Osteochondrosis: what is it and how to express it?This is a fairly common pathology, most commonly seen in older people, but now the condition is also common in younger people.To choose the right treatment for osteochondrosis, it is necessary to determine the cause of its occurrence and the stage of damage to the body.Well, in order to recognize this disease, you need to know what type of disease it is and everything you need to know about osteochondrosis.So how to remove osteochondrosis and alleviate the patient's condition?
What is osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis is diagnosed as a degenerative and destructive disease of the spine.The basis of this disease is nutritional changes in the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, leading to the destruction of normal tissue structure.The cartilage disc becomes inelastic, changing its shape and consistency.The width of the intervertebral space narrows, and the damaged part of the spine loses stability.Impairment of the correct relationship between vertebrae is related to compression of the nerve endings extending from the spinal cord and the strength of the back muscles.As a result, neurological symptoms of osteochondrosis and pain occur.
Disc dystrophy can lead to a reduction in the annulus fibrosus.In this regard, patients often develop dangerous complications (vertebral hernias, herniations).
Subsequently, osteochondrosis, a degenerative disease, spreads to the facet joints of the spine, intervertebral ligaments, and forms bone growth in the vertebrae.The patient can barely bend or straighten; in other words, flexibility is lost, vertebrae are subluxed and the spine is curvature (scoliosis, kyphosis).
Depending on the location, the pathology affects:
- neck area;
- Chest;
- lumbar spine.
The first signs of osteochondrosis do not arise immediately, but gradually.These degenerative damages to bone and cartilage tissue quickly lead to physiological aging of the body.What osteochondrosis is and how to treat it, see below.
What is back pain?
Back pain is a rather complex syndrome that occurs in a variety of diseases.It may be associated with back problems and other internal organ disorders.
Most commonly, it is caused by osteochondrosis, spondylosis, disc herniation, and severe scoliosis.This syndrome is characterized by mild pain in the damaged area of the back.
disease cause
What causes osteochondrosis?The exact cause of osteochondrosis has not been determined.There are many predisposing factors that lead to osteochondrosis, some of them are:
- genetic predisposition;
- changes in metabolic flux in the body;
- poisoning, infectious diseases;
- Smoking and stress lead to narrowing and spasm of blood vessels;
- Foot disorders that overload the spine (flat feet);
- Overweight, obesity;
- Spinal microtrauma (blows, falls, severe shocks) and major trauma (bruises, fractures);
- age-related changes;
- Hypothermia, sedentary lifestyle, and malnutrition can lead to fluid and vitamin deficiencies;
- Metabolic disorders;
- Unique climate (high humidity, low temperatures).
There are other causes of osteochondrosis, each of which can be caused by incorrect lifestyle.
It is generally believed that many diseases are caused by nerves.People who are suspicious and bad-tempered often suffer from joint and spinal diseases.
Psychological causes of osteochondrosis can also be noted:
- Insomnia, depression;
- Stress, neurasthenia;
- Feelings of loneliness and fear;
- sad mood;
- Psychopathology;
- Problems in sex life.
The psychology of this disorder is not yet fully established.
symptom
For osteochondrosis, symptoms and treatment depend on the location of the lesion and the stage of the injury.
Symptoms of spinal osteochondrosis affecting the cervical spine include:
- Pain in the parietal, occipital, and temporal regions, worsening with turning and neck movements;
- tinnitus, hearing loss;
- Dizziness, eye flashes, fainting;
- visual impairment;
- changes in blood pressure;
- hoarseness, snoring;
- numbness.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the back affecting the chest:
- Numbness of the skin on the chest, back, and abdomen;
- Pain when raising arms, taking deep breaths, and exhaling;
- Pain, squeezing, and often severe pain in the heart area;
- Discomfort and difficulty turning the body in one direction or another;
- Severe pain in the spine.
Osteochondrosis symptoms in women and men with lower back damage:
- Feelings of numbness, tingling, and goosebumps in the legs and buttocks;
- high sweating;
- Pain in the lower back, spreading to one or both legs;
- Varicose veins of lower limbs;
- Even in warm temperatures, feet can freeze;
- Women have irregular menstruation and men have sexual dysfunction.
When osteochondrosis treatment and symptoms have been prolonged and severe, the damaged vertebrae have fused together and the patient suffers from the loss of movement in one or another area of the spine, and the pain often lessens or disappears completely.How is spinal osteochondrosis treated?
diagnosis
What should you do if you have osteochondrosis and how to overcome it?Before starting treatment for osteochondrosis of the back, the treating physician must make a correct diagnosis through initial examination and questioning of the patient.However, how to identify osteochondrosis?
In order to confirm the pathology, the following examination methods must be performed:
- Computed tomography can identify the condition, structure, shape, nerve ending compression, and deformation of the intervertebral disc;
- MRI can show minimal damage to the spinal area and is used when CT cannot show accurate results;
- Radiographs to determine the extent, location, and appearance of bones in the vertebrae;
- Doppler ultrasound detects changes in blood flow in the capillaries that flow through the spinal cord and other organs.
Sometimes, a thorough examination can reveal associated pathology that occurs with complications of the disease (hernias, radiculitis, herniations, kyphosis).
Diagnostic features are most important because many of the symptoms and signs are very similar to those of other conditions, and the center of the pain may be the spinal process or a damaged disc.
How is spinal osteochondrosis treated?
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine is a rather lengthy process involving the use of complex medications; you also need a specific treatment plan for osteochondrosis and a personal approach to each patient.For any patient, the choice of the necessary treatment depends on the nature of the pathological disease, the patient's condition and the presence of complications of the disease.
An important condition for how to deal with osteochondrosis is staged treatment.First, during an exacerbation of osteochondrosis, the goal of treatment is to eliminate pain.Patients are advised to rest and use special collars and corsets designed for spinal self-release.External and internal treatment using medications and physical procedures are required.
It is then necessary to take measures to prevent the formation of new exacerbations (therapeutic exercises, reflexology, manual therapy, massage).
drug
Can osteochondrosis be treated with medication?Medication should be used when the condition worsens.They help reduce symptoms and influence individual causes in the development of the disease.
The most common drugs used to treat osteochondrosis are:
- NSAIDs.They have analgesic properties, quickly relieve inflammation, and reduce the elevated temperature of damaged tissue in the spine.These products are available in the form of injections, ointments, gels, and tablets.
- Muscle relaxants.They oppose the increase in muscle tone that often occurs in this pathology.
- Chondroprotectant.They reduce the process of cartilage destruction and lead to its restoration.
- painkillersTopical effects (pepper patches, compresses).
- Vitamin E, B1, B2, B6.Increase metabolism and restore damaged tissue.It is best to use them in the form of injections.
- Vasodilator drugs.Designed to eliminate vasospasm.
- Glucocorticoids.Relieve swelling, inflammation, and enhance the effects of muscle relaxants and NSAIDs.
- Vascular protectant.Restore capillary blood flow, metabolism, and muscle tone.
therapeutic exercise
If you have spinal disease, symptoms may be noticeable, so only a specialist can advise how to treat osteochondrosis.
Exercise therapy or physiotherapy is an effective treatment for osteochondrosis, since gymnastics that strengthen the back muscles promote the development of muscle bundles that evenly distribute the load on the spine.Through continuous surgery, blood circulation is restored, tissue nutrition is restored, and movement becomes easier.
For example, special breathing exercises can reduce muscle spasms and relieve pain.But swimming can significantly relax and relieve the spine.
However, for the effectiveness and safety of physical therapy, exercise should be carried out after the acute symptoms of the disease have resolved.
physical therapy
In addition to medication, treatment of osteochondrosis of the back involves physical therapy measures.They help speed up the recovery process and are continued throughout the remission period beyond exacerbations.There are many physical therapy options, many of which are specific to and treat osteochondrosis of the back, such as:
- Magnet therapy– Restores metabolic processes, reduces inflammation, tissue swelling and pain.
- Electrophoresis.Medications used during this procedure promote analgesic effects, improve blood flow to damaged tissue, and normalize metabolism.
- manual therapy– Pain relief, joint movement may occur.
- laser treatment– Normalizes blood circulation, reduces inflammation, pain, stimulates tissue regeneration.
- acupuncture.Special needles relieve pain, reduce inflammation and stimulate metabolic processes.
- massage.Spinal osteochondrosis can be cured with therapeutic massage, which relieves pain and restores muscle tone and nerve conduction.
- TractionFor use in adult spinal osteochondrosis.Helps normalize mobility and prevents the progression of the disease and the manifestation of complications.
It happens that a doctor prescribes a series of such procedures to a patient at the same time.This usually depends on the manifestations of osteochondrosis and associated diseases.Course duration is 10 to 15 days.It is recommended to repeat 3-4 times throughout the year.In this regard, the rate of progression and frequency of complications can be reduced several times.
surgical treatment
Can osteochondrosis be treated surgically?In osteochondrosis of the spine, it can be treated in this way.Reasons for this intervention may be the patient's late presentation, the presence of complications, or the failure of conservative treatment.
Any type of surgical intervention can help remove pressure from the spinal cord and roots.When a person has an intervertebral hernia, the damaged disc and the hernia itself are completely removed.
Surgical methods carry certain risks and are performed on an emergency basis.
Of course, it is unlikely that you will get rid of osteochondrosis forever, but with the help of medications, physiotherapy measures and massage, you can forget about the unpleasant symptoms of the disease for a while.