Osteochondrosis is a medical term that describes violations of the integrity of bone cartilage surfaces.Most of the time, the disease is associated with damage to intervertebral discs.
Intervertebral discs are a type of shock absorbers that soften the pressure on the spine in the load.Osteochondrosis worsens the quality of life, causing back pain, neck, head, noise in the ears.
There are two points of view with respect to the diagnosis.Specialists abroad include a disorder in children and adolescence.It is believed to be more common in children, since their bones are in the development stage.Doctors diagnose osteochondrosis mainly in patients with an age of 25 to 55 years.The signs, causes and types of disease in two cases are the same.
How to determine osteochondrosis?
- Is there constant or periodic back pain or muscle tension?
- Is there "Gooseb outdoor" in the lower back or neck?
- Do you feel "shooting" in the back?
- Does the pain appear when you raise your hands or swing your head to the sides?
- Is there a periodic dizziness?
- Are there noise episodes, nausea?
If at least one answer is affirmative, you must communicate with a specialist to conduct a study.If the diagnosis reveals violations, the doctor will prescribe treatment and help protect himself from more serious and painful symptoms.
What causes osteochondrosis?
The massive incidence of osteochondrosis is due to the fact that people are in vertical position most of the time.In this case, the column and discs experience an augmented load.If you are wrong to sit, lie and stop, the records lose their depreciation skills.
Over time, the shell of the disc and the hernial protuberance appears.They begin to transmit blood vessels, spinal cord roots or brain itself.As a result, pain, tension reflects in the muscles appears.
The risk group includes medium -age and older people.Office workers, professional drivers, high -growth people often face this disease.The risk factors for the appearance of pronounced symptoms of violations can become:
- flat feet;
- inheritance;
- excess body weight;
- Hypodinamia
Causes of violations in the joint cartilage:
- Working with heavy load
- Incorrect possession in a sitting position, standing or liar.
- Injuries, overstran.
- Excessive loads when practicing sports.
- Increased air moisture and low temperature.
- Activities related to frequent change in body position
Types of osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis can develop in any spine.According to the location, the disease is divided into: cervical, chest and lumbar.In 50% of cases, there is the last type.
Lumbar osteochondrosis
A similar diagnosis is established for both men and women.The reason for this is an increase in the load that appears when walking, running, physical effort, prolonged seat.The lumbar column consists of 5 vertebrae, among which there are discs that give elasticity.If the exchange process does not happen, intervertebral discs lose their properties and pain occurs.
Symptoms:
- Silly or sharp pain in the lower back, which intensifies when it moves.
- Leg pain, body of the pelvis, the sacrum.
- Violation of mobility or sensitivity.
- Atrophy of the leg muscles in the acute course of the disease.
Lumbar osteochondrosis should be treated.In the absence of therapy, dangerous complications can occur: Isshias, hernia, protrusion.As a result, the natural blood supply to the spinal cord is altered, which leads to the paralysis of the lower extremities.
Cervical osteochondrosis
"Be sure to turn your head," the doctors call.Therefore, it can avoid a dangerous diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical column.The neck is the most mobile part of the spine.The department consists of 7 vertebrae.The disease appears as a result of a violation of the metabolic processes in the body, in the presence of salts in the neck or due to the frequent uncomfortable position of the head.
Symptoms:
- Headaches
- Heart pain
- Flashing "Fly" before my eyes
- Hearing disability
- Cryst on the neck
- Pain in hand or shoulder joint
- Numbness of the extremities
Experts point out that this type of disease is one of the most dangerous, since for their reason there may be a violation of blood circulation in the brain, migraine, dystonia and the most serious diseases.
Thoracic osteochondrosis
Violations in the thoracic column occur less frequently, since the vertebrae are inactive.The pains that appear in this area are experienced by many people who participate in a great physical work or have a sedentary profession.The cause of osteochondrosis can be a disturbed exchange process, a greater burden on intervertebral discs.
Symptoms:
- Pain or feeling of compression in the chest area.
- Pain between the shoulder blades when lifting their hands.
- Skin sensitivity disorders.
In acute violation, two symptoms can occur: Dorsago and dorsalgia.Dorsago is accompanied by acute chest pain, lack of breath.With the dorsalgia, the pain in the vertebrae of the department is not too strong, but gradually grows.The disease is often confused with other chest pathologies: heart attack, pneumonia, angina pectoris, etc.The diagnosis is only performed by a specialist based on inspection and research.
Osteochondrosis stages
In the first stage, obvious symptoms are absent.Frequently, discomfort appears in the column, which is associated with fatigue or excessive physical effort.The disease can be detected during a preventive examination, X -rays or TC.
The second stage is accompanied by pain, since the process of destruction of the cartilage tissue and the gap between the discs decreases.The pain at this stage is eliminated with drugs as prescribed by a doctor.
In the third stage, spinal deformations begin: a fibrous ring is altered, an intervertebral hernia appears.With the help of a treatment prescribed correctly, you can still improve the condition of the spine.
The fourth stage are the irreversible changes in the column in which it is difficult to move to a person.Among the vertebrae, the bone tissue that connects the vertebrae grows.Most of the time, a similar form of osteochondrosis leads to disability.
Diagnostic methods
To determine the degree of disease, verify sensitivity and reflexes, the doctor performs a physical exam.In addition, blood and urine tests are given, calcium metabolism indicators are studied.
To make a precise diagnosis, diagnostic methods are used:
- Ultrasound of the vessels.Determination of the degree of deteriorated blood flow in the vertebral arteries.
- X -Ray of the spine.
- Connecticut.The construction of a three -dimensional image of the area studied to identify small vertebral displacements.
- Magnetic resonance study the state of soft tissues to evaluate the state of the spinal cord and visualize the internal structure of the discs.
Treatment
Osteochondrosis is treated in an integral way.The main objective of the therapy is to suppress pain, the elimination of tension in the muscles and the restriction of the movements that appeared due to pain.It is important not to self -medicate, but to take advice with a specialist and follow the recommendations.
- Drug therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Surgical treatment
For the treatment of the spine, the doctor prescribes non -steroid anti -inflammatory drugs that help relieve inflammation and swelling.Musodorelaxantes are responsible for reducing cramps in the muscles.Ointments are used to reduce pain.To protect nerve tissues, antioxidants and vitamins can be prescribed: they slow down the destruction of bone tissue and reduce calcium loss.
The effectiveness of treatment is possible with a combination of medications with physiotherapeutic procedures: electrophoresis, laser, magnetotherapy, mud and current treatment.In addition, you can prescribe massage, manual therapy.The set of procedures is determined taking into account the patient's condition, since there are contraindications.
Surgical intervention for osteochondrosis is necessary in extremely rare cases.There are many nerve endings in the spine responsible for the body of the body as a whole.The risk is excellent, so surgical treatment can be prescribed when conservative methods do not provide adequate effectiveness.
Prevention
It is possible to maintain the health of the spine and prevent the appearance of symptoms or complications of osteochondrosis adhering to prevention methods:
- consumption of sufficient water;
- body weight control;
- consumption of collagen -rich foods;
- the choice of an orthopedic mattress that holds the body;
- Regular sports
You can try alternative methods: acupuncture, qigong or massage.Before starting any procedure, you should consult a doctor to ensure the health of the musculoskeletal system.