Degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the spine, or, more simply, osteochondrosis, not only affect an increasing number of the adult population of our planet, but also become much younger. Today, more than 80% of the working-age population of our planet is periodically disturbed by back pain.
Osteochondrosis- a disease of the spine, which results in degenerative-dystrophic damage to the intervertebral discs and the underlying bone tissue, accompanied by a thickening of the processes of the vertebrae and loss of elasticity of the ligaments along the spine. This leads to aging, dehydration, and loss of stability in cartilage tissue.
Osteochondrosis is not just a manifestation of pain in the spine or altered sensation in the extremities, it is a disease of the whole body. And as many studies show, osteochondrosis has a direct effect on virtually all internal organs. For example, disorders in the cervical spine affect the functioning of the organs of vision, hearing, and mental and mental activity. In the thoracic region, they disrupt the work of the cardiovascular system, the gastrointestinal tract. And degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spinelumbar lead to organic problems. small pelvis, including in the urogenital area and lower extremities. For example, in the same lower extremities it is accompanied by various pains, muscle cramps, "chills", numbness of the extremities and, subsequently, their atrophy. Therefore, early detection and qualified treatment of this pathology is very important. Many people facing the diagnosis of intervertebral hernia for the first time are faced with the choice of treatment methods. The proposed surgical treatment leaves many in shock, forcing them to seek alternative therapies. Some immediately turn to traditional healers, bone healers, others take various medications, others do nothing, adhering to the view that the disease should be treated when it is very worrying. In this sense, there is a winged expression of neurosurgeons: "walking with a hernia is like walking with a grenade, nobody knows when it will explode! " But, unfortunately, surgical treatment, be it neurosurgical or orthopedic, is not a panacea. In many patients, even after the operation, pain in the spine persists, associated with the development of scar adhesions, and relapses (a new exacerbation ("return") of the disease after an apparent recovery) often occur - repeated hernias .
With osteochondrosis, the intervertebral discs are more often affected. These unique cartilage washers don't just connect our 33 vertebrae to the spine. Its good state of operation, mobility, elasticity, elasticity, load bearing capacity directly depend on the state of the intervertebral discs. They serve as elastic shock absorbers to cushion the load.
Osteochondrosis manifests itself already in the first decades of life and, according to observations, in boys more often than in girls.
If you do not take care of the prevention and treatment of osteochondrosis, the disease will progress and gradually affect the entire spine, which can eventually lead to a herniated disc, pinching of nerve endings and parts of the spinal cord. In severe cases, the consequences of osteochondrosis can be eliminated only by surgical intervention with a long period of recovery and rehabilitation.
Types of osteochondrosis
Depending on the part of the spine affected by the disease, the following types of osteochondrosis are distinguished:
- Cervical osteochondrosisor osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
- Thoracic osteochondrosisor osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine.
- Lumbar osteochondrosisor osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine.
- Common osteochondrosis,This is when the disease spreads to two or three parts of the spine at the same time.
- First:the main symptom of osteochondrosis at this stage is instability, which manifests itself in the initial disorders of the vertebral discs. Feeling of discomfort and discomfort.
- Second:the main symptom of the second stage of osteochondrosis is the protrusion of the disc. The destruction of the fibrous ring begins, the spaces between the vertebrae decrease, it is possible to pinch the nerve endings with pain syndromes.
- Third:at this stage of osteochondrosis, destruction of the ring occurs with the appearance of intervertebral hernias. The third stage is characterized by a significant deformity of the spine.
- Four:the last and most serious stage of osteochondrosis. It becomes difficult to move. Any movement causes a sharp pain. Periodically, there are improvements in the condition and the pain subsides, but this clearly indicates the formation of bone growths. They connect the vertebrae, limiting the ability to move and causing disability.
Four stages of development of osteochondrosis.
Characteristic symptoms of osteochondrosis.
Patients suffering from osteochondrosis complain of constant back pain, which is often accompanied by numbness and pain in the extremities. In the absence of proper treatment, weight loss and limb atrophy occur. The main symptoms are:
- constant back pain, feeling of numbness and pain in the extremities;
- increased pain with sudden movements, physical exertion, weight lifting, coughing and sneezing;
- decreased range of motion, muscle spasms;
- with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine - pain in the arms, shoulders, headaches; possible development of the so-called vertebral artery syndrome, which consists of the following complaints: noise in the head, dizziness, blinking "flies", colored spots before the eyes in combination with a burning, stabbing headache. The cause of vertebral artery syndrome can be its spasm in response to both direct irritation of your sympathetic plexus due to bone growths, herniated disc, osteoarthritis of the intervertebral joint and a reflex reaction due to irritation of any receptor of the column. The presence of vertebral artery syndrome can aggravate the course of coronary or cardiomuscular pathology, if present;
- with osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine - pain in the chest (like a "stake" in the chest), in the region of the heart and other internal organs;
- with osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine - back pain, radiating to the sacrum, lower extremities, sometimes to the pelvic organs;
- damage to nerve roots (with herniated intervertebral discs, bony growths, spondylolisthesis, spondyloarthrosis): stabbing pain and impaired sensation, hypotrophy, hypotension, weakness in innervated muscles, decreased reflexes.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis.
Establishing a preliminary diagnosis is carried out during the initial examination of the patient. The examination is usually performed by a neurologist in connection with the patient's complaints of local changes, which may manifest as pain, deformity, or limited mobility. The spine is examined with the patient standing, sitting, and lying down, both at rest and in motion. The level of spinal injury is determined by counting the number of vertebrae from certain anatomical landmarks or according to a special scheme.
When examining the back, pay attention to the posture, the structural features of the trunk, mark the line of the spinous processes (the median groove of the back), the lower angles of the shoulder blades, the crests of the iliac bones, the lateral ones. contours of the waist and neck, the position of the shoulder girdle, the deviation of the intergluteal groove from the vertical, reveal the bulge, the bulge of the spinous processes pay attention to the relief of the muscles located next to the spine.
Touching the spine allows you to supplement the examination data (presence or absence of deformity) to determine the location, degree, and nature of pain. When palpating, the tension of the muscles located next to the spine is also noted. Most injuries and diseases of the spine are accompanied by increased muscle tone.
Spinal flexion is used to determine the range of motion in different parts of the spine.
The main role in the study of the spine is assigned to radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, with the help of which the level of the lesion is determined, the diagnosis is clarified and concrete, and hidden pathologies are revealed. Diagnostic data allows the treating physician to determine treatment tactics and choose the most effective treatment methods.
Osteochondrosis of the spine, treatment with movement.
Complex conservative treatment includes physical therapy exercises, physical therapy, massage, manual therapy, traction (traction) of the spine, reflexology, drug therapy.
Physiotherapy exercises (exercise therapy) - the main method of conservative treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system is to create dosed loads aimed at decompression of nerve roots, correction and strengthening of the muscle corset, increasing the volume and development of a certain stereotype. movements and correct posture, providing the muscle-ligament apparatus with the necessary flexibility, as well as to prevent complications. This is achieved through regular exercises with rehabilitation equipment and joint gymnastics. As a result of exercise, blood circulation improves, the metabolism and nutrition of the intervertebral discs are normalized, the intervertebral space increases, the muscular corset is formed, and the load on the spine decreases.
Physiotherapy is a treatment method that uses physical factors: low-frequency currents, magnetic fields, ultrasound, laser, etc. It is used to relieve pain, inflammation, rehabilitation after injuries and operations. When using physiotherapy methods, the treatment time for many diseases is shortened, the effectiveness of the use of drugs is increased and the dose is reduced, there are no side effects inherent in drug treatment.
Massage is a set of methods of mechanical action measured in the form of friction, pressure, vibration, which is carried out directly on the surface of the human body with the hands. Effectively relieve muscle tension, muscle pain, improve blood circulation, have a tonic effect.
Manual therapy is an individually tailored manual effect on the musculoskeletal system to relieve acute and chronic pain in the spine and joints, as well as to increase range of motion and correct posture. One of the directions of manual therapy is visceral manual therapy, which helps to restore normal mobility of organs, improves blood supply, lymphatic circulation, normalizes metabolism, restores immunity and prevents exacerbations of chronic diseases.
Traction (traction) of the spine is an effective method of treating pain syndromes in the spine and joints using an individually selected load using special equipment. The procedure aims to increase the disc space, relieve pain, and restore the anatomically correct shape of the spine.
Reflexotherapy: various therapeutic techniques and methods for influencing the reflexogenic zones of the human body and acupuncture points. The use of reflexology in combination with other therapeutic methods significantly increases its effectiveness. Most often, reflexology is used for osteochondrosis, accompanied by pain, diseases of the nervous system, sleep disorders, mental imbalance, as well as being overweight and smoking. By acting on certain points, you can harmonize the body and treat many diseases.
Drug therapy is indicated during an exacerbation of the disease, it is aimed at relieving pain, relieving the inflammatory process and improving metabolic processes when taking or administering drugs by intramuscular or intravenous injections.
Although each of the above methods is highly effective, a long-lasting therapeutic effect can only be obtained when combined with exercises in rehabilitation equipment, that is, by creating a full-fledged muscle corset.
Recommendations for the prevention and prevention of osteochondrosis.
To prevent osteochondrosis or reduce pain, people suffering from this disease are advised to be in a position for as long as possible in which the load on the intervertebral discs is minimal, and at the same time, it is necessary to stretch the muscles of the back as often as possible to support the metabolic processes around the spine. General recommendations are reduced to compliance with the rules of a healthy lifestyle, in addition, in each case, the attending physician determines private recommendations.
For prevention, the following rules should be observed:
- Do not overload the spine, do not create conditions that lead to increased pressure on the intervertebral discs:
- limit vertical loads;
- do not make sudden movements, especially turns of the body when bending over;
- avoid falls and jumps from great heights, injuries and contusions of the spine;
- change your body position more often;
- Keep your back straight;
- try to maintain the natural physiological curves of the spine: in the supine position, the load on the spine is minimal, but the bed should be semi-rigid (preferably sleeping on a solid orthopedic mattress and an orthopedic pillow); in a sitting position, keep your back straight due to the muscles or by pressing it against the back of a chair or chair (the seat should be hard enough and the back should have a curvature in the lumbar region), keep your head straight; in a standing position, change the leg you are leaning on most often; getting out of bed or a chair, as well as lying down and sitting down, should be done with the hands without forcing or bending the back;
- before physical activity, drink water and massage your back, this will disperse the blood, accelerate metabolic processes, and allow the intervertebral discs to absorb a sufficient amount of moisture;
- do not lift or hold heavy objects with outstretched arms, to lift an object, bend over and then stand with it, while the objects should be as close to the body as possible;
- When carrying weights, try to distribute the load evenly, that is, do not carry bags in one hand, etc. , if you have to carry an object in front of you, keep it as close to your body as possible, and when this happens, do not stretch your arms forward, and also use it to carry heavy loads, trolleys, bags or suitcases with wheels, backpacks;
- when doing heavy work related to lifting, moving or carrying weights, wear a wide belt or a special corset;
- do not lift a load of more than 10 kg;
- when performing any work, try to bend as little as possible and be in a bent state and periodically unload the spine (hanging on the bar, stretching with raising your arms, lying down);
- wear comfortable shoes; women should limit walking in high-heeled shoes.
- Exercise regularly to strengthen and maintain your corset. Swimming is useful.
- Take a contrast shower, temper the body.
- Do not get too cold.
- Avoid scandals, stressful situations.
- Eat well.
- Do not smoke.