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 "getting younger". If the first symptoms appeared not earlier than 35 years ago, now the first signs are diagnosed already in adolescents. Predisposition to osteochondrosis is most often noticed in people with unequal load on the spine. These can be improper posture, the habit of carrying a bag on one shoulder, long sitting in one position, injury, excessive sports load and, of course, age 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 the adjacent bone tissue, which leads to the erasure of the vertebral body and joint surfaces.
Unfortunately, when the first back pain appears, almost no one goes to the doctor, which leads to the fact that the disease is detected already in serious stages. The disease is treated quite effectively in the early phase, because the changes in the spine are not crucial, 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 site, osteochondrosis is divided into several types:
- Cervical osteochondrosis.
- Osteochondrosis of the chest.
- Lumbar osteochondrosis.
Symptoms and signs of osteochondrosis
Clinical manifestations are caused by damage to nerve tissues and blood vessels that are located near the affected area.
- Back pain.
- Feeling of "lumbago" after physical exertion.
- Poor posture and as a result of scoliosis.
- Violation of skin sensitivity on certain parts of the body.
- Numbness.
- Dizziness and nausea due to impaired blood supply.
- Headache.
Osteochondrosis can have different symptoms and signs, which is why it is not always easy to detect at the first signs. Go through periodic checkups and do not delay going to the doctor at the first suspicion of osteochondrosis.
Causes of osteochondrosis
The reasons for the development of osteochondrosis can be many. As a rule, the lack of proper respect for the spine leads to this disease, if not at a young age, then certainly by the age of 50.
Think about how you sit every day, how you sleep, whether you have a comfortable pillow and always carry weights in one hand, whether you give the right load when playing sports, because all this can lead to irreversible consequences in your spine. . .
The reasons for the development of osteochondrosis can be:
- Genetic predisposition.
- Nervous exhaustion of the body.
- Poor posture during active growth.
- Wearing uncomfortable shoes.
- Wearing heels at an early age.
- Physical overexertion of the body.
- Overweight.
- Sedentary and sedentary lifestyle.
- Improper weight bearing.
- Frequent lifting of loads.
- Vibrations burden the body.
- Dehydration of the body.
- Body hypothermia.
"Keep in mind that being overweight and sitting inactive will eventually lead to back problems! "
In danger:
- Drivers.
- Office staff.
- Movers.
- Pregnant women.
- Obese.
- Professional athletes.
Take care of your health and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Stages of development of osteochondrosis
No illness starts suddenly and immediately. Osteochondrosis is no exception. There are 4 main stages in the development of osteochondrosis.
- Primary dystrophic changes in intervertebral cartilage. Disc dehydration, microcracks, loss of elasticity - all this is already happening in your spine until you feel practically no changes, but they are still there and you can notice them. If you start to notice discomfort in your back during prolonged sitting or minor pain after physical exertion, do not waste time, make an appointment with a doctor.
- Contraction of the intervertebral space and constriction of nerve endings and the appearance of pain in certain parts of the back. Pain syndrome will occur each time with sharp bends and inclines. This phase is hard to miss and certainly should not be neglected.
- Abrasion of intervertebral cartilage tissue. The symptoms of pain are pronounced and can lead to numbness of the limbs. It is impossible to alleviate pain without medication. At this stage, serious treatment is required with adherence to the regimen and taking medication.
- The last and most serious phase. Osteochondrosis on it is already irreversible, because the intervertebral cartilage is completely destroyed. In such cases, surgery is usually required.
Advanced cases of osteochondrosis can lead to partial or complete paralysis. In order not to lead to a critical situation, it is necessary to start treatment on time in the early stages of osteochondrosis.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
The treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine requires an individual approach to each patient. There is no standard and uniform method of treatment. 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:
Medications for osteochondrosis
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 blood supply process and tissue regeneration. Completely eliminating the disease requires an integrated approach and maintaining the condition of the body in proper condition for the rest of your life. Osteochondrosis medications consist of taking several groups of medications.
- First of all, it is necessary to alleviate the pain that interferes with a normal lifestyle. NSAIDs - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - are used for this purpose. (Ketoprofen, Ibuprofen, Ketorolac).
- After removing the symptoms of pain, chondroprotectors and vitamins are prescribed to restore the cartilage tissue. Such drugs prevent further destruction of the intervertebral discs and reduce inflammation. Such drugs include glucosamine, which, unlike analogues, does not need to be injected. It is enough to dissolve a bag of powder in a glass of water and take it orally. This route of administration promotes better absorption of the drug and alleviates the discomfort that occurs during injections.
- Drugs that stimulate blood microcirculation.
- Local analgesics.
Physiotherapy for osteochondrosis
Treatment of osteochondrosis with physiotherapy is a fairly effective measure, and most importantly, it is painless and has virtually no contraindications. Such procedures help alleviate inflammation, eliminate cramps and eliminate constriction of nerve endings. Physiotherapy includes procedures such as:
- Electrophoresis.
- Magnetotherapy.
- Phototherapy.
- Shock wave therapy.
- Blatotherapy.
It is worth knowing that some physiotherapy procedures cannot be used in periods of exacerbation. Treatment of osteochondrosis with physiotherapy is prescribed exclusively by a doctor and in combination with drug treatment.
Physiotherapy and massage for osteochondrosis
Physiotherapy exercises for osteochondrosis help in the formation of a muscular corset that will help support the diseased spine. The set of exercises is selected individually for each patient individually. For phase 3, the exercises are performed only lying down, smoothly and preferably under supervision.
Massage treatment of osteochondrosis is also a common practice. The main thing is that the massage is done by a professional who will not harm your spine. After the session, you should feel muscle relaxation, release of clamps and general relief. Hand massage improves blood circulation. In acute periods of the disease, it is better to refuse this method of treatment.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
In osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the patient experiences severe pain in the head, neck, arms, and shoulder girdle. It could flicker "flies", tinnitus and spots in front of the eyes. As a rule, in the early stages, the patient goes for a head examination and does not doubt that the matter is completely different. They are prescribed for cervical osteochondrosis.
- Agnioprotectors against dizziness that most often occurs in the morning (Pentoxifylline).
- Chondroprotectors that prevent further destruction of cartilage tissue, reduce inflammation, relieve pain and restore joint mobility (glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate).
- Antidepressants, which patients sometimes have to resort to due to the fact that constant pain has a detrimental effect on the psyche and contributes to the development of insomnia, depression (doxylamine).
- Vitamins that will improve the general condition of the body.
- Anticolvusants for headaches that interfere with the full life of patients.
- NSAIDs are prescribed in the acute period to relieve pain.
Treatment of osteochondrosis in the chest
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, sharp pains are felt in the front part of the chest, and breathing can become frequent and difficult. There may be sharp pain in the area of the shoulder blades when turning and bending. It is difficult to diagnose thoracic osteochondrosis, because the pain is not felt directly in the spine, and the symptoms are more similar to heart, lung or kidney diseases. Fortunately, this type of osteochondrosis is very rare and the cause of its occurrence is in most cases scoliosis.
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis
Lumbar osteochondrosis is the most common type nowadays. This is due to the fact that this part of the spine is exposed to the greatest stress. First, dull pain appears in the lumbar region, and then the pain begins to radiate to the leg and can lead to numbness of the lower extremities. Problems with flexion and extension occur. In such cases, the main thing is to start timely treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis and apply complex measures. Several rules should be followed:
- Limit physical activity.
- Take all prescribed medications.
- Follow the prescribed physiotherapy.
- Take a special massage course.
- Get rid of extra pounds if necessary.
With improper treatment and non-compliance with the recommendations, surgery on the last lumbar osteochondrosis may be necessary.
Which doctor treats osteochondrosis?
If you feel pain in your spine and suspect that you have osteochondrosis, then you should initially make an appointment with a therapist, who will refer you to a neurologist, vertebrologist, orthopedist and surgeon based on your complaints.
How long is osteochondrosis treated?
Many patients wonder how long the treatment for osteochondrosis will last? No one will give you the correct answer, but the main signs of the disease disappear, as a rule within 1-3 months, further maintenance of the condition is needed.
Is it possible to get rid of osteochondrosis forever?
It all depends on the stage at which it is detected. If the patient turns into 1-2 stages, then with proper treatment and following all the rules you can get rid of osteochondrosis forever. In the 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 advisors will show you all the possibilities of pillows and advise you on prices.