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 pain in the spine.
Osteochondrosis- a disease of the spine, which causes degenerative-dystrophic damage of the intervertebral discs and the underlying bone tissue, accompanied by 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 of the cartilage tissue.
Osteochondrosis is not just a manifestation of pain in the spine or impaired sensitivity in the limbs, it is a disease of the whole organism. And as many studies show, osteochondrosis has a direct effect on virtually all internal organs. For example, disorders of the cervical spine affect the functioning of the organs of vision, hearing, mental and mental activity. In the thoracic region, they disrupt the work of the cardiovascular system, the gastrointestinal tract. And the degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spinelower back lead to organ problemssmall pelvis, including in the urogenital area and lower limbs. For example, in the lower limbs themselves it is accompanied by various pains, muscle cramps, "crawling banners", numbness of the extremities and subsequently their atrophy. Therefore, early diagnosis and qualified treatment of this pathology are very important. Many people who are faced with the diagnosis of intervertebral hernia for the first time are faced with the choice of methods of their treatment. The proposed surgical treatment leaves many in shock, forcing them to seek alternative therapies. Some immediately turn to traditional healers, bone setters, others take various drugs, others do nothing, adhering to the opinion that the disease should be treated when it is very worrying. In this regard, there is a winged expression of neurosurgeons: "walking with a hernia is like walking with a grenade, no one knows when it will explode! " But, unfortunately, surgical, neurosurgical or orthopedic treatment is not a panacea. In many patients, even after the operation, pain in the spine, associated with the development of scar adhesions, persists, and relapses (a new exacerbation ("return") of the disease after apparent recovery) often occur - repeated hernias.
With osteochondrosis, the intervertebral discs are most often affected. These unique cartilage washers not only connect our 33 vertebrae to the spine. Its good working conditions, mobility, elasticity, elasticity, ability to withstand loads 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 deal with the prevention and treatment of osteochondrosis, the disease will progress, gradually affecting the entire spine, which can eventually lead to a herniated disc, pinching of the nerve endings and parts of the spinal cord. In severe cases, the consequences of osteochondrosis can only be eliminated 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, manifested in the initial disorders of the vertebral discs. Feeling unwell and uncomfortable.
- Second:the main symptom of the second stage of osteochondrosis is disc protrusion. The destruction of the fibrous ring begins, the spaces between the vertebrae decrease, pinching of the nerve endings with painful syndromes is possible.
- Third:in this stage of osteochondrosis, the destruction of the ring occurs with the appearance of intervertebral hernias. The third stage is characterized by a significant deformity of the spine.
- Fourth:the last and most severe stage of osteochondrosis. It becomes difficult to move. Any movement causes 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 leading to disability.
Four stages of development of osteochondrosis
Symptoms characteristic of osteochondrosis
Patients with osteochondrosis complain of constant pain in the back, which is often accompanied by numbness and pain in the limbs. In the absence of proper treatment, weight loss and limb atrophy occurs. The main symptoms are:
- constant aching back pain, feeling of numbness and pains in the limbs;
- increased pain with sudden movements, physical exertion, weight lifting, coughing and sneezing;
- reduced range of motion, muscle spasms;
- with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: pain in the arms, shoulders, headache; possible development of the so-called vertebral artery syndrome, which consists of the following ailments: noise in the head, dizziness, flashing "flies", colored spots in front of the eyes in combination with a throbbing and burning headache. The cause of vertebral artery syndrome can be its spasm in response to both direct irritation of its sympathetic plexus due to bony growths, disc herniation, arthrosis of the intervertebral joint, and a reflex reaction due to irritation of any receptors in the spine. The presence of vertebral artery syndrome can aggravate the course of coronary or cardiomuscular disease, if present;
- with osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine: pain in the chest (like a "pole" 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 limbs, sometimes to the pelvic organs;
- damage to the nerve roots (with herniated intervertebral disc, bone growths, spondylolisthesis, spondyloarthrosis): excruciating pain and reduced sensitivity, hypotrophy, hypotension, weakness of innervated muscles, decreased reflexes.
Osteochondrosis Diagnosis
The establishment of a preliminary diagnosis is carried out during the initial examination of the patient. The examination is usually performed by a neurologist in relation to the patient's complaints about local changes, which can 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 pattern.
When examining the back, pay attention to posture, structural features of the trunk, mark the line of the spinous processes (the median sulcus of the back), the lower corners of the shoulder blades, the crests of the iliac bones, the lateral contours of the waist and of the neck, the position of the shoulder girdle, the deviation of the intergluteal sulcus from the vertical, reveal the protrusion, the protrusion of the spinous processes pay attention to the relief of the muscles located near the spine.
The sensation of the spine allows you to integrate the data of the examination (presence or absence of deformity), to determine the localization, degree and nature of pain. During palpation, tension in the muscles located near the spine is also noted. most spinal injuries and diseases are accompanied by an increase in 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 concretized, and hidden pathologies are revealed. Diagnostic data allows the attending physician to determine the tactics of treatment and to choose the most effective methods of treatment.
Osteochondrosis of the spine, treatment with movement
Complex conservative treatment includes exercises in physiotherapy, physiotherapy, massage, manual therapy, traction (traction) of the spine, reflexology, drug therapy.
Physiotherapy exercises (physical therapy) - the main method of conservative treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, is to create dosed loads aimed at decompressing the nerve roots, correcting and strengthening the muscular corset, increasing the volume and lo development of a certain stereotype of movements and correct posture, giving the ligamentous-muscular apparatus the necessary flexibility, as well as to prevent complications. This is achieved with regular exercises with rehabilitation equipment and joint gymnastics. As a result of exercise, blood circulation improves, the metabolism and nutrition of the intervertebral discs normalize, the intervertebral space increases, the muscular corset is formed, and the load on the spine decreases.
Physiotherapy is a method of treatment that uses physical factors: low-frequency currents, magnetic fields, ultrasound, lasers, etc. It is used for pain relief, inflammation, rehabilitation after injuries and operations. When using physiotherapy methods, the treatment time for many diseases is reduced, the effectiveness of the use of drugs and a decrease in their dosage are increased, 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, performed directly on the surface of the human body with the hands. Effectively relieves muscle tension, muscle pain, improves blood circulation, has a tonic effect.
Manual therapy is a personalized manual effect on the musculoskeletal system to relieve acute and chronic pain in the spine and joints, as well as increase range of motion and correct posture. One of the directions of manual therapy is visceral manual therapy, which helps restore normal organ mobility, 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 painful syndromes of the spine and joints using an individually selected load using special equipment. The procedure is aimed at increasing the intervertebral space, relieving pain and restoring the anatomically correct shape of the spine.
Reflexotherapy: various techniques and therapeutic methods to influence the reflex zones of the human body and the acupuncture points. The use of reflexology in combination with other therapeutic methods significantly increases their effectiveness. Most often, reflexology is used for osteochondrosis, accompanied by pain, diseases of the nervous system, sleep disorders, mental imbalance, overweight and smoking. By acting on certain points, you can bring the body into harmony and cure 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 by taking or administering drugs by intramuscular or intravenous injections.
Although each of the above methods is highly effective, a lasting therapeutic effect can only be achieved when combined with exercises on rehabilitation equipment, e. g. when 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 will be 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 boil down to observing the rules of a healthy lifestyle, moreover, in each case, the attending physician determines private recommendations.
For prevention, the following rules must be observed:
- Do not overload the spine, do not create favorable conditions for increasing pressure in the intervertebral discs:
- limit vertical loads;
- do not make sudden movements, especially turns of the body when bending;
- avoid falls and jumps from great height, injuries and bruises 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 must be semi-rigid (preferably sleep on a solid orthopedic mattress and orthopedic pillow); in a sitting position, keep your back straight due to 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 curve in the lumbar region), keep your head straight; in a standing position, change the leg you lean 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 straining or bending the back
- before physical activity, drink water and massage the 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 on outstretched arms, to lift an object, squat and then stand up with it, while objects should be as close to the body as possible;
- when carrying weights, try to evenly distribute the load, 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 as possible to your body and while passing it, do not stretch your arms forward, and also use it for carrying heavy loads, trolleys, bags or suitcases on wheels, backpacks ;
- when performing heavy work related to lifting, moving or carrying weights, use a wide belt or a special corset;
- do not lift a load exceeding 10 kg;
- when doing 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 raised arms, lying down);
- wear comfortable shoes; women should limit walking with high-heeled shoes.
- Practice regularly to strengthen and maintain your corset. Swimming is useful.
- Take a contrast shower, temper the body.
- Don't get too cold.
- Avoid scandals, stressful situations.
- Eat well.
- Not smoking.