osteochondrosis

Most cases of unpleasant pain in the lower back and spine are associated with diseases 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 more likely it is to stop the progression of osteochondrosis and maintain activity into 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 method of treatment? The disease affects the spine and the tissues between the vertebrae and expresses itself in violation of their shape, density, elasticity, and sometimes even integrity. As a result, the distance between the vertebrae is reduced, the spine gradually loses its stability, pinching of the nerves, the formation of hernias can occur, which is accompanied by back pain and discomfort during movement.

If we briefly describe the essence of osteochondrosis, then this is a gradual abrasion of the tissues of the intervertebral discs (cartilage), leading to spinal instability. If left untreated, ligaments and joints deteriorate, osteophytes appear, posture is disturbed, movements are accompanied by pain.

Causes of spinal osteochondrosis:

• inactive lifestyle with muscle load deficit;
• spinal injury;
• intense systematic stress on the spine;
• heredity;
• overweight;
• hypothermia;
• hormonal and autoimmune diseases;
• toxic poisoning;
• congenital connective tissue failure;
• psychosomatic reasons (stress, depression, etc. ).

Osteochondrosis Symptoms

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

• pain located in a specific area of the spine;
• reflected pain syndrome associated with damage to nearby musculoskeletal tissues;
• myelopathy and radiculopathy 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. Namely: patients notice tingling in muscles, numbness in limbs, other sensory disturbances, decreased strength in arms and legs, headaches and heartache, low back pain.

The pathogenesis of osteochondrosis

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

• spasms, dystonia, inflammation;
• decreased blood circulation;
• damage to nerve cell processes.

In addition, cracks appear in the deformed ring, disc protrusion develops, and a hernia is formed. Typically, these factors suggestive of spinal disease develop during childhood or adolescence and are usually the result of poor posture, scoliosis, sports injuries, infectious diseases, or congenital vascular disorders.

Osteochondrosis stages

There are three stages in the development of spinal osteochondrosis:

• the first, in which the intervertebral disc begins to decrease in height, acquiring a flattened shape, loses moisture, elasticity, and may project;
• the second develops in the absence of treatment and manifests as a violation of the fibrous ring structure of the vertebral disc, appearance of fissures and development of instability in a certain area of the spine;
• characterized by ruptures of the intervertebral cartilage, the development of a hernia, the 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.

Osteochondrosis classification

The classification of osteochondrosis is based on several signs, the main one being the localization zone. Distinguish:

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

Osteochondrosis in the lumbar spine manifests as pain in the lower back, which increases with the rotation of the body, lifting weights. Pain can be in the leg or in both legs, characterized as painful. With an acute syndrome, a hernia is suspected. In lumbar osteochondrosis, spasms of the leg muscles and skin peeling often occur.

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

With osteochondrosis of the spine in the thoracic region, the patient is concerned with pain in the chest, shoulders, armpits, heart. Perhaps a feeling of shortness of breath, the development of intercostal neuralgia attacks.

Osteochondrosis in the lumbar spine is the most common, in the thoracic it is the rarest.

Complications of osteochondrosis

If the patient has thought too late about treating osteochondrosis, when the symptoms of the disease are pronounced, the following complications may occur:

• intervertebral hernia;
• spinal cord effusion;
• kyphosis of the spine;
• protrusion;
• radiculitis;
• paralysis of the lower extremities.

In the absence of treatment, the patient begins to suffer regular exacerbations of the condition, which are characterized by increased pain, restricting movement, and acutely worsening general well-being. The most terrible complication of spinal osteochondrosis is deficiency. Therefore, in order to prevent these serious changes in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system, high-quality and timely treatment for osteochondrosis is needed.

Osteochondrosis diagnosis

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

• taking anamnesis, which implies a conversation between a specialist and a patient to identify the exact area of pain location, factors that cause the worsening of the condition. It is important to know the patient's occupation, the period in which the spinal problems started, when there was an exacerbation, what type of pain in the lower back and in other regions occurs, what treatment methods the patient used.
• Physiological examallows you to determine the proportions of the body, the quality of the movements and actions performed, the condition of the skin, the degree of sensitivity to pain. The doctor, by palpation, determines the state of the muscle tissue, the presence of seals, edema, etc.
• Column X-ray in two planesfor a visual assessment of the condition. Allows to determine the displacement of vertebrae, the presence of osteophytes, the deposition of salt.

If the data collected for the prescription of the treatment are not sufficient, or if a serious pathology of the spine is suspected, the patient is prescribed CT and MRI scans, thanks to which it is possible to examine in detail the vertebrae, vessels, soft tissues, nervous processes and create a complete picture of the status of the spine affected by osteochondrosis to determine treatment tactics.

Osteochondrosis Treatment

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

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

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

Changing the daily regimen in the treatment of spinal osteochondrosis involves decreasing the intensity of physical activity, bed rest with severe pain, excluding curves and tight curves.

Medicines for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine

They can be divided into several groups:

• muscle relaxants for pain relief, including pills, injectable anesthetics and anti-inflammatory injections for osteochondrosis. The homeopathic preparation normalizes the functionality of the thyroid gland, improves lymphatic drainage, has anti-inflammatory, detoxifying and immunomodulating effects.
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. When used in patients with osteoarthritis, it reduces the progression of inflammatory and destructive changes in the joints, improves the integrity, thickness and other characteristics of the cartilage, and stimulates bone tissue repair.
• anti-inflammatory topical ointments and alternative transdermal patches. These drugs have analgesic, antirheumatic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects. The working mechanism is to reduce the production of inflammatory mediators, decrease body temperature and pain.
• chondroprotectors;
• remedies for therapeutic analgesic blocks;
• B vitamins.

Adjuvant treatments

Of the additional funds that can be used to treat, alleviate the general condition and improve spinal and intervertebral disc function, the most effective are shown:

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

Prediction, prevention

If spinal disease is not neglected, proceeds without serious complications, in 1, 5-2 months of competent treatment, the condition can be significantly improved and the transition of the disease to a chronic form can be prevented. In difficult cases, doctors recommend surgical treatment.

Prevention of spinal osteochondrosis includes:

• adherence to the correct daily regimen, with changes in body posture and moderate physical activity;
• regular visits to the pool;
• control of body weight;
• wear comfortable shoes;
• Balanced diet;
• sleeping on an orthopedic pillow and mattress;
• take missing nutrients or preventative homeopathic medicines to boost immunity, improve overall health, and eliminate dystonia.

It is necessary to have medical examinations annually and to see a doctor for treatment immediately after the appearance of any back pain.

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