Spinal osteochondrosis is a fairly common disease in the modern world. If earlier osteochondrosis was diagnosed mainly in patients after 35-40 years of age, now it has become significantly younger and is already diagnosed in 18-20 year old young people. The rejuvenation of the disease is associated with the emergence of various gadgets with which young people spend a lot of time. The main reason is considered to be a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle.
What is osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis of the spinal column is a chronic disease in which degenerative changes occur in the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, as well as other tissues of the spine. Spinal osteochondrosis, depending on the area of damage to the spinal column, differs in three types:
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine;
- Thoracic department;
- Lumbar spine.
Due to the violation, the intervertebral discs are compressed by the vertebrae, which leads to functional disorders of the disc itself. Over time, the consequence of such processes is that the nerves of the back become pinched, causing pain, swelling, cramps and other symptoms.
Causes of osteochondrosis
Let's talk about the factors that contribute to the occurrence of this disease:
- Sedentary lifestyle;
- Physical overexertion;
- Incorrect body position while sitting. This reason is one of the most popular;
- Hypothermia of the body;
- Carrying a heavy bag or backpack on one shoulder;
- Neuro-emotional exhaustion (depression, neuroses)
- Sleeping on a soft or uneven surface;
- Unbalanced diet, lack of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, etc. )
- Problems with digestion and metabolism due to which the nutrients necessary for the normal functioning of the body are absorbed;
- Overweight;
- Back injuries;
- Flat feet or other problems with the lower extremities;
- Genetic predisposition;
- Incorrect posture;
- Smoking;
- Wearing uncomfortable shoes;
- Multiple pregnancies can be one of the causes of this disease.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
- Pain in the diseased part of the spine in the acute stage, it can be quite acute or aching;
- Muscle spasms;
- Numbness of the upper or lower extremities, loss of sensitivity, depending on in which part the problem exists. Most often, fingers or toes become numb;
- Headaches and dizziness most often occur due to problems in the cervical or thoracic spine;
- Stiffness, aches while moving the body in some positions;
- Increased fatigue;
- Increased temperature in the affected area;
- So-called lumbago (sharp pain), especially when lifting something heavy or making sudden movements;
- Poor posture;
- Pain in the chest and ribs - intercostal neuralgia;
- Increased blood pressure and body temperature;
- Pain in the area of the heart or ribs is due to pinched muscles;
- Goosebumps and tingling in the spine;
- The appearance of "floaters", black or colored spots before the eyes.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
As a rule, a neurologist makes a diagnosis using various studies:
- First of all, a survey and examination of the patient is carried out;
- Neurological examination of reflexes and sensitivity;
- X-ray examination;
- MRI - magnetic resonance imaging;
- CT - computed tomography of the spine.
Stages of osteochondrosis disease
This disease has four stages:
- First stageOsteochondrosis does not always manifest itself immediately and a person may not even be aware of the developing disease. Due to excessive or improper load on the spine, so-called "dehydration of the intervertebral disc" occurs when the amount of moisture in the disc decreases. Serious destruction of the intervertebral disc has not yet occurred.
- Second stagecharacterized by a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae, which can cause pinched nerves. Reducing the distance leads to sagging of the ligaments and muscles, as a result of which the mobility of the vertebrae increases, which leads to their displacement or slipping. Acute and aching pain appears during an exacerbation of the disease.
- Third stagecharacterized by negative changes in the spine, such as arthrosis, scoliosis, etc. The patient experiences stiffness in some parts of the spine. Numbness and tingling appear in the lower and upper extremities, depending on the area of the disease.
- Fourth stagethe most dangerous, often leading to disability of the patient. To fix the "wandering" vertebrae, they begin to become overgrown with bone tissue, fixing them. Due to the growth of new bone tissue, nerves are pinched. The cartilage tissue also thickens. The spine is injured, so this stage is accompanied by irreversible changes in the spinal column. Patients' mobility decreases and it becomes difficult for them to move; even the slightest movements can lead to severe unbearable pain.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
Proper treatment of spinal osteochondrosis is complex therapy, which depends on the stage of the disease.
In the initial stages of the disease, even complete recovery can be achieved with the help of diet, physical therapy and physiotherapy.
Also, for osteochondrosis in the non-acute stage, massage is indicated. Carrying out a massage has a beneficial effect on the blood supply to the spine and the entire back as a whole, pain and inflammation are reduced. Using special oils and ointments during this procedure, you can achieve even more beneficial results for your sore back.
During an exacerbation and in acute stages, drug treatment cannot be avoided. Often, when the disease is advanced, even surgical intervention is required. Typically, such operations are the removal of an intervertebral hernia, which occurs due to improper or incomplete treatment, which causes such an unpleasant complication as a hernia.
Undoubtedly, each person is unique and the disease progresses differently for everyone and requires individual treatment. But anyway, let's talk about the general treatment method:
- Relieve pain and inflammation. Such unpleasant symptoms can be relieved with the help of medications that have an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect.
- Restoring vitamin balance with the help of B vitamins. Also, such vitamin complexes help improve the nerve patency of the spinal column.
- To restore cartilage tissue and intervertebral discs, chondroprotectors are prescribed;
- To reduce muscle spasms, muscle relaxants are prescribed to relieve tension;
- Drugs that improve blood supply are also prescribed for osteochondrosis. They help improve blood circulation in the spine.
Very often, sedatives are prescribed to help maintain a person’s psycho-emotional background.
In addition to medications, physiotherapy is prescribed. They help make treatment more effective and speed up the patient’s recovery process. Such procedures include magnetic therapy, ultrasound, electrophoresis and others.
After relieving severe pain and inflammation, exercise therapy is indicated. Physical therapy is one of the most effective ways to improve the condition and quality of life of a patient with osteochondrosis.
There are other less common treatments:
- Manual therapy;
- Spine traction;
- Acupuncture;
The three treatment methods listed above must be treated with caution; it is not uncommon for pseudo-specialists and scammers who do not have a medical education to worsen the patient’s condition to such an extent that he becomes bedridden.
There are also folk methods for treating osteochondrosis: various natural ointments, herbal infusions, baths with medicinal herbs. This therapy is less effective than drug therapy, but in complex treatment it can give significant results.
Prevention of osteochondrosis
The following recommendations will help avoid exacerbations of osteochondrosis and prevent the progression of the disease:
- If you have a sedentary job or spend a lot of time sitting, you need to take a break with a light warm-up every 30-45 minutes;
- Do sports regularly with moderate loads (gymnastics, exercise therapy, walking, swimming is very useful);
- Never overload your body by physically lifting too heavy a weight. If you still have to lift weights, try to avoid sudden movements. You can also use special belts or corsets. Which will help support your back, reducing the risk of injuring your sore back while lifting heavy objects;
- For sleeping, it is better to choose an orthopedic mattress, and you can find out which one from your doctor;
- If you have to sit for a long time, it would be a good idea to choose a high-quality chair or chair, preferably orthopedic;
- Try to adhere to a proper and balanced diet so that your body receives all the necessary nutrients;
- Try to avoid stressful situations, be more happy and enjoy life;
- Try to wear comfortable and high-quality shoes without high heels.
With the proper approach to the disease, its progression can be stopped. Regular and most importantly proper physical activity (physical therapy and gymnastics) plus a balanced diet will help you forget about such an unpleasant and insidious disease as osteochondrosis.