The disease of the spine in our time is considered a serious medical and social problem. Every second person aged 30 years suffers from various vertebrates. Osteochondrosis is diagnosed in 70% of the able -bodied population of older age.
What is osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a neurological disease of a chronic nature. From the Greek language, this term is translated as Osteo - bone and chondros - cartilage.
As a result of the pathological destruction of tissues, their elasticity and the loss of the original form are reduced. The distance between the vertebrae is reduced, and the spine is deprived of a stable equilibrium. Distinguish between lumbar, thoracic and cervical osteochondrosis.
In connection with the weakening of the intervertebral discs in the body, irreversible pathological processes may begin to develop. With belated treatment, such a process can lead to a vertebral hernia and protrusion. Further, degradation of the joints of the spinal column and intervertebral ligaments may occur. All these processes lead to the formation of bone processes - osteophytes.
Causes of the disease
Osteochondrosis develops according to a number of factors that depend and do not depend on a person. The main reasons lie in the following:
- The causes of deviation in the intervertebral sections are an asymmetric working pose of muscles. This happens in cases of improper warm -up before exercises, uncomfortable poses, when wearing heavy bags, improper position in a dream and using too soft mattresses or pillows.
- Often the causes of osteochondrosis can be flat feet of the legs. At the same time, the illness of the foot does not provide proper depreciation during interaction with the support and the entire load to go to intervertebral columns.
- People with an excessive mass of the body very often face the problems of the spine. This is due to the fact that fat deposits are distributed in various parts of the body and axis of the spine, without withstanding the excessive load, begins to deform. The intervertebral joints take over the entire excess mass and overload over time.
- Cases of development of the disease are very frequent against the background of various back injuries, overloads of a dynamic and statistical nature, regular vibrations on the vertebral axis. Moreover, the older a person becomes, the more often he becomes subject to such manifestations.
- The curvature of the spine is the undoubted cause of the development of osteochondrosis. Such a pathology can develop both in early childhood and at a later age. In school years, most people acquire certain deviations related to the spinal column. At a later age, these manifestations are poured into a chronic disease.
In addition to the above reasons, the following can be distinguished:
- hereditary predisposition;
- smoking;
- intoxication or infectious disease;
- sharp cessation of strong physical exertion in the gym;
- inferior nutrition;
- changes associated with age;
- posture on posture during pregnancy;
- adverse environmental conditions.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
The main symptoms in the disease can be called pain in the back and neck. The severity of symptoms depends on the severity and stage of the disease. Osteochondrosis has an extensive clinical picture. This is due to the fact that the location of the intervertebral discs is violated, hernias, growths on the vertebrae are formed. All this leads to impaired blood supply, pinches of nerves, a malfunction in the spinal cord and the occurrence of fibrosis of the surrounding vertebrates.
With the development of osteochondrosis, the following symptoms begin to appear:
- a pulling or pulsating pain in the nape, neck, lower back appears;
- muscle weakness is felt;
- When turning the head, crusts are heard;
- Periodic headaches and dizziness arise;
- A person feels unexpected fatigue from the usual routine affairs, which over time flows into a chronic;
- numbness of the limbs, their aches and chills are felt;
- sensitivity is disturbed;
- muscle hypotension develops;
- fatigue of the body, including the eye.
Depending on the area of the spine that osteochondrosis is struck, the symptoms may vary. With cervical osteochondrosis, pain in the hands and shoulders is felt, the head begins to dizzy, "flies" periodically appear in front of the eyes. The lesion of the thoracic region leads to pain in the chest and the region of the heart. The lumbar region declares itself to be pain in the lower back, which are given to the legs or pelvic organs.
With belated treatment, the following disorders may appear:
- spinal hernia;
- kyphosis;
- protrusion;
- radiculitis;
- Salt deposits in the space between the vertebrae;
- spinal cord stroke;
- atrophy of the limbs;
- Paralysis of the legs.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is treated with a fairly long period of time, about three months plus annual rehabilitation. Self -medication can worsen the patient's condition and he may take more time for treatment and recovery.
Therapeutic procedures are carried out in two areas: conservative therapy and surgical intervention are used. In addition, the patient is prescribed the corresponding diet and general recommendations for maintaining his health are given.
During the conservative treatment, it is the goal of stopping the pain syndrome, normalizing the spine and prevent further dystrophic changes in the "axis" of a person. It is carried out by the following methods:
Drug therapy
Aimed at removing the pain syndrome and preventing the inflammation of the components of the tissue spine. At the same time, the goal is to improve the work of metabolic processes.
The following drugs are prescribed:
- Anti -inflammatory non -steroidal.
- Antispasmodics.
- Antioxidants.
- Improving blood microcirculation.
Medicines for osteochondrosis can be used as tablets, ointments, gels and injections. Ointments based on bee and snake poison have good reviews. Famous anesthetic ointments can be used without a doctor's prescription to relieve muscle pain.
Ointments are used both during the period of exacerbation of pain and for the prevention of osteochondrosis.
To stop pain and stop inflammation, various therapeutic blockade also use. They help reduce muscle-tonic syndrome. Among these blockade, application is found:
- blockade of trigger points;
- inside bone;
- paravertebral;
- Epidural.
Physiotherapy
The procedure is necessary to relieve severe pain in the area of the spine and near the adjacent organs. It is prescribed during the period of drug therapy and in the rehabilitation period to enhance their effectiveness.
Physiotherapy is carried out using the following means:
- ultrasonic effects on the spine;
- laser treatment;
- magnetically - resonance therapy;
- The use of low frequency currents.
Physiotherapy physical education (exercise therapy), kinesitherapy
This type of treatment is selected individually depending on the severity of the processes that proceed, their stages and age of the patient. Exercises are selected dosed and carefully. The purpose of such exercises is to correct posture, normalize the work of muscle tissues, their flexibility. At the same time, the decompression of nerve roots is exposed and the prevention of possible complications is carried out.
The procedure allows you to normalize the metabolism and nutrition of the intervertebral discs, improves blood circulation, restores the distance of disks and vertebrae, allows you to evenly distribute the load on the entire supporting and motor apparatus.
In addition, the following procedures have a good restorative effect:
- Massage. It helps to improve blood circulation, relieve stiffness and tension in the muscles, as well as improve the general condition of the body and the health of the patient.
- Hydromassage. The effect goes the same as from massage therapy, only the work of the entire nervous system is still improving.
- Manual therapy. The impact goes to certain points of the bone and muscle system. Motor activity is restored, the immune system is strengthened and the prevention of possible complications is carried out.
- Extension (traction) of the spine. Using special equipment, the spine is corrected. The procedure helps to finally get rid of pain attacks.
With the ineffectiveness of conservative treatment, surgical intervention is used. The surgical method is also prescribed for the strongest injuries of the spine and its nearby organs.
Any type of osteochondrosis can develop for many years in one place of localization. But at the same time, pathological processes can form in any part of the spine. Timely treatment guarantees a favorable prognosis and a complete cure of osteochondrosis.