Osteochondrosis is a pathology caused by degenerative processes in cartilage tissue.In most cases, stable functioning of the intervertebral discs is observed, which is why most often they talk about spinal osteochondrosis.
pathogeny
First of all, osteochondrosis is associated with the fact that a person is in an upright position for a long time, which causes increased load on the spine and intervertebral discs.
With age, the functionality of blood vessels decreases, the diet becomes less balanced and the body ages, which only accelerates the development of pathological processes.
Osteochondrosis is a multifactorial disease;The main prerequisites for its development can be:
- work associated with vibrations or in which the position of the body changes frequently (flexion-extension, turns, bending, sudden movements);
- lift weights;
- overweight;
- multiple pregnancy;
- lack of vitamins in the body;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- sleep on a soft mattress;
- poor posture (scoliosis);
- vertebral instability.
Aggravation of the dystrophic process of disc destruction may be associated with intense physical activity (especially without prior warm-up), injuries or skeletal pathology that changes the distribution of the load on the spine.
Characteristic signs of pathology.
Numbness and pain, as the main manifestations of osteochondrosis, can be observed throughout the body or only in the back.The pain intensifies with sudden movements, physical activity and, in some cases, sneezing or coughing.The body's attempt to protect itself from pain leads to increased muscle tension and limited motor ability.
If a person does not receive help and treatment is not started, the pain intensifies even more, spreads to the extremities and limits mobility.When the cervicothoracic spine is affected, the arms are affected and the lumbar spine is affected by the lower extremities.
Symptomatic manifestations differ depending on the part of the spine affected.
Types and symptoms of osteochondrosis.
The pathology can affect various parts of the spine.Taking into account the location, osteochondrosis can develop in the cervical (more than 25% of diagnosed cases), lumbar (more than 50%) or thoracic (12%) regions.
Aggravation of the dystrophic process of disc destruction may be associated with intense physical activity (especially without prior warm-up), injuries or skeletal pathology that changes the distribution of the load on the spine.
Osteochondrosis of the neck
The spinal cord, arteries (which supply the brain), nerve trunks and roots (which create a nerve connection to the arms, lungs and heart) pass through the cervical region.As the years go by, especially for people who are not trained or work for a long time in front of the computer, neck movements become difficult.
Characteristic symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis:
- headaches and heart pain;
- dizziness (possible short-term loss of consciousness, which is associated with poor blood supply to the brain);
- numbness and pain in the joints of the shoulders or arms.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region.
Pain in the chest area is familiar to people who do physical work frequently and for a long time, representatives of "sedentary" professions (architects, designers, drivers).
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region:
- feeling of having “a bet in the chest”;
- painful sensations in the cervical region, between the shoulder blades;
- numbness of the hands (temporary, prolonged);
- hearing and visual impairment;
- increased sweating;
- headaches that radiate to the back of the head (often long lasting, up to 12 hours);
- changes in blood and intracranial pressure;
- tachycardia and arrhythmia.
A good prevention of thoracic osteochondrosis is correct posture.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis.
Health problems caused by osteochondrosis in the lumbar region are as follows:
- frequent urination;
- numbness of the extremities;
- dizziness;
- muscle spasms and cramps;
- difficulties with movement, bending and turning of the body;
- development of scoliosis;
- lower back pain, especially in the morning, immediately after waking up;
- alteration of sensitivity and muscle tone.
The pain and its intensity reach their peak during the acute period of the disease.Its duration can bother a person for several days, but sometimes the pain persists for weeks and even months.As the pathological process that occurs in the intervertebral discs progresses, the severity of the symptoms decreases.After 60 years, the disease becomes chronic and the pain disappears.
Stages of the disease
Osteochondrosis is a progressive pathology, the transition to each subsequent form occurs gradually.One of the stages is the formation of a hernia, which occurs when the annulus fibrosus thins.Through the rupture, a protrusion of the nucleus occurs, compression of the roots, which causes increased pain and a decrease in the shock absorption capacity of the disc.
The main stages of the development of osteochondrosis:
- A person develops characteristic complaints caused by physical exertion or prolonged stay in one position.The x-ray shows a slight narrowing of the spaces between the vertebrae.
- Loss of disc stability, cartilaginous tissue extends towards the annulus fibrosus and nerve roots become compressed.An x-ray shows a decrease in the intervertebral distance, displacement of the vertebrae and proliferation of bone tissue.
- Intervertebral hernias develop.The disc moves further and further into the surrounding tissue.The violation causes damage to the nerves and blood vessels.The pain intensifies, there is numbness and limitation in movement of the extremities.
- The disc hardens and is replaced by scar tissue.With fibrosis, bone protrusions grow along the edge, and the distance between the vertebrae decreases significantly.The mobility of the spine decreases, it seems to ossify.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis.
A doctor makes a preliminary diagnosis based on the patient's complaints and after a visual examination.Pain and tenderness at certain points, the state of muscle tone, range of motion and the presence of postural disorders (for example, signs of scoliosis) are taken into account.
The presence of osteochondrosis and its stage are clarified after instrumental research methods are carried out.First of all, an x-ray of the interested part of the spine is prescribed.
After studying the images, the specialist determines:
- if the intervertebral distance has decreased;
- if the cartilage tissue is depleted;
- at what stage is the pathological process in progress.
If an intervertebral hernia is detected in a patient, an MRI is prescribed.By scanning and layer-by-layer visualization of soft tissues, a preliminary diagnosis can be confirmed or refuted with great precision.
How to treat osteochondrosis
Therapy for the disease is long-term, the main goal is to relieve pain and muscle tension and, after identifying the provoking cause, to stop the development of the pathological process.
The specialist decides which treatment method will be most effective, based on the results of the study and the severity of the ongoing pathology.process.
Pharmacological treatment of osteochondrosis.
The main goal of this type of disease is to stop the inflammatory process and pain and relieve muscle spasms.This can be done by taking the patient:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.To reduce the tone of skeletal muscles, muscle spasms and compression of nerve roots, the specialist supplements NSAIDs with muscle relaxants.
- Vitamin preparations of group B.
The optimal treatment period is 7 to 10 days.
Medication is usually complemented by local treatment.Hot ointments or gels containing NSAIDs can be applied to the affected area, which helps increase blood supply, metabolism and stop inflammation.External remedies quickly relieve pain, since the main active substance penetrates into the inflammation and immediately begins to "act".
Taking medications is usually complemented by physiotherapy, massages, physioreflexology or manual therapy.
The main task of people suffering from osteochondrosis is to reduce the frequency and severity of pain symptoms (especially during exacerbations).Compliance with the doctor's recommendations and the use of medications in combination with physiotherapy exercises will help restore normal functioning of the spine and avoid surgical intervention.