Just imagine, in the 21st century, osteochondrosis is diagnosed in 50-80% of the world's population. The numbers are not small and, most importantly, the disease is "rejuvenating. "If before the first symptoms appeared not before the age of 35, now the first signs are already diagnosed in adolescents. Most often, a predisposition to osteochondrosis is observed in people with an uneven load on the spine. This can be incorrect posture, the habit of carrying a bag on one shoulder, sitting for a long time in one position, injury, excessive sports load, and of course age-related changes.
"Most people have definitely heard of osteochondrosis, but not everyone knows what it is. "
What is osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis is a pathology of the spine, expressed by degenerative damage to the intervertebral discs and adjacent bone tissue, which leads to the erasure of the vertebral bodies and articular surfaces.
Unfortunately, when the first pains in the back appear, almost no one goes to the doctor, this leads to the fact that the disease is already detected in serious stages. The disease at an early stage is treated quite effectively, since changes in the spine are not critical, but over time the process becomes irreversible.
The main sign that you may already be developing osteochondrosis is pain in your neck, back, or lower back. In a more advanced form, the pain "radiates" to the chest, arms, shoulders, legs, and other parts of the body.
Depending on the location, osteochondrosis is divided into several types:
- Cervical osteochondrosis.
- Osteochondrosis of the thorax.
- Lumbar osteochondrosis.
Symptoms and signs of osteochondrosis.
Clinical manifestations arise from damage to nerve tissues and blood vessels located near the affected area.
- Back pain.
- Feeling of "lumbago" after physical exertion.
- Poor posture and, as a consequence, scoliosis.
- Violation of the sensitivity of the skin in certain areas of the body.
- Numbness.
- Dizziness and nausea due to poor blood supply.
- Headache.
Osteochondrosis can have various symptoms and signs, so it is not always easy to detect it at the first signs. Carry out regular check-ups and do not delay in going to the doctor at the first suspicion of osteochondrosis.
Causes of osteochondrosis.
There can be many reasons for the development of osteochondrosis. As a general rule, disrespect for the spine leads to this disease, if not at a young age, then surely in the 50s.
Think about how you feel every day, how you sleep, if you have a comfortable pillow and if you always carry weights in one hand, if you give the appropriate load when doing sports, since all this can have irreversible consequences on your spine. . .
The reasons for the development of osteochondrosis can be:
- Genetic predisposition.
- Nervous exhaustion of the body.
- Poor posture during active growth.
- Wear uncomfortable shoes.
- Wearing heels at an early age.
- Physical overexertion of the body.
- Over weight.
- Sedentary and sedentary lifestyle.
- Inadequate loading of weights.
- Frequent lifting of loads.
- Vibration loads on the body.
- Dehydration of the body.
- Hypothermia of the body.
"Keep in mind that being overweight and sedentary will lead to back problems over time! "
At risk:
- Drivers
- Office staff.
- Moving.
- Pregnant women.
- Obese.
- Professional athletes.
Take care of your health and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Stages of development of osteochondrosis.
Neither disease begins abruptly and immediately. Osteochondrosis is no exception. There are 4 main stages in the development of osteochondrosis.
- Primary dystrophic changes in the intervertebral cartilage. Disc dehydration, microcracks, loss of elasticity - all this is already happening in your spine while you hardly feel any changes, but they are still there and you can notice them. If you begin to notice discomfort in your back during a prolonged session or mild pain after physical exertion, do not waste time, make an appointment with a doctor.
- Contraction of the intervertebral space and pinching of the nerve endings and the appearance of pain in certain areas of the back. The pain syndrome will appear each time with sharp turns and tilts. This stage is difficult to miss and certainly should not be ignored.
- Abrasion of the intervertebral cartilage tissue. Pain symptoms are pronounced and can lead to numbness in the extremities. It is impossible to relieve pain without medication. At this stage, serious treatment is required with adherence to the regimen and taking medication.
- The last and most serious stage. Osteochondrosis is already irreversible, since the intervertebral cartilage is completely destroyed. Surgery is usually required in such cases.
Advanced cases of osteochondrosis can lead to partial or complete paralysis. In order not to bring the situation to a critical situation, it is necessary to start treatment in time at the early stages of the development of osteochondrosis.
Treatment of osteochondrosis.
For the treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine, an individual approach is required for each patient. There is no standard and uniform treatment method. The patient's age, physical condition, causes of osteochondrosis and many other factors are taken into account. But of course, each of the treatments has common characteristics:
Osteochondrosis drug.
Osteochondrosis cannot be cured by just taking medications, but they play a key role in reducing the severity of the symptoms of the disease, improving the processes of blood supply and tissue regeneration. For the complete elimination of the disease, an integrated approach and the maintenance of the state of the body in suitable conditions for the rest of its life is required. Medication for osteochondrosis consists of taking several groups of drugs.
- First, it is required to relieve pain that interferes with a normal lifestyle. For these purposes, NSAIDs are used - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. (Ketoprofen, Ibuprofen, Ketorolac).
- Once the pain symptoms are eliminated, chondroprotectants and vitamins are prescribed to restore the cartilage tissue. These drugs prevent further destruction of the intervertebral discs and reduce inflammation. Such drugs include glucosamine, which, unlike analogs, does not need to be injected. It is enough to dissolve an envelope of powder in a glass of water and take it orally. This method of administration promotes better absorption of the drug and alleviates the discomfort that occurs during injections.
- Drugs that stimulate blood microcirculation.
- Local pain relievers.
Physiotherapy for osteochondrosis.
Treatment of osteochondrosis with physiotherapy is quite an effective measure, and most importantly, it is painless and has practically no contraindications. Such procedures help to relieve inflammation, eliminate spasms, and remove pinching of nerve endings. Physical therapy includes procedures such as:
- Electrophoresis.
- Magnetotherapy.
- Phototherapy.
- Shock wave therapy.
- Mud therapy.
It is worth knowing that some physiotherapy procedures cannot be used during periods of exacerbation. Treatment of osteochondrosis with physiotherapy is prescribed exclusively by a doctor and in combination with drug treatment.
Physiotherapy and massages for osteochondrosis.
Physiotherapy exercises for osteochondrosis help to form a muscular corset that will help support the diseased spine. The set of exercises is individually selected for each patient individually. For stage 3, the exercises are performed only lying down, gently and preferably under supervision.
Treating osteochondrosis with massage is also a common practice. The main thing is that the massage is done by a professional who will not damage your spine. After the session, you should feel muscle relaxation, pincer release, and general relief. Manual massage improves blood circulation. In acute periods of the disease, it is better to refuse this method of treatment.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the patient feels severe pain in the head, neck, arms and shoulder girdle. There may be flickering of "flies", tinnitus and spots before the eyes. As a rule, in the early stages, the patient will examine the head and does not suspect that the matter is completely different. With cervical osteochondrosis they are prescribed.
- Agnioprotectors against vertigo, which appears most often in the morning (pentoxifylline).
- Chondroprotectors that prevent further destruction of cartilage tissue, reduce inflammation, relieve pain and restore joint mobility (Glucosamine, Chondroitin sulfate).
- Antidepressants, to which patients must sometimes resort because constant pain has a detrimental effect on the psyche and contributes to the development of insomnia, depression (Doxylamin).
- Vitamins that will improve the general state of the organism.
- Anticoliviants for headaches that interfere with the full life of patients.
- NSAIDs are prescribed in the acute period to relieve pain.
Treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis.
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, there are sharp pains in the front of the chest, and breathing can become frequent and heavy. There may be a sharp pain when twisting and bending in the area of the shoulder blades. It is difficult to diagnose thoracic osteochondrosis, as the pain is not felt directly in the spine and the symptoms are more similar to diseases of the heart, lungs, or kidneys. Fortunately, this type of osteochondrosis is very rare and the cause of its appearance is in most cases scoliosis.
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis
Lumbar osteochondrosis is the most common type today. This is due to the fact that this particular part of the spine is subjected to the greatest stress. First, a dull pain appears in the lumbar region, then the pain begins to radiate to the leg and can lead to numbness of the lower extremities. Flexion and extension problems arise. In such cases, the main thing is to start timely treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis and apply complex measures. Several rules must be followed:
- Limit physical activity.
- Take all prescription medications.
- Undergo prescribed physical therapy.
- Take a special massage course.
- Get rid of excess weight if necessary.
With improper treatment and non-compliance with the recommendations, surgery may be required in the last lumbar osteochondrosis.
What doctor treats osteochondrosis?
If you feel pain in the spine and suspect that you have osteochondrosis, you should initially make an appointment with a therapist, who, based on his complaints, will send you for examination by a neurologist, vertebrologist, orthopedist, and surgeon.
How long is osteochondrosis treated?
Many patients are interested in how long the treatment of osteochondrosis will take. No one will give you an exact answer, but the main signs of the disease disappear, as a rule, within 1-3 months, further maintenance of the condition is required.
Is it possible to get rid of osteochondrosis forever?
It all depends on the stage in which it was discovered. If the patient turns in 1-2 stages, with proper treatment and adherence to all the rules, you can get rid of osteochondrosis forever. In later stages, unfortunately, it will not be possible to completely get rid of the disease.
Orthopedic pillow
You may need an orthopedic pillow if you have been diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis. This pillow will improve the quality of your sleep and will not continue to deform your spine. You can contact a special store, where the consultants will show you all the pillow options and advise you on the prices.