Osteochondrosis is a disease in which degenerative processes occur in the tissues of the spine.Damage occurs to the intervertebral discs, the adjacent articular surfaces, the vertebral bodies and the ligaments.As a rule, osteochondrosis initially leads to pathological changes in the bones and ligaments.In addition, a person recognizes the onset of the disease only when he begins to suffer from the complications of this disease - back pain, sensory impairment, 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.Nowadays, lumbar osteochondrosis is most often detected (in about half of cases).
Stages of osteochondrosis
The disease progresses gradually in humans.At the first stage of the course of the disease, the process of dehydration of the nucleus pulposus begins.As a result, the height of the disc herniation decreases and cracks form in the fibrous ring.However, no pathological changes occur outside the intervertebral disc.
In the second stage, convergence of two adjacent vertebrae is observed as a result of a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc, the attachment point of muscles and ligaments.Due to the relaxation of ligaments and muscles, excessive mobility of the vertebrae occurs, which leads to the development of instability of the vertebral motion 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.Herniations and disc protrusions form, and subluxations occur in the intervertebral joints and non-covertebral joints.
When the fourth stage occurs, adaptive changes are observed in the affected vertebrae.In this case, the human body adapts to and overcomes excessive mobility of the vertebrae.As a result of the immobilization of the spine, osteophytes appear - marginal bone growths on adjacent surfaces of the vertebral bodies.Osteophyte can injure the nerve root.Gradually, fibrous changes occur in the intervertebral discs and joints.As a result, a kind of armor forms on the vertebral motor segment and the phenomena gradually disappear.
Causes of osteochondrosis
Experts have different opinions about the reasons that contribute to the development of osteochondrosis.These reasons include mechanical injuries to the spine, disruption of the body's metabolic processes and a predisposition to a hereditary disease.However, due to the prevalence of the disease, it is difficult to determine a clear cause of the disease's development.It is common in young and old people;among the physically strong and among the less experienced.
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 when they hear creaking and crunching in the joints.In fact, the disease arises as a result of tissue malnutrition.As a result, their structure gradually degenerates.The bone and cartilage tissue is subject to a constant renewal process.With regular, sufficient physical activity, the tissue becomes more elastic.But for people who lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, this fabric is less durable.
In addition, excess weight, poor posture, negative environmental conditions, peculiarities of posture during work, unevenly developed musculoskeletal system, pregnancy, stress, hypothermia and infections can be the cause of the development of osteochondrosis.
Therefore, the spectrum of factors that trigger the development of the disease is very wide.An important role in this process is played by the properties of blood circulation and nutrition of cartilage and bone tissue.There are no blood vessels in the intervertebral discs of adults, so the intervertebral discs receive oxygen and all the necessary nutrients from neighboring tissues.Therefore, for normal nutrition of the intervertebral discs, the blood flow to the surrounding tissue must be constantly activated.This process can be accelerated by active muscle work.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
The manifestations of the disease can be diverse and directly depend on what stage of development the disease is at.The most pronounced symptoms of the disease occur when the pathological process spreads to the posterior part of the fibrous ring and the posterior longitudinal ligament.In the course of activation of the pathological process, the patient develops neurological reflex and compression syndromes.
Osteochondrosis can manifest itself in different parts of the body, so the symptoms of the disease are very diverse.A patient with osteochondrosis may experience pain in the limbs or numbness, sometimes chest pain, dysfunction of the sexual organs and headaches.At the same time, the person is not even aware 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.For this reason, incorrect treatment is sometimes carried out, which leads to 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 primarily manifested by pain and severe discomfort in the back.In some cases, pain occurs intermittently rather than constantly.It may disappear for a while.But for every person, the appearance of pain should be a very alarming symptom and cause for concern.It is important to think about it and determine what exactly caused the pain.For example, it could be intense physical activity or lifting weights.
The next indicative symptom of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is numbness in the arms and legs and pain in them.Similar symptoms are characteristic of other types of osteochondrosis.The pain most commonly occurs in the left leg or arm and sometimes radiates to the heart below the ribs.If such symptoms appear, you should not immediately take medications for heart or other diseases, but listen carefully and assess the nature of the pain.Its changes depend on what exactly the person is doing at the moment.All your observations should be reported to the doctor in detail.Then the patient is prescribed massages, gymnastics and other treatment methods.Contacting a specialist in the early stages of the disease ensures more effective treatment.
Therefore, patients diagnosed with osteochondrosis most often complain of discomfort in the spine in different places, as well as pain of varying intensity and nature. They have a higher level of fatigue, which is noticeable during both physical and mental work.Sensation can be affected in various areas of the body, most commonly in the limbs.Patients may also notice coldness in their arms and legs.Dizziness and headaches are often signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.Visual acuity can also noticeably decrease.
If a patient suffers from osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, in this case various disorders of the human reproductive system may occur.After treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region, men often note an improvement in potency.If osteochondrosis of the sacral spine develops in a woman at the same time, 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, stabbing pains, etc.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
The most important point in the diagnosis of osteochondrosis is the collection of anamnesis, and the most important point in this process is the questioning of the patient, who must describe all the complaints in detail to the doctor.If some symptoms of the disease are characteristic manifestations of osteochondrosis, then there are also many signs that are important to distinguish it from the manifestations of other diseases.Dysfunction of many organs, manifested by osteochondrosis, often resembles the symptoms of gastritis, angina and stomach ulcers.That is why each symptom of osteochondrosis is subjected to a detailed examination and analysis.
When making a diagnosis, the doctor takes into account the patient's age and the development of symptoms.To clarify the diagnosis, additional research methods are used.In this case, an X-ray examination is most often carried out.To determine the patient's condition, an X-ray of the spine is performed.For more specific complaints, a targeted x-ray is taken, aimed at the lesion site.
Myelography is considered a relatively complex diagnostic method.During this examination, a contrast fluid is injected into the spinal canal.In this case, there is a risk of damage to the spinal cord and an allergic reaction.However, at the same time, this method is considered informative when it is necessary to determine the presence of a spinal fracture.
In addition, the use of computer tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance is practiced.However, they are relatively expensive and are therefore mainly used when a differential diagnosis is required and the presence of a spinal tumor must be determined.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
In order for the treatment of spinal osteochondrosis to be effective, it requires not only an accurate diagnosis, but also a holistic approach to the problem.The doctor usually prescribes treatment methods depending on which part of the spine is affected.The main methods of therapy for the cervical, 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 carried out.
The doctor prescribes treatment in such a way as to eliminate the symptoms that bother the patient, as well as the cause that causes the pathology of the spine.Relieve pain through the use of physiotherapeutic methods and medications.Special exercises are also performed for spinal osteochondrosis.
One of the main methods of treating osteochondrosis of the spine and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system is the use of physiotherapy.For this purpose, special rehabilitation devices are used.Through regular exercises individually selected by a specialist, you can improve blood circulation and activate metabolism.This improves the nutrition of the intervertebral discs and reduces the load on the spine.
The method of physiotherapy involves the influence of various physical factors on the body.With the help of low-frequency current, magnetic fields and lasers, pain is effectively relieved, inflammation is reduced and parallel drug treatment is more effective.With the help of massage you can relieve tension and muscle pain and activate blood circulation.Manual therapy allows you to relieve acute and persistent chronic pain in the joints and spine, increases freedom of movement and has an overall positive effect on the body.The spinal traction procedure is used to relieve severe pain.It is carried out on special devices.The intervertebral space increases and the shape of the spine is restored.Drug treatment is mainly practiced during the exacerbation phase.
But in most cases, even effective treatment can only slow the progression of the disease and prevent it from getting worse.Complete healing is possible only in the initial stages of osteochondrosis.It is important to take into account that the duration of treatment depends on how advanced the disease is, on the methods of therapy and on how carefully the patient follows all the doctor's prescriptions and recommendations.Typically, the active treatment period lasts one to three months.After surgery, 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 manifestations of osteochondrosis should try not to overload the spine and minimize pressure on the intervertebral discs.It is advisable to always pay attention to a straight back 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 that weigh more than 10 kg.To lift an object, you must first sit down, take the object, and then stand up with it.Women should not wear shoes with heels that are too high.In addition, people who complain of back pain should do exercises to strengthen their core muscles every day.It is recommended to go swimming whenever possible.