Degenerative-destructive lesion of the spine, otherwise:osteochondrosis- a disease that includes damage to a person's ligaments and joints, intervertebral discs and vertebral bodies.
Osteochondrosis disease mainly affects older people, regardless of gender, although it should be noted that recently there is a tendency to rejuvenate this disease. Such a rejuvenation of osteochondrosis is directly related to the poor physical development of children and overweight in so many adolescents. In addition, modern adolescents prefer a sedentary pastime near the TV or computer, avoiding sports. The combination of these factors leads to weakening of the back muscles, poor posture and other negative consequences for the spine.
Osteochondrosis and its causes
At the heart of the disease with osteochondrosis is a violation of the trophism of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, which changes the normal structure of tissues. As a result, the cartilaginous disc loses its normal elasticity and shape, reducing the width of the spaces between the vertebrae. Violation of the intervertebral ratio leads to compression of the nerve endings of the spinal cord, as well as a significant overload of the muscles of the spine, which explains the manifestation of pain in osteochondrosis. In addition, with osteochondrosis, quite serious complications also often occur, such as: B. the bulging of part of the intervertebral disc and a vertebral fracture.
In the future, degenerative-destructive changes that occur with osteochondrosis lead to the formation of bone growths in the vertebrae, which also spread to the intervertebral discs and small joints of the spine. It becomes difficult for people with osteochondrosis to perform flexion-extensor movements, and over time they can develop pathologies - scoliosis or kyphosis.
All these degenerative-destructive lesions of the spine are usually the result of the inevitable physiological aging of the human body, but for a number of reasons that will be discussed later in this publication, the process of osteochondrosis can significantly accelerate.
It should be immediately noted that there is no single cause of the occurrence of osteochondrosis, but there are a large number of predisposing factors, and the main ones are:
- bruises, fractures, dislocations and other spinal injuries;
- hereditary predisposition;
- various diseases of the foot that cause vertebral overload, such as clubfoot, flatfoot and others, as well as prolonged wearing of uncomfortable and tight shoes;
- obesity or excessive overweight;
- age-related natural changes in the body;
- violation of metabolic processes in the body;
- maintaining a sedentary lifestyle;
- abrupt cessation of professional sports;
- the special features of the professional activity, e. g. B. frequent jerking and twisting of the body, lifting weights, uncomfortable posture during work;
- persistent and frequent hypothermia, aggravated by high humidity;
- the presence of frequent and prolonged stressful conditions.
The presence of several or even one of the above factors can lead to the development of osteochondrosis, which is conventionally divided into four stages:
- First stage- a decrease in the amount of moisture contained in the intervertebral disc with a decrease in the intervertebral space. In this case, minor tears appear in the cartilage.
- second phase- Due to the reduction in intervertebral gaps, there is a sagging of the ligamentous and muscular apparatus, which leads to unnatural mobility of the vertebral bodies, their shifting and slipping.
- Third section- Due to the progressive degenerative-destructive lesion of the spine, there is an extrusion of the intervertebral discs, as well as subluxation of the vertebrae.
- fourth stage- In order to prevent subluxation and unnatural vertebral mobility, bone osteophytes grow between the vertebrae, in popular treatment they are called "salt deposits", which over time become so numerous that the vertebrae lose their mobility. Such bone growths inevitably lead to injuriesthe nerves and vessels located near these vertebrae.
It should be noted that in the first and fourth stages of arthrosis, patients do not feel pain.
Osteochondrosis and its classification
Although osteochondrosis has many different classifications, the most common is the classification of osteochondrosis, which takes into account the localization of lesions of the spine:
- osteochondrosis of the cervical spine;
- osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine;
- osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine;
- osteochondrosis of the sacral spine;
- joint osteochondrosis, which includes disease of two or more vertebral sections.
Osteochondrosis and its symptoms
As a disease, osteochondrosis is of a chronic nature and is characterized by the alternation of the remission phase and the exacerbation phase, in which the symptoms of osteochondrosis are particularly characteristic, depending on the localization of the spinal disease, as well as the presence of possible complications.
So, with osteochondrosis of the cervical region, pain directly in the neck, in the hands, a certain rigidity of movement, headache and numbness of the fingers are characteristic. Well, in case of compression of the vertebral artery, the patient has a throbbing headache, a decrease in the functions of the hearing aid, dizziness and fainting are also possible.
The symptoms of osteochondrosis of the chest region are somewhat different. The patient is worried about aching back pain, which can also be of an acute nature, difficulty breathing with full breasts, pain in the heart, as well as a feeling, which in folk treatment is so called - "cola in the chest".
Symptoms of osteochondrosis with damage to the lumbar spine are manifested by pain in the lower back, legs, sacrum and are aggravated with movement. In addition, numbness in the legs appears, and various functional disorders of the urogenital organs can develop.
Also, during the period of remission, a sick person may experience pain that is not pronounced and occurs only with provoking factors, for example, an uncomfortable posture of the patient.
Osteochondrosis and its diagnosis
First of all, patients should take into account that a neuropathologist is engaged in the treatment of osteochondrosis. Diagnosis of osteochondrosis usually includes the following steps:
- questioning of the patient;
- External examination and palpation of the patient's spine in various body positions and determination of a possible range of motion;
- special examinations for the diagnosis of osteochondrosis using magnetic resonance, computed tomography, as well as X-ray examination of the patient;
- special studies of peripheral nerves and blood vessels, but only in cases necessary for the correct diagnosis of osteochondrosis.
If you do not treat osteochondrosis in a timely and correct manner, preferably without resorting to folk remedies, there is a real danger of developing various complications in the form of diseases such as sciatica, herniated disc, migraine, vegetative dystonia , and with lumbar osteochondrosis - also spinal stroke. Therefore, due attention should be paid to the diagnosis of osteochondrosis and its treatment, avoiding methods of independent alternative treatment, so as not to start the development of this disease.
Conservative treatment of osteochondrosis
In the treatment of osteochondrosis in medical institutions, in contrast to traditional medicine, classical methods of treatment are used. At the same time, the attending physician treats the patient strictly individually. Treatment of osteochondrosis to achieve effectiveness is carried out in a complex way. Even conservative methods of treating osteochondrosis are divided into the following groups:
- Treatment of osteochondrosis with drugs.
- Physiotherapeutic treatment of osteochondrosis, in particular magnetotherapy, through the use of special medical devices.
- Sanatorium treatment of osteochondrosis.
- Organization of proper nutrition with the help of a special diet.
Surgical intervention in the treatment of osteochondrosis
Treatment of osteochondrosis with the help of surgery is carried out only in cases when the above conservative methods do not give the desired effect. The most common is the removal of an intervertebral hernia, during which the surgical incision is no more than a centimeter, and the patient can get up the very next day after such an operation. Well, the course of full rehabilitation of the patient is completed within six months after the operation.
There is also a method of treating osteochondrosis through surgical intervention, during which the affected disc is removed and a silicone implant or prosthesis is put in its place, which leads to the restoration of the necessary distance between the vertebrae and, as a result , the elimination of symptomsof osteochondrosis.
Prevention of osteochondrosis diseases
First of all, for the prevention of osteochondrosis, you should:
- Avoid increased stress on the spine by wearing comfortable shoes.
- try not to stay in an uncomfortable position of the body for a long time;
- exercise regular weight control and avoid the yoke of excess;
- maintain correct posture at all times;
- Use both hands evenly when lifting weights.
- do general strengthening exercises daily, as well as regular yoga classes or in the pool;
- Follow a diet that includes foods like fish, leafy greens and vegetables, dairy, jelly and jellies, broths, eggs, butter, and olive oil.
- Avoid alcohol, fizzy drinks, strong coffee, salty foods and fatty meats.