Osteochondrosis disease: what is it and how is it expressed?This is a fairly common pathology, appearing more often in older people, but today the incidence is often observed among young people.To select the correct treatment for osteochondrosis, it is necessary to establish the cause of its occurrence and the stage of damage to the body.Well, to recognize this disease, you need to have an idea of \u200b\u200bwhat kind of disease it is and everything related to osteochondrosis in general.And how to get rid of osteochondrosis and alleviate the patient's condition?
What is osteochondrosis?
The diagnosis of osteochondrosis is a destructive degenerative disease of the spine.The basis of this disease is a change in the trophism of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, resulting in disruption of the normal structure of tissues.The cartilaginous disc becomes inelastic, changes its shape and consistency.The width of the intervertebral spaces narrows and the damaged section of the spine loses its stability.Damage to the correct relationship between the vertebrae is associated with compression of the nerve endings extending from the spinal cord and the intensity of the back muscles.As a result, neurological symptoms of osteochondrosis and pain appear.
Dystrophic disorders in the disc lead to a decrease in the fibrous ring.In this regard, the patient often develops dangerous complications (vertebral hernia, protrusion).
Subsequently, osteochondrosis as a degenerative disease spreads to the small joints of the spinal crest, intervertebral ligaments and bony outgrowths of the vertebrae are formed.The patient can barely bend or straighten;in other words, flexibility disappears, vertebral subluxations and spinal curvatures occur (scoliosis, kyphosis).
Depending on the location, the pathology affects:
- cervical region;
- Chest;
- lumbar.
The first signs of osteochondrosis do not awaken immediately, but gradually.This degenerative damage to bone and cartilaginous tissues rapidly leads to the physiological aging of the organism.What osteochondrosis is and how to treat it can be seen below.
What is back pain?
Dorsalgia is a rather complex syndrome that occurs in various diseases.It can be associated with both back diseases and other internal organ disorders.
Most often it is formed due to osteochondrosis, spondylosis, herniated disc and severe scoliosis.This syndrome manifests itself as mild pain in the damaged area of the back.
Causes of the disease
What causes osteochondrosis?The exact causes of osteochondrosis have not yet been established.There are many predisposing circumstances that cause osteochondrosis, some of them are:
- genetic predisposition;
- changes in metabolic flow in the body;
- intoxications, infectious diseases;
- smoking, stress lead to narrowing and spasm of blood vessels;
- foot diseases causing overload of the spine (flat feet);
- overweight, obesity;
- microtraumas of the spine (blows, falls, jolts) and macrotraumas (bruises, fractures);
- age-related changes;
- hypothermia, sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition lead to a lack of fluids and vitamins;
- metabolic disorders;
- unique climate (high humidity, low air temperatures).
Osteochondrosis has other causes and each of them can manifest itself as a consequence of an incorrect lifestyle.
It is widely believed that many diseases arise from the nerves.Suspicious and capricious people often suffer from diseases of the joints and spine.
The psychological causes of osteochondrosis can also be noted:
- insomnia, depression;
- stress, nervous breakdowns;
- feeling of loneliness, feeling of fear;
- sad mood;
- psychological pathologies;
- problems in sexual life.
The psychology of this disease has not been fully established.
Symptoms
In the case of osteochondrosis, symptoms and treatment will depend on the location of the lesion and the stage of damage.
Symptoms of spinal osteochondrosis affecting the cervical spine appear as follows:
- pain in the parietal, occipital and temporal areas, which increases with rotations and movements of the neck;
- tinnitus, hearing loss;
- dizziness, flickering in the eyes, fainting;
- visual impairment;
- changes in blood pressure;
- hoarse voice, snoring;
- numbness.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the back affecting the thoracic region:
- numbness of the skin in the chest, back, abdomen;
- pain when raising arms, taking a deep breath and exhaling;
- aching, crushing, often sharp, sharp pain in the heart area;
- discomfort and difficulty turning the body in one direction or another;
- severe pain in the spine.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis in women and men with damage to the lumbar region:
- feeling of numbness, tingling, goosebumps on the legs, buttocks;
- high sweating;
- pain in the lumbar region, transmitted to one or two legs;
- varicose veins on the lower limbs;
- feet freeze even in hot temperatures;
- Women have irregular menstruation, men have potency disorders.
When the treatment and symptoms of osteochondrosis are already long and advanced, the damaged vertebrae fuse together, the patient is tormented by the impossibility of movements in one or another area of the spine, and the pain usually decreases or disappears completely.How to treat spinal osteochondrosis?
Diagnostics
If you have osteochondrosis, what should you do and how to overcome it?Before starting treatment for osteochondrosis of the back, the attending physician must correctly establish the diagnosis by initially examining and interviewing the patient.And yet, how to recognize osteochondrosis?
To confirm the pathology, it is necessary to undergo the following examination methods:
- computerized tomography, which recognizes the condition of the intervertebral discs, their structure, their shape, compression of the nerve endings, deformations;
- MRI, which reveals the smallest lesions in the spine area, is used when CT is unable to reveal the exact result;
- x-ray, establishes the extent of the damaged vertebrae, their location and bony appearance;
- Doppler ultrasound detects the degree of change in blood flow through the capillaries that saturate the spinal cord and other organs.
Sometimes, a thorough examination can reveal associated pathologies that arise in case of complications of this disease (hernia, radiculitis, protrusion, kyphosis).
The diagnostic feature is of the utmost importance, since many symptoms and signs are very similar to the symptoms of other diseases, and the pain centers can be the spinal process and even a damaged intervertebral disc.
How to cure spinal osteochondrosis?
Treatment of spinal osteochondrosis is a fairly long process involving the complex use of drugs;you will also need a specific treatment regimen for osteochondrosis and an individual attitude towards each patient.The choice of the necessary therapeutic regimen for any patient is determined by the nature of pathological disorders, the person's condition and the presence of complications of the disease.
Also an important condition on how to deal with osteochondrosis is gradual treatment.First of all, during an exacerbation of osteochondrosis, treatment is aimed at eliminating pain.The patient is advised to rest, use special collars and corsets designed to independently unload the spine.External and internal treatment with medications and physical procedures will be required.
Therefore, procedures capable of preventing the formation of new exacerbations will be necessary (therapeutic exercises, foot reflexology, manual therapy, massage).
Medicines
Is it possible to cure osteochondrosis with drugs?Medicines should be used at the time of exacerbation of the disease.They help reduce symptoms and influence individual etiological factors in the development of the disease.
The most common drugs used to treat osteochondrosis are:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They have an analgesic effect, quickly relieve inflammation and can reduce the increase in temperature of damaged tissues of the spine.These products are used in the form of injections, ointments, gels and tablets.
- Muscle relaxants.They combat the increase in muscle tone, which can often occur with this pathology.
- Chondroprotectors.They reduce the processes of cartilage destruction and lead to their restoration.
- Painkillersfor local effects (piece of pepper, compresses).
- Vitamins E, B1, B2, B6.Increases metabolism, restores damaged tissues.It is best to use them in the form of injections.
- Vasodilating drugs.Designed to remove vascular spasms.
- Glucocorticosteroids.Relieves swelling, inflammation, increases the effect of muscle relaxants, NSAIDs.
- Angioprotectors.Restores blood flow, metabolism, muscle tone of capillaries.
Therapeutic exercise
In case of spinal disease, the symptoms can be pronounced, so only a specialist can advise what to do in case of osteochondrosis.
Physical therapy or physical therapy is an effective treatment for osteochondrosis, since gymnastics to strengthen the back muscles leads to the development of a muscle corset, and this allows you to evenly distribute the load on the spine.Thanks to constant procedures, blood circulation is restored, tissue nutrition is restored, and movements become easier.
For example, special breathing exercises reduce muscle spasms and relieve pain.But swimming can significantly relax and relieve the spine.
However, for the effectiveness and safety of physical therapy, exercises should be performed only after eliminating the acute symptoms of the disease.
Physiotherapy treatment
In addition to medications, the treatment of osteochondrosis of the back also involves physiotherapeutic measures.They help speed up the recovery process and continue to be used throughout the entire remission period outside of flare-ups.There are many methods of physical therapy, and many of them are practiced specifically for osteochondrosis and treatment of osteochondrosis of the back, for example:
- Magnetotherapy– restores metabolic processes, reduces inflammation, tissue swelling and pain.
- Electrophoresis.Medicines used during this procedure promote analgesic results, improve blood flow in damaged tissues, and normalize metabolism.
- Manual therapy– reduces pain, mobility in the joints may occur.
- Laser therapy– normalizes blood circulation, reduces inflammation, pain, stimulates tissue regeneration.
- Acupuncture.Special needles can relieve pain, relieve inflammation and stimulate metabolic processes.
- Massage.Spinal osteochondrosis can be treated with the help of therapeutic massage, which eliminates pain, restores muscle tone and nerve conduction.
- Tractionfor the disease osteochondrosis of the spine in adults.It helps to normalize mobility, blocks the progression of the disease and the manifestation of complications.
It happens that a doctor prescribes a whole series of such procedures to a patient at once.This usually depends on how osteochondrosis manifests itself and associated diseases.The duration of the course is 10 to 15 days.It is recommended to repeat them 3-4 times during the year.In this regard, it is possible to reduce the speed of progression and the frequency of complications several times.
Surgical treatment
Is osteochondrosis treated surgically?For osteochondrosis of the spine, treatment is possible in this way.The reason for this intervention may be the patient's late visit to the doctor, the presence of complications or the failure of conservative treatment.
Any type of surgery helps eliminate pressure on the spinal cord and roots.When a person has an intervertebral hernia, the damaged disc and the hernia itself are completely removed.
The surgical method carries a certain degree of risk and is performed in emergency situations.
Of course, it is unlikely that you will be able to get rid of osteochondrosis forever, but with the help of medications, physiotherapeutic measures and massage you can forget about the unpleasant symptoms of the disease for a certain period of time.