Osteochondrosis of the spine is a disease that affects the cartilage structures that make up the intervertebral discs in the human body. These discs provide mobility to the spine, allowing us to move and flex.
Osteochondrosis disrupts the structure of such disks, their structure changes. Since the process of destruction of these discs is irreversible, the disease cannot be cured. But with proper treatment, you can stop the development of the disease, slow it down and gain time during which the mobility of the spine will be preserved.
If the disease is not stopped in time, then after the destruction of the intervertebral discs, the destruction of the vertebrae itself begins.
Important!Ignoring osteochondrosis inevitably leads to complications, forced reduction of physical activity, deterioration of quality of life and sometimes even disability.
One of the most common complications of osteochondrosis is osteophyte. This is the name of the bone formations that appear along the edges of the spine. The appearance of such an increase can be provoked by long-term stress on the spine or an unstable segment of the spine.
Causes and symptoms of osteochondrosis
Experts identify incorrect distribution of load on the spine as the main reason for provoking the development of osteochondrosis.
However, the process can also be caused by hypothermia of a specific part of the body or the whole organism, excessive physical stress on the back and spine in general, as well as spinal injuries (impact on the spine, sharp turns, swings and any physical impact that can cause the spine to move).
There are a large number of minor causes of osteochondrosis. As a rule, a person who has received such a diagnosis can identify 7-10 reasons from this list that caused the development of the disease in his particular case.
So, listed below are small but important reasons that provoke the destruction of intervertebral discs. This is what you should avoid in order not to find out what osteochondrosis is:
- Slouching and poor posture (they cause curvature of the spine)
- Weak back muscles (due to which the entire load falls on the spinal column)
- Being in an uncomfortable position all the time
- Excessive physical exertion associated with lifting and carrying heavy objects, power sports
- spinal injuries
- Malnutrition or overnutrition, which causes metabolic disorders
- Excess weight
- constant sitting
- stress
- Hormonal disorders
- A bad legacy
- aging
As you can see, there are quite a few reasons. The symptoms of this disease are also varied. Osteochondrosis manifests itself differently in different people, but the following symptoms are mainly manifested in osteochondrosis:
- Severe back pain
- Numbness in the arms or legs (sometimes both at the same time)
- The headache turns into a migraine
- Aches and pains in the neck and limbs
- Dizziness, colored spots in front of the eyes, sometimes loss of consciousness
- Cold hands and feet
- Characteristic pain in the chest (as in intercostal neuralgia) and in the heart
- painful movements
Occurrence of osteochondrosis
It is interesting: some doctors believe that osteochondrosis is not a pathology, but a natural change in the human body.
Either way, it's hard to find a long-liver who hasn't experienced back pain in his life. According to various sources, osteochondrosis affects 40 to 80% of all people on earth.
As a rule, a person notices the first signs of osteochondrosis between the ages of 35 and 50. It has a lot to do with his lifestyle.
And if in some people, due to bad heredity, the first symptoms appear in adolescence, then for the majority, the symptoms appearing after 50 years are considered the norm.
This is due to the fact that at the age of 45, the human body stops accumulating water in the intervertebral discs, and the level of collagen, necessary for the health of the joints, inevitably begins to decrease.
In some people, the intervertebral discs may even be herniated. This causes pain and is called sciatica.
Stages of osteochondrosis
There are 4 main stages of osteochondrosis development.
- It all starts with the fact that the nucleus pulposus is dehydrated. The fibrous annulus is covered with cracks due to the decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc. At this stage, the pathology is difficult to notice, since all changes occur in the intervertebral disc. No back or neck pain yet.
- As the height of the intervertebral disc decreases, the muscles and ligaments decrease. This is due to the convergence of muscle and ligament attachment points. Initially, they are attached to two adjacent vertebrae, but if the distance between these vertebrae decreases, it cannot affect the muscle tissue.
- The third stage is characterized by the fact that the changes become pronounced. Prolapse appears, as well as a phenomenon such as disc protrusion. Protrusion precedes the occurrence of intervertebral disc herniation. As a rule, the development of the disease can be stopped at this stage, because the fibrous ring is still intact and it can still be restored. But since the protrusion does not cause pain, few people seek medical help at this stage.
- At the last stage, the fibrous ring breaks down. To counteract the excessive mobility of the vertebrae at the site of disc destruction, the body is mobilized and osteophytes appear on the vertebra.
diagnosis
Before starting the treatment of osteochondrosis, it is necessary to carry out a diagnosis and determine at what stage the disease is currently developing.
Important!The diagnosis of osteochondrosis is impossible without first collecting the anamnesis.
If you notice any symptoms of osteochondrosis, listen carefully to your body.
The more you tell your doctor about your feelings, the faster and more accurately he can make a diagnosis and start the right treatment. Do not think that there will be a lot of information: ask your loved ones if they have had the symptoms of this disease. A family history will help you determine the cause of osteochondrosis more precisely.
After the doctor finishes collecting your medical history and concludes from your complaints that it is probably osteochondrosis, he will suggest that you undergo an X-ray examination.
If for some reason this type of examination is not suitable for you, your doctor may also suggest an MRI or CT scan. However, these examinations are not mandatory under the compulsory medical insurance program, so you will have to pay for them yourself. Note their high cost.
As a last resort, myelography is used to diagnose osteochondrosis. This is a painful and dangerous procedure where the doctor injects dye directly into the spinal canal.
How is osteochondrosis treated?
Currently, the treatment of osteochondrosis is used in many clinics. Some procedures have a positive effect, while others only relieve pain. If you decide on one of the treatment methods, discuss this method with your doctor before starting treatment for osteochondrosis.
Now the most popular procedures are:
- Effect of magnetic puncture
- Effect of pharmacopuncture
- Reflexology with needles
- vacuum effect
- Electrical stimulation
- manual therapy
Many of these procedures do not treat osteochondrosis, but treat some of the symptoms of osteochondrosis. Therefore, the doctor should coordinate the procedures. This is especially true for patients diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis.
The fact is that osteochondrosis developed in the cervical spine is characterized by such symptoms as numbness of hands and feet. And this is not accidental. It is a fact that many nerve endings are concentrated in the neck area. And in this case, the wrongly selected treatment can turn your cervical osteochondrosis into a complete disability.
surgical treatment
Spinal surgery is such a serious matter that it is prescribed with great caution and only if osteochondrosis is complicated by disc herniation. Such operations are not urgent, they are always carried out only as planned. Before the operation, you will need to undergo a large number of examinations and undergo many tests.
Such operations are prescribed only if the doctor sees no other way out of the treatment and realizes that the quality of life of a person will significantly deteriorate without the operation. Before surgery, doctors will try to provide pain relief and supportive care.
drugs
Medications for this condition are primarily designed to reduce pain and increase collagen levels in the body.
However, it should be remembered that collagen and other nutrients intended for cartilage are absorbed not only by the spine, but by the whole body. So the effectiveness of such drugs is not very high.
Ointments that doctors recommend for use in osteochondrosis are also intended mainly to relieve pain during exacerbations.
Unfortunately, if you have osteochondrosis, you will most likely need maintenance therapy for the rest of your life. That is, your back hurts from time to time, you will not be able to exert too much physical effort, especially you will have to avoid lifting heavy objects, stressing your back and spine.
Exacerbation of osteochondrosis
Exacerbation of this disease can occur with high physical load on the back muscles. Also, osteochondrosis can worsen due to colds or infections, hypothermia, stress, pregnancy and hormonal changes. Weight gain will also cause back pain.
Prevention
As a preventive measure, doctors offer many patients physical exercises specially designed for people suffering from this disease.
If your doctor has prescribed a course of exercise therapy, you should check with him exactly what exercises are allowed for you. Exercises will help keep the muscles of the corset in tone, and this will reduce the load on the spinal column. In addition, these exercises will greatly help those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Also, for preventive purposes, you may be prescribed a massage. Depending on which part of the spine you have osteochondrosis, the massage therapist will work on that area. It not only relieves pain, but also helps to relax the muscles. Massage with exercise therapy brings good results.
Try to avoid stress on the spine, do not lift heavy objects. If possible, dress warmly because. . . Any hypothermia can cause an exacerbation of osteochondrosis.
It is possible to live a full life with this disease, don't forget to take care of your body and take care of yourself.