondrosis take place in the human body:

• convulsions, dystonia, inflammation.
• reduced blood circulation.
• damage to nerve cell processes.

Further, cracks appear in the deformed ring, protrusion of the discs develops and a hernia is formed. Typically, these predisposing factors for spinal disease develop during childhood or adolescence and are often the result of poor posture, scoliosis, sports injuries, infectious diseases, or congenital vascular disorders.

Stages of osteochondrosis

There are three stages in the development of osteochondrosis of the spine:

• the first, in which the intervertebral disc begins to decrease in height, acquiring a flattened shape, loses moisture, elasticity, may protrude.
• the second develops in the absence of treatment and is manifested by a violation of the fibrous ring structure of the spine, the appearance of cracks and the development of instability in a specific area of the spine.
• characterized by ruptures of the intervertebral cartilage, hernia development, formation of bone processes of osteophytes.

The symptoms of the development of osteochondrosis of the spine become more intense from the first to the third stage.

Classification of osteochondrosis

The classification of osteochondrosis is based on several points, the most important of which is the localization zone. Distinguish:

• lumbar osteochondrosis?
• osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
• osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine.

Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is manifested by pain in the lumbar region, which increases with the rotation of the body, lifting weights. The pain can be given in the leg or in both legs, which is characterized as pain. With acute syndrome, a hernia is suspected. With lumbar osteochondrosis, often occur spasms in the muscles of the legs, peeling of the skin.

With the development of osteochondrosis of the spine in the cervical spine, vertebrae 1-7 are affected. The disease is accompanied by headache in the back of the head, neck pain, key, shoulders. A jerk is possible during the rotation of the head, numbness of the upper limbs, a feeling of bulging in the throat.

With osteochondrosis of the spine in the chest area, the patient worries about pain in the chest, shoulders, armpits, heart. Perhaps a feeling of shortness of breath, the development of attacks of intercostal neuralgia.

Osteochondrosis in the lumbar spine is the most common, in the thoracic is the most rare.

Complications of osteochondrosis

If the patient thinks of treating osteochondrosis too late, when the symptoms of the disease appear, the following complications may develop:

• intervertebral hernia;
• spinal cord stroke;
• kyphosis of the spine.
• projection;
• rhizocolitis
• paraplegia.

In the absence of treatment, the patient begins to suffer from regular exacerbations of the condition, which are characterized by increased pain, restraint, abruptly deteriorating general well-being. The most terrible complication of osteochondrosis of the spine is disability. Therefore, in order to avoid such serious changes in the work of the musculoskeletal system, high quality and timely treatment of osteochondrosis is required.

Diagnosis of osteochondrosis

A disease like osteochondrosis is mainly the pain in the spine. But it is important to distinguish it from the pain caused by problems other than the degeneration of the intervertebral discs. To do this, doctors perform a step-by-step diagnosis, which includes:

• Download memory, which involves a conversation between a specialist and a patient to determine the exact location of pain, factors that cause the condition to worsen. It is important to know the patient's profession, the period when the problems with the spine began, when there was an exacerbation, what kind of pain occurs in the lumbar region and in other areas, what methods of treatment the patient used.
• Physiological examinationallows you to determine the proportions of the body, the quality of movements and actions performed, the condition of the skin, the degree of sensitivity to pain. The doctor, by palpation, determines the condition of the muscle tissue, the presence of seals, swelling, etc.
• X-ray of the spine in two levelsfor visual assessment of the situation. It allows you to determine the displacement of the vertebrae, the presence of osteophytes, the deposition of salt.

If the data collected for the prescription of treatment are insufficient or there is a suspicion of severe pathology of the spine, the patient is prescribed computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, thanks to which it is possible to examine the vertebrae, blood vessels, soft tissues, nervous systems andcreate a complete picture of the condition of the spine affected by osteochondrosis to determine the regular treatment.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

Like any disease, osteochondrosis requires the identification of the cause that caused its development. Reducing the severity of symptoms is not the main, but an important stage of treatment, the outcome of which depends on various factors. In some cases it is a complete cure, in others it is prevention of complications and disability.

In the treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine, a set of measures is used:

• change of the patient's day regime.
• prescribing medicines to reduce symptoms;
• physiotherapy procedures (massage, acupuncture, electrophoresis, exercise therapy, etc. ).

Changing the daily routine in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine involves reducing the intensity of physical activity, resting in bed with severe pain, blocking sharp turns and turns.

Drugs for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine

They can be divided into several groups:

• muscle relaxants for pain relief, including tablets, injectable anesthetics and anti-inflammatory injections for osteochondrosis. The homeopathic preparation normalizes the function of the thyroid gland, improves the drainage of the lymph, has anti-inflammatory, detoxifying and immunoregulatory effects.
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. When used in patients with osteoarthritis, there is a reduction in the development of inflammatory and destructive changes in the joints, improvement of the integrity, thickness and other characteristics of cartilage and stimulation of bone tissue repair.
• anti-inflammatory topical ointments and alternative transdermal patches. Such drugs have analgesic, antirheumatic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects. The working mechanism is to reduce the production of inflammatory mediators, reduce body temperature and pain.
• chondroprotectants;
• medicines for therapeutic analgesic blockades.
• B-complex vitamins.

Complementary therapies

Of the additional funds that can be used to treat, alleviate the general condition and improve the function of the spine and intervertebral discs, the most effective are:

• acupuncture;
• magnetotherapy;
• professional massage and self-massage.
• physical education courses;
• manual therapy.

Prediction, prevention

If the disease of the spine is not neglected, proceed without serious complications, in 1, 5-2 months of appropriate treatment, the condition can be significantly improved and the transition of the disease to a chronic form can be avoided. In difficult cases, doctors recommend surgery.

Prevention of osteochondrosis of the spine includes:

• maintaining a proper daily routine, with a change in body position and moderate physical activity.
• Regular visits to the pool.
• weight control;
• wearing comfortable shoes;
• balanced nutrition;
• sleeping on orthopedic pillow and mattress.
• taking missing nutrients or preventative homeopathic remedies to boost immunity, improve overall health and eliminate dystonia.

It is necessary to undergo a medical examination annually and consult a doctor for treatment immediately after the onset of any pain in the spine.

No matter what osteochondrosis we are talking about - lumbar, cervical or thoracic, paying attention to one's health should become a good habit, especially when it comes to the basis of the entire musculoskeletal system - the spine.