Degenerative-destructive lesion of the spine, otherwise:osteochondrosis- a disease involving damage to a person's ligaments and joints, intervertebral discs and vertebral bodies.
Osteochondrosis mainly affects the elderly, regardless of gender, although it should be noted that recently there has been a tendency to rejuvenate this disease. This rejuvenation of osteochondrosis is directly related to the poor physical development of children and being overweight in so many adolescents. In addition, modern youth prefer to sit by the TV or computer, avoiding sports. The combination of these factors leads to weakening of the back muscles, posture disorders and other negative consequences for the spine.
Osteochondrosis and its causes
At the heart of the disease with osteochondrosis is a disorder of trophism of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, which alters the normal structure of tissues. As a result, the cartilage disc loses its normal elasticity and shape, reducing the width of the space between the vertebrae. Violation of the intervertebral ratio leads to compression of the nerve endings of the spinal cord, as well as to significant strain on the muscles of the spine, which explains the occurrence of pain in osteochondrosis. In addition, osteochondrosis often has quite serious complications, such as bulging part of the intervertebral disc, as well as spinal hernia.
In the future, the degenerative-destructive changes that occur in osteochondrosis lead to the formation of bony outgrowths in the vertebrae, spreading to the intervertebral ligaments and small joints of the spine. People who suffer from osteochondrosis find it difficult to perform flexion-extensor movements and over time may develop pathologies - scoliosis or kyphosis.
All of 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 discussed later in this publication, the process of osteochondrosis can be significantly accelerated.
It should be immediately noted that there is no single cause 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 foot diseases that cause overload of the vertebrae, such as a ball of the foot, flat feet and others, as well as prolonged wearing of uncomfortable and tight shoes;
- obesity or overweight;
- natural changes in the body associated with aging;
- violation of metabolic processes in the body;
- maintaining a sedentary lifestyle;
- abrupt cessation of professional sports;
- specifics of professional activity, for example, frequent jerks and turns of the body, lifting weights, uncomfortable body position during work;
- prolonged and frequent hypothermia, exacerbated by high humidity;
- the presence of frequent and prolonged stress.
The presence of several or even one of the above factors can lead to the development of osteochondrosis, which is conventionally divided into four phases:
- The first phase- reduction of the amount of moisture contained in the intervertebral disc with reduction of the intervertebral distance. In that case, smaller cracks appear in the cartilage.
- Second phase- due to the reduction of intervertebral cavities, the ligament and muscular apparatus relaxes, which implies unnatural mobility of the vertebral body, their movement and sliding.
- The third phase- due to progressive degenerative-destructive lesion of the spine, extrusion of intervertebral discs occurs, as well as subluxation of the vertebrae.
- Fourth phase- In order to prevent subluxations and unnatural mobility of the vertebrae, bone osteophytes grow between the vertebrae, in popular treatment they are called "salt deposits", which over time become so numerous that the vertebrae lose mobility. near these vertebrae.
It should be noted that in the first and fourth stages of osteoarthritis, 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 spinal lesions:
- osteochondrosis of the cervical spine;
- osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine;
- osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine;
- osteochondrosis of the sacral spine;
- common osteochondrosis, which involves disease of two or more vertebrae.
Osteochondrosis and its symptoms
Osteochondrosis, as a disease, is chronic in nature and is characterized by a change of remission phase and exacerbation phase, in which the symptoms of osteochondrosis are particularly characteristic, depending on the localization of the spinal disease, as well as the presence. possible complications.
Thus, osteochondrosis of the cervical region will be characterized by pain directly in the neck, in the hands, a certain stiffness of movement, headache and numbness of the fingers. Well, in the case of compression of the vertebral artery, the patient has a headache of a pulsating nature, it is possible to reduce the functions of the hearing aid, dizziness, fainting.
The symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region are somewhat different. The patient is concerned about back pain, which can be acute in nature, difficulty breathing with full chest, heart pain, as well as feeling, in the folk treatment of so-called. "car in the chest. "
Symptoms of osteochondrosis in the case of damage to the lumbar spine are manifested by pain in the lower back, legs, sacrum and are exacerbated by movement. In addition, numbness of the legs occurs and various dysfunctions of the genitourinary organs may develop.
In the remission phase, the sick person may also feel pain that is not pronounced and occurs only in the case of provoking factors, for example, uncomfortable position of the patient's body.
Osteochondrosis and its diagnosis
First of all, patients should consider that a neuropathologist deals with the treatment of osteochondrosis. The diagnosis of osteochondrosis usually includes the following steps:
- examination of the patient;
- external examination and palpation of the patient's spine in different body positions, as well as determining the possible range of motion;
- special studies for the diagnosis of osteochondrosis by magnetic resonance imaging, 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 approach timely and correct treatment of osteochondrosis, preferably without resorting to folk remedies, then there is a real risk of developing various complications in the form of such diseases as sciatica, herniated disc, migraine, vegetative-vascular dystonia, and lumbar osteochondrosis -and spinal stroke. Therefore, the diagnosis of osteochondrosis and its treatment should be given due attention, 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, unlike traditional medicine, classical methods of its treatment are used. At the same time, the physician uses a strictly individual approach to the patient. The treatment of osteochondrosis in order to achieve efficiency is carried out in a complex way. Conservative methods of treating osteochondrosis are divided into the following groups:
- Treatment of osteochondrosis with drugs.
- Physiotherapeutic treatment of osteochondrosis, especially magnetotherapy, using 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 where the above conservative methods do not give the desired effect. It is most often the removal of an intervertebral hernia, in which the surgical incision is no larger than one centimeter, and the patient can get to his feet the day after such an operation. Well, the course of complete rehabilitation of the patient was completed within six months after the operation.
There is also a method of treating osteochondrosis with surgery, in which the affected intervertebral disc is removed and replaced with a silicone implant or prosthesis, which restores the required distance between the vertebrae and, as a result, eliminates the symptoms of osteochondrosis.
Prevention of osteochondrosis
First of all, to prevent osteochondrosis you need:
- avoid increased stress on the spine by wearing comfortable shoes;
- try not to stay in an awkward body position for long;
- control your weight regularly, avoiding excess yoke;
- maintain proper posture at all times;
- when lifting weights, use both hands evenly;
- perform general strengthening exercises every day, as well as pay attention to regular yoga classes or in the pool;
- follow a diet that includes foods such as fish, leafy vegetables and greens, dairy products, jellies and jellies, soups, eggs, butter and olive oil;
- avoid alcohol, fizzy drinks, overly strong coffee, salty foods and fatty meats.