Osteochondrosis is a disease in which degenerative processes occur in spinal tissue.The discs, adjacent joint surfaces, vertebral bodies, and ligaments can all be damaged.Typically, osteochondrosis initially develops pathological changes in the bones and ligaments.In addition, a person becomes aware of the onset of the disease only when he begins to suffer from complications of the disease (back pain, impaired sensitivity, muscle atrophy, dysfunction of internal organs).
This disease is widespread among modern humans: according to various sources, up to 90% of the world's population suffers from osteochondrosis.The disease mainly affects people over the age of 30.Today, osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is most commonly detected (about half of cases).
stages of osteochondrosis
The disease develops in stages in humans.In the first stages of disease progression, the process of dehydration of the nucleus pulposus begins.As a result, the height to which the disc descends decreases, and cracks form in the annulus fibrosus.However, the lesions do not occur outside the disc.
In the second stage, two adjacent vertebrae are observed to converge due to a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc (the attachment point of muscles and ligaments).Due to sagging of ligaments and muscles, the vertebrae become overly mobile, causing instability in the motion segments of the vertebrae.During this time, the vertebrae may slip or shift, causing spondylolisthesis.
The third stage of osteochondrosis development is characterized by pronounced morphological changes in the intervertebral disc.The formation of disc prolapse and herniation occurs, and subluxation of intervertebral and non-vertebral joints occurs.
When stage four occurs, adaptive changes occur in the affected vertebrae.In this case, the body adapts to the excessive movement of the vertebrae and overcomes it.As a result of spinal immobilization, osteophytes—marginal bony growths on adjacent surfaces of the vertebral bodies—can develop.Osteophytes can damage nerve roots.Gradual fibrous changes occur in the discs and joints.As a result, a kind of armor is formed on the vertebral motion segments, and the symptoms gradually disappear.
Causes of osteochondrosis
Experts have different hypotheses as to why osteochondrosis develops.These causes include mechanical damage to the spine, disturbances in the body's metabolic processes, and susceptibility to genetic diseases.However, due to the prevalence of the disease, it is difficult to determine a clear cause of the disease.Commonly occurs in young and old people; in physically strong and less trained people.
Sometimes you'll hear the idea that symptoms of osteochondrosis are caused by salt deposits in the body's spine.Patients often talk about salt deposits if they hear crunching and crunching sounds in their joints.In fact, this disease occurs as a result of tissue malnutrition.As a result, their structure gradually deteriorates.Bone and cartilage tissue continually undergo a renewal process.If a person gets enough physical activity on a regular basis, the tissue becomes more resilient.But this fabric is less durable for people with sedentary lifestyles.
In addition, osteochondrosis can occur due to excess weight, poor posture, adverse environmental conditions, peculiarities of body posture at work, uneven development of the musculoskeletal system, pregnancy, stress, hypothermia, infection.
Therefore, the range of factors that trigger the development of the disease is very wide.The blood flow and nutritional properties of cartilage and bone tissue play an important role in this process.There are no blood vessels in the adult disc, so the disc receives oxygen and all necessary nutrients from adjacent tissues.Therefore, for normal nutrition of the intervertebral disc, blood circulation in the surrounding tissue must be continuously activated.This process can be accelerated by ensuring active muscle work.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
The manifestations of the disease can vary and depend directly on which stage of development the disease is in.The most obvious symptoms of the disease appear when the pathological process spreads to the posterior part of the annulus fibrosus and the posterior longitudinal ligament.During the activation of pathological processes, patients develop reflex and compressive neurological syndromes.
Osteochondrosis can appear in various parts of the body, so the symptoms of the disease are very broad.People with osteochondrosis may experience pain or numbness in their extremities and sometimes chest pain, reproductive organ dysfunction, and headaches.At the same time, people do not even realize that the cause of this manifestation is osteochondrosis.
If a patient develops thoracic osteochondrosis, the symptoms may be similar to those of heart disease: angina pectoris, myocardial infarction.This is why the wrong treatment is sometimes given, leading to further progression of osteochondrosis.Therefore, if you suspect this disease, you should immediately consult a doctor and undergo the necessary tests.
Osteochondrosis mainly presents with back pain and intense discomfort.In some cases, the pain occurs periodically rather than continuously.It may disappear for a while.But for everyone, the occurrence of pain should be a very alarming symptom that deserves attention.It is important to think about and determine the exact cause of the pain.For example, it could be strenuous physical activity, lifting weights.
The next indicative symptom of cervical osteochondrosis is numbness and pain in the arms and legs.Similar symptoms are characteristic of other types of osteochondrosis.Most commonly, the pain occurs in the left leg or arm, sometimes radiating to the heart just below the ribs.If such symptoms occur, you should not immediately rush to take medication for heart disease or other conditions, but rather listen carefully and assess the nature of the pain, which varies depending on what the person is doing at the time.All your observations should be described in detail to the doctor, who will then introduce the patient to the practice of massage, gymnastics, and other therapeutic methods.Contacting a specialist at an early stage of the disease will ensure more effective treatment.
Therefore, most often, patients diagnosed with osteochondrosis complain of discomfort in different parts of the spine, as well as pain of varying intensity and nature.They experience higher levels of fatigue, which is reflected in both physical and mental tasks.Sensation may be impaired in different parts of the body, most commonly in the extremities.Patients may also notice chills in their arms and legs.Dizziness and headache are often symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.Vision may also be significantly reduced.
If a patient suffers from osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, then in this case various diseases of the human reproductive system may occur.Men often notice improved efficacy after treatment for lumbosacral osteochondrosis.At the same time, if a woman develops sacral osteochondrosis, this may complicate conception and the pregnancy process.In addition to these symptoms, osteochondrosis may also present other symptoms: muscle spasms, difficulty moving, tingling, etc.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
The most important point in the process of diagnosing osteochondrosis is to collect medical records, and the most important point in this process is to interview the patient. The patient must describe all complaints to the doctor in detail.If certain symptoms of the disease are characteristic of osteochondrosis, there are many other signs that are important in distinguishing manifestations of other diseases.Many of the organ dysfunctions manifested by osteochondrosis often mimic symptoms of gastritis, angina, and gastric ulcers.This is why every symptom of osteochondrosis needs to be studied and analyzed in detail.
During the diagnostic process, doctors take into account the patient's age and the development of symptoms.To confirm the diagnosis, studies using other methods are needed.In this case, an X-ray is most commonly performed.To determine the patient's condition, radiographic examination of the spine is performed.If there are more specific symptoms, targeted radiography of the lesion is performed.
Myelography is considered a relatively complex diagnostic method.This test involves injecting contrast fluid into the spinal canal.In this case, there is a risk of spinal cord damage as well as allergic reactions.But at the same time, this method is considered informative if it is necessary to determine whether a spinal hernia is present.
Additionally, the use of computed tomography and magnetic resonance is practiced.However, they are relatively expensive and are therefore mainly performed when differential diagnosis is required and to establish the presence of spinal tumors.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
For treatment of spinal osteochondrosis to be effective, it is necessary to provide not only an accurate diagnosis but also a comprehensive approach.Typically, doctors will prescribe treatment based on the area of the spine affected.Treatment methods for cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine mainly include massage, manipulation, acupuncture, electrical stimulation, therapeutic exercises, vacuum therapy, traction and other methods.Folk remedies can also be used in parallel treatment.
Doctors prescribe treatment options to ensure elimination of the symptoms bothering the patient and the causes of spinal pathology.Pain relief through the use of physical therapy methods and medications.Special exercises are also performed for osteochondrosis of the spine.
One of the main ways to treat osteochondrosis of the spine and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system is through the use of physical therapy.For this purpose, special rehabilitation equipment is used.By regularly performing exercises individually selected by experts, you can improve blood circulation and activate metabolism.As a result, the nutrition of the intervertebral discs is improved and the load on the spine is reduced.
Physical therapy methods involve the effects of various physical factors on the body.With the help of low-frequency current, magnetic field, and laser, it can effectively relieve pain and reduce inflammation, and the effect of concurrent drug treatment is better.With the help of massage, you can relieve tension and muscle pain and activate blood circulation.Manual therapy can relieve acute and ongoing chronic pain in the joints and spine, increase range of motion, and have an overall positive impact on the body.Spinal traction surgery is used to relieve severe pain.It is performed on special equipment.During this process, the intervertebral space increases and the spine's shape is restored.Drug treatment is mainly carried out during the exacerbation of the disease.
But in most cases, even effective treatments can only slow the progression of the disease and prevent it from getting worse.Complete cure of osteochondrosis is only possible in the early stages.It is important to consider that the duration of treatment depends on the extent of the disease, the method of treatment, and how carefully the patient follows all the doctor's prescriptions and recommendations.Typically, the duration of active treatment lasts from one to three months.After surgery, a person's recovery time is approximately one year.If conservative treatment does not achieve the desired results and there are special indications, the doctor will recommend surgical treatment.
Prevent osteochondrosis
People who already have osteochondrosis should try not to overload the spine and minimize pressure on the intervertebral discs.It is recommended to keep your back straight at all times to avoid spinal injuries.A comfortable bed is important for a good night's sleep: you need to choose an orthopedic mattress that's right for you.You should not lift more than 10 kilograms, and in order to lift an object you must first sit down, pick up the object, and then stand up.Women should not wear shoes with too high heels.Additionally, people complaining of back pain should exercise daily to strengthen their core muscles.It is recommended to go swimming if possible.