Osteochondrosis is a degenerative-dystrophic lesion localized in vertebral tissues. The disease causes a pathological process in the intervertebral discs, adjacent surfaces of the joints, as well as the ligamentous apparatus of the spine.
The disease significantly affects human health. Bones and ligaments are damaged. The onset of the disease is signaled by painful symptoms, muscle atrophy, impaired functioning of internal organs. The most common age for the development of osteochondrosis is over 30 years.
Why does osteochondrosis occur?
There is a lot of information in medicine about the causes of diseases. These include receiving mechanical injury, hereditary factor, impaired metabolism. It is very difficult to find a cause that contributes to the development of the disease, because osteochondrosis can occur in both adults and teenagers.
A common factor in the development of the disease is the deposition of vertebral salts. With the help of an X-ray, the growths on the vertebrae are diagnosed, while the joints squeak and squeak when walking.
You can also get osteochondrosis in the case of an existing infectious disease, with constant overload of the spine, exposure to chemicals and impaired posture. People who lead an unhealthy lifestyle, abuse smoking and alcohol, are overweight and are constantly in stressful situations are at risk.
The symptoms of osteochondrosis are determined by the type of disease (s) present. What are the types of osteochondrosis and how they manifest, we will analyze in more detail.
Cervical osteochondrosis
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- headache;
- impaired coordination;
- violation of the auditory, vocal and visual system;
- occurrence of snoring.
The most common symptom is a headache, which negatively affects a person's normal lifestyle. The most common are neck, throat and teeth. The pain spreads to the shoulders and arms and increases with movement.
Medicine divides all the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis into several groups:
Basic symptoms. In other words, cervical sciatica. The pain arises in the neck, descending along the shoulders and back along the whole body to the fingers.
reflex symptoms. A common symptom is pain, characterized by a sharp and burning character. Place of localization - neck or occipital zone. Often the pain radiates to the heart and thoracic spine, moreover, a person confuses osteochondrosis with the presence of heart disease.
Symptoms of the vertebral artery. The most common symptom is headache. Possible damage to the auditory and visual system.
cardiac symptoms. The heart would seem to hurt, but it didn’t. This is just radiation of heart pain, but not heart disease. In this case, the symptoms are similar to angina pectoris. There are cases when a doctor misdiagnoses and treats a non-existent disease.
Self-treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is not recommended.
Before prescribing the necessary treatment, the doctor makes a diagnosis. The main method of diagnosis is X-ray. Treatment should be comprehensive, including the elimination of the source of the disease as well as the symptoms.
The early stages of the disease include manual therapy and exercise therapy. Initiated osteochondrosis requires more thorough treatment and sometimes surgical intervention. As soon as the main treatment is over, the doctor prescribes gymnastics.
Thoracic osteochondrosis
Thoracic spine disease is characterized by attacks of pain in the heart, sternum, back, side of the torso, upper abdomen. In other words, whole body pain.
Painful feelings in the heart can cause suspicion of a pathological process such as angina pectoris. The difference is that pain in the area of the heart in the case of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine does not stop nitroglycerin, and electrocardiography did not reveal pathological changes in the heart. And the pain does not go away after taking heart medication.
Intercostal osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is characterized by symptoms depending on the localization of the pathological process:
Radiculopathy develops in combination with a herniated disc. In the case when intercostal osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine covers the upper segment, there is pain in the shoulders, shoulders, back, heart.
When squeezing the spinal cord. In other words, compression myelopathy. Quite a rare phenomenon manifested by pain, numbness and weakness of the lower extremities.
Clinical symptoms belonging only to osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine are as follows:
Neurological symptoms - constant pain, which intensifies in case of deep coughing and inhalation.
- osteovertebral arthrosis;
- vertebral symptoms.
Visceral syndromes - pain in the heart, intensified in case of physical exertion, body rotation.
Treatment of thoracic spine osteochondrosis should be comprehensive. A special place is occupied by manual therapy, exercise therapy, physiotherapy.
Lumbar osteochondrosis
Intercostal osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is characterized by pain in the lumbar and dorsal region of the body. Radiation can be noticed in the thighs, buttocks, lower legs, very rarely in the heart.
Lumbosacral osteochondrosis is characterized by difficulty urinating, defecation, sweating, tingling in the lower extremities, dryness and peeling of the skin.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is carried out by a neurologist. Before starting the treatment, the doctor performs the necessary diagnostic measures, which consist of a personal examination and probing the vertebrae. X-rays, MRI and CT are also needed. Based on the results of such studies, treatment is prescribed.
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis should include measures to relieve pain, restore normal functioning of the affected area.
Comprehensive treatment includes:
- medical method. With the help of medication you can relieve pain, inflammation, swelling.
- Physiotherapy treatment. With the help of this treatment, you can alleviate pain and discomfort, as well as significantly progress towards complete recovery.
- exercise therapy. Prevention and treatment with the help of therapeutic and sports complexes help to significantly improve health and achieve complete recovery. It is forbidden to carry out exercise therapy during the exacerbation of the disease! Along with physical education, it is necessary to adhere to a healthy lifestyle, eat properly and prevent stress.
Diagnostic measures
As a rule, the diagnosis of osteochondrosis consists of several stages:
- Stage 1. The doctor listens to the person's complaints and finds out the anamnesis: the area of concern, the time during which the discomfort is felt, the cause of the pain, the reason for relieving the pain.
- Stage 2. The doctor examines the skin to identify or notice the absence of redness, peeling and rash. The doctor performs palpation of the affected area to determine the temperature regime of the skin, identify swelling, painful compaction.
- Phase 3. X-ray examination is necessary to determine the pathological mobility of the vertebrae, displacement, salt deposits and osteophyte formation.
- Stage 4. CT helps to identify compression of nerve roots, ruptures, all kinds of changes, marginal growths.
MRI contributes to the examination of the condition of blood vessels, nerve processes and intervertebral discs.
Treatment at home
In the case of painful sensations (in other words, a period of deterioration), various active actions are strictly prohibited. Kneading or massaging the affected area is not recommended, as the pain can only intensify. The body must be provided with rest: take the most comfortable position in which minimal pain is manifested. It also requires muscle relaxation. Sometimes the doctor recommends using a corset for more comfortable movement.
In thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis, warming of the affected area is recommended. The most efficient way to warm up is to use a dog or sheep wool belt. Thanks to the belt, the pain is eliminated and the inflammatory process is weakened. The belt can be found in almost every pharmacy. In some cases, it is possible to visit the bath, so it is good to warm the affected area. Bathing is allowed only in the period when the worsening of the disease is eliminated.
Old grandmother's recipes are also effective. You can apply various tinctures by rubbing the affected area. No less effective are the various ointments that can be made at home or bought at the pharmacy. But such ointments should be used with caution, because they can cause burns on the skin. That is why it is important to read the instructions before use.
Gymnastics for osteochondrosis
Exercise therapy contributes to the treatment of osteochondrosis, and is also an excellent prophylaxis. Physical education should be specially designed and individually selected in each case of the disease.
The therapeutic and physical complex should be performed only in the remission phase, but not in the period of deterioration. At the same time, physical education helps strengthen the ligament apparatus and the muscular corset of the back. Thanks to physical education, you can bypass the main drug treatment.
Preventive measures
In order not to worsen your health and prevent the development of osteochondrosis of any part of the spine, there is a special prevention. Its main rules are:
Drink water before engaging in physical activity or exercise. This is necessary to maintain the exchange of moisture in the discs and prevent their dehydration.
A good means of prevention is a back massage, which a person can do alone while at home. Massage helps to increase blood flow throughout the body, as well as speed up metabolic processes.
Under no circumstances should you lift and keep heavy objects and things at hand. This increases the load. To lift the object, you can squat, keeping your spine straight.
It is not recommended to perform sudden movements, turns and inclines.
Even load distribution is required.
Prevention of osteochondrosis includes a proper lifestyle and good nutrition. There is no need to start a disease. Timely treatment in the hospital will help to avoid negative consequences.