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 earlier the first symptoms appeared not earlier than 35 years old, now the first signs are diagnosed already 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 about 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 joint 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 detected already at 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 indicating that you may already be developing osteochondrosis is pain in the 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.
- Chest osteochondrosis.
- Lumbar osteochondrosis.
Symptoms and signs of osteochondrosis
Clinical manifestations occur due to damage to the nerve tissues and blood vessels located near the affected area.
- Backache.
- Feeling of "lumbago" after physical exertion.
- Poor posture and, as a result, scoliosis.
- Skin sensitization in certain areas of the body.
- Numbness.
- Dizziness and nausea due to impaired blood supply.
- Headache.
Osteochondrosis can have various symptoms and signs, which is why it is not always easy to detect it at the first signals. Go through periodic checks and do not delay going to the doctor at the first suspicion of osteochondrosis.
Causes of osteochondrosis
There can be a lot of reasons for the development of osteochondrosis. As a rule, the lack of proper respect for the spine leads to this disease, if not at a young age, then by the age of 50 for sure.
Think about how you sit every day, how you sleep, whether you have a comfortable pillow and whether you always carry weights in one hand, whether you give the right load when doing sports, as 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 overstrain of the body.
- Overweight.
- Sedentary and sedentary lifestyle.
- Improper carrying of weights.
- Frequent lifting of loads.
- Vibration loads on the body.
- Dehydration of the body.
- Hypothermia of the body.
"Note that being overweight and sedentary will lead to back problems over time! "
At risk:
- Drivers.
- Office staff.
- Movers.
- Pregnant women.
- Obese.
- Professional athletes.
Take care of your health and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Stages of development of osteochondrosis
None of the diseases start abruptly and immediately. Osteochondrosis is no exception. There are 4 main stages in the development of osteochondrosis.
- Primary dystrophic changes in the intervertebral cartilage. Dehydration of the disc, microcracks, loss of elasticity - all this is already happening in your spine while you practically do not feel any changes, but they are still there and you can notice them. If you begin to notice back discomfort 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 pinching of nerve endings and the appearance of pain in certain areas of the back. Pain syndrome will appear every time with sharp turns and tilts. This stage is hard to miss and certainly not to be ignored.
- Abrasion of intervertebral cartilage tissue. Pain symptoms are pronounced and can lead to numbness of the limbs. 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 on it 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 one, it is required to start treatment on time at the first stages of the development of osteochondrosis.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
For the treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine, an individual approach to each patient is required. There is no standard and uniform treatment method. The age of the patient, his physical condition, the causes of osteochondrosis and many other factors are taken into account. But of course, each of the treatments has common features:
Medication for osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis cannot be cured only by 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. To completely eliminate the disease, an integrated approach is required and maintaining the state of the body in proper condition throughout the rest of your life. Medication for osteochondrosis consists of taking several groups of drugs.
- First of all, 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).
- After the pain symptoms are removed, chondroprotectors and vitamins are prescribed to restore 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 sachet of powder in a glass of water and take it orally. This method of administration promotes better absorption of the drug and relieves the discomfort that occurs during injections.
- Medicines 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 practically no contraindications. Such procedures help relieve inflammation, eliminate spasms, and eliminate pinching of nerve endings. Physiotherapy 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 massage for osteochondrosis
Physiotherapy exercises for osteochondrosis helps to form a muscle corset that will help support the diseased spine. The set of exercises is selected individually for each patient individually. For stage 3, exercises are performed only while lying down, smoothly and preferably under supervision.
Treatment of osteochondrosis with massage 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. 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 goes to examine the head and does not suspect that the matter is completely different. With cervical osteochondrosis, they are prescribed.
- Agnioprotectors against vertigo, which most often appears 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 sometimes have to be resorted to by patients due to the fact that constant pain has a detrimental effect on the psyche and contributes to the development of insomnia, depression (Doxylamin).
- Vitamins that will improve the general condition of the body.
- Anti-colvusants 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 turning and bending in the area of the shoulder blades. It is difficult to diagnose thoracic osteochondrosis, since 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 occurrence is in most cases scoliosis.
Lumbar osteochondrosis treatment
Lumbar osteochondrosis is the most common type at the present time. 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 should be followed:
- Limit physical activity.
- Take all prescribed medications.
- Undergo prescribed physiotherapy.
- Take a course of special massages.
- Get rid of excess weight if necessary.
With improper treatment and non-compliance with the recommendations, surgery may be required on the last lumbar osteochondrosis.
Which doctor treats osteochondrosis?
If you feel pain in the spine and suspect you have osteochondrosis, then you should first make an appointment with a therapist, who, based on your complaints, will send you for examination to 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 go away, 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 at which it was discovered. If the patient turns at 1-2 stages, then with proper treatment and adherence to all the rules, you can get rid of osteochondrosis forever. At 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 go to a special store, where consultants will show you all the options for pillows and advise you on prices.