Osteochondrosis is a disease in which degenerative processes occur in the tissues of the spine.Damage develops to the intervertebral discs, the articular surfaces adjacent to them, the vertebral bodies and ligaments.As a rule, initially with osteochondrosis, pathological changes occur in the bones and ligaments.Moreover, a person realizes the onset of the disease only when he begins to suffer from complications of this condition: back pain, reduced 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 the age of 30.Today, lumbar osteochondrosis is detected more often (in about half of cases).
Stages of osteochondrosis
The disease develops in humans in several stages.In the first phase of the progression of the disease, the process of dehydration of the nucleus pulposus begins.As a result, the height of the disc decline decreases and cracks form in the annulus fibrosus.However, pathological changes do not occur outside the intervertebral disc.
In the second phase, a convergence of two adjacent vertebrae is observed due to the decrease in the height of the disc, the attachment point of muscles and ligaments.Due to the failure of ligaments and muscles, excessive mobility of the vertebrae appears, which causes the development of instability of the vertebral movement segment.During this time, the vertebrae may slip or shift, causing 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 the 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 excessive mobility of the vertebrae, overcoming it.As a result of immobilization of the spine, osteophytes appear - marginal bony outgrowths on the adjacent surfaces of the vertebral bodies.Osteophytes can damage the nerve root.Fibrous changes gradually occur in the intervertebral discs and joints.As a result, a kind of armor is formed on the vertebral-motor segment and the manifestations gradually disappear.
Causes of osteochondrosis
Experts make different hypotheses regarding the reasons contributing to the development of osteochondrosis.Such reasons include mechanical injuries to the spine, disorders in the metabolic processes of 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 often occurs in young and old people;in physically strong subjects and in less trained subjects.
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 sounds in the joints.In fact, the disease develops due to tissue malnutrition.As a result, their structure is gradually degenerating.Bone and cartilage tissues are constantly undergoing a renewal process.If a person carries out regular and adequate physical activity, the tissue becomes more elastic.But for people who lead a mostly 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 the body position during work, unevenly developed musculoskeletal system, pregnancy, stress, hypothermia, infections.
Therefore, the range of factors provoking 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.In adult spinal discs there are no blood vessels, so the discs receive oxygen and all the necessary nutrients from nearby 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.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
The manifestations of the disease can be various and directly depend on the stage of development in which the disease is found.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 compressive neurological syndromes.
Osteochondrosis can manifest itself in various parts of the body, so the symptoms of the disease are very broad.A patient suffering from osteochondrosis may experience pain in the limbs or numbness, sometimes chest pain, dysfunction of the genital organs 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 manifestations of heart disease: angina pectoris, myocardial infarction.That is why incorrect 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 manifested mainly by pain and a strong feeling of discomfort in the back.In some cases, pain occurs periodically, not constantly.It might disappear for a while.But for any person, the appearance 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 could be vigorous physical activity, weight lifting.
The next indicative symptom 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, 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 should 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.
So, very often, patients diagnosed with osteochondrosis complain of a feeling of discomfort in the spine in different places, pain of varying intensity and nature.They have a higher level of fatigue, which manifests itself during both 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 the arms and legs.Dizziness and headaches are often manifestations of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.Visual acuity may also decrease significantly.
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 process of conception and 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 the collection of anamnesis, and the most important point in this process is the interview with the patient, who must describe in detail all complaints to the doctor.If some symptoms of the disease are characteristic manifestations of osteochondrosis, then there are also many important signs to differentiate them from the manifestations of other diseases.The 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.
When making the diagnosis, the doctor takes into account the patient's age and the development of symptoms.To clarify the diagnosis, additional methods for research are used.Most often in this case, X-ray examination is practiced. To determine the patient's condition, a probing x-ray of the spine is performed.If there are more specific complaints, targeted x-ray is performed, aimed at the site of the lesion.
Myelography is considered a relatively complex diagnostic method.This test involves the injection of a contrast liquid into the spinal canal.In this case there is a risk of damage to the spinal cord and 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 practiced mainly when it is necessary to make a differential diagnosis and 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 the affected part of the spine.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.You can also practice a parallel treatment with folk remedies.
The doctor prescribes treatment in such a way as to ensure the elimination of the symptoms that bother the patient, as well as the cause causing the pathology of the spine.Relieve pain through the use of physiotherapeutic methods and drugs.Special exercises for spinal osteochondrosis are also practiced.
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 purpose, special rehabilitation equipment is used.By regularly performing exercises selected individually by a specialist, you can improve blood circulation and activate the 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, 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 freedom of movement and also has an overall positive effect on the body.The spinal traction procedure is used to relieve severe pain.It is performed on special equipment.In this way 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 its exacerbation.It is possible to completely heal only in the initial stage of osteochondrosis.It is important to keep in mind that the duration of treatment depends on the advanced stage of the disease, the methods of therapy and 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, a person recovers for about a year.If conservative therapy does not bring the expected results and there are particular 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 to avoid spinal injuries.A comfortable bed for sleeping is important: you need to choose an individual orthopedic mattress.You should not lift weights weighing more than 10kg 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 heels that are too high.Additionally, people who complain of back pain should do exercises every day to strengthen their core muscles.Bathing is recommended whenever possible.