What is this disease, osteochondrosis?The definition of the disease can be designated as a degenerative lesion of cartilage in the intervertebral discs with further spread on the bone.The causes of osteochondrosis are completely diverse, but most often they become injuries, a motionless lifestyle, work in one position.However, osteochondrosis on nervous grounds is not excluded.
The insidiousness of the disease is that it can appear in any part of the motor system of the human body, and its provocateur can be a neurosis.People have different forms of osteochondrosis of the spine.In general, in medicine, this term is customary to mean a set of dystrophic degenerative processes that are localized in the intervertebral discs, as well as the small joints of the spinal column and the vertebrae themselves.
Osteochondrosis: What is it?Types of osteochondrosis
What is osteochondrosis?- In medical science, the following types of osteochondrosis are distinguished:
- cervical;
- thoracic;
- lumbar.
The name of the disease depends on the place of localization of pathological processes.
Basically, osteochondrosis is suffered by people of advanced age.But in recent decades, the incidence is increasingly found in people at a young age.
Why does osteochondrosis appear in young?This is mainly due to the fact that children do not receive proper physical training.Also, the causes of osteochondrosis can be explained by an excess body weight, which is often observed in adolescents.Statistics say that today every eighth person has back diseases.
A big problem is that many children spend all their time sitting at the computer, playing stationary video games.In addition, many professions are today associated with sedentary work.And this invariably affects posture, weakens the muscles, which leads to other negative consequences.Actually, a lifestyle limited in movements and physical activity is a direct path to back diseases.
How does osteochondrosis manifest?
There are such unique ones that claim that osteochondrosis does not exist.But at the same time, it is worthwhile to understand that such a pathology is associated with a violation of the trophism of the intervertebral discs, which inevitably leads to fabric deformation.This fact cannot be denied in any way.Therefore, to ignore the disease, and even more so to say that it does not exist is obvious nonsense.
What is osteochondrosis?This is when, due to degeneration, discs lose their mobility.At the same time, the gaps between the vertebrae are reduced, and this segment begins to lose stability, from which osteochondrosis occurs.A change in the distance between the vertebrae provokes pinching of the nerve endings.As a result, this affects the tension of the back muscles.Later, pain begins to appear, against the background of which a neurosis occurs.
Changes in a dystrophic nature in discs with osteochondrosis weaken the external fibrous ring.In this regard, patients may appear in protrusions and hernias.Further, the destructive progression of the disease passes to the joints, intervertebral ligaments, which leads to the formation of bone growths on the vertebrae.
Osteochondrosis can contribute to the fact that the patient will experience difficulties when bending the body, which is associated with the loss of elasticity of the spine.Here there is an arising subluxation of the vertebrae along with pathological deformations of affected areas in the spine.All this leads to the fact that a person develops chronic osteochondrosis.
Erosive osteochondrosis
Sometimes patients have a rapidly processing form of damage to the intervertebral discs, which was determined by erosive osteochondrosis.This form of the disease is characterized by much more pronounced symptoms, while the patient often has a suspicion of spondylodiscite.The main criterion for the diagnosis for identifying erosive osteochondrosis is the preservation of sclerosed terminal plates, which can only be traced using an X -ray or CT.
Osteochondrosis: symptoms and causal connection
Spinal osteochondrosis appears for the following reasons:
- excessive loads on the spine;
- overweight;
- hard physical work;
- Sedentary or standing work;
- use of uncomfortable shoes;
- improper posture;
- a motionless lifestyle;
- genetic and acquired deformations in the spine;
- flat feet;
- genetic predisposition;
- metabolic disorders;
- intoxication of the body;
- nervous overstrain;
- stressful situations;
- severe somatic diseases;
- hormonal violations;
- autoimmune diseases;
- injuries transferred to the spine;
- a diet with a deficiency of minerals and vitamins;
- habit harmful to health;
- The use of uncomfortable sleeping accessories for night rest.
It is impossible not to say that professional athletes can also be subjected to increased loads on the spine, which, of course, can lead to the development of back diseases.Moreover, they should not sharply limit the number of their training, since it is during this period that the risk of osteochondrosis is the greatest.
At its core, osteochondrosis is a glorious illness.Patients constantly feel the periods of exacerbation of the disease and remission.An increase in physical exertion, overwork, as well as hypothermia can lead to intensive pain.
If we talk about the lesions of the cervical spine, it is worth noting that patients experience pain in the neck, upper limbs, which may be accompanied by stiffness in movements, numbness of fingers and headache.Along with this, pinches of the vertebral artery may be observed, which leads to an increase in blood pressure, a deficiency of oxygen intake to the brain.
With thoracic osteochondrosis, the patient may feel aching or, on the contrary, acute pain, which can be expressed as an interlopter “stake in the back”.Pain syndrome can be felt in the heart and lungs and other organs, a patient can also have difficulty breathing, in addition, a poorly and severe right -sided rooster syndrome is sometimes diagnosed.
The gastralgic form of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is accompanied by a cardiac syndrome when the patient feels stiffness in the chest, lungs and heart.In this case, the pain syndrome can intensify during deep breathing.With the further development of gastralgic syndrome, pain moves to the area of the stomach, which is fraught with the development of gastritis.
With osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, pain most often appears in the lower back, sacrum and lower extremities.Duil feelings can be intense in the movement, shots in the back, and numbness of the legs are possible.Disruptions in the functions of the genitourinary system organs are not excluded.
Among other things, the patient may have dysplastic osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.This form of the disease is accompanied by the formation of growths on the vertebrae along with pathological deformations of the spinal column.
In patients with osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, the so -called visceral syndrome can be observed.At the same time, the pain in the affected area gives to the internal organs, and a person may think that, for example, the kidneys are hurt.
What does polyseggmentary osteochondrosis mean?
In a pathology observed at once in several segments or covering the entire spine, the patient is diagnosed with polysegent osteochondrosis.The affected segments can be placed directly one near the other, or through one, or even in certain sections of the spinal column.Naturally, in such a situation, a comprehensive special treatment is required, which must include not only taking tablets, but also physiotherapeutic procedures.
Osteochondrosis and the causes of the illness of a polyseggmentary type are a much more severe disease than it might seem at first glance.If appropriate treatment is not carried out, then this state of affairs can lead to complete immobility of the back.The next photo shows how serious osteochondrosis can be.
Osteochondrosis and vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD)
Pathological degenerative processes can exist and progress for quite some time, until completely lost by a person, the opportunity to move.Therefore, if you find at least one sign of osteochondrosis, immediately go to the hospital.
Since pathological deformations in intervertebral discs are often accompanied by irritation of vegetative nodes, the disease can cause neurosis, as well as a variety of disorders in the work of the cardiovascular system.Actually, one of these consequences is vegeto-vascular dystonia.
The main features of the VVD include:
- unexpected jumps of pressure;
- pain in the head;
- nausea with vomiting;
- insomnia;
- dyspnea;
- sweating;
- A constant feeling of overwork.
Sometimes in a heavy form of VSD, a person can lose consciousness.
The occurrence of the above symptoms can be a consequence of not only damage to the spine, but also impaired functioning of the endocrine and somatic systems.Therefore, only a specialist can make the correct diagnosis and choose the right treatment after the relevant examinations.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
The treatment of degenerative processes in the back always implies a very long course of therapy based on the integrated use of various drug medicines and physiotherapeutic procedures.If you have neurosis with osteochondrosis, be sure to contact a neurologist.The choice of optimal techniques and drugs is possible only after a complete examination of the patient and various studies.
The doctor may prescribe a limiting diet, the implementation of physiotherapy exercises, sometimes it is appropriate to use folk methods.However, any measures should be taken only taking into account the actual condition of the patient, the presence of complications and concomitant diseases, such as neurosis, VSD, increased blood pressure, and so on.
One of the main conditions for the successful treatment of osteochondrosis is a sequence.With an exacerbation of the disease, of course, the first thing you will need to remove the pain syndrome.Further, the work should be carried out to suspend the destructive processes.
In the treatment of osteochondrosis, physiotherapy exercises, massage (including self -massage), manual therapy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy and the like are used.As for the use of drugs, their main effect should be aimed at eliminating pain, restoring cartilage, and the normalization of blood circulation in areas affected by the disease.
Most often, patients are prescribed:
- medications with analgesic effect (anti -inflammatory non -steroidal drugs);
- muscle relaxants;
- funds for local anesthesia (compresses, blockade, patch and the like);
- chondroprotectors;
- complexes of vitamins and minerals;
- vasodilating drugs;
- Medicines for normalizing metabolism processes in tissues.
Media physical education for osteochondrosis plays an exceptional role.Selected specifically for a particular patient, training will help him strengthen the muscles in the back, allow you to form a muscle corset to ensure uniform distribution of loads on the back.Due to constant training, blood circulation in intervertebral discs will improve.A person will straighten the posture and make his spine mobile.
There is also a special complex of breathing exercises that allow you to relieve muscle spasm and pain syndrome.It is quite good to engage in swimming - it is able to unload the spine as much as possible.
When performing exercise therapy, it is important to use special simulators for rehabilitation.It is worth noting that any physical activity is contraindicated during the exacerbation of the disease.But during the period of remission, they must necessarily supplement drug therapy.
Prevention of osteochondrosis
To prevent the occurrence of osteochondrosis, a person, first of all, should maximize the daily load on the back.For this you need:
- choose comfortable high -quality shoes for socks;
- avoid a long stay in an uncomfortable position, a sedentary or standing position;
- monitor your weight;
- control posture;
- Do not raise excessive severity unnecessarily;
- engage in charging to strengthen the spinal muscles.
Osteochondrosis is a disease that has very serious consequences.And absolutely everything about osteochondrosis is impossible to know.